Stupid Satellite Question!

trackingtime

I need help. I have a dish in the back garden about 1 meter diameter and it is pointing at the ASTRA satellite, at least all the programs I get are on that one. However according to my TV receiver I should be able to get other satellites, Hotbird etc.

What I am really trying to receive is the Russian speaking stations.

My own thoughts are that if I point the dish in a different direction I should be able to pull in other satellites.

Is this true?

Is there an easy and accurate way of doing this?

Can I use anything to guide me with a degree of accuracy to individual satellites?

If I am a complete dummy then my apologies, but I appear to have access to a satellite which is of no use/interest to me and would dearly love to use others.

I should point out that it is a fixed and not a motor driven dish.

Thanks awfully.

italiastar

trackingtime wrote:

I need help. I have a dish in the back garden about 1 meter diameter and it is pointing at the ASTRA satellite, at least all the programs I get are on that one. However according to my TV receiver I should be able to get other satellites, Hotbird etc.

What I am really trying to receive is the Russian speaking stations.

My own thoughts are that if I point the dish in a different direction I should be able to pull in other satellites.

Is this true?

Is there an easy and accurate way of doing this?

Can I use anything to guide me with a degree of accuracy to individual satellites?

If I am a complete dummy then my apologies, but I appear to have access to a satellite which is of no use/interest to me and would dearly love to use others.

I should point out that it is a fixed and not a motor driven dish.

Thanks awfully.

This is not a stupid question - we all have to start somewhere - I was in your position last year.

I've currently got a Sky minidish, pointing to Hotbird, with a second LNB (the reciever bit on the end of the arm) pointing to Astra - this is not supposed to work - in fact the experst say that you cannot pick up Hotbird on a Sky dish, let alone 2 satellites.

You shouldn't have any problem with a 1m dish even if you are up north. I have found some russian stations on Hotbird - https://www.lyngsat.com lists everything. What part of the country are you and what reciever have you got?

to try and pick up hotbird, switch your reciever to a hotbird channel RAI are pretty strong. then turn your dish horizontally to the right 15 degrees - do not move it up or down - this is best done very slowly with someone viewing the screen. Remember to mark your starting point so you can put it back to Astra.

Let me know how you get on - please ask further questions and I'll see if I can help.

redux

If you want to receive several satellites regularly then it will much easier with a polar-mount for the dish, preferably motorised - it rotates on an inclined axis. Just for a trial, you could try moving it almost as italiastar suggests, but there are elevation changes as well as azimuth - there must be, as the stations at the end of the arc are just above the horizon. It would be best to get look-up tables for your location

trackingtime

I will try the first suggestion of marking the starting position and thwn moving it slowly.

Sorry to ask another one, but what are look up tables.

Thanks once more.

adchesney

This not so "stupid question" got me thinking...I have NTL, BUT have an old Sky dish.

My stupid question, is can I use this to get "freeview" or what do I need to make it active? We live in GU46 postcode an free-to-air is hopeless as we are in a black-stop for reception.

Any ideas would be helpful.

Regards

ANDEW

italiastar

adchesney wrote:

This not so "stupid question" got me thinking...I have NTL, BUT have an old Sky dish.

My stupid question, is can I use this to get "freeview" or what do I need to make it active? We live in GU46 postcode an free-to-air is hopeless as we are in a black-stop for reception.

Any ideas would be helpful.

Regards

ANDEW

Yep - no problem - I'm near you. A Free to air reciever will set you back about £60 - £70 - I recommend a Technomate - 1000D. Mine does not get channel 4 or it's associated channels - they're still scrambled, but I believe will be unscrambled or channel 5 - who cares! It also picks up all the reagional BBC and ITV channels. You could always wait for a Lidl offer, although from my experience the Technomate is worth the extra. Another alternative is to get an old sky box with expired card off ebay.

italiastar

redux wrote:

but there are elevation changes as well as azimuth - there must be, as the stations at the end of the arc are just above the horizon. It would be best to get look-up tables for your location

THis must explain why some of my stations are affected by bad weather - what are look - up tables and how do I use them?

redux

I mean either tables or calculations for the azimuth and elevation - you'd enter your latitude & longitude (you might need a map), or pick somewhere near to you, and it will tell you what heading and how high to point it.

The angle of elevation will be marked with a scale on the mount somewhere next to the adjustable parts of the bracket - note that most dishes are offset (to avoid the LNB shadowing part of the dish), so it will look different to the angle it says - and for the direction it would be useful to either have a compass or on a sunny day work out the time that the sun will be at that angle.

I've just been rummaging in the cupboard for the instructions from an old Meteosat receiver, but can't find the book at the moment. If you have instructions with the satellite box, it may give you some tables, or you might have to search on the internet .......

I've just Googled > satellite azimuth elevation < and there seem to be plenty of calculation sites available, with lists of satellite positions as well

Dennis99

If you want your dish to "look" at astra 19 degrees east and hotbird 13 degrees east at the same time, you can buy a **click here** monoblock lnb like this from ebay. They are fairly easy to set up. I bought an Inverto recently for around £20 and it works great with my Technomate 1500 and £9.99 Lidl 80cm dish. :j

If you want a terrific free program for aligning dishes to satellites click here for SAA

Finally for a list of free Russian TV and the relevant satellite click here for the Lyngsat list. although the only sats you can "get" in the UK fairly easily are Hotbird and Sirius.

trackingtime

Thanks the dual LNB would look to be the favoured option and it saves a lot of moving around. I am now off to try to source one at best price.

Feel free to suggest possible suppliers.


Thanks once again, you really are a very helpful and decent bunch.

Dennis99

trackingtime wrote:

Thanks the dual LNB would look to be the favoured option and it saves a lot of moving around. I am now off to try to source one at best price.

Feel free to suggest possible suppliers.


Thanks once again, you really are a very helpful and decent bunch.

Before you buy, one important thing, is your satellite receiver DISEQC capable? It should be on the receiver somewhere.