Can anyone help, i am trying the satellite in a suitcase, designed for mobile use, i am following instructions, get all set up, turn the dish on top of the caravan, settting on reciever to astra2, get a good signal intensity of 92% and then a signal quality of 75%, but no picture, tried several times and repositioning further east of south, but no joy, any help ???
Satellite, what I'm doing wrong
- Thread starter Paulfbu
- Start date
Ive got the Lidl suitcase kit and a curious problem.Have got good levels and great picture with all usual channels but on radio 2 it only works in the morning and in the afternoon only get very low levels.Switch it back to TV and get good levels and picture.Am thinking the box might have an intermittent problem.Incidentally,have you run through the channels,I get about ten or 12 ITV channels but only a picture on a couple of them,whether thay are assigned but not used I dont know.Do you get any picture as if I get on the 19deg one I get loads of foreign,possibly German channels.
Are you possibly searching for channels with Astra 28 selected but the satellite actually locked to being the 19 one hence getting no picture.Try searching on all satellites and see if you get german channels
If you have a look at the link below & put your post code + UK press go, it then takes you to another page, you can then drag the X marker to you house or cl etc: & at the top of the page it will give you the information.
Example:
Satellite Data:
Name: 28.2E Astra 2A-B-D
Distance: 39275km
Dish Setup Data:
Elevation:22.9
Example:
Satellite Data:
Name: 28.2E Astra 2A-B-D
Distance: 39275km
Dish Setup Data:
Elevation:22.9
HI! Paul with signal readings like you have said i don,t think its your dish pointing in the wrong direction it sounds like your decoder not decoding the signal for some reason .try this site www.satellite for caravans .co.uk
hope this helps
cheers Duggie
hope this helps
cheers Duggie
I love the link Sprocket, but will you think I'm being really blonde if I ask what the figures mean. The elevation figure and the LNB skew figure I can just about understand but what is an azimuth and how do I go about setting my dish to it?
It sounds as if it would make life a lot easier than my present method of locating south and east and gradually turning the dish between the two until something buzzes loudly.
Sophie
It sounds as if it would make life a lot easier than my present method of locating south and east and gradually turning the dish between the two until something buzzes loudly.
Sophie
Sophie,
Azimuth is left to right or right to left directions
Use magn azimuth figure this is the angle from magnetic north that the satellite is located at using yor compass.
For example
North = 0 degrees
East = 90 degrees
South = 180 degrees
So with a azimuth magn figure of 147.2 degrees the position of the satellite lies between East and South ie 147.2 degrees from North or 180 minus 147.2 = 13.8 degrees East of South.
A common misconception is that Astra 2A,B,D is positioned 28.2 degrees East of South
Sophie
Read this link...
how to set up guide
At the bottom of the first paragraph there is some text in blue...click on that & it will open another page & you will be able to see how easily it is explained...
An easy way to put it is that you will get two sets of figures
Example:
Azimuth (true): 144.6
Read this link...
how to set up guide
At the bottom of the first paragraph there is some text in blue...click on that & it will open another page & you will be able to see how easily it is explained...
An easy way to put it is that you will get two sets of figures
Example:
Azimuth (true): 144.6
You should have your own web site Sprocket, I have learnt more from your topics over the years than any instruction manual.
You should call it ( ask sprocket )
keep up the good work.
You should call it ( ask sprocket )
keep up the good work.
Here's how I do it!
Connect up to box etc with a signal meter in line near the dish.
Get a compass and find out where due south is and point the dish due south. Set the dish in a vertical position and as level as possible side to side. Standing behind the dish gradually turn the dish to your left and you should find a very strong signal. This should be Hotbird.
Keep turning and you should come to another satellite which is Astra 1 which is not so strong.
Turn just a little bit more and you'll be on Astra 2 which is the one you want for Sky. Astra 1 and 2 are pretty close.
Now move it a fraction left and right until you get the strongest signal. Lock the dish to stop it turning.
Next tip the dish very slightly up and down until the you get the strongest signal. Tighten up.
Bingo you should be up and running. For some reason my setup will not work with the meter in line but some do. If you are not sure remove it before you check for a picture.
I have said this before but use the SMALLEST dish NOT the LARGEST dish as possible. The bigger the dish the more difficult it is to set up. Its the same as a weak pair of binoculars and a powerful telescope. The powerful telescope being the large dish.
I personally don't pay too much attention to Azimuth etc as generally the longest I'm on one site is about 3 weeks. Its pretty easy to do a check every so often if the picture starts to break up. Another ruse I use is to tighten up the clamp bolts just enough to allow me to turn it for adjusting.
