Thread: Is there a tool I can use to measure satellite signals?

This is related to a previous post about a reception problem I'm having with one of my DirecTivo receivers.

I want to test if the satellite signal coming thru a coaxial cable is OK. The purpose is to test if the coaxial cable is good or not.

I've seen DirecTV installers test the satellite signal using some tool when they installed my satellite and hooked up my receivers. But they only tested the signal on the cable coming from the satellite directly to the receiver.

Q1) Is it possible to test the signal of a cable that is coming from a switch?


I think I have a DirecTV Phase I satellite dish:

What are the DirecTV Satellite Dishes?

It has only 1 LNB but the LNB has two cable outlets coming from it.

Q2) What kind of tool would I need? Would they be something like these? I don't know the frequency of the DTV Phase I satellite signal and so, I don't know if these tools would be valid.


AcuTrac 22 PRO: Multi-Satellite Signal Meter





HomeTech Solutions: Signal Level Meters for Satellite Dish Installations





Thanx in advance.

That is the old dish for the 101 sat. Using the signal meter in the receiver is all you really need for that dish.

Your receiver will let you know if your signal is ok. Check your signal strength on your receiver. If it seems stable in the 90's your fine. If it rises and drops 15 or more consistantly you either have a LNB issue, Wire issue or a misalined dish. A meter isn't going to pinpoint your problem. It might rule out a possible LNB issues and alinement issues. But for the price of wire , and a single LNB, you'd be better off replacing then spending over $100 on a signal meter. A cheap $10 signal meter can help you aline your dish. Phase 1 dish is peanuts to aline.

Originally Posted by Hemi 6.1

Your receiver will let you know if your signal is ok. Check your signal strength on your receiver. If it seems stable in the 90's your fine. If it rises and drops 15 or more consistantly you either have a LNB issue, Wire issue or a misalined dish. A meter isn't going to pinpoint your problem. It might rule out a possible LNB issues and alinement issues. But for the price of wire , and a single LNB, you'd be better off replacing then spending over $100 on a signal meter. A cheap $10 signal meter can help you aline your dish. Phase 1 dish is peanuts to aline.

I doubt it's an LNB or misaligned dish because most of my DTV receivers do not have a problem. Just one DTV receiver does and it's different than the others because its input signals go thru two switches, not just one.

The cable doesn't just go along the floor of the house but thru a crawlspace under the floor. So it's a hassle for me to hook up the receiver to the cable and then to a TV. A smaller tool would be better even though it will cost me $100+.

Again, back to my original question - is it possible to test the signal of a cable that is coming from a switch, using these satellite signal measuring tools?

I would say the meter could measure through a switch. The meter just has to be able to switch TPs (odd or even).

Does that receiver work okay when connected in another location?
Does another receiver also mess up when connect through the switch?
Try a different output on the switch.
BTW, what switch are you using?

Originally Posted by jdspencer

I would say the meter could measure through a switch. The meter just has to be able to switch TPs (odd or even).

What feature on the meter would let me know that it can switch TPs?

Does that receiver work okay when connected in another location?
Does another receiver also mess up when connect through the switch?
Try a different output on the switch.

I'll try the DTV at another location and also try another receiver thru the same output (this weekend).

Can't really try another output because I'd have to create two more 40 ft cables and run them thru walls (a big hassle that requires moving furniture and such).

BTW, what switch are you using?

Both are Terk switches - the main one is the Terk 6X16 switch while the other is a Terk 5X8 switch.

I'm not familiar with meter operation, but I'd suspect that it needs to send the switching voltages (13v for odd and 18v for even). And, if you need to see the other sats it needs to send the 22khz tone.

You could move the receiver to the multiswitch location for testing.

To answer your questions... yes, any of those meters would be able to test if you are getting a signal or not through the wire, but really, it would do basically the same as the on screen meter does.
I would do as was suggested... swap receivers and see if the problem stays with the rec or at the location.
If I were there to do a service call and the signal was good on the onscreen meter, I would crawl under, disconnect it from the switch, and test the voltage on the line with a basic multimeter. I would also disconnect it on both ends, but a 75ohm cap on one side, and test its resistance.

Question though. Are either of those switches powered? I suspect the 5x8 might be? If so, it is plugged in and the light on?

Just wondering. Do you have more than 16 tuners active in your house. If you don't you might want to just remove the 5x8 switch to see if that helps the issue any.