What is considered a good signal?

[purtman]

We have an R15 and an HR20 here in Kansas City. Since we got our new 5 lnb dish in the fall, our signals have been lower than they were on the previous dish. Our signals on the sats are mostly in the upper 70s. I have some that will hit the 80s and some that are in the 40s. Considering we don't have any trees and no houses to block our signals, this seems pretty week. In New England we were much further north and had lots more trees. Yet our readings were in the 90s.
When we had our dish installed the guy told me that the readings would be lower with the new 5 lnb dish. Since our HD signal isn't the best signal I've seen, I have trouble believing it. Even the SD signal on our R15 has dropped off since we got the new 5 lnb dish.

[CCarncross]

A properly aimed and functioning dish and receiver combo should be giving you signals in the 90's on most of the transponders for your locale. But unless you have actual pixelation, the quality doesnt get any better. Remember this is digital, higher signal strengths meaning nothing until you have loss of signal. Higher signal strengths just give you a better chance of keeping your signal in inclement weather.

[Tom_S]

Well being in Kansas City I would think you would be prone to bad thunderstorms. I would tweak that dish for better signal strength or you may find yourself very angry come summertime.

[Mertzen]

D* specifies a steady 70+ signal as good. Our HSP wants 80+. But as CCarncross said. If it is steady and you have good picture at any time you should be ok.

[Michael D'Angelo]

I would call D* and have them send a tech out and not let them leave until all 5 SATS are in the mid 90's. If you don't get your signal in the mid 90's you are going to have problems.

[JLucPicard]

If you were getting signals in the 90s before on your R15, you should still get signals in the 90s on your R15. The 'lower signal readings' was on the H20 (maybe HR20, too?) due to a difference in the scales being used (kind of like temperature readings in Farenheit versus Centigrade). The R15 signal meter is the same regardless of which dish it's connected to.

I would ask to get the dish re-aimed to match the signal strengths you had on the R15 before, then make sure the signal strengths on all 5 sats are higher on the HR20.

I may be wrong about this, but I thought one of the software upgrades on the HR20 put the signal meter back on the same scale as the other receivers - if you're getting 90s on the R15, I think you should now be getting 90s on the HR20, too, and not maybe upper 70s or something that much different. Again, I could be listaken about that.

[veryoldschool]

If you were getting signals in the 90s before on your R15, you should still get signals in the 90s on your R15. The 'lower signal readings' was on the H20 (maybe HR20, too?) due to a difference in the scales being used (kind of like temperature readings in Farenheit versus Centigrade). The R15 signal meter is the same regardless of which dish it's connected to.

I would ask to get the dish re-aimed to match the signal strengths you had on the R15 before, then make sure the signal strengths on all 5 sats are higher on the HR20.

I may be wrong about this, but I thought one of the software upgrades on the HR20 put the signal meter back on the same scale as the other receivers - if you're getting 90s on the R15, I think you should now be getting 90s on the HR20, too, and not maybe upper 70s or something that much different. Again, I could be mistaken about that.
I don't think you are mistaken. The "power" readings are an "approximation, as they aren't from a "power meter". The H20 needs a software update to even get into the ballpark. The HR-20 does show an effective reading.
I don't have an R15 is can't say anything [about it] but my older Sony HD SAT-300 would read in the 80s with my 3 LNB & after the 5 LNB was showing 100%. FWIW

[ansky]

I just had my HR20 and 5 LNB dish installed yesterday. When I check the signals most of them are between 70 and 100. However there is one (transponder 28) that shows a signal level of 42. Very odd. I'm pretty sure I had higher signal readings with my R15.

[Mertzen]

Tx 28 on the 101sat is always a bit lower [well here in NYC area it is ]

[veryoldschool]

Tx 28 on the 101sat is always a bit lower [well here in NYC area it is ]
+1

[jdspencer]

TP 28 on 101 is a spot beam, so depending on location its value could be almost anything.

Also, those signal values don't represent just strength. There are several factors used to come up with values. It's more of a signal quality value. This is why people in the NE can get 90s.

FYI, the other spot beams on 101 are 4, 12, 18, 20, and 26. The spots on 119 are 23, 25, 27, and 31

[Dolly]

We always have signals in the mid 90's and I'm not in NE.

[joesigg]

Except for the Tennis Channel!

[LameLefty]

Get your dish tweaked - our signals are mid/upper 90s - 100 on all transponders we receive except for one or two that are 92 - 93 most times.