D* states 70% Signal Strength is nominal?

Those numbers are not all that good.Call again and tell 'em you're having a SFSS 771.They'll try to trouble shoot it and just insist on the same message.

"as in" minimally acceptable.

keithtd said:

Called to request my dish be peaked as 99c TP signals are all upper 70's and 103c are 73-84. D* rep stated the Protection Plan does not cover alignment unless the signal is below 70% for HD receivers and I'd be charged $70 for a service call.

Can anyone verify this is the standard from D*'s playbook? Most posts here recommend a dish alignment for signals in the 70's especially on 103c.

Hopefully D11 signals in the 70's are good enough or its up the ladder I go.

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While it would be better to have higher, the Ka signals drop to zero very quickly in weather events compared to those from the Ku birds. So you wouldn't gain a whole lot of fade margin. IOW, the difference between a signal in the 70's and in the 90's makes much more real-world difference on the older birds than the newer ones. At least in my experience.

veryoldschool said:

"as in" minimally acceptable.

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That's my understanding from the conversation I had with a D* rep. Unless the signal is under 70 the Protection Plan does not cover re-alignment.

For better or worse, they have to draw a line in the sand somewhere. Otherwise you'd have people calling all the time for calls because they only have a 92 on sat X when they read online that someone else has a 94.

I wouldn't be too worried about 99c levels yet. It's amazing to see people getting all wound up over something that isn't at operational levels yet. :nono: Now for the 103c, IMHO they could be better, but, as DirecTv has said, it's withing operational range.

keithtd said:

That's my understanding from the conversation I had with a D* rep. Unless the signal is under 70 the Protection Plan does not cover re-alignment.

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Sometimes it helps to stretch the "truth" a bit. Just tell them you're having frequent "Searching for satellite, error 771" problems. Don't tell them the exact signal readings.

litzdog911 said:

Sometimes it helps to stretch the "truth" a bit. Just tell them you're having frequent "Searching for satellite, error 771" problems. Don't tell them the exact signal readings.

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I had the same issue the other day and when I told them I was peaking out at 73, the CSR said that was considered acceptable and to call back when I had no signal.
I called this morning and told them I was peaking out in the mid-60's and now have someone scheduled to come out tomorrow and re-peak this thing

It took me 2 calls and arguing with a supervisor to get someone to come out to peek my dish. My 103c is in 40's and 50's, 99c in 40's and the best I get at 101 is 80 other than the NY spots which are in the 90's. They come Saturday. I can't wait to see what happens.

Dang takes them that long. I could be there tomorrow. LOL

Mertzen said:

Dang takes them that long. I could be there tomorrow. LOL

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They could have been there today. However, I want to be there when they come. My wife is home and I am afraid whoever comes will say what I have is good enough to my wife and then walk out.

keithtd said:

Called to request my dish be peaked as 99c TP signals are all upper 70's and 103c are 73-84. D* rep stated the Protection Plan does not cover alignment unless the signal is below 70% for HD receivers and I'd be charged $70 for a service call.

Can anyone verify this is the standard from D*'s playbook? Most posts here recommend a dish alignment for signals in the 70's especially on 103c.

Hopefully D11 signals in the 70's are good enough or its up the ladder I go.

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I can confirm that from my last two visits (neither for signal problems, but to replace HR20s that were broken), the installer (both time from Direc-Tech)refuses to align the dish better than ~72 signal strength on 103c. If I want better, I'll have to do it myself.

Frustrating, since I have very little rain fade margin, and my HR21 (and the HR20s before it) seemed to not like to recover from rain fade (channels would stay black, even when signals returned to normal blue sky values).

kaszeta said:

.....If I want better, I'll have to do it myself.....

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And are you able to do that where the dish is located? It's not a big deal, if so.....

K4SMX said:

And are you able to do that where the dish is located? It's not a big deal, if so.....

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I've done it twice before using 110 and Ku band:

1. Once with the SO yelling numbers out the window.

2. Once with a borrowed signal meter.

I'd like to do it with the Ka band, but the HR21 doesn't seem to have signal meter audio feedback working, and the signal meter I can borrow doesn't do Ka band, so I'd have to do some careful dithering of the Ku signal, or get a small TV and a longish RCA line to run a small monitor up by the dish.

So yes, I can do it, it's just involved enough that it's a rainy day (err, actually sunny day ) project.

Sometimes the signal was better at installation. Tuning into the 90s is not real tough. Have them check the dish for movement. Count the monopoles; one or two is good....none is not........Check the mast for alignment....it may have been plumb at one time but moved.

The only time I would leave an installation in the 70s is if there were storms in the area. How would you like to be the highest thing in the county during a lightning event? So 70 will give service enough for activation and you start loosing picture at around 40. Repoint when the sun shines.

Joe

Peaking is easy. Use the box and set the tilt and elev exactly. Then, have someone sit by the tv and then go outside and start tinkering.

I always try a slight turn to the left and the right to see what it does, once Im happy I move to tilt. try it both ways, then do the same with elev. I just put my slimline back up this weekend, and with the help of my wife, I have 80's and 90's on 99c.

If you can't peak yourself sounds to me like you call and tell them the best you have is upper 50s and then a couple hours before the tech gets there "nudge" that dish a bit more out of alignment.

bonscott87 said:

If you can't peak yourself sounds to me like you call and tell them the best you have is upper 50s and then a couple hours before the tech gets there "nudge" that dish a bit more out of alignment.

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In my case, I called for two reasons, my replacement HR20 being completely hosed, and my signal level being poor (I told them <60).

Result: Tech shows up, hooks up new box, looks at 103c readings and sees "72? You're golden. I'm leaving."

If I just had them come out for a realignment saying I had upper 50s? I'd probably get the same thing.

Tsk, tsk, tsk ... And the hint came from nominated member.

bonscott87 said:

If you can't peak yourself sounds to me like you call and tell them the best you have is upper 50s and then a couple hours before the tech gets there "nudge" that dish a bit more out of alignment.

Click to expand...

bonscott87 said:

If you can't peak yourself sounds to me like you call and tell them the best you have is upper 50s and then a couple hours before the tech gets there "nudge" that dish a bit more out of alignment.

Click to expand...

Thanks to all. I'll peak it myself this weekend.