85cm picking up 2E Europe in Lapland, Finland

[timo_w2s]

Took a photo today of a dish and TV aerial on the side of a hotel just a bit further up the hillside from us. It was pretty misty up there.

 

[Captain Jack]

Yeah anything under -30C starts to get a bit painful. I think -37C is the coldest I've experienced in Finland.

Funnily enough I did go and help a Russian car stuck in the snow today (not a plane though).

My personal limit is -20c...mainly because when I was a wee one, my school closed below those temperatures.

Was it a Niva, by any chance?

 

[archive10]

If I could help it (and probably will when the kids are grown), I'd be South of France, or Southern california possibly.
Fresh snow is lovely, but I tire after a day or two... 8)

 

[TopGear]

OT: dmn, why estonia dsnt have anymore (years for now) such a winter. Temperature -3 and 1cm snow isnt winter at all, this almoust like summer

-30 is winter.

 

[Captain Jack]

OT: dmn, why estonia dsnt have anymore (years for now) such a winter. Temperature -3 and 1cm snow isnt winter at all, this almoust like summer

Something like this is known as "Arctic Blast" here in UK.....

 

[Kveys]

Best winter weather with dishes->

 

[timo_w2s]

I've now taken 24 hours of signal quality readings on my new DrHD F15 on my 85cm dish looking at 28.2E in north eastern Finland and the results are quite interesting.

Signal levels do not vary very much, but the weakest time for Astra 2E Europe seems to be about mid morning and early afternoon. The higher 2E Europe transponders are easily receivable all day. The lower Astra 2E Europe transponders are just below lock (the red line on the graph below shows approximate levels needed for lock for FEC 2/3 and FEC 5/6). This is the opposite to what I see on my 85cm dish in Helsinki where the lower Astra 2E Europe transponders are just lockable. Astra 2F Europe levels are also stronger here in the north than in Helsinki.

I have a spare 1.25m Gibertini dish in Helsinki, so I'm very tempted to get that up here in the summer to replace the 85cm. I think that should pull in the lower Astra 2E Europe transponders too and maybe even some Astra 2F Europe.

 

[archive10]

I have a spare 1.25m Gibertini dish in Helsinki, so I'm very tempted to get that up here in the summer to replace the 85cm. I think that should pull in the lower Astra 2E Europe transponders too and maybe even some Astra 2F Europe.

indeed makes one wonder...
You should get a CM120 or a Laminas (maybe even with a motor) there, to see what's possible B-)
Even better, you should get a Fibo or other gregorian type 120cm dish there. Might cause some surprise...

 

[skomedal]

Even better, you should get a Fibo or other gregorian type 120cm dish there.

Might be a snow problem in the long winter at this location.

Regards

 

[timo_w2s]

indeed makes one wonder...
You should get a CM120 or a Laminas (maybe even with a motor) there, to see what's possible B-)
Even better, you should get a Fibo or other gregorian type 120cm dish there. Might cause some surprise...

Tempting as it is, I'm not here for very long periods and when I am here to be honest I'm not really watching much TV, so I think it would be a bit of a waste really. Everything here gets coated in heavy frost and snow in the winter, especially if it's not used for long periods so I wouldn't really want to try a motor. I'm sure it would just seize up or be more trouble than it's worth. Also being so far north makes having a clear view of the Clarke belt a bit tricky too unless it's up high on the roof (where it gets up to 100cm of drifting snow). Fixed dishes can be placed lower down looking between trees for easier snow clearing.

Now I have a spare 1.25m dish just taking up storage space in Helsinki so it seems a crime not to try that even if it'll be a pain to get it here (I'm thinking of posting it to myself rather than trying to fix it to the car roof for 850km).

I can't believe I'll get as lucky on other satellites though, but when I'm back in the summer I do want to try Astra 1N and a few other more exotic satellites just for fun on a temporary setup to see what's possible.

 

[archive10]

Might be a snow problem in the long winter at this location.

Regards

 

[timo_w2s]

Yes, very nice, but I don't have that kind of money to spend on professional heated satellite setups. ;)

 

[archive10]

Tempting as it is, I'm not here for very long periods and when I am here to be honest I'm not really watching much TV, so I think it would be a bit of a waste really.

Waste... WASTE??
Dude, this is an enthusiast forum, where western european members keep track of any changes to transponders found on uzbekistan TV satellites, Eastern-european members do their damnest to recieved sats physcially aimed at the British Isles only, European members discuss the merits of modifying C-band LNBs from the US network operators, and some build their own polar mounts for professional VSAT dishes!
At least get a DiSEqC motor and a 5m pole up there with your 80 cm dish, and see what's possible!
(Too many trees? AFAIK there's enough trees in Finland so that no-one would notice an afternoon's work with a chain-saw!)

 

[Analoguesat]

Waste... WASTE??
Dude, this is an enthusiast forum, where western european members keep track of any changes to transponders found on uzbekistan TV satellites, Eastern-european members do their damnest to recieved sats physcially aimed at the British Isles only, European members discuss the merits of modifying C-band LNBs from the US network operators, and some build their own polar mounts for professional VSAT dishes!

PMSL - absolutely brilliant, and yup that sums the forum members up superbly

 

[hairybadger]

Waste... WASTE??
(Too many trees? AFAIK there's enough trees in Finland so that no-one would notice an afternoon's work with a chain-saw!)

I'm of the opinion that this forum could use a "Chainsaws: models, usage, legal ramifications" section

 

[timo_w2s]

Waste... WASTE??

Hehe, I just knew when I wrote that I was in trouble here...

I'm sure if I did get busy with a chain saw I'd be in trouble, especially by the rest of the family if I told them it was for Uzbekistan TV. We've got spot lights on some of the trees too to highlight them at night. The cottage is on the side of a ski resort with quite a few holiday homes here, not sure they would appreciate the lack of trees.

Here are some of the trees to the south of the dishes. They are quite visible from the road and neighbours cottages and if a field appeared here overnight it would be noticed. ;)

 

[hairybadger]

Here are some of the trees to the south of the dishes. They are quite visible from the road and neighbours cottages and if a field appeared here overnight it would be noticed. ;)

Come on - those trees are obviously in breach of some obscure European regulation* mandating regular 20m-wide firebreaks within 200m of wooden dwellings. Get the local authorities to cut them down at their cost

* a regulation I just invented...

 

[Captain Jack]

Those trees are pretttyyyyy... yes, yes, I like snow. At least it looks like winter - perfect for new year's celebrations (if you're that way inclined!)

 

[archive10]

Hehe, I just knew when I wrote that I was in trouble here...

I'm sure if I did get busy with a chain saw I'd be in trouble, especially by the rest of the family if I told them it was for Uzbekistan TV. We've got spot lights on some of the trees too to highlight them at night. The cottage is on the side of a ski resort with quite a few holiday homes here, not sure they would appreciate the lack of trees.

Here are some of the trees to the south of the dishes. They are quite visible from the road and neighbours cottages and if a field appeared here overnight it would be noticed. ;)

Then something like this:

 

[Captain Jack]

Or like this.. Yes, that's me. The tower is in Odense, DK (maybe you know it, @st1?) belonging to a local cable company but most of the dishes have been taken down now in favour of fibre delivered feeds.