Astra 2E: Iberia & Balearics Reports

[Lazarus]

no particular posts, but as we have the installaling in spain "chit - chat" thread, I thought current Iberiea reception posts would fit in with this, is a re-direct possible within this software?

As per PM, on this occasion we'll take the path of least resistance and let this one drift as it will.

However, any Member is able to start new Topics if they want to discuss a particular aspect in detail.

 

[PaulR]

Re adding panels: Theoretically just adding panels should make no difference if the rest of the equipment is set up correctly i.e. the feedhorn is correctly matched to the dish. By definition adding panels alters the f/d ratio so you'll need to change the feedhorn or, if it's adjustable, alter it to suit.

If adding panels provides an instant benefit then it means that the feedhorn was already "looking" at a larger dish and therefore previously prey to interference from outside the rim.

I suspect that this the case in fact. And this is why adding panels doesn't give as much signal increase as people are expecting as they don't change/alter the feedhorn.

 

[Camping]

It seems Inverto doesn't even produce that version any more, still available through distributors tough
I think the most correct one should be: http://www.inverto.tv/products/product.php?section=1&id=84

and the feedhorn should be none other than the Famaval, as feedhorns should be mated to the dish

EDIT:
on offset dishes, any one is a "sat tech", you buy the right size dish, get a good lnb, align and bobs your uncle.
on PF, there is a lot of "black magic" involved to buy the correct components, then set them up properly.
I've installed thousands of dishes over 20 years, but I'm still learning new things every day, and consider myself an "apprentice" on PF

Well that's encouraging!

 

[Camping]

@ camping : that feedhorn does look too far back indeed. Also, the aluminium arms can be easily setup. Simply tighten/untighten all the three fixing bolts at the dish edge until you've reach max signal.

This is the right famaval feed for the 1.80m PF dish which I still use. Photo taken while experimenting with an offset lnb I c120 butchered some years ago

Looks a bigger circumference than ours

 

[joddle]

I thing Camping needs to get someone else to look at his setup. There appear to be a few things possibly not right with the LNB and feedhorn so these need to be checked out. Like Huevos, I would always go with an Invacom for a large PF dish. They cast less shadow and have been proven to be about as good as its possible to get for fringe setups. Match that with the proper feedhorn and set the focus and skew correctly and he should see a marked improvement over the CM 1.8. If he does not then I would begin to suspect the dish may be warped or damaged. That can happen if they have been transported badly or mishandled during installation..

 

[Pedro0102]

Almost none here. I've never used them but have visited dishes with them. Pretty popular in the Canaries.

I will share my experience then...
Not really sure how much the new feedhorn will help but it does not hurt much to try.
Off course I'm convinced that it will not make any difference for the 2E and 2F spot beams.

 

[Huevos]

jokes aside, the 18:00 drop is nothing compared to midnight in las Vegas, how long will that go on for?

Last day = April 12th
Duration = 13 minutes

 

[Huevos]

I will share my experience then...
Not really sure how much the new feedhorn will help but it does not hurt much to try.
Off course I'm convinced that it will not make any difference for the 2E and 2F spot beams.

Maybe not in your location, but I couldn't believe the difference the first time I used one of these. And at the opposite end of the spectrum I found the adjustable one to be the worst performer in this part of the band. And there is a big difference in the bore size between the two.

 

[Nagusia]

Huevos' graphs seems to confirm a drop in signal strength. Leaving aside conspiracy theories (a post on another forum implied that we shouldn't be commenting on 2E reception in public because it would give the game away to Astra and help them to fine-tune the spot beam to cut us out), I wonder what the cause is. This morning on the BBC news they reported unusually high levels of air pollution in the UK caused by anticyclonic weather, as well as a large dust cloud coming up from the Sahara. Could such conditions affect satellite reception?

 

[Huevos]

a post on another forum implied that we shouldn't be commenting on 2E reception in public because it would give the game away to Astra and help them to fine-tune the spot beam to cut us ou

That is BS. If you subtract today's reception from reception in February it tracks a line just below 0dB. Now do the same with 2F and it tracks an almost identical line. That means any difference is not due to a change at the satellite, but a change in the path between us and the satellite.



BTW, the dip after 18:50 is due to local weather conditions. And the big dip around 23:00 is from going into the earth's shadow (which obviously wasn't happening in February).