Another tip is look out for trees etc. The signal to the dish comes down at an angle of about 45 degrees so you can hedge hop but you must have a clear line of sight.
My set up time is usually about 5 minutes or less.
Connect up to box etc with a signal meter in line near the dish.
Get a compass and find out where due south is and point the dish due south. Set the dish in a vertical position and as level as possible side to side. Standing behind the dish gradually turn the dish to your left and you should find a very strong signal. This should be Hotbird.
Keep turning and you should come to another satellite which is Astra 1 which is not so strong.
Turn just a little bit more and you'll be on Astra 2 which is the one you want for Sky. Astra 1 and 2 are pretty close.
Now move it a fraction left and right until you get the strongest signal. Lock the dish to stop it turning.
Next tip the dish very slightly up and down until the you get the strongest signal. Tighten up.
Bingo you should be up and running. For some reason my setup will not work with the meter in line but some do. If you are not sure remove it before you check for a picture.
I have said this before but use the SMALLEST dish NOT the LARGEST dish as possible. The bigger the dish the more difficult it is to set up. Its the same as a weak pair of binoculars and a powerful telescope. The powerful telescope being the large dish.
I personally don't pay too much attention to Azimuth etc as generally the longest I'm on one site is about 3 weeks. Its pretty easy to do a check every so often if the picture starts to break up. Another ruse I use is to tighten up the clamp bolts just enough to allow me to turn it for adjusting.
Another tip is look out for trees etc. The signal to the dish comes down at an angle of about 45 degrees so you can hedge hop but you must have a clear line of sight.
My set up time is usually about 5 minutes or less.
Quote:
"Another tip is look out for trees etc. The signal to the dish comes down at an angle of about 45 degrees so you can hedge hop but you must have a clear line of sight."
Throughout the UK though the Astra2 beam only comes down at about half the angle you think it does.
It's 17 deg in John a Groats and still only 26 in Folkstone. So trees cast a "shadow" of at least twice their height; even in Kent.
"Another tip is look out for trees etc. The signal to the dish comes down at an angle of about 45 degrees so you can hedge hop but you must have a clear line of sight."
Throughout the UK though the Astra2 beam only comes down at about half the angle you think it does.
It's 17 deg in John a Groats and still only 26 in Folkstone. So trees cast a "shadow" of at least twice their height; even in Kent.
Thanks for that Alistair, a very clear explanation. It sounds a lot more accurate than my method, I can't wait to try it.
Thanks again
Sophie
Two points from this thread.
Satellite positions are measured as east or west of south. Astra2 is a 28.2E of south, Hotbird is at 13E of south, so to move from Astra2 to Hotbird will require the dish to be moved west not east.
The inability to receive BBCR2 but signals show good on TV is because stations are transmitted from different transponders on different frequencies. Believe it or not it is possible to align the dish such that it gets stronger signals from some transponders than others. It is also possible that the sat cable may be of critical length which can result in the attenuation of some frequencies but not others.
Make sure the dish is correctly aligned as a first step. www.lyngsat.com will show you which transponder carries Radio 2 and which TV stations are on the same transponder. Look at the signal strengths for those TV stations and see if they are also low.
If that doesn't cure all, try cutting a cm or so off the length of the sat cable and reterminating it.
Satellite positions are measured as east or west of south. Astra2 is a 28.2E of south, Hotbird is at 13E of south, so to move from Astra2 to Hotbird will require the dish to be moved west not east.
The inability to receive BBCR2 but signals show good on TV is because stations are transmitted from different transponders on different frequencies. Believe it or not it is possible to align the dish such that it gets stronger signals from some transponders than others. It is also possible that the sat cable may be of critical length which can result in the attenuation of some frequencies but not others.
Make sure the dish is correctly aligned as a first step. www.lyngsat.com will show you which transponder carries Radio 2 and which TV stations are on the same transponder. Look at the signal strengths for those TV stations and see if they are also low.
If that doesn't cure all, try cutting a cm or so off the length of the sat cable and reterminating it.
some of the receivers require a software upgrade before use. Check in the manual that cam with the system and it should tell you how to do this.
The update is not usually on astra28.2.
Some satellite rx's also allow you to select different satellites.Again check the manual but on you remote control is there a "list" button?.If so press it and you will get a list of channels. At the top of the list the satellite will be shown. Use the remote scroll buttons and scroll to astra 28.2.
