Using spectrum analyzer.

You should now have a perfectly peaked dish and you can check this using a
spectrum analyzer. A spectrum analyzer displays frequency vs. amplitude of all carriers, per polarization, per satellite. If you used Ku-band satellites for
peaking, it will be as good as it can be. If you used C-band satellites, you will
want to repeat the fine tuning steps using Ku satellites. As you go from satellite to satellite in the tuning process, note the weakest channels on each satellite and see what effect your adjustment process has on them. If at the end of the adjustment process and there are still weak channels then check the eirp footprints (eirp for Eastern Hemisphere satellites, for Western Hemisphere satellites) for that satellite and channel (transponder) to see if they are aimed into your region and, if possible, use a spectrum analyzer to look at the weak channels (transponders) and see how weak they really are in comparison with the stronger channels on other satellites with similar eirp patterns to see if ground effects are playing a role in reception and/or if your tuning is that much off. Also compare weak channels to strong ones on the same satellite to see if the weak channels might belong to a broadcaster that is simply not uplinking a strong signal or is uplinking a half transponder signal. All these actions will give you peace of mind that you have done the best job possible and will tell you if what you need is a bigger dish to receive the weaker channels. On older satellites it is a fact that some transponders age quicker than others and thereby are inherently weaker. A spectrum analyzer allows more quantative understanding of the variations in transponder reception per satellite than does monitoring each channel with a TV. In regards to final tracking of the dish, in general, it is said that Ku reception is three times more sensitive to tracking errors than is C-band and tracking Ku satellites is really where a spectrum analyzer comes in handy. The last thing to do after satisfying yourself that your installation is its best, apply VNR (video noise reduction) and/or bandpass filters, as built into
your receiver, to any channels which still show a few sparkles. A satellite
receiver with a good set of internal filters (especially Chapparal brands) will
increase video quality by a 'grade', i.e. make a 'B' grade image to an 'A' grade. If you are using a frequency tunable receiver (again, Chaparral), then try adjusting the center frequency and frequency range of any channel that is giving you a problem especially if you think they might be half transponder transmissions or transmissions on non standard transponder bandwidths, i.e. a downlink on a 54MHz transponder.