Astra 2D reception in the Middle East

Pete C

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2006
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
73
My Satellite Setup
None as yet
My Location
Bahrain
Hi everyone,

This question may have been asked before but I am new to this forum so please bear with me.
I am living in Bahrain and have heard rumours that some people are receiving Sky digital over here. If they are I assume it is from the Astra 2 satellites. I am not so much bothered about Sky but would be interested in the BBC and ITV channels from these satellites.
Could anyone please tell me if they are receiving these signals in this part of the world now, and if so what size dish would I need?

Thanks in anticipation.:)
 

puffin

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
114
Reaction score
3
Points
18
Age
67
My Satellite Setup
Gibertini 150 with an Inverto Black Ultra and a Pace 2600C1
My Location
Borlänge 200km WNW of Stockholm
Lokk at www.astra2d.com for reception reports.
It doesn't look good for your part of the world though.
2D (ITV and BBC) have a narrow footprint. It is possible to recieve transmissions outside the main footprint but with increasing bigger dishes. The reports nearest to you: Jordan 7m, Egypt 3,6m and up.
So in one word: You won't be able to get 2D
 

Analoguesat

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Messages
50,739
Reaction score
11,220
Points
113
Location
Scottish Borders
My Satellite Setup
TM 5402HD
Sky+ UK.
My Location
Scottish Borders
Pete C said:
Hi everyone,

This question may have been asked before but I am new to this forum so please bear with me.
I am living in Bahrain and have heard rumours that some people are receiving Sky digital over here. If they are I assume it is from the Astra 2 satellites. I am not so much bothered about Sky but would be interested in the BBC and ITV channels from these satellites.
Could anyone please tell me if they are receiving these signals in this part of the world now, and if so what size dish would I need?

Thanks in anticipation.:)

You can effectively forget anything transmitting on 2D (BBC / ITV for starters).

Your best bet is to either investigate the channels on Nilesat / Arabsat (or move back to north west Europe. :D)
 

Pete C

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2006
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
73
My Satellite Setup
None as yet
My Location
Bahrain
Thanks for the replies guys, I must admit I thought I was being a tad optimistic but we live in hope, Nilesat/Arabsat it will have to be.
 

geoffreys

ASBO Club Member - Persona non grata
Joined
Jun 6, 2003
Messages
306
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
80
Website
Visit site
My Satellite Setup
Famaval 2.4m dish, Invacom 0.2dB LNB (single), Pace 430N
My Location
Famagusta District, Cyprus
Pete C said:
Hi everyone,

This question may have been asked before but I am new to this forum so please bear with me.
I am living in Bahrain and have heard rumours that some people are receiving Sky digital over here. If they are I assume it is from the Astra 2 satellites. I am not so much bothered about Sky but would be interested in the BBC and ITV channels from these satellites.
Could anyone please tell me if they are receiving these signals in this part of the world now, and if so what size dish would I need?

Thanks in anticipation.:)

Hi there,
I used to live in Bahrain and still have some friends there. They tell me they know of one guy who gets the 2A and 2B satellites OK using a 5.5m dish, but cannot receive ANY 2D channels. He lives near the port area - I guess if you have a drive around it should not be difficult to spot his dish. Regret I have no further info about this individual (such as name/address) - so don't ask me!
But rumour has it he works for BAHTELCO and is English.
Geoff
Cyprus
 

Analoguesat

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Messages
50,739
Reaction score
11,220
Points
113
Location
Scottish Borders
My Satellite Setup
TM 5402HD
Sky+ UK.
My Location
Scottish Borders
For 2D in Bahrain you are looking at something substantially bigger than 7m.
(we know 7m is reported to work in Jordan) However, in the absence of any accurate test reports on silly sized dishes in the UAE, any suggestions for dish sizes is just theoretical guesswork with no guarantee of success.
 

geoffreys

ASBO Club Member - Persona non grata
Joined
Jun 6, 2003
Messages
306
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
80
Website
Visit site
My Satellite Setup
Famaval 2.4m dish, Invacom 0.2dB LNB (single), Pace 430N
My Location
Famagusta District, Cyprus
Analoguesat said:
For 2D in Bahrain you are looking at something substantially bigger than 7m.
(we know 7m is reported to work in Jordan) However, in the absence of any accurate test reports on silly sized dishes in the UAE, any suggestions for dish sizes is just theoretical guesswork with no guarantee of success.

Yes, that is right. Bahrain is not part of the UAE by the way, I think for UAE you would need even bigger dishes (whether for 2A/2B, or 2D) than required in Bahrain. We do know it is possible to receive 2A/2B, but I think all reports suggest 2D reception would be impractical, as I think most would agree that a 7m dish is impractical - even if you could source one and fund it!
Geoff
 

Pete C

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2006
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
73
My Satellite Setup
None as yet
My Location
Bahrain
geoffreys, thanks for your information, I have a "friend of a friend" who works for Batelco so I will chase that lead up. I see that you can receive the BBCi channels on Astra 2B so I would be interested in those. I get BBC Prime on my Orbit system at the moment but the evening programmes after the kids have gone to bed are invariably cooking, gardening or DIY so some variety would be most welcome!
 

Analoguesat

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Messages
50,739
Reaction score
11,220
Points
113
Location
Scottish Borders
My Satellite Setup
TM 5402HD
Sky+ UK.
My Location
Scottish Borders
Pete C said:
geoffreys, thanks for your information, I have a "friend of a friend" who works for Batelco so I will chase that lead up. I see that you can receive the BBCi channels on Astra 2B so I would be interested in those. I get BBC Prime on my Orbit system at the moment but the evening programmes after the kids have gone to bed are invariably cooking, gardening or DIY so some variety would be most welcome!

Dont kid yourself about the BBCi channels they arent normally on air! :D

They only spring to life when theres a big event on.
 

abs23

Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2007
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
43
My Satellite Setup
Dreambox
My Location
Bahrain
on the dreambox i receive signals from astra..channels like channel 5..a few music channels and attheraces..and some uk people tv...but thats it...the dish doesnt look too big too..does anyone know if i get a big dish is it possible to receive more???
 

Analoguesat