Dish Detects Sky Blockage Interrupting Satellite View

Common Symptoms

• Starlink mobile app shows 'Obstructed' or 'Obstruction' status on the main screen
• Internet drops out repeatedly for several seconds at a time, especially at predictable times of day
• The Statistics tab in the Starlink mobile app shows frequent short outages adding up to minutes per day
• Streaming video buffers or cuts out even though the dish appears powered and aimed at the sky
• Video calls drop or freeze at regular intervals with no obvious weather cause
• The Starlink mobile app Obstructions map shows red or orange shaded areas in the sky view
• Service works fine at some hours but degrades noticeably in morning or late afternoon

Probable Causes (Ranked by Likelihood)

• Trees, branches, or foliage growing into the dish's field of view overhead Very Likely
• Roofline, eave, chimney, or building edge clipping the dish's sky window Very Likely
• Dish mounted too low or at an angle that limits its clear view of the northern sky (in the Southern Hemisphere, the southern sky) Likely
• Nearby antenna mast, HVAC unit, solar panel frame, or other rooftop equipment blocking satellites Likely
• Temporary obstruction such as a ladder, parked vehicle, or RV slideout placed in front of the dish Possible
• Cellular tower or tall structure on the horizon intercepting low-elevation satellite passes Possible
• Dish has physically shifted or rotated on its mount after wind or vibration, pointing away from its optimal position Less Likely

Step-by-Step Diagnostic Procedure

1. Open the Starlink mobile app, tap the circular dish icon or go to Settings, then select 'Obstruction' or 'Check for Obstructions'. The app will show a sky map with colored zones. Red or orange areas mean satellites are being blocked there. Screenshot this map before moving anything.

2. Walk to the dish location and look straight up and around the dish from eye level. Identify any solid objects, tree branches, or structures that cross into the open sky cone above the dish. The dish needs a clear cone of sky roughly 100 degrees wide centered slightly north of straight up (in the Northern Hemisphere).

3. Check the Statistics tab in the Starlink mobile app and look at 'Outages' over the past 24 hours. If outages cluster at the same time of day, a fixed object like a tree or building is the cause. If outages are random, it may be dish movement or a marginal mounting position.

4. Inspect the dish mount. Confirm the pole or bracket is still plumb and the dish has not rotated. Starlink dishes self-level on their motor, but the mount base must be solid. Wobble the mount by hand to check for looseness.

5. Use the app's 'Visibility' tool: hold your phone at the dish location and sweep it across the sky following the on-screen guide. The app uses your phone's camera and GPS to overlay the satellite path on your view and highlight blocked zones.

6. If trees are the issue, note which specific branches are in the red zones on the obstruction map. Even trimming a few branches can eliminate most outage time. The app will let you re-run the obstruction scan after any changes to confirm improvement.

7. If the location itself is the problem and the dish cannot be raised or moved, use the app to test a different mounting spot. Walk to the candidate location, open 'Check for Obstructions' again, and compare the sky map. A clear sky map means that spot will give reliable service.

8. If you cannot resolve the obstruction yourself (tall trees on a neighbor's property, permanent roof structure), contact a local Starlink-compatible installer to evaluate a mast extension or alternative roof position. This step requires no specialty tools but may need professional mounting hardware.

Common Fixes by Vehicle

What techs usually find when diagnosing STARLINK-OBSTRUCTED on specific platforms — tap a platform for the fix and the exact part:

Frequently Asked Questions