Now selects BBC1 London.
Exit the list and now look for the "info" button.This should give you the signal strength and intensity bars.
If the strength is 80% plus and the intensity 70% plus and the dish is on astra28.2e you should a piccie and sound in english.
I have a simple compass to find 28.2e of south ,Once i have a signal strength of around 80% i know the dish is about right in latitude and now tweak the azimuth. Remember you only need to move the dish in very small increments, maybe 1mm at a time. As the satellite is 39,000km away a 1 degree movement at the dish could have you pointing at a different satellite.
If you do not get a picture or sound check the tv type selected on the receiver and if any parental controls are locked in.
Other than that , take it back and swap it , alternatively pop along to your nearest maplins and buy a dish,stand and receiver for about
The update is not usually on astra28.2.
Some satellite rx's also allow you to select different satellites.Again check the manual but on you remote control is there a "list" button?.If so press it and you will get a list of channels. At the top of the list the satellite will be shown. Use the remote scroll buttons and scroll to astra 28.2.
Now selects BBC1 London.
Exit the list and now look for the "info" button.This should give you the signal strength and intensity bars.
If the strength is 80% plus and the intensity 70% plus and the dish is on astra28.2e you should a piccie and sound in english.
I have a simple compass to find 28.2e of south ,Once i have a signal strength of around 80% i know the dish is about right in latitude and now tweak the azimuth. Remember you only need to move the dish in very small increments, maybe 1mm at a time. As the satellite is 39,000km away a 1 degree movement at the dish could have you pointing at a different satellite.
If you do not get a picture or sound check the tv type selected on the receiver and if any parental controls are locked in.
Other than that , take it back and swap it , alternatively pop along to your nearest maplins and buy a dish,stand and receiver for about
Hello Paul
Ive got one of these portable dishes and it works a treat. A few tips which may help
1.Make sure the sat receiver in the van is switched to Astra 2
2. I dont bother with a compass,I just imagine a quarter of a right angle from due south and then move the dish slowly a bit to the left.A quarter of a right angle is 22.5 degrees.I get due south from the sun at midday or the map of the site.
3. I point the dish slightly downwards so that its just off the vertical.
4. Trees and hedgerows are bad news,keep away from them.
5.Ive had the dish in the awning,on top of the car,fixed to jockey wheel,all over the place. The length of cable hasnt made any difference.
6. Some of the ITV channels dont work,some do.I dont know why,but theres loads of other channels.
7. If you get all foreign channels then youve probably picked up astra 1.Move the dish to the left a bit.
8.Check all the connections. I once spent ages getting it to work and found that one of the wires was loose.
9 When youre moving the dish do it slowly,as it is easy to miss the satelite.
Hope this helps Cheers Richard
Ive got one of these portable dishes and it works a treat. A few tips which may help
1.Make sure the sat receiver in the van is switched to Astra 2
2. I dont bother with a compass,I just imagine a quarter of a right angle from due south and then move the dish slowly a bit to the left.A quarter of a right angle is 22.5 degrees.I get due south from the sun at midday or the map of the site.
3. I point the dish slightly downwards so that its just off the vertical.
4. Trees and hedgerows are bad news,keep away from them.
5.Ive had the dish in the awning,on top of the car,fixed to jockey wheel,all over the place. The length of cable hasnt made any difference.
6. Some of the ITV channels dont work,some do.I dont know why,but theres loads of other channels.
7. If you get all foreign channels then youve probably picked up astra 1.Move the dish to the left a bit.
8.Check all the connections. I once spent ages getting it to work and found that one of the wires was loose.
9 When youre moving the dish do it slowly,as it is easy to miss the satelite.
Hope this helps Cheers Richard
Thanks for all the advice, it has been very usefull, especially the links to the websites.
I reckon the problem is, i am siting the dish on top of the caravan on my drive, i can pick up astra19 with all the German channels, but cannot get astra 28, as i rotate the dish further south east, there is a dirty great tree acros the road which i reckon blocks it out.
However the sky dish monted on the side of thee house gets a good signal, but it just misses the line of trees, i assume the sky dish points at astra 28 ???
I reckon the problem is, i am siting the dish on top of the caravan on my drive, i can pick up astra19 with all the German channels, but cannot get astra 28, as i rotate the dish further south east, there is a dirty great tree acros the road which i reckon blocks it out.
However the sky dish monted on the side of thee house gets a good signal, but it just misses the line of trees, i assume the sky dish points at astra 28 ???
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