How to interpret new signal numbers

[kstuart]

I went through all my transponder and spot beam strengths on the new meter (Dish 500 on 110/119 and 30-inch Dish on 129) and based on 10 years experience, and having checked the numbers yesterday with the old meter, here is my take on how to interpret the new numbers:

0-10 Currently losing signal (this from Dish documentation)

10-20 ? (will need to fill this in later during a storm)

20-30 ? (will need to fill this in later during a storm)

30-40 A probably cause of signal loss in a storm

40-50 Okay in light storm, a problem in a strong storm

50-60 Probably fine except in the strongest storms

60 and above Unlikely to lose signal

100 and above A spot beam is pointed right at you


NOTE: "Storms" refers to weather events that cause satellite signal loss, and refers to severity in terms of dish reception, which usually means water content in the air between you and the satellite. You could have weather that seems severe in other aspects that doesn't affect the dish signal, while some otherwise innocuous rain event knocks out the channel you are watching...

PS We have other threads about how customers will be confused by the new meter, please don't clutter up this thread (which is about what the numbers mean) with more whining.

 

[kstuart]

60 and above seems to correspond to upper 90's and above in the old meter.

50 and above seems to corrrespond to mid-80's and above in the old meter.

40 and above seems to correspond to mid-60's and above in the old meter.

Very roughly speaking.

PS My worst transponders are 6 on 129 (not 27, although that might be a variation) and 3 on 110.

 

[skyviewmark]

I don't know bout the rest of you.. But I turn my tv on and if I can see the picture then I really don't care bout the level of the signal

 

[shodobe]

I had the tech out today to repeak and noticed I had a new software update, 4.09, and the best he could get on most of the transponders was around 40-50. I live on top of a mountain and have a completely unobstructed view of the sky. There were a few ones at 30-40 so I'm not sure what to make of the new numbers.

 

[MikeD-C05]

My signal strengths vary now from 23- lower to 37- points lower in strength now on all of the transponders . BUt the stupid thing is that we still have the 125 signal meter scale. WHy not change the scale to max out at 75 -80 or change the scale to fit better to the new strengths. This is what is confusing to people. Why decrease the signal strengths but leave the high scale?

 

[kstuart]

My signal strengths vary now from 23- lower to 37- points lower in strength now on all of the transponders . BUt the stupid thing is that we still have the 125 signal meter scale. WHy not change the scale to max out at 75 -80 or change the scale to fit better to the new strengths. This is what is confusing to people. Why decrease the signal strengths but leave the high scale?

I get 107 on the spot beam for the DMA that is about 150 miles from me - I imagine that people who are right at the center of a spot beam might get close to 125.

Also remember that E*11 has stronger transmitters than any previous satellite and the signal strength on CONUS transponders from 110 will go up once it goes online this fall.

 

[gadgtfreek]

I had a 12SS on 129 TP27 the other day and it held, once it went below 10 though it was out. This was during a rain storm.

 

[kstuart]

I had a 12SS on 129 TP27 the other day and it held, once it went below 10 though it was out. This was during a rain storm.

That is exactly the intent (of the number scale).

 

[Phils]

I got to play with the "new" meter this weekend and it helped me repeak 129.

We were constantly losing A&E HD (tp27 of course). The old meter wouldn't show any signal for 129 and my 110/119 ss were about 85. I had been emailing back and forth for about a week with E* but I told them to hold off until I tried repeaking myself with the new meter (they were about to send out a tech).

With the new meter, we started at 10 for 129 tp27 and were able to get it up to the mid-twenties. The ss on 119/110 started out at 50 and, when 129 got its best numbers, those other two ended up in the mid-forties.

These numbers pretty much agree with the posts above by kstuart. Since I live in Northern Calif, it'll be six months until I can see if weather will hinder our signal.

But so far I think the new meter is an improvement.

Phil