Caravan satellite alignment

[camel]

Just bought a Sat system for the caravan and I can't see any problems with aligning the system up, but reading through various web sites I'm more confused now, putting pennies and a spirit level on the LNB arm among other technical solutions to find some satellite, do you have a satellite system is that technical to set up/,

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Camel

See this link
http://www.satellitesuperstore.com/satellitemeters.htm
I have the SF 600 and have never looked back. Ex King Sproket got me onto this . Before ,I was using a sat finder app on my phone and shouting to SWMBO who in turn relayed the signal stuff coming up on the TV back to me!!

With the SF 500 or 600 You set up by yourself next to the dish. Unbelievably simple and easy!! :cheer:

 

[camel]

Dusty,
Thanks for the info ,

 

[camel]

Dusty,
Which is the Astra channel you for the UK 1or2,

 

[BedfordGeorge]

Try the SatFinder Lite app on your phone, it show all the satellites up there, and its free. Astra is at 28.5degrees and all you have to do is line it up with the + on the app and you know exactly where it is.

I also use the Horizon Nanosat DSM-4S Digital Satellite Finder which is pre set for the 4 Astra, this is a semi professional unit. This has been discontinued but they offer a few other options. Have a look on ...
http://www.horizonhge.com/products_nanosat.html

Good luck on finding the satellite, it can be frustating at times

 

[camel]

George,
Thanks for your reply, I have sat finder which came with the system and I will persevere with that before I go for something else, what I was actually asking was which Satellite is normally used in the UK , Astra1 or Astra 2,

 

[Dustydog]

George,
Thanks for your reply, I have sat finder which came with the system and I will persevere with that before I go for something else, what I was actually asking was which Satellite is normally used in the UK , Astra1 or Astra 2,

Most times Astra 2S. But sometimes depending where we are Astra 2N

 

[Woodentop]

George,
Thanks for your reply, I have sat finder which came with the system and I will persevere with that before I go for something else, what I was actually asking was which Satellite is normally used in the UK , Astra1 or Astra 2,

Most times Astra 2S. But sometimes depending where we are Astra 2N

Astra 1 is at 19E and carries the European stations. Astra 2 is at 28.2E and carries UK and Irish and some European stations.

Forget about 2N (whatever that is) and the like. There is a cluster of satellites at 28.2E which are as much as 100 miles apart but at 22000 miles or so up they all fall within the beamwidth of a standard dish. The current satellite for UK domestic stations is Astra 2F - IMSMC shortly to become 2G. The operators move satellite positions so that - as with the case of 2F - it has a much narrower footprint that covers the whole of the UK and Ireland but not, for instance, much of central western and southern western Europe as the likes of Astra 2E did. A side effect of the tighter footprint for the UK is that there is now no longer a need for Zone1 and Zone2 Sky dishes (respectively equivalent to 43cm and 55cm ovoid dishes the latter for use north of (about) the A69) as Zone 1 will cover the whole of the UK.

If you want to look at the coverage maps have a look at www.lyngsat.com and follow your nose.

 

[camel]

Woodentop,
Thanks for the info, but what will I get from my Maxview 80cm dish and my Humax freesat box.

 

[BedfordGeorge]

I have an 85cm dish and the Humax Freesat Decoder and was able to get a signal down to just north of the Dordogne. This does vary depending on the surrounding terrain, we got a good signal in Rumilly which is between Aix le Bains & Annecy.

 

[bertieboy1]

Camel,
We have a 65cm dish and humax fox hd receiver tuned in to Freesat.
Never bothered about spirit levels and don't have any problems finding the satellite.
what we do is select Freesat channel 101 (bbc1) on the humax then adjust the dish until a picture is found.
Works a treat every time. (in Europe as well as in UK)
Of course before we start all this we -
1.Get the correct bearing for the satellite (using dishpointer.com)
2.Using a compass set on the ground point the dish on the bearing (magnetic bearing)
3.We also use a satellite finder mainly for the sound.
All this usually takes about 10/15Seconds of actual searching for the satellite.

 

[Woodentop]

Woodentop,
Thanks for the info, but what will I get from my Maxview 80cm dish and my Humax freesat box.

With a bit of patience and careful pointing you should get it down about as far as Clermont Ferand give or take.

Look at Lyngsat map and you will get an idea of where the sat now covers after the footprint change. Basically you will get it down the east side and back up to about the Vendee but Aquitaine and the south coast is a bit of a non starter. A 80cm dish will do a bit better than a 60cm but will be harder to align as it has a smaller beamwidth.

You will do better using a signal finder than your Hummy as it will respond more quickly. Only cost a fiver or so.