Sometimes I think Wildblue is just screwing with me.

It’s Spring, which means it’s windy. About ten days ago, in the middle of a major windstorm, my satellite connection went all to bits. It’s an old story: Click a link, go make a sandwich. Come back later to see how it went. Long-time readers will recall this is hardly the first time.

The dish is on the south side of the cabin, which is also the drip side, and I have already purchased – though not yet received – the replacement OSB sheathing which must be replaced before I can put up siding or even tarpaper. So let a picture tell the tale…
snuffyI just assumed the wind had readjusted my Snuffy Smith dish arrangement to its own liking. It’s been nearly two years since those bolts actually held anything. But when I put a signal-strength meter on it, I was assured that the dish was smack in the middle of the beam and all was well. Some evenings I couldn’t use the thing at all, and we already know the excitement and sense of urgency a service call stirs in the breasts of Wildblue personnel.

I figured I’ll be taking the damn thing right down off the wall pretty quick anyway, and in the meantime I’ll live with it. Then this afternoon – in the midst of a pretty good wind, though hardly what I’d call a storm – it suddenly started working fine again. Go figure.

No assurance it won’t go right back to its tricks, since I’ve no idea what the problem is – why it came, and why it went away. It’s annoying.

About Joel

You shouldn't ask these questions of a paranoid recluse, you know.
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3 Responses to Sometimes I think Wildblue is just screwing with me.

  1. Ben says:

    If it helps any, our Internet has been up and down all afternoon. Called Comcast, and their machine assured me that their omnipotence they “already are aware of the issue”. To add a human touch, the machine also assured me that it “Appreciates my patience in this matter”.

    No mention of a credit on my bill for the service not delivered though.

  2. Ben says:

    Since that dish must come off the Lair anyhow, how about mounting it on a 4X6 fencepost sunk a few feet away from the Lair? That would get it out of your way, give you Internet service during construction and simplify the siding job that little bit.

  3. Joel says:

    I’m still considering that. I have a section of telephone pole that would serve nicely.

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