Is there something in the air that effects signal strenth (Q)? excluding rain or snow.

[stanleyjohn]

I know that my 6ft dish may be part of the problem but what will cause a station to come in very well on some days and other days not a peep of Q.As an example! RTV on 4080 (ses2)would come in great for months at a time then Poof!! gone for weeks or longer.I dont really question my dish alignment because 4080 as well as some other will pop back on with no dish tweaking.Seems that when i do loose Q its more during daylight hours and when night approaches the Q will rise.Dont think its a heat issue from day heat because cloudy cool days have the same effect.I just would like to understand more on whats happening!Is it due to solar activity!a man made source or something else that brings me good and bad days.PS i know weather has an effect!just want to know of other forces out there are playing games with my satellite reception.

 

[cyberham]

Great subject! I want to know the same. Before I started this activity, I thought satellite signals would be there...or not. Especially digital signals. But I see a great deal of variation from night to night on quality of signals for a given satellite. As you say, it isn't dish alignment or temperature. I suspect it has to do with all that atmosphere between our dish and the satellite. There could be areas of moisture anywhere along the route. So just because the weather is good where we are doesn't mean there isn't significant weather at higher elevations far beyond our visibility. I will sit back and let somebody knowledgeable answer your interesting question.

 

[FaT Air]

I think there's too many variables to pin down the cause without the use of some pretty pricey test equipment and a well versed operator.
Some reading here: http://afrts.dodmedia.osd.mil/tech_info/handbook/pdf/section05.pdf ( page 10 >>interference sources) Don't know if/what applies. But 'food for thought'.
I've lost 4080 also, but only for short periods. Some times only for an hour, but it's always working the day after I notice it.

 

[Lone Gunman]

Yeah I'm seeing some of this same stuff on BOTH my systems? Been a while since I did a complete arc scan but I noticed that when I do go back and rescan individual satellites I get fewer TPs than the original scan got last fall. I was thinking that the hail storm we had last month that damaged my dishes some might be the cause but I had recorded some TP Q readings from last year and checked those and the Q numbers were right where they were before the hail storm.

 

[joshrr]

I used to have the same issues with my 6ft dish. I think its the atmospheric conditions. It would be a clear cold day and no signal. Then some rainy days a signal would come in fine. Id have signals for months like rtv then poof.

Then... I upgraded to a 9ft solid aluminum dish... NO problems since.

I did read up on it though. Believe it was a mix of a thicker ionosphere at different parts of the year mixed with other thicker parts mixed with a heavy solar activity different parts of the year too. There were a lot of variables.

 

[SatelliteAV]

Even particulates in the air will dramatically affect the signals. A few summers ago we had weeks of forest fires throughout California and the skies were extremely hazy. At that time, I was random testing a new shipment of KU-band LNBFs and initially thought that we had received a bad batch. Then I noticed similar performance issues with the benchmark LNBFs.

Rains cleared the air a few weeks later and the Signal Quality readings shot up 10 - 15%. It is amazing how the smoke in the air affected the satellite reception. That was a real "duh" moment for me after being in the industry for 30 years....

 

[Cham]

We are getting close to solar max in the 11 year cycle. The solar storms can cause distortions in the atmosphere that will mess up the signals somewhat causing lower signals or high BER rates even when the signal seems good. GPS system accuracy is also affected. Some days are worse than others. Check spaceweather.com and other sites for current data and forecasts...
-C.

 

[brex2001]

Wonder if seasonal dust & pollen particulates are of such a size/density as to affect signal?
http://www.noaawatch.gov/themes/air_quality.php

 

[truckracer]

Terrestrial interference from ground based communications can cause problems. I read somewhere that Wimax networks will harm c band as well as telephone relay networks and radar.

 

[oblio]

May also want to consider the atmospherics at the uplink location. We might have a clear sky for the downlink but still get pixelation due to a weak or attenuated signal sent up to the sat.

 

[Lone Gunman]

Say, would a large movable object with reflective capability positioned near a dish (not in front but off to the side) have any effect on the signal at the dish?

 

[SatelliteAV]

Say, would a large movable object with reflective capability positioned near a dish (not in front but off to the side) have any effect on the signal at the dish?

Definitely yes.

 

[truckracer]

I remember when the networks were on G10r ku and that used to happen.