Any way to pinpoint what Spotbeam signal is from?

[cpalmer2k]

Is there any way with DirecTV to pinpoint exactly what the signal is on a particular spot beam? I know you can't through the menu options, but can you with an AIM meter possibly? The Signal Strength menu will give you the transponder strength I know, but in our case several spot beams overlap in the same geographic area and it is impossible to tell which one it is picking up on some transponders.

 

[doctor J]

I may not understand what you are asking, but for any given point in the US there is not multiple overlapping spotbeams on a single transponder. That frequency may be used on up to 6 (maybe more) spotbeams but they do not overlap. Multiple spotbeams are visible at any point but they are unique on each transponder.
Tom Speer has compiled Google Earth maps and gct publishes a list of transponders for all spotbeams. From this data you should be able to answer your questions. Consider Directv resources forum at iamanedgecutter.

Doctor j

EDIT:
When a lot of LIL markets were from the spaceways , and their beams were not defined in FCC papers, confusion was in play but not now that D14 has taken most (if not all but ~ 2 markets) of that load.

 

[Jimbo]

Are you trying to find where to find a Channel or just what ?
You can find transponder SS with your SS meter in the settings as you know ...

 

[cpalmer2k]

I may not understand what you are asking, but for any given point in the US there is not multiple overlapping spotbeams on a single transponder.

Are you trying to find where to find a Channel or just what ?
You can find transponder SS with your SS meter in the settings as you know ...

I'll try to give a better description in this case. My parents are considering going back to DirecTV (they have cable now), but travel a lot so they wanted to be able to pick up their boxes and move them when they go to their condo. Their obvious issue is local channels, so their goal was to just pick one of the places (or one in between) and use those full time. I know from experience that our primary locals don't stretch far enough to be seen on the coast, but it appears based on the spotbeam maps and the transponder signal strength screen that the coastal locals *might* be visible when they are at home. I've narrowed down two possible markets that the signal strength I'm seeing here on the transponder screen *could* be coming from based on the spreadsheet and the maps. There isn't any way of narrowing it down, because the outer loops of both overlap slightly. I know in the case of my home market because of past trial/error the map isn't very accurate, so I wonder if the same could be the case with some of the others?

Their original plan was to go with Dish, and use the coastal market as their locals. Based on the Dish spotbeam map that should have worked fine. However when they tested it with a Pathway X2/211 receiver there was zero signal on that particular transponder/spotbeam even though they were well within the loops on the map.

 

[doctor J]

I suspect the Dish maps have not been constructed as accurately as the Directv ones.
Are you using SD or HD maps?
The pink rings on the HD maps should be fairly accurate.
The very outermost rings are not really able to be received.

Doctor j