How do you find a signal?

[LostALife]

I just started playing the game and to be honest the tutorial is very confusing. I read about if the signal elevation is 50 and the coordinate detection is 20 then you have a range of 80... literally no idea what that means. Can someone please help me understand.

Also i got onto the computer like the tutorial says and onto the sky scanner and found an anomaly. I then started tuning the frequency and eventually it said signal found, is this because i tuned it right or something else happened that caused me to find a signal.

Thanks for you help

[Virtual_Wolfy]

For as much as I would like to just redirect you to the #faq on the game's discord server, you asked a few questions I haven't precisely talked about in the tutorial there. You should still read it, tho, as it presents an efficient way of hunting signals.

To start off, your questions:
1. You either read something wrong about coordinate decection or screwed up writing it. If you have coordinate detection of 20, as you said, and the signal is at elevation 50, the coordinates you're looking for will appear in a range anywhere between 30 and 50. This is the only number of all, besides server temperature and power consumption, that you want as low as possible (and signal detection, but that's another story - just don't upgrade it, you will be better this way, trust me)
2. When using Sky Scanner, you first have to scan the space for an anomaly. Once you do, you have to locate it and polarize it. Once you get a proper polarization, you can proceed with finding the signal. There's currently no other way of getting a signal in the game.

So, if it comes to actually finding a signal:
Once you locate a signal with Sky Scanner, you have to first get it's frequency. It's on a small panel next to the laptop you used for Sky Scanner. Next step is locating coordinates, the most-right screen. At this point you have a rough idea of where the signal should be (it is possible that in some instances the signal is outside provided range, be aware of that, especially when readings are close to 0/360 azimuth or 10/90 elevation). Now you have to move your antennas there and pinpoint the signal using the Signal Strength indicator. Antenna control panel is left-top to the coordinate detection panel, under the weather screen, while the strength indicator is that small screen in top-left of antenna control panel. Mind that you need both azimuth and elevation in order to find the signal. Once you're close enough to it, tune in your antenna detection. The signal will start downloading automatically the moment it will be in-range.

Again, for more in-depth version of the tutorial on how to catch signals properly, see #faq section of the discord server. I explained it there a bit better in terms of power saving and effective methodes.

[LostALife]

Thanks for your help i found my first signal. Although im still confused about what the point of signal detection is and i cant find signal elevation. And whats the point of that if you have a system telling you where the signal is located in a general area.

[Virtual_Wolfy]

To put it simply, signal detection is the range in which you need to have your signal in order to start downloading it. Signal strength just shows you how close you are to the exact location of the signal.

[LostALife]

ok thanks