# Spreadsheet available anywhere that shows signal strength numbers?



## carillon (Nov 15, 2007)

I'd like to compare my numbers to established numbers for each satellite and transponder. Is there a breakdown of these anywhere? Thanks


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

Generally you want everything that isn't on a spotbeam (like 99s or 103s) to be in the 90s in good weather. Low signals and 0's are normal on spotbeams, you just want high signals on the transponders that carry your locals. This spreadsheet has those, in the LIL TPN Map tab.

http://www.dbstalk.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=23027


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## carillon (Nov 15, 2007)

dpeters11 said:


> Generally you want everything that isn't on a spotbeam (like 99s or 103s) to be in the 90s in good weather. Low signals and 0's are normal on spotbeams, you just want high signals on the transponders that carry your locals. This spreadsheet has those, in the LIL TPN Map tab.
> 
> http://www.dbstalk.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=23027


Thanks, so those TPs that show N/A or 0 on non-spotbeam satellites if any would be an issue. Correct?


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

0 on non-spot beams are a problem. Dont worry with the N/A 


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

I wouldn't say that necessarily. What transponders on what satellites are 0?


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

I wouldn't say that necessarily. What transponders on what satellites are 0?


If is NOT a spot beam, it is a CONUS beam, and as such it should not be zero.


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## litzdog911 (Jun 23, 2004)

Post back your signal readings using this template and we'll let you know if their up to snuff ....

Please post back with your signal readings for each satellite's transponders (and both tuners if applicable). You'll find these readings under "Menu" -> "Setup" -> "System Setup" -> Satellite -> "View Signal Strength". Note the "+" and "-" symbols next to the "Satellite" and "Tuner" entries where you can toggle the readings between the various satellites and both DVR tuners.

Fill in your readings for each satellite and tuner using these examples. A properly aligned dish will show 80-90s on most of the relevant transponders (although some will be low or zero):

Satellite transponders (32 total at 101º)
[Most of your standard definition channels are beamed from 101ºW]
1-8 x x x x x x x x
9-16 x x x x x x x x
17-24 x x x x x x x x
25-32 x x x x x x x x

Satellite transponders (3 total at 110º)
[Not present with Slimline3 dish. No channels are currently beamed from this satellite]
1-8 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA x
9-16 NA x NA x NA NA NA NA

Satellite transponders (11 total at 119º)
[Not present with Slimline 3 dish. Local SD channels for some cities, Spanish package]
17-24 NA NA NA NA NA x x x
25-32 x x x x x x x x

Satellite transponders (16 total at 99º(s)) [or 99º(b)]
[Local HD channels for some cities]
1-8 x x x x x x NA NA
9-16 NA NA NA NA NA NA x x
17-24 x x x x x x x x
[Note: these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite transponders (14 total at 99º(c)) [or 99º(a)]
[National HD channels]
1-8 x x x x x x x x
9-16 x x x x x x NA NA
[Note, these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103º(s)) [or 103º(a)]
[Local HD channels for some cities]
1-8 x x x x x x NA NA
9-16 NA NA NA NA NA NA x x
17-24 x x x x x x x x
[Note, these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103º(ca))
[National HD channels beamed from D12 satellite]
1-8 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
9-16 x x x x x x x x
17-24 x x x x x x x x

Satellite transponders (14 total at 103º(cb)) [or 103º(b)]
[National HD channels beamed from D10 satellite]
1-8 x x x x x x x x
9-16 x x x x x x NA NA
17-24 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA

Satellite transponders (9 total at SWM)
[You'll only see this if you have a Single Wire Multiswitch (SWM) dish]
1-8 x x x x x x x x
9-16 x NA NA NA NA NA NA NA


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

If is NOT a spot beam, it is a CONUS beam, and as such it should not be zero.


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I don't think that's the case. For example, I get all mid to high 90s on 101, except have two zeros on 18 and 28.


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

THats because there are a couple of spot beams on 101 as well...


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## jdspencer (Nov 8, 2003)

FYI, there are 6 spot beams on 101.
4, 12, 18, 20, 26, and 28


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

I don't think that's the case. For example, I get all mid to high 90s on 101, except have two zeros on 18 and 28.


Yep. Spot beam. Lol


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

carillon said:


> I'd like to compare my numbers to established numbers for each satellite and transponder. Is there a breakdown of these anywhere? Thanks


If you are wanting to see someone else's numbers to compare yours to, I have a PDF file with the numbers I had on my Slimline 5 for 4 years without any problems.

I say had because I recently switched to a Slimline 3 SWM system.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

Serves me right for not memorizing the transponder map. But these could be the 0s he saw.


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## carillon (Nov 15, 2007)

*Thanks for the replies! Here's what I observe on my setup... Does anything below jump out as an issue? Thanks*

101 - All 32 TPs have signal. I have four low ones at 66, 66, 79, 86 (TPs 4, 12, 20 & 28). The rest are 94 and above.

