Loss of Sky satellite signal in the rain

Question

I keep losing my Sky signal when it rains. I get a “no signal being received” message. Is there some kind of cover I can get to shield my dish from the rain?

Submitted online by Bill

Our Answer

Sorry, but that wouldn’t help. Break-up of a satellite TV signal due to very heavy rain is hard to avoid, I’m afraid. It’s not water on the satellite dish or the LNB itself that’s the problem – it’s that the heavy rain is causing an attenuation of the signal. The signal from the orbiting satellite to your dish is being disrupted.

In general, you should only see picture breakup when there is exceptionally bad weather or heavy rain. If you get a problem when it’s just drizzling, or on a regular basis, then it could point to a problem with your setup.

There are a few things that you can consider to reduce the effects of heavy rain on your TV signal.

Improving your satellite signal

Firstly, you should check the quality and signal strength on your satellite receiver when the weather is good. If you’re only getting a fair signal in good weather, you’ll get a worse one in heavy rain. You can check your signal strength and quality using the on-screen meters available via the Sky box Settings button.

If you’re not getting a good solid signal, the most likely cause is that your dish is out of alignment – perhaps strong winds have moved the dish slightly out of position. An experienced satellite TV / aerial installer carries test equipment to allow them to test the signal and make adjustments as needed.

Also note that if there are trees or other foliage between your dish and the satellite, the signal will in general be worse when the leaves are wet. It can help to get rid of any obstruction in the line-of-sight between your dish and the satellite.

Another option is to get a larger dish. Standard Sky minidishes are fine in most cases, but if you were to get a larger dish, it would be able to pull in a weaker signal. If you’re in the extreme North of the UK, larger dishes can often help, and if poor signal is a regular problem, a larger dish may well be the answer.