 

[Archive4]

That is BS. If you subtract today's reception from reception in February it tracks a line just below 0dB. Now do the same with 2F and it tracks an almost identical line. That means any difference is not due to a change at the satellite, but a change in the path between us and the satellite.

View attachment 63882

BTW, the dip after 18:50 is due to local weather conditions. And the big dip around 23:00 is from going into the earth's shadow (which obviously wasn't happening in February).

As stated on another thread, anyhting to do with "dust from Saharah", high presure band over our area, or we are just unlucky at the moment! Huevos, don´t answer, I know what your going to say!

 

[Archive4]

That is BS. If you subtract today's reception from reception in February it tracks a line just below 0dB. Now do the same with 2F and it tracks an almost identical line. That means any difference is not due to a change at the satellite, but a change in the path between us and the satellite.

View attachment 63882

BTW, the dip after 18:50 is due to local weather conditions. And the big dip around 23:00 is from going into the earth's shadow (which obviously wasn't happening in February).

I know I asked before, but how many dB are lost now 24:00

 

[Nagusia]

That is BS.

Yes, it goes without saying that the idea of SES might do this is delusional.

If you subtract today's reception from reception in February it tracks a line just below 0dB.

The previous graph seemed to show more of a deviation. Huevos, do you have the deviation graph comparing Saturday 29/03/14 with February? For most of the day I was unable to receive even the majority of SD channels, despite the lack of observable causes such as bad weather.

That means any difference is not due to a change at the satellite, but a change in the path between us and the satellite.

A cloud of sand travelling up north from the Sahara to the UK could concievably pass over our heads between us and the satellite. Hence my curiosity as to whether such a phenomenon, which is not that usual, could affect the signal received.

 

[Huevos]

Saturday 29/03/14 with February?

That graph is comparing the average day between 18-25th February against yesterday. But obviously it's only valid for my location. Data used is here:
http://satellites-xml.org/signal-graphs/28E-SNR-table.php

 

[Nagusia]

Data used is here:
http://satellites-xml.org/signal-graphs/28E-SNR-table.php

Thanks for that Huevos. I hadn't really checked this out before and it's a really useful resource. I imported the data into Excel for a bit of analysis and although in your location there was a slight drop (about 0.5 db) it wasn't nearly as pronounced as I experienced. Things seem more of less back to normal now.

 

[Archive4]

You may wish to check 10773, where I am it is probably the weakest signal of all

 

[Heinz]

Long time no visit - isn't that always the way until you need help?

Judging by what I've read in this thread, I appreciate my lack of technical knowledge may hold me back here so I'm going to ask the abvious layman's question.

OK, sister-in-law in Menorca has reported loss of 'all' Sky channels (quotes used because I could not talk her into a channel by channel check).

Her dish is about 1.5 metres and it was pulling in the full package until the change of satellites. Does anyone know what size dish she's going to need now?

Failing that (I've considered a slingbox but don't really want yet more kit and cabling in my house). are there any other ways yet of getting a reasonable English package in Menorca? She has broadband but she's a fair distance outside Mahon and I reckon it's less than 3Mps.

 

[Huevos]

Almost all 'Sky' channels work on a 90cm dish, apart from a handful of channels on the UK beam and 2A North.

 

[joddle]

Long time no visit - isn't that always the way until you need help?

Judging by what I've read in this thread, I appreciate my lack of technical knowledge may hold me back here so I'm going to ask the abvious layman's question.

OK, sister-in-law in Menorca has reported loss of 'all' Sky channels (quotes used because I could not talk her into a channel by channel check).

Her dish is about 1.5 metres and it was pulling in the full package until the change of satellites. Does anyone know what size dish she's going to need now?

Failing that (I've considered a slingbox but don't really want yet more kit and cabling in my house). are there any other ways yet of getting a reasonable English package in Menorca? She has broadband but she's a fair distance outside Mahon and I reckon it's less than 3Mps.

Looking a analoguesats map it seems 1.5 should be OK for the spot beam in your area - but there are only two positive reports from the island. Assuming the reports are accurate then it would seem either your sister-in-law needs her setup tweeking or they are in a bad spot somehow. I would think it worth seeking some local advice!

 

[Huevos]

Looking a analoguesats map it seems 1.5 should be OK for the spot beam in your area

Menorca is in the Barcelona null for spot beam channels. But the OP said 'Sky' channels.