Wind & TV Reception: Does Wind Impact Signal?

[techmologist]

Can wind disrupt TV reception in any way other than the two most obvious ways: 1) blowing the receiving antenna out of alignment, and 2) blowing obstacles like trees into the path of the signal? I would think the actual air currents would be invisible to the radio waves...am I wrong?

 

[chrisbaird]

Regular air will not interact much with radio waves no matter how much it blows around. Ionized air... not that's another story. For instance, "storms" in the ionosphere will interfere with satellite signals trying to get through. And the charged state of the atmosphere during thunderstorms can interfere with reception of tower-generated signals.

 

[techmologist]

Yes, I had tower-generated signals in mind. I don't know anything about it, but I have read that disturbances in the ionosphere can affect signal propagation. I really need to learn more about this stuff. Thanks.

EDIT: And yes, it makes sense that thunderstorms can create charged air currents that are also electrical currents.

 

[chrisbaird]

The effect of the atmosphere depends on how far away you are from the broadcast tower. I am not an engineer, but I think typically TV towers are built close enough that you are getting the signal right from the tower. Whereas Ham radio at large distances relies on reflections off of the ionosphere. So Ham Radio would be more sensitive to ionosphere disturbances. Ionospheric "whether" is different than the whether we are used to near the surface of the earth. Ionospheric disturbances are caused by solar flares, or the transition at sunset, etc.

 

[techmologist]

That makes a lot of sense. TV stations should be within 100 miles or less, so the signal can reach your rooftop antenna in a straight shot without being affected by the ionosphere. So only ordinary (troposphere?) weather need be considered. Thank you for the explanation.