DIRECTV "99% Signal Reliability"

[Hutch1814]

Yep.. those AIM meters are nice. Tells you exactly how to dither the sucker. I was impressed with it so much I wanted to give it a go. Easiest dish I ever pointed and I have pointed a ton of them. I have pointed and dithered one with just the receiver and it is a real pain. My buddy who works for multiband calls it his idiot proof meter.

Sent from my C64 w/Epyx FastLoad cartridge

Yeah the AIM seriously does it all! Not just pointing a dish, it does EVERYTHING! Best thing Directv has ever given us

 

[OSD771]

How long are the runs from the dish to the receiver?

How many barrel type connections are in line from the dish to the receivers?

You need a propper signal meter, I'm selling a birdog on ebay right now for 150$ pm me for info

 

[HoTat2]

For reference here are the official guidelines (he claims) posted by a DIRECTV tech. services guy working at one of their Colorado facilities on another forum.DIRECTV Standard Signal Strength in Clear Weather Guidelines: Preferred strength 70 or higher on most transponders. Signal strength is probably not the cause of any technical problems. Good to moderate is between 60-70 on most transponders. Usually resulting in "Searching for Satellite," pixelation, or freeze frame possible in bad weather. Problem range is 50 to 59 on most transponders. Typically resulting in "Searching for Satellite," pixelation, or freeze frame in moderate to light weather. Poor is 49 and below on most transponders. Typically resulting in "Searching for Satellite," pixelation, or freeze frame in light to good weather.

 

[Rey]

my installer had his meter but it died on him while he was aiming after replacing the dish so i had to read the numbers to him
took longer but its perfect.

 

[raoul5788]

For reference here are the official guidelines (he claims) posted by a DIRECTV tech. services guy working at one of their Colorado facilities on another forum.DIRECTV Standard Signal Strength in Clear Weather Guidelines: Preferred strength 70 or higher on most transponders. Signal strength is probably not the cause of any technical problems. Good to moderate is between 60-70 on most transponders. Usually resulting in "Searching for Satellite," pixelation, or freeze frame possible in bad weather. Problem range is 50 to 59 on most transponders. Typically resulting in "Searching for Satellite," pixelation, or freeze frame in moderate to light weather. Poor is 49 and below on most transponders. Typically resulting in "Searching for Satellite," pixelation, or freeze frame in light to good weather.

I know you are new here and a long timer at the "other forum", but unlike over there, it's okay to mention them by name. Watch! You are talking about dbstalk.com. See, I didn't explode or get banned!

 

[digiblur]

How much are they and do they tell you what Sat your hitting ?
edit:
Never mind, at $ 500, I don't set them up often enough to make it a worthwhile investment.
Would love to be able to rent one though.

Yeah, I've looked into one of them as well. If I did get a meter I wouldn't get an AIM even with it being so nice of a meter, I would get something that does FTA, Dish, and DirecTV SWM. But like you, I don't set up enough of them to make it worth it. I have to setup a SWM dish this weekend with nothing but a receiver. But I will have a 7inch LCD right next to the dish as I point and dither, takes a while but I'm picky on the dish pointing. I couldn't imagine doing it via the "yelling method" via a customer.

I'm still curious of the OP to see what signals he has on 99 and 103.

 

[stardust3]

Yeah, I've looked into one of them as well. If I did get a meter I wouldn't get an AIM even with it being so nice of a meter, I would get something that does FTA, Dish, and DirecTV SWM. But like you, I don't set up enough of them to make it worth it. I have to setup a SWM dish this weekend with nothing but a receiver. But I will have a 7inch LCD right next to the dish as I point and dither, takes a while but I'm picky on the dish pointing. I couldn't imagine doing it via the "yelling method" via a customer.

I'm still curious of the OP to see what signals he has on 99 and 103.

Yeah me too, having mid to high 90's on 101 doesn't mean 99 & 103 are good.

 

[Rey]

Yeah me too, having mid to high 90's on 101 doesn't mean 99 & 103 are good.

exactly. besides the fact that 101 is usually the last one to go out.

 

[Hutch1814]

exactly. besides the fact that 101 is usually the last one to go out.

It could have great signals on all 3 birds but his db level maybe right there at the threshold. Anything over -55 isn't that great. I've seen signals be perfect on the receiver and still have problems because they was sitting at -73

 

[HoTat2]

I know you are new here and a long timer at the "other forum", but unlike over there, it's okay to mention them by name. Watch! You are talking about dbstalk.com. See, I didn't explode or get banned!

OK thanks;


Knew what the policy is at dbstalk, but wasn't sure about here and didn't want to get off to a bad start by drawing an early censure from a moderator.

 

[Ronnie-]

I know you are new here and a long timer at the "other forum", but unlike over there, it's okay to mention them by name. Watch! You are talking about dbstalk.com. See, I didn't explode or get banned!

I am telling Scott.......

