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I hope this is the right forum. If it is not, I would appreciate knowing which one is.

I have four questions. The first one is legal and the second, third, and fourth ones are technical.

I live in Livermore, CA in an apartment complex. My apartment is at ground level and has a small patio, which is mine to use. The patio points south. My DISH satellite dish is within my patio and is on a tripod.

There is a tree that is located exactly one meter outside my patio, pointing south. It poses no problems during fall and winter, because all the leaves have fallen. When spring rolls around, the tree grows new branches and leaves and blocks my satellite signal. My previous landlords have been very understanding, and every spring, when the gardners come, they trim back the lower part of the tree, and that is sufficient to obtain once again a strong signal. Unfortunately, the current landlord is not so kind.

I recently read the FCC ruling:

A: The rule prohibits restrictions that impair a person's ability to install, maintain, or use an antenna covered by the rule... A restriction impairs if it: ... (3) precludes a person from receiving or transmitting an acceptable quality signal from an antenna covered under the rule....

The acceptable quality signal standard is different for devices designed to receive digital signals, such as DBS antennas, digital broadband radio service antennas, digital television ("DTV") antennas, and digital fixed wireless antennas. For a digital antenna to receive or transmit an acceptable quality signal, the antenna must be installed where it has an unobstructed, direct view of the satellite or other device from which signals are received or to which signals are to be transmitted. Unlike analog antennas, digital antennas, even in the presence of sufficient over-the-air signal strength, will at times provide no picture or sound unless they are placed and oriented properly....

My first question is the following. My satellite is within my patio. It complies with all the rules. Does the tree mentioned above qualify as a restriction that impairs my ability from "receiving or transmitting an acceptable quality signal from an antenna covered under the rule."? If it is, I can present a valid complaint to both local government and FCC.

My bedroom window also points south and is a couple of meters to the right of my patio. The window is a sliding glass window. The left side is not covered by a screen mesh, the right side is. If my current landlord is unwilling to help me, my plan B is to place my satellite dish inside my bedroom in front of the window. My technical questions are the following:

* I understand thare are meters that can test for signal strength from a given location. Are they avaiable at places like Radio Shack, etc., or do only the techs have them?

* If I place my satellite dish in my bedroom, the coxial cable from the dish to my DVR will have to be at least 4+3+4 = 15 meters. Will I need some kind of amplifier every X meters to keep the signal at an acceptable level?

* If I have to place my satellite dish on the right side of my bedroom window, is the screen going to present any problems? I don't know what kind of metal it's made of, but I wondered if it would interfer with the satellite signal.

Thanks much.

Ernesto