Losing UK TV channels during the morning ? Not to worry, its the Biannual Satellite TV Solar Outage Time Again – October 2023

If you have noticed some UK TV channels disappearing during the morning over the last few days, there is probably no need to panic.

The issue is most likely being caused by the biannual satellite solar outage period, a perfectly normal event that affects satellite television signals every spring and autumn.

During this time, viewers may temporarily lose:

• BBC channels
• ITV channels
• Channel 4 services
• Sky channels
• Other weaker UK satellite signals

The interruptions usually happen during the late morning and generally last only a few minutes each day.

This is information for people who may be experiencing this for the first time, and a nice reminder for those that have lived here before.

What is a Satellite Solar Outage?

A satellite solar outage, sometimes called a “sun outage” or “sun transit”, occurs when the Sun lines up directly behind the satellites transmitting television signals to your dish.

The Sun emits extremely powerful radio and electromagnetic energy across a wide range of frequencies — including the same frequencies used by satellite television services.

When the Sun moves directly behind the satellite from the viewpoint of your dish, the solar radiation effectively overwhelms the weaker satellite signal.

This causes:

• Signal break-up
• Pixelation
• Audio glitches
• Complete temporary signal loss

Once the Sun moves out of alignment, the signals return to normal automatically.

Why Does It Happen Twice a Year?

Satellite solar outages occur around the spring and autumn equinoxes.

In the northern hemisphere, they usually happen:

• February to March
• September to October

This is because geostationary satellites sit above the Earth’s equator, and twice each year the Sun crosses the same apparent path in the sky.

As the Earth moves around the Sun, there are short periods where:

• Your satellite dish
• The satellite
• The Sun

all line up perfectly.

This creates the temporary interference.

When Does the Solar Outage Happen?

For UK TV viewers in Spain, the outages usually occur:

• Between around 10:30am and 11:30am
• For several consecutive days
• Lasting between 5 and 20 minutes per day

The exact timing depends on:

• Your location
• Dish size
• Satellite position
• Signal strength

Smaller dishes are often affected more severely than larger dishes because they receive a wider angle of background interference.

Which Channels Are Most Affected?

The weaker UK spot beam channels are normally affected first.

This often includes:

• BBC regional channels
• ITV regional services
• Channel 4 HD
• Channel 5 HD
• Some Sky HD channels

In Spain, where many UK signals are already weaker than in the UK itself, the effect can be more noticeable.

Viewers in fringe reception areas may temporarily lose:

• HD channels first
• Weak transponders
• Channels already close to the reception threshold

Meanwhile stronger European beam channels may continue working normally.

No Need to Realign Your Dish

One of the biggest mistakes people make during solar outage season is attempting to:

• Re-align their dish
• Retune receivers
• Reset equipment
• Replace LNBs

In most cases, none of this is necessary.

The signal loss is temporary and caused entirely by solar interference, not faulty equipment.

Once the Sun moves away from alignment, reception should return automatically.

A Useful Time to Check for Obstructions

Interestingly, solar outage periods can actually help identify dish obstructions.

Because the dish is effectively pointing directly at the Sun during the outage, this can reveal:

• Tree shadows
• Branch obstructions
• Buildings blocking the signal
• Growing vegetation

If shadows appear across the dish during the outage period, those objects may also be reducing your satellite signal throughout the year.

This makes solar outage season a surprisingly useful maintenance tool for satellite installers.

Night-Time Signal Changes Can Also Occur

The solar outage effect can also indirectly affect signals at night.

Around 12 hours after the daytime solar alignment, satellites pass into the Earth’s shadow and temporarily rely on battery power instead of solar panels.

This can sometimes lead to:

• Slightly weaker signals
• Reduced transmission power
• Minor fringe reception problems

Viewers in weaker reception areas of Spain may occasionally notice small reductions in signal quality during these periods.

Common Reactions from Viewers

Every year, the solar outage period catches many viewers by surprise.

Online discussions often appear from people wondering why channels suddenly disappear at the same time each morning. One Reddit user described it as:

“the sun is so loud that the ground can’t hear the satellite”

Despite sounding unusual, solar outages are a completely normal and predictable part of satellite communications.

How Long Will It Last?

The good news is that the solar outage season is short.

Typically:

• Peak interference lasts only a few days
• Daily outages become shorter each day
• Signals return fully once the Sun moves away from alignment

Most viewers will experience only temporary interruptions lasting a few minutes at a time.

Final Thoughts

If you are losing UK TV channels during the morning this October, there is a very good chance your system is simply experiencing the normal biannual satellite solar outage period.

The issue is temporary, predictable and affects satellite systems worldwide during the equinox seasons.

In most cases:

• Your equipment is fine
• Your dish alignment is fine
• Your receiver is fine

All you usually need to do is wait a few minutes for the Sun to move away from the satellite alignment and your channels should return normally.