[BC] chain link fence effect on satellite dish?

[Dave Dunsmoor]

> I need to mount a receive only 3.8 meter Comtech dish near a galvanized
wire
> chain link fence.  Does anyone have a feel for how much the satellite
signal
> is attenuated by the fence when it blocks part of the direct path to the
> dish?

Not exactly.... but "exactly" isn't what you're looking for here. Figure
that the gain of your dish will be diminished more or less in direct
proportion to the amount of shadowing of your receive antenna caused by the
fence. Now, at what point does the shadowing (gain reduction) cause your
system to become inoperative? Does it really matter? No, as matter of
practicality.

Just set the dish so that there is no fence in view of the desired
satellite, and that it's far back from the fence and it's horizontal top bar
as physically possible (and there are no other obstructions, including
vegitation), given your current situation, then you can reasonably assume
that any problems in your initial setup, or later troubleshooting are not
caused by the fence.

Dave Dunsmoor