Explain to me the Rain Fade problem

[TITAN_53]

I know its the moisture content in the clouds and all that good stuff. I understand what the whole problem is, what I'm really looking for the easiest way to explain it so that anyone should be able to grasp it. If anyone has any links to anything that could visually explain it that would be great also

Thanks

[Shades228]

wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rain_fade

In a nutshell water absorbs frequencies in a given range reducing the power of that signal.

[TITAN_53]

Like I said I know what happens with the signal and the moisture. Im honestly mainly looking for anything that may explain it visually for when I am explaining it to OTHER people. But to clarify a little further it's actually more about SNOW FADE than rain fade.

[Shades228]

Ask them if they've every looked through a water drop or even a water fall. Is the image as clear as it is without the water there?

Snow is impacted only by the water density of the snow, or cloud. The same question would be relevant though.

Other than that I don't think there is a visual I am aware of that would describe it.

[Devo1237]

Try reading a sign through a screen door. It's a little distorted, but still easy to pick out all the necessary information. Now try reading that same sign through ten screen doors. Now it's a little too hard to see all the letters clearly. The rain fade is caused by a very similar effect -- the more water between your dish and the satellite, the less information (RF signals in this case) can get through.

[ejjames]

A rainbow.

[BattleScott]

If you're ever driven at night in heavy fog or snow, you have experienced the same thing. On a normal night, you can see the oncoming lights from a long way off, in heavy fog or snow, the distance can be greatly reduced.

[meStevo]

There's stuff between the dish and the satellite, the quantity and type of stuff (rain, hail, snow) affect how much signal you get.

[gfrang]

One other thing is it won't degrade PQ or audio,being digital it is all or nothing.

[Avder]

One other thing is it won't degrade PQ or audio,being digital it is all or nothing.

That's not necessarily true. Granted for the most part it is, but if your signal strength is right on that borderline you may start to get some blocking, pixelation, and other artifacting before it goes completely. Digital reception is a very steep drop in quality after a certain threshold, but it is not a straight drop.

[netraa]

Here is how i finally got my mom to understand rain fade.

Take a flashlight and point it at the wall....
that is a clear day

take the same flashlight and point it at the wall through a knitted afghan.
that's a foggy/light rain day

then take the same flashlight and point it at the wall through a thick bath towel.
That's in the middle of a thunderstorm.

then have mom hold the flashlight, and you start to the side of the light on the wall with the towel, and walk towards her at an angle so that the towel blocks the light before you get to the flashlight.
That's how it can be clear where you are but raining like mad just to the south of you and you loose signal.

[cartrivision]

A simple explanation is that rain and clouds block the satellite signal similarly to how they block the sun. The thicker the clouds and rain, the more sun they block and the darker it gets, so when it's cloudy or raining, you can have a range of daylight anywhere from from very bright to very dark. A similar thing happens with the satellite signal, and if the clouds or rain get too thick, they eventually block so much of the satellite signal that it becomes too week to provide a usable signal to your receiver.

[gfrang]

I like to think of it like the tin line between love and hate.:):(

[Ivtec]

I think that the old Sd analog signal was more friendly, since i remember that there use to be weak signal with snow on it but we could still watch tv,and now we get nothing at all at a litle storm,as you guys say either you get it or you don´t,and that is shame,
i use to have analog FTA sat and i could get signal with snow on it when lots of rain was poring now all you get is pixelating.

[WestDC]

Signal bandwidth-the KU Signal is wide (SD) the KA SIgnal (HD) is narrow 1/3 less than the KU band,making the HD signal more prone to loss than the SD, Things that can contribute to signal loss (HD) is low signal to begin with (Dish not peaked or needing re-adjustment) not using soild core rg6 in all parts of the system, Crimp connectores on cables instead of compression ends ,also pass through face plates (barrels) that are not rated for at least 2150 mhz, incorrect or no system grouding.

Any of those issues will contribute to signal loss that will be even more enhanced if a rain cloud should ever be over head.

[veryoldschool]

Signal bandwidth-the KU Signal is wide (SD) the KA SIgnal (HD) is narrow 1/3 less than the KU band,making the HD signal more prone to loss than the SD, Things that can contribute to signal loss (HD) is low signal to begin with (Dish not peaked or needing re-adjustment) not using soild core rg6 in all parts of the system, Crimp connectores on cables instead of compression ends ,also pass through face plates (barrels) that are not rated for at least 2150 mhz, incorrect or no system grouding.

Any of those issues will contribute to signal loss that will be even more enhanced if a rain cloud should ever be over head.
While there is some in this that's close:


It isn't bandwidth, but wavelength.
Solid copper core is for the DC power to the LNBs, and has nothing to do with the RF losses, be it for SD or HD.
Most HD comes is the 250-750 MHz. Only some locals off the Spaceways are at 2150 MHz.
Not that a dish shouldn't be grounded, but whether it is or isn't, doesn't change the signal levels.