Satellite footprints and EIRP for North American satellites

Satellite reception depends on many variables. One of the most important factors is satellite dish size. Most of the satellites over North America can be received with the dish that comes with the system you purchase. Occasionally, consumers may want receive a channel on a satellite that is either further away on the arc (signal is weaker) or the coverage of the satellite (footprint) is limited.

Here below is a map displaying signal strengths for a satellite signal. The value used is EIRP. What you need to look for, is that each line represents a signal strength, and this is the deciding factor on what size antenna you require. The further the line is from the center, the weaker the signal will be. But the bigger your dish size is, the more of the signal you can receive.

Many want to know the dish size best for them in their region. This section tries to simplify the process. The EIRP (Effective Isotropic Radiated Power) value indicates the strength of the signal from the satellite from your location.

If you can find a dish that is one size larger than what the EIRP value states from your location, it is suggested you choose it. This is simply because Ku band transmission for satellite TV may be affected by weather and other conditions.