 

[scots]

My installer told me that he was a contractor.

Here are my signal strengths according to the receiver:

Satellite 101:
1 - 8: 98 99 96 97 95 100 98 100
9 - 16: 97 100 98 91 98 100 97 100
17 - 24: 97 78 98 95 98 100 98 100
25 - 32: 98 0 98 98 98 100 97 100

Satellite 99(c):
1 - 8: 96 96 95 96 95 95 95 95
9 - 16: 95 95 95 95 97 96 N/A N/A
17 - 24: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
25 - 32: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Satellite 99(s):
1 - 8: 0 83 0 82 72 0 N/A N/A
9 - 16: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 98 97
17 - 24: 66 42 98 97 97 96 99 98
25 - 32: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Satellite 103(s):
1 - 8: 0 86 0 72 0 0 N/A N/A
9 - 16: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0 59
17 - 24: 0 0 75 66 97 95 0 19
25 - 32: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Satellite 103(ca):
1 - 8: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
9 - 16: 96 92 96 94 95 92 95 95
17 - 24: 95 95 95 95 95 95 96 96
25 - 32: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Satellite 103(cb):
1 - 8: 96 95 93 93 95 95 93 95
9 - 16: 95 95 94 95 95 95 N/A N/A
17 - 24: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
25 - 32: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Satellite SWM:
1 - 8: 100 0 98 100 100 100 100 100
9 - 16: 98 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
17 - 24: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
25 - 32: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

 

[Jimbo]

Yeah, I've looked into one of them as well. If I did get a meter I wouldn't get an AIM even with it being so nice of a meter, I would get something that does FTA, Dish, and DirecTV SWM. But like you, I don't set up enough of them to make it worth it. I have to setup a SWM dish this weekend with nothing but a receiver. But I will have a 7inch LCD right next to the dish as I point and dither, takes a while but I'm picky on the dish pointing. I couldn't imagine doing it via the "yelling method" via a customer.

I'm still curious of the OP to see what signals he has on 99 and 103.

This is how I typically do them as well, with a TV by my side.
Just set on up a few weeks back at the lake.

 

[Jimbo]

My installer told me that he was a contractor.

Here are my signal strengths according to the receiver:

Satellite 101:
1 - 8: 98 99 96 97 95 100 98 100
9 - 16: 97 100 98 91 98 100 97 100
17 - 24: 97 78 98 95 98 100 98 100
25 - 32: 98 0 98 98 98 100 97 100

Satellite 99(c):
1 - 8: 96 96 95 96 95 95 95 95
9 - 16: 95 95 95 95 97 96 N/A N/A
17 - 24: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
25 - 32: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Satellite 99(s):
1 - 8: 0 83 0 82 72 0 N/A N/A
9 - 16: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 98 97
17 - 24: 66 42 98 97 97 96 99 98
25 - 32: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Satellite 103(s):
1 - 8: 0 86 0 72 0 0 N/A N/A
9 - 16: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0 59
17 - 24: 0 0 75 66 97 95 0 19
25 - 32: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Satellite 103(ca):
1 - 8: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
9 - 16: 96 92 96 94 95 92 95 95
17 - 24: 95 95 95 95 95 95 96 96
25 - 32: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Satellite 103(cb):
1 - 8: 96 95 93 93 95 95 93 95
9 - 16: 95 95 94 95 95 95 N/A N/A
17 - 24: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
25 - 32: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Satellite SWM:
1 - 8: 100 0 98 100 100 100 100 100
9 - 16: 98 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
17 - 24: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
25 - 32: N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Your numbers are fine.

 

[jcrandall]

OK thanks;


Knew what the policy is at dbstalk, but wasn't sure about here and didn't want to get off to a bad start by drawing an early censure from a moderator.

What's a moderator? We just have nice guys here with more button click capabilities

 

[jcrandall]

scots - signal is looking great, there has to be something else that was going on.

Have you had more problems since the other day?

 

[scots]

No problems since the other day. Seems to work great...except when it rains.

 

[upsss]

I bet you that your LNBs or Coax/Connectors or Grounding Block are not water proof and to prove/disprove it I would soak the hell of it with a water hose.

 

[Aridon]

Heavy rain in SE florida can cut signal for a good while. I know what the OP is talking about. Large storms could knock out service for 30+ minutes or provide some really annoying fading in/out of the programming. This happens from time to time but it should be fairly rare for that much interference. You are much more likely to see issues for 5 or 10 minutes during heavy storms and pass quickly. We usually get only a few bad nights (15+ minutes) the entire year.

Chances are there is nothing wrong with his setup. We get some heavy rain in the south.

 

[digiblur]

We get heavy thunderstorms in the afternoon sometimes dropping 6-8 inches of rain in a few hours. These are the only ones where signal cuts out for a few minutes. Just all depends on the storm as I have seen it pour for an hour or two and never miss a beat.

Sent from my C64 w/Epyx FastLoad cartridge