Do Satellite Dish Covers help for preventing rain fade on satellite dishes such as Dish Network & Direct TV?

Question

I've been having problems with rain fading my Direct TV satellite signal and I was wondering if those dish covers actually work. Please answer if you have a satellite dish cover / rain shield.

For example: http://www.wedgiecovers.com/

Answer 1

No you would actually hinder the signal by doing any kind of cover or "blocking" of the signal.

It's not the rain that is causing you problems, it is actually the heavy cloud cover that is keeping the signal from coming through cleanly, hence why you lose the signal.  This happens to all satallite customers  (and cable too, since their main cable station gets the same satallite siganl that you do.)

Just have to live with it.

Answer 2

NO!!!  The cover will/may keep snow from getting into the dish. It has nothing to do with rain fade.

Rain Fade occurs for two basic reasons.1. Rain absorbs the satellite's radio waves. If enough is absorbed you loose signal.  The rain does not have to be at the receiver (although a lot of times it is) it could be at the transmitter, or anywhere on the uplink or downlink path. The more rain the more energy is absorbed so less signal gets to your dish.

2. Rain drops also will scatter the signal. Thus preventing enough signal to get to your dish. NO signal NO picture.

Here is a product that will help combat one factor. The water dripping on your LNB.  http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Products/kings...

For a more detailed explanation see web page in the Source;