How can I measure signal strength of RG6U6 coax cable?

Using Arduino General Electronics
#1

Hi everyone,

I am building an autopointing satellite dish with arduino. It is tracking the orbit by some algorithms.
Actually ethernet shield receives the signal signal by parsing the HTML from modem interface but it sometimes stucks.

Can you please help me how to measure "SNR dB" of coax cable?

Best Regards.

#2

Cable does not have an "SNR", though 75 ohm cable like that is best for noise. You can google RG/6U and get tables that will list the loss per foot.

#3

Note that RF losses depend on the frequency and are measured in dB per unit-length.

To measure signal strength you need a receiver that provides RSSI (received signal
strength indication). You can allow for the losses in the cable between antenna and
cable from published loss figures for the cable.

#4

Or use a spectrum analyzer or Network analyzer, which is my preferred method.

#5

KeithRB:
Or use a spectrum analyzer or Network analyzer, which is my preferred method.

But hardly a budget method !

#6

I said preferred, not cheap!

#7

KeithRB:
I said preferred, not cheap!

what if I use a simple amplifier? then maybe I can calibrate it?

#8

Let's back up. What exactly do you want to measure and what tools do you have to measure it with?

#9