Recently installed, signal strength question

[jollygrunt]

Almost a month ago, I had Dish service installed after leaving Legacy Time Warner Cable. The picture quality is so much better than TWC, but I'm worried that the signal strength is pretty weak. I've had a look at the signal strength on my HwS, and it shows signal strength of 47 or 48 on all three sats, 110, 119 & 129. That signal strength sounds quite low to me. What should be the best signal strength for my zip code, 78586? Thank you.

[peggyrh]

similar strength for my Hopper 3, been about that for several years so don't think you have any issues.

[d4g4m]

The 47 or 48 you are seeing is for the channel on the sat you are watching. Changing the sat # on the signal strength page does not give you the correct #. To get the signal strength of each sat, you have to tune to a channel of each sat. Meaning you have to do the process three times on three different channels. You will get different numbers. Usually, the dish is aimed at 119 for the highest number. Check for signal strength on a clear blue sky. When it rains, signal strength will drop with lt grn/dk grn on radar. With orange and especially red blobs, you will lose signal. Partial loss screen means one or two sats are blocked. Total loss screen means all three sats are blocked. When you stand behind the dish, the sats are actually 12-15 degrees higher in the sky than where it is pointing.

[mgar_red]

I think it's our geographic locations that determine our strengths.  I'm just North of you in Kingsville, and mine peak out at 53.  I called tech support once a few years ago and he said it was about what I would get given my zipcode.  He said where he lives he's in the 40's and was impressed with what I was getting.  Honestly I figured the numbers should be a lot higher just like you were thinking.  There was a map on one site I saw that showed how signals were affected depending on where you lived, but unfortunately I don't remember what site that was anymore.