Signal Strength of Locals?

[fayrich]

Does anyone know which satellite and transponder(s) the Cleveland local stations are on? I keep losing them due to "rain fade" and would like to check their signal strength. Even though I am paying the monthly fee for the service contract, DTV will not send a tech out to repeak the dish without going through their useless BS first on the phone with them. Have already done all of that on my own. Plus I know if I do agree to go thru their BS on the phone with them, the sky will clear enough that the signal will come back and they will say, "see, we fixed it. No service required." At this point, I just want to see the appropriate signal strength. Then decide what I want to do.

 

[raoul5788]

103s tr 3, 17, 18.

 

[fayrich]

Thanks Chip. I'll give it a look.

 

[fayrich]

Don't look that great. Getting 83, 95 & 87 respectively. And the weather is sunny and clear. ?????

 

[raoul5788]

Those are good enough for ideal weather conditions, but check when you have a fairly heavy rain and I'll bet they drop a lot.

 

[Jimbo]

fayrich, I would guess that the Cleveland locals your dealing with are on the one that says 95 now ....
I haven't looked them up yet ... I have never knowningly seen one city locals be on more than 1 Sat, not saying that it's not, just haven't seen it.
We are talking HD only, correct ?

Looks to me that your local HD channels are on the 103(s) Sat, Tndspdr 18

 

[Jimbo]

103s tr 3, 17, 18.

Chip, what did you find on the 3 and 17 transponders ?

 

[raoul5788]

According to the transponder map at dbstalk, those three transponders carry the Cleveland local hd channels.

 

[ejb1980]

fayrich, I would guess that the Cleveland locals your dealing with are on the one that says 95 now ....
I haven't looked them up yet ... I have never knowningly seen one city locals be on more than 1 Sat, not saying that it's not, just haven't seen it.
We are talking HD only, correct ?

Looks to me that your local HD channels are on the 103(s) Sat, Tndspdr 18

My locals are on 99 and 103 and on a few different transponders (Burlington VT). All the locals are HD-only except WLED Littleton, NH which is only SD on Directv.

 

[edisonprime]

I'm not any where near an expert. Are you "moved"? If you're "moved" then "move" back and have DirecTV realign your dish, or you could go authorized third party as well. And of course if you're not "moved" you don't have to bother "moving" back to get them to come over.

 

[Jimbo]

My locals are on 99 and 103 and on a few different transponders (Burlington VT). All the locals are HD-only except WLED Littleton, NH which is only SD on Directv.

Thats interesting, wonder why that is ...
I'm gonna say thats the minority, not the majority ....

 

[raoul5788]

My locals are on 99 and 103 and on a few different transponders (Burlington VT). All the locals are HD-only except WLED Littleton, NH which is only SD on Directv.

According to the same transponder map I mentioned at dbstalk, your hd locals are all on 99 on tr 21 and 22, but you get WLED and WMUR in sd from 101.

 

[texasbrit]

Many cities have HD locals from multiple transponders, and several have HD locals from multiple satellites. Depends what TPs were available for spotbeams. Here in DFW mine are on 103s TPs21,22 and 23.

 

[ejb1980]

According to the same transponder map I mentioned at dbstalk, your hd locals are all on 99 on tr 21 and 22, but you get WLED and WMUR in sd from 101.

Perhaps they re-arranged them. I haven't downloaded a new "database" in a while. This is what I was seeing:
TP SAT
22 D11 @99W WCAX
22 D11 @99W WPTZ
22 D11 @99W WVNY
22 D11 @99W WNNE
4 SW1 @103W WETK
4 SW1 @103W WFFF
4 SW1 @103W WCFE
28 D4S or D9S @101W WMUR
28 D4S or D9S @101W WLED

I fuess it's time to download a new one.

 

[fayrich]

Am definitely talking HD only. Only use the non HD version when I have to switch over due to the rain fade. Will check the signal strength when the weather turns bad. Am thinking about trying to repeak the dish myself, but am afraid of screwing it up big time.

 

[texasbrit]

Assuming you are in the main part of the spotbeam (i.e. you haven't "moved") your HD locals should have signals in the 90s, maybe even 100.

 

[Jimbo]

Am definitely talking HD only. Only use the non HD version when I have to switch over due to the rain fade. Will check the signal strength when the weather turns bad. Am thinking about trying to repeak the dish myself, but am afraid of screwing it up big time.

If you have access to the dish and another person to watch the screen, pull up the SS screen, go out to the dish and without loosening anything, gently place a little pressure on one side or the other, see which way the signals go, also do top to bottom. this will give you an idea which way to adjust if you decide to.
Of course that doesn't help if Tilt (Skew) is the issue.

If this slight movement helps, use the dithering bolts to adjust.

 

[fayrich]

Thanks Jimbo. Worth a try. Of course, I don't know what the dithering bolts are. Assume perhaps the 2 adjusting bolts on the right and left sides.

 

[ejb1980]

Am definitely talking HD only. Only use the non HD version when I have to switch over due to the rain fade. Will check the signal strength when the weather turns bad. Am thinking about trying to repeak the dish myself, but am afraid of screwing it up big time.

Some markets (Burlington being one) don't have SD locals. They are all HD-only except WLED and WMUR. WMUR is only available in SD outside of the Boston DMA where it is in HD even though the spotbeam covers far more than NH. It's stupid that WLED is only SD when Directv has WENH in HD and they are both simulcasts of NH Prime PBS. I am "moved" and have WENH and WMUR in HD and they're fine.

 

[Jimbo]

Thanks Jimbo. Worth a try. Of course, I don't know what the dithering bolts are. Assume perhaps the 2 adjusting bolts on the right and left sides.

Correct ...
You'll have to look at each one and determine what needs to be loosened to do the dithering (fine tuning).