Missions & Complexes

I used to do a lot of scanning / plexing for escalation sites, etc. I never had any issue getting the site to 100%. In the last couple days, I started trying to scan stuff down again and I straight up can't do it

I'm in a Buzzard with level 5 Covert Ops using Sisters Core Scanning Probes

Astrometrics: 4
Astro Rangefinding: 3
Astro Pinpointing: 3

So here's the most troubling thing that I cannot explain at all

I will put out my max 7 probes into space. I will do a 32 AU scan to get a relative bead on a signature. I 99% of the time will get a red dot with around 7% signal strength. So then I place my probes in an "X + 1" pattern. So one directly above, one directly below on the y-axis, one on each side of the x-axis, same for the z-axis and one nearly on top of the dot. All are placed at approx 16 AU from the red dot / focal point

This usually yields a signal strength between 15-20%

Using the Shift function, I can move the array anywhere around the red dot where I get at least 4 of the probes making contact with it and it never deviates from it's position. I reduce the scan size to 16 AU, focus in on the dot with the Alt option, and rescan, and the dot will stay in the exact same space. The scan strength doesn't deviate more than maybe 2% in either direction. I can shrink the scan down to 8 AU, using the exact same techniques with Shift and Alt, the dot never deviates more than maybe .25 AU.

Here's where things get squirrelly

If I continue to move the probes closer, there is a kind of "threshold" where the signal completely disappears. If I drop pull the probes out a little bit, it will reappear in my scan results. I can start messing with individual probes and the strength never changes with most of the individual probes I manipulate. However, another probe may act like the Death Star exhaust port and blow the whole thing to hell. It will completely wipe it off of my scan. I have gotten it to the point where moving that one probe less than .1 AU will cause the scan strength to go from 26% to non-existent

Soooo what the hell? Why would the manipulation of a single probe cause such an effect that it doesn't even register in the scan box any more? Why would action of moving all probes just a smidgeon closer cause the scan strength to go from 25% to not even registering that anything is out there?

I asked a corp mate to come and try to scan down what I was trying to, and with almost no effort at all (and with 6 probes, no CovertOps scan ship, and no Astro pinpointing... i.e.: far fewer skills and bonuses) scanned down what turned out to be just a ordinary Worm Hole.

Can anybody explain what the hell is going on? Is there some setting on my UI that I am completely missing? I feel like it's pretty basic and I'm just missing it. But I haven't seen a scan strength of over 30% in the four or five hours I've been working at it.

Good God... There goes 4 needlessly lost hours of life I'll never get back. Thanks mate.

Somebody got in before me, I had exactly the same issues. I wasted hours until I figured that my filters were changed.