Satellite Receive Signal Strength

[sanderlay1]

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 Northern California using Beam ID 27.  This is a pole mount setup.

When I first upgraded to GEN 5 SRSS, Satellite Receive Signal Strength, averaged about 100 or so, a little lower that the previous GEN 4 setup of about 107, but stable.  I started GEN 5 service in 2017.  That level of signal worked OK to keep a conection unless I had intense rain down pour, rain fade.  That issue I'm very familiar with and I have learned to work around.  That's Not what this post/thread is about.

What I've been seeing over the last few weeks and months is the SRSS going very high or down low for days at a time.  An example is last week for mutiple days, in clear weather and no wind, the SRSS averaged about 75.  This morning SRSS up to 125.  The why some days the SRSS is so high and why SRSS drops low in clear weather, night or day, baffles me as to the cause.  Again I'm seeing this happen over days not over shifting minutes with normal fluctuations.

Thankfully I've been been able to use the service durring these wide shifts in SRSS with no packet loss.  A higher stable signal is always good to see when I have to deal with rain and snow at times.  But the why the low SRSS is happening when all is calm for days at a time is my question.

Thanks for reading this.
Stevie

[sanderlay1 · Accepted solution]

GabeU...
Thanks for the advise and help.

Liz

...
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

[maratsade]

Stevie, my understanding is that signal strength is not fixed; it varies. Is there something that may be intermittently blocking the satellite signal, such as trees? 

[sanderlay1]

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]

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]

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]

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]

maratsade...
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.

[GabeU]

@sanderlay1 

If you don't regularly unplug or reboot your modem the reps may be able to see a recent history of your signal strengths.  

[Liz]

Good morning sanderlay1,

Thanks for posting. I ran diagnostics on your site-- all is running normally and there's nothing of significance we need to address. Of course, should you encounter any performance issues in the future, feel free to reach out again so we can have a look.

-Liz

[sanderlay1 · Accepted solution]

GabeU...
Thanks for the advise and help.

Liz

...
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

[maratsade]

@sanderlay1 ,

Just wanted to say that it would be more useful if you tagged people (using @) instead of linking to their profile. When you tag them they get a message that you've done so, which doesn't happen when you link to their profile.   

Also, it's likely this thread will be closed after 2 weeks, so if you have issues you will need to start a new thread, but you can always link to this one for reference.  Good luck!

[sanderlay1]

Hello again...
Thank you @maratsade for your advise in the use of the tag system for this forum.  I will do that going forward.
@Liz 
Thankfully this thread is still open, not closed, with the history and description of what I've been reporting.  So it's why I'm posting here today, 29 March.

This morning my SRSS, Satellite Receive Signal Strength, has dropped but remains fairly steady at about 78 - 83 or so for several hours so far.  I have clear sky and no wind.  I did reboot the terminal to see if that would solve the lower SRSS.  I am obviously able to successfully use the terminal for an Internet connection even with the lower SRSS.

The days before, as I documented in this thread, it has been holding daily at about 119 - 125 with no large swings of SRSS, holding day and night when I checked.  That is with changes of temp and humidity, with wind and no wind.

I know intermittent issues are very difficult to track down.  So that's why I'm reporting this morning as it's happening as I reported in this thread.  So perhaps diagnostics, with the lower SRSS, might give a clue as to why.

Thank you for your efforts.
Stevie

[Liz]

Welcome back, sanderlay1. Do you notice anything obstructing the dish? If not, please check that the coaxial cable connecting the radio on the dish to the modem is secured (please only check if safely possible).

-Liz

[sanderlay1]

@Liz 
Thanks for your reply.
1) Obstructions...
As before... Nothing has changed obstructing the dish.  All looks the same.

2) Connections...
a. Connection on the Satellite dish radio receiver is secure, no wiggle, and weather sealed over the conection.

b. The inside connection at the modem seemed a bit loose.  So I power down the modem and reseated the connection.

After powering back up, and the Satellite reconecting, the same lower SRSS, Satellite Receive Signal Strength, remains.  Averaging about 70 - 73 at the moment.

[Liz]

Hi sanderlay1, 

Thank for for these confirmations. After running and reviewing your site diagnostics, we have decided as a courtesy to dispatch a technician to do a complete review of your site due to the concerns you've been encountering. Your dispatch is currently scheduled for our earliest available slot: Wednesday, Apr 7, 2021 between 08:00 AM-11:00 AM.

The tech will reach out to confirm the visit, so you can use that opportunity to reschedule if needed. Please let us know how the site visit goes.

Thanks,

Liz

[sanderlay1]

@Liz 
Thanks for the scheduled courtesy service call.
I'll post how the site visit goes.

[sanderlay1 · Accepted solution]

@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

[Liz]

Good morning Stevie,

Thanks so much for taking the time to tell us what the tech did, I'm so glad he addressed your concerns. We're happy to help so please don't hesitate to come back to the community if you need anything else.

-Liz