# Does brush fire smoke really block Directv's signal?



## N5XZS (Apr 26, 2002)

I have a friend who happen to live near brush fire that is burrning near by and she has a Directv dish, she says this fire's smock is blocking her Directv's signal.:nono2: 

How it's compared to rain fade vs smoke fade?

4-21-08


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## Greg Alsobrook (Apr 2, 2007)

If the smoke is thick enough that the signal can't pass through... then yeah... it will block it...


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## jodyguercio (Aug 16, 2007)

Im with Air on this one...if its thick enough it will block or at least degrade the signal badly.


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## boba (May 23, 2003)

If it was thick enough to block radio waves there won't be anybody there to watch the service.*FALSE ANSWER* if this is a true or false question.


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## tcusta00 (Dec 31, 2007)

that's what I was thinking - if the smoke is really that thick then your friend should probably be seeking alternative shelter until the smoke clears. (no pun intended)


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## Hansen (Jan 1, 2006)

I think it's possible depending on how close the fire is and how much smoke is being produced (what is burning) and how much air movement (wind) is occurring. In the end, if the fire is close and burning heavy, dark smoke with lots of particulate pushed into the air with little wind, then it could degrade the signals from the satellite. (As a side note, if that's the case...she has more to worry about than her directv signal.) If the dish is properly aligned with strong numbers (90's plus), then it's going to take a lot of smoke to get it down to a loss of signal. It would have to be the equivalent of super cell thunderstorms blocking the sat to dish path. I suspect if she is losing signal from the dish due to smoke, then she has alignment issues and her numbers are on the low side to begin with on a clear day.


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## jodyguercio (Aug 16, 2007)

boba said:


> If it was thick enough to block radio waves there won't be anybody there to watch the service.*FALSE ANSWER* if this is a true or false question.





tcusta00 said:


> that's what I was thinking - if the smoke is really that thick then your friend should probably be seeking alternative shelter until the smoke clears. (no pun intended)


It all depends on the person, there were people here in CA that were still in their homes when all the different brush fires were going on the last few years we had them(but I agree with you if its that close GET OUT) that didnt leave and they were unfortunate in their gamble. Hansen is right though your friends dish is probably out of alignment and after the fire I would suggest a service call.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

I don't know if it's possible, there's too much physics involved. However, here are some hypotheses:


Particulates in the smoke are deflecting the signal, because they contain heavy metals
Heat from the smoke is refracting the beam like it will refract light

Also of course if smoke is very close then get out of Dodge... but it's possible for the smoke plume from a large fire to be quite distracting from dozens of miles away.


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## Phil T (Mar 25, 2002)

I remember having LOS from the Hayman fire in 2002.

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

There was very heavy smoke SW of me and all my signal levels were reduced.

I had Dish Network at the time and remember posting about it. It may have been on DBS Forums because I don't think DBSTalk was around then.

Another time I had LOS and looked out to see a funnel cloud in the direction my dish was pointing. Went downstairs fast!!

Another weird one was when I had no signal and went outside. It was bird fade. There was a large dove sitting on the LNB arm!!!


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## kd4ao (Jun 12, 2004)

I would guess if the smoke plume were dense enough and tall enough to be seen on local TV weather doppler radar then it very well could block D* signal.


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## curt8403 (Dec 27, 2007)

Stuart Sweet said:


> I don't know if it's possible, there's too much physics involved. However, here are some hypotheses:
> 
> Particulates in the smoke are deflecting the signal, because they contain heavy metals
> Heat from the smoke is refracting the beam like it will refract light
> Also of course if smoke is very close then get out of Dodge... but it's possible for the smoke plume from a large fire to be quite distracting from dozens of miles away.


Stuart, you are correct, add carbon particles as well (lots of them will scatter a signal)


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## untouchable (Jun 24, 2006)

That doesn't make any sense. I live in West Texas and we had some bad fires a couple of months ago, which were pretty close to my place. The smoke got so thick you could barely see anything. My signal was fine then and nothing changed at all.


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## crashHD (Mar 1, 2008)

N5XZS said:


> I have a friend who happen to live near brush fire that is burrning near by and she has a Directv dish, she says this fire's smock is blocking her Directv's signal.:nono2:


I call shenanigans.


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## bigsatfan (Sep 25, 2007)

I'm in NM and also very close to the fire you're talking about, I haven't had any signal problems and the smoke has been very thick.


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## RobertE (Jun 10, 2006)

There a a ton of factors that go into what will and will not block your signal. 

The smoke, rain, snow, whatever, needs to be in the right spot directly between your dish and the sat. So if there is fires to the north of you, it's not going to do a thing. Particle size will also play a factor as well.

Of course if the smoke is between you and your TV screen, I strongly suggest you leave your house immediately.


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## armophob (Nov 13, 2006)

My friend up north had signal loss trouble with his during the wildfires in Georgia last year.


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