Yet another factor in reception is the effect of heavy rainfall. Due to the characteristics of the digital signal, off air can experience a problem similar to the “rain fade” seen with home satellite providers as the signal to the dish antenna is disrupted by rain in the receive path.
Keep in mind that many of todays “HDTV” antennas are equipped with amplifiers. These amplifiers are especially susceptible to lightning strikes and/or power surges during storms. A sudden loss of the off air signal could likely be due to a failure of this amplifier. In this case, only a replacement of the antenna/amplifier will fix the problem.
Many times, following a power outage, a simple “re-scan” of the channels will restore lost programming. This procedure varies greatly so please consult your owner’s manual for the proper procedure.