110 - All show N/A except for TP 8 = 95, TP 10 = 98 and TP 12 = 95.

119 - All show N/A except for TP 24 through 32 which are 99 or 100. However, TP 23 and 31 = 0.

99(c) - All show N/A except for TPs 1 though 14 which are 88 to 95 in strength.

99(s) - TP 1 = 0, TP 2 = 48, TP 3 = 0, TP 4 = 52, TP 5 = 90, TP 6 = 0. TP 7 through 14 are N/A. TP 15 = 0, TP 16 = 74, TP 17 = 63, TP 18 = 55, TP 19 = 70, TP 20 = 76, TP 21 = 0, TP 22 = 46, TP 23 = 0, TP 24 = 0. TPs 25 through 32 show N/A.

103(s) - TP 1 = 42, TP 2 = 63, TP 3 = 9, TP 4 = 72, TP 15 = 94, TP 16 = 92, TP 17 = 35, TP 18 = 57, TP 19 = 93, TP 20 = 94, TP 21 = 61, TP 22 = 63, TP 23 = 93, TP 24 = 95. The rest are showing N/A.

103(ca) - TPs 1 through 8 and 25 through 32 are showing N/A. TPs 9 through 24 range from 88 to 95 in strength.

103(cb) - TPs 15 through 32 are showing N/A. TPs 1 through 14 range from 91 to 95 in strength.

SWM - TP 1 = 100, TP 2 = 0, TP 3 = 0, TP 4 = 0, TP 5 = 100, TP 6 = 100, TP 7 = 100, TP 8 = 100, TP 9 = 100. The rest show N/A.


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## texasbrit (Aug 9, 2006)

Those signals are fine. Just FYI you can ignore the 99s and 103s "satellites" because they are all spotbeams. The spotbeams that cover your market will have high readings, the rest can be anything, even zero.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

Same with 119 and 110. Most of us don't even see those satellites.


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## texasbrit (Aug 9, 2006)

There's nothing on 110 right now. But the older 3-lnb phase III dishes align on 110 so it would be difficult to take it away. And there are quite a few people use 119. In some cities, SD locals come from 119. the ethnic package comes from 119. And there are some religious and music channels that are only on 119, if they are important to you.


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

Same with 119 and 110. Most of us don't even see those satellites.


Just because you don't get the 119 is does not mean it can be ignored, for those that need the 119 is crucial to get a strong signal on this bird, mostly important because if you have the 119 guide data comes from this satellite.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

I still think he can ignore those transponders. I do not see them as a concern.


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## texasbrit (Aug 9, 2006)

As a general rule, you can't ignore the 119 transponders. If you have a 5-lnb dish (which is the only slimline that sees 119 anyway) then the guide data comes from 119 when you are watching a channel from the 103 satellite. That means if the 119 signals are too low, you don't get consistent guide data.
But as it happens, the OP has an SWM LNB, and even with the slimline 5, that always takes guide data from 101 so the OP would be OK. But many people would not be.


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## carillon (Nov 15, 2007)

Sorry about the way it was posted previously... here they are using the template provided by litzdog911 later today.

Satellite transponders (32 total at 101º)
[Most of your standard definition channels are beamed from 101ºW]
1-8 99 99 98 82 98 100 97 100
9-16 98 100 98 72 99 100 97 100
17-24 97 97 97 72 98 100 97 100
25-32 96 92 96 88 97 100 95 100

Satellite transponders (3 total at 110º)
[Not present with Slimline3 dish. No channels are currently beamed from this satellite]
1-8 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 92
9-16 NA 97 NA 95 NA NA NA NA

Satellite transponders (11 total at 119º)
[Not present with Slimline 3 dish. Local SD channels for some cities, Spanish package]
17-24 NA NA NA NA NA 100 0 100
25-32 100 99 100 99 96 100 0 100

Satellite transponders (16 total at 99º(s)) [or 99º(b)]
[Local HD channels for some cities]
1-8 0 44 0 50 90 0 NA NA
9-16 NA NA NA NA NA NA 0 74
17-24 63 56 69 76 0 48 0 0
[Note: these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite transponders (14 total at 99º©) [or 99º(a)]
[National HD channels]
1-8 93 95 90 93 90 91 89 92
9-16 88 91 87 93 91 94 NA NA
[Note, these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103º(s)) [or 103º(a)]
[Local HD channels for some cities]
1-8 40 62 8 72 *NA* *NA* NA NA
9-16 NA NA NA NA NA NA 94 94
17-24 36 57 94 95 60 61 94 95
[Note, these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103º(ca))
[National HD channels beamed from D12 satellite]
1-8 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
9-16 95 89 91 89 94 93 93 95
17-24 92  95 95 95 92 92 95 95

Satellite transponders (14 total at 103º(cb)) [or 103º(b)]
[National HD channels beamed from D10 satellite]
1-8 95 95 93 92 92 94 92 93
9-16 94 95 91 94 94 95 NA NA
17-24 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA

Satellite transponders (9 total at SWM)
[You'll only see this if you have a Single Wire Multiswitch (SWM) dish]
1-8 100 0 0 0 100 100 100 100
9-16 100 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

I'm willing to bet that the TS isn't in a city where those transponders make any difference for his SD locals.


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

That looks excellent to me. You should not have any problems with those readings.


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## litzdog911 (Jun 23, 2004)

Yeah, those look great.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks he can ignore the 0's on the 119 spots.


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## texasbrit (Aug 9, 2006)

dpeters11 said:


> I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks he can ignore the 0's on the 119 spots.


Of course he can ignore them. They are spotbeams. Your posts said that you could ignore the 119 signals, not just the spotbeams.


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## carillon (Nov 15, 2007)

Thanks everyone... Just wanted to hear some opinions on it since I seem to really suffer from rain fade on HD channels. It doesn't seem to take much of a rain to cause the dreaded 771 error for me.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

What market are you in? Do you get rain fade easily on locals, nationals, both?


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## carillon (Nov 15, 2007)

Knoxville, TN is my market... rain fade is a problem for both.


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## coolman302003 (Jun 2, 2008)

dpeters11 said:


> I'm willing to bet that the TS isn't in a city where those transponders make any difference for his SD locals.





dpeters11 said:


> I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks he can ignore the 0's on the 119 spots.


In his DMA, you do receive all SD MPEG-2 locals from the 119° spot beam satellite (TPN's 25 & 29), channels 30 and 44 are only available in SD MPEG-2 via the 119°, they are not simulcast on any other satellites.



carillon said:


> Knoxville, TN is my market... rain fade is a problem for both.


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## CincySaint (Jan 16, 2008)

@litzdog911

The signal strength spreadsheet that you posted earlier in this thread is no longer available (at least to me). Could you please repost on this thread? Thanks.


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## n9yty (Jun 22, 2010)

I was looking for the spreadsheet as well.. Our HD channels drop out all the time with even the slightest overcast sky it seems...

Here are my numbers in case anyone is kind enough to look.... 

Does DirecTV come re-aim a dish for free providing it was not touched/tampered with and I have the protection plan? Or do I have to pay a service fee? I guess I will find out, but thought I'd seek advice here if a re-aim is needed or not...


```
Satellite transponders (32 total at 101º)
[Most of your standard definition channels are beamed from 101ºW]
1-8   95  95  94   0  92  98  91  99
9-16  91  96  95   0  95  99  92  99
17-24 88 100  91  43  95  99  95  99
25-32 92 100  90  92  92  99  88 100


Satellite transponders (16 total at 99º(s))
[Local HD channels for some cities]
1-8    25  0   0   0   0   98  NA  NA
9-16   NA  NA  NA  NA  NA  NA  0   59
17-24  89  91  63  60  95  97  0   0
[Note: these can be very slow to appear]




Satellite transponders (14 total at 99º(c))
[National HD channels]
1-8    89  92  85  89  86  88  86  88
9-16   84  88  86  88  89  90  NA  NA
[Note, these can be very slow to appear]


Satellite transponders (16 total at 103º(s))
[Local HD channels for some cities]
1-8    51  0   67  0   NA  NA  NA  NA
9-16   NA  NA  NA  NA  NA  NA  0   89
17-24  84  81  85  86  76  64  0   0
[Note, these can be very slow to appear]


Satellite transponders (16 total at 103º(ca))
[National HD channels beamed from D12 satellite]
1-8    NA  NA  NA  NA  NA  NA  NA  NA
9-16   75  67  75  69  73  63  70  67
17-24  71  61  72  66  69  61  70  62


Satellite transponders (14 total at 103º(cb))
[National HD channels beamed from D10 satellite]
1-8    85  76  81  74  80  74  81  73
9-16   80  72  82  74  80  70  NA  NA
17-24  NA  NA  NA  NA  NA  NA  NA  NA
```


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

your 103 is vey low and the 99 can benefit from a realignment as well. Dish realignment is cover under the protection plan


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## texasbrit (Aug 9, 2006)

n9yty said:


> I was looking for the spreadsheet as well.. Our HD channels drop out all the time with even the slightest overcast sky it seems...
> 
> Here are my numbers in case anyone is kind enough to look....
> 
> Does DirecTV come re-aim a dish for free providing it was not touched/tampered with and I have the protection plan? Or do I have to pay a service fee? I guess I will find out, but thought I'd seek advice here if a re-aim is needed or not...


Those signals are much too low, no wonder you lose HD channels at the slightest sign of a storm.

99c/103ca/103cb all signals should be very high 80s, preferably low to mid 90s. Dish needs alignment. With the protection plan, call DirecTV and say you are getting 771 searching for satellite signal messages even when there is no weather in the area, and ask for a service call. It will be free.


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## n9yty (Jun 22, 2010)

Thanks for the guidance and help, I will make the call. I just didn't want to bother them without knowing if that was the problem or not.  I don't like wasting their time or mine.


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