"Rain effect" on satellite reception

Kashkai

My signal readings are usually 90% strength and 90% quality but during very heavy rain (like last Sunday when I was watching the golf), I got signal break up on screen and the signal quality had dropped to 50%. So I'm just wondering is there anyway to avoid this signal degradation or will heavy rain bearing clouds disrupt even the best aligned dish's signal reception?

BTW it was the first time that I ever experienced signal break up since I installed the dish. The reception has been back to 90/90 strength and quality since so its not a case that the dish has moved.

Kashkai

Just had another downpour (don't you just love summer) and the reception was fine even during the rian but broke up after the rain stopped!

So is it a case of the rainclouds moving away into the path of the satellite signal or is it rain on the dish/lnb that causes signal break up. (kids are annoyed that they can't go out to play and the tv isn't working!!)

M5

Dont think that there is any way to completely stop this but there is a possibility your dish is misaligned...

If not a bigger dish will minimise the effects of rain. I have an 85CM dish and i can only remember one breakup of the signal on 28.2e and it actually got dark it was raining so heavily :-)

strongman

Is the coax to LNB connection well sealed. Could water be getting into this connection.

watty

very dense cloud or rain nearby to south east is worse than rain overhead.

bigger dish and good alignment.

Martin_F

I've a solid 60 cm Triax dish - never had any rain fade. - only dish covered in snow fade

good quality LNB too.

Kashkai

I've an 80cm Triax dish and its well aligned judging by the signal strength reading on my satellite finder and on my 3 satellite receivers. The f plugs connected to the lnb are protected by a pull down cover and I also covered them in silicone grease for good measure.

I'd think the heavy (and I mean very heavy) rain clouds moving towards the south east could be the answer as this was the direction the clouds were moving both times my reception broke up.

JHMEG

I had the same. Dish was slightly off, and slightly skewed. An €8 sat finder from Lidl and 10 minutes later and all was back in line again.

MACHEAD

Yeah I got that on Sun too (was watching the Antrim / Tyrone match). At one point for about ten minutes or so I was blacked out entirely (No Satellite Signal Being Received). There was VERY heavy black cloud to the S.E. I'm using standard zone 2 dish and quad lnb.

Martin_F

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

I've an 80cm Triax dish and its well aligned judging by the signal strength reading on my satellite finder and on my 3 satellite receivers.

Dave, seems I was mistaken - the Mrs said our signal has gone during the day a couple of times during the torrential downpours (yesterday & today). I'm certain my dish is resonably well aligned - since I usually get 90% strength, 100% quality (although both have a tendancy to range between 90 & 100) even in over cast weather. I think I have the same kit as you except dish size 60 vs 80 (supplied by Tony/RicherSounds).

BrianPK

I used to get a lot of picture breakup during moderately heavy rain (not thunderous) and due to another problem had satellite dish realigned recently(only a fraction off).Result?........very rare,now, to get any breakup even in downpours.