Forum Discussion

sanderlay1's avatar
sanderlay1
Freshman
4 years ago

Satellite Receive Signal Strength

Hello... First of all my system is working and fuctional, with the normal glitches at times.  I've been a custumer since 2009.  I'm currently using a GEN 5 service using EchoStar-17-NAD.  I'm in N...
Performance
  • sanderlay1's avatar
    sanderlay1
    4 years ago
    ...
    Thanks for the advise and help.
    ...
    Thank you for running diagnostics on the site.  I'm not surprised you found no problems, why I wanted to wait till the signal went low.  This morning the SRSS, Satellite Receive Signal Strength, is at 121.  If the SRSS stayed that way, except for normal causes, which I have already talked about in this thread, I would have no issues on this subject, a very good SRSS to say the least for anyone.  But if pattern holds it will unfortunately repeat again.   Intermittent problems are very difficult to track down and identify.

    So for now I'll let this thread be part of my documentation, and refer to it, of what I'm experiencing so I don't have to repeat myself should I post again, in a new thread, on this issue per your instructions.

    Thanks,
    Stevie
  • sanderlay1's avatar
    sanderlay1
    4 years ago

    Liz 

    The technician came out today, 7 Apr 2021, and reviewed the site SRSS, Satellite Receive Signal Strength, was at 110 this morning.

     

    He redid the connections and removed an extra interconnect I was unaware of.  After powering up the modem SRSS was at 70.  I was very happy to see the problem had reared its head for the tech to see.

    He replaced the receiver and redid the ground connect.  He then went through a realignment of the dish and discovered the dish itself was tweaked preventing best signal.  The main dish assembly was put in service about July 2009 when I first became a customer.  He replaced the dish assembly and put on the new receiver and realigned.  He said he got a signal of 140 now.

     

    At the System Status page I got a SRSS of about 102, about 10:30 in the AM.  That's about right for the signal for when I first upgraded to Gen 5.  It would average, with no weather, 95 -105 or so.  So that works for me.

    I'll watch the signal over the next days and weeks for any weirdness, like I saw before, but I think that should keep me going for the next few years at least.

    Thank you all for your support,
    Stevie

     

sanderlay1's avatar
sanderlay1
Freshman

Thanks for the reply...

Yes... I have trees.  I have seen when a tree can cause a fluxation, like in wind.  I'm very familiar with how a branch from a tree can cause a fluaxation or cause a lower signal if it remains to bbstruct the signal.  Even seasonal growth or when leaves come out.  And when the leaves drop the signal can go up.  Even a rain event or snow event when a branch sags and can obstruct and lower the signal.

 

This is different...

Again I make the point that this happens over days at a time staying low, like yesterday.  There was no wind and rain.  The SRSS, Satellite Receive Signal Strength, averaged 77.  This morining the SRSS is hovering at about 125 and staying high.

MarkJFine's avatar
MarkJFine
Professor
4 years ago

The 'signal strength' is really an inverse bit error rate on the data stream, which can vary by humidity. Any kind of water in the air at these frequencies will defract (diffuse?) the signal, making it more error prone, although you might not see those errors due to redundancy and forward error correction protocols.

 

A real dry day (~10-20%) could cause a 'strength' of 125, whereas mild humidity (~40-50%) could drop it a bit lower. Both these instances could be bright, shiny days with no rain at all (which of course, would be above 90% humidity).

  • sanderlay1's avatar
    sanderlay1
    Freshman
    4 years ago

    Humidity levels... a factor...
    Ok.  Makes some sense that humidity level would also affect the signal level.  It's about mid day, pacific time zone, and signal level has droped slightly to 121.  Humidity this morning was at about 70%.  Now at about 35% with a very slight wind.  To me that's a minor amount of fluxation and nothing to be concerned about.

    Under normal circumstances, with a base line SRSS, Satellite Receive Signal Strength, of 105 or so, I would not be concerned.  When SRSS drops to 77 or so it would mean usally I have heavy rain or snow collecting on my dish, rain fade.  When the rain lets up, not as intense down pour, the SRSS goes back up to 90 or higher.  If snow did collect, ussally wet snow at my elevation, I just carefully wipe off with a broom the excess.  That puts me back in service, if I lost conection so I can connect, or at least raises my SRSS back up.

     

    Even those clouds, depending how thick, can affect the signal, like an aproaching storm.  Again that's perfectly normal SRSS from what I have obeserved over the years.  After the weather passes the signal will go back up to near normal.


    • maratsade's avatar
      maratsade
      Distinguished Professor IV
      4 years ago

      Perhaps Liz or another rep can run remote diagnostics and tell you whether there's an actual issue. The reps will be back on Monday. 

      • sanderlay1's avatar
        sanderlay1
        Freshman
        4 years ago
        ...
        A good idea to run remote diagnostics. 
        Thank you.
         
         
        But I'll wait till the low signal condition occurs, which it will from what I have experienced.  I suspect if Liz or someone else checks curently with a SRSS, Satellite Receive Signal Strength, of 121 they would say there is no problem, and I would agree.  At the moment there is not.  So this thread becomes part of my documentation of what I'm experiencing intermitently without repeating myself about the normal issues that cause low SRSS.