It’s that time of year again when the Sun can disrupt satellite signals received by your dish, causing a temporary loss of some weaker UK TV channels. This is called a solar outage.

This guide is for anyone experiencing this phenomenon for the first time, and a reminder for those already familiar with it. Solar outages happen twice a year around the spring and autumn equinoxes, typically in March and October. In the northern hemisphere, they occur before the March equinox (February–March) and after the September equinox (September–October).

These “satellite solar outages” usually take place between 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and can last up to 20 minutes.

During this time, the Sun passes directly behind the satellites, overpowering their signals and causing weaker TV channels to drop out temporarily.

The disruption occurs because the Sun emits powerful radio waves and electromagnetic energy that overwhelm the satellites’ transmissions. There’s no need to worry—your signal will restore itself once the Sun moves out of alignment.

This effect can also be noticed at night. Roughly 12 hours after a solar outage, satellites enter the Earth’s shadow and switch to battery power, which may lead to a brief reduction in signal strength.

These periods are also a good opportunity for some housekeeping. Use the outage window to check whether trees or shrubs are casting shadows on your dish, as this could reduce or block the signal from the satellite.

More information on this solar outage can be found here : https://www.satandpcguy.com/uk-tv-astra-satellites/satellite-solar-outage/

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