Satellite internet is what allows me to keep up with the blog and many other things while we’re here in the wilds of Alaska. It is, however, weather dependent…or something.

The dish.

The receiver

Sometimes, the dish and receiver get covered with frost, snow, ice, or beads of water. Sometimes we’re socked in with clouds and can’t see the mountains around us.

I’ve been surprised and impressed by how much access we’ve had overall, but that access has been minimal the past two days, even though it’s been clear and sunny.

Those clouds on the horizon to the south were the only clouds in the sky yesterday, but that’s where the satellite dish is pointed. Today, those clouds aren’t there, but it’s very blustery, and again no internet. Maybe the wind blows the dish around so that it can’t get a bead on the satellite? Beats me. I just know I don’t have the required “four bars” on the modem.

Several days later…

I’m writing blog posts offline and will upload them when I can. It’s been several days since we’ve had a decent internet connection; we had none whatsoever yesterday, Feb. 3. The day before we were connected long enough to download mail, but that was it.

I don’t mind being offline. In some ways, I really like it. I have plenty of other things to keep me busy and happy.

What bugs me is not understanding why there’s no connection. Clouds? We’ve had a connection with and without clouds, and now we’ve not had a connection with and without clouds. Wind? Same. We’ve had a connection with and without wind. Snow on the receiver? Ditto. We’ve had a connection with and without snow on the receiver.

At what point do we consider the possibility the dish has moved and needs to be adjusted or that something is broken?

At this point, I guess. Mike just raised the dish one degree and here we are online. He goes out with his tools and a radio; I sit here and watch the modem, relaying how many lights are on at the different stages.

Crazy.