Solar Interference on Satellite Reception

Solar interference is a temporary loss of satellite signal that happens when the sun lines up behind the satellite from the dish point of view. It is a natural event. It does not mean that Astra, the adapter, or the LNB has failed.

How it manifests

During a solar interference event, the receiver may briefly lose lock on the transponder. Typical signs are:

Signal quality drops sharply: SNR falls and the receiver may report no lock
BER and UNC errors grow: the signal becomes too noisy for stable reception
Video and audio break up: channels may freeze, pixelate, or disappear for a short time
Stream errors appear downstream: PES or CC errors can follow if the DVB signal is already damaged

These symptoms usually begin and end quickly. The issue often repeats at about the same local time for several consecutive days.

Why signal is lost

Satellite signals that reach the dish are weak. When the sun moves directly behind the satellite, the dish receives strong broadband radio noise from the sun along the same path.

This extra noise raises the noise floor at the LNB and tuner input. The receiver can no longer separate the satellite carrier from the background noise well enough, so signal quality drops and errors increase.

This is why the problem looks like a sudden reception failure even when the dish alignment and hardware are correct.

When it happens

Solar interference usually happens twice a year, around the spring and autumn equinoxes. In practice, operators often see it within about three weeks of March 21 and September 21. The exact dates depend on:

Your receive location
The satellite orbital position
The dish pointing direction

For a specific dish and satellite, the event usually lasts for several days in a row. Each daily outage is short, often about 10 to 15 minutes, and happens near the same time each day.

What to do

Solar interference cannot be prevented by software settings. During the event:

Check whether the signal loss matches the expected pattern: short duration, same time of day, several consecutive days.
Wait for the alignment window to pass. Reception usually returns to normal on its own.
Avoid unnecessary dish realignment during the outage. The issue is caused by the sun, not by a moved antenna.
If the signal does not recover after the expected window, check other causes such as weather, cable faults, or hardware problems.

How to distinguish it from other problems

Rain fade: happens during heavy rain or snow, not at the same time on clear days. Read more: No Signal on DVB Adapters
Dish misalignment: does not usually recover after 10 to 15 minutes by itself and is often related to wind or physical movement. Read more: No Signal on DVB Adapters
Cable or connector faults: tend to be random or permanent until the damaged part is repaired. Read more: No Signal on DVB Adapters
5G interference on C-band: depends on local terrestrial interference, not on seasonal sun transit. Read more: No Signal on DVB Adapters
Persistent BER or UNC errors: if errors continue outside the expected window, check signal path and dish condition. Read more: BER/UNC Error on DVB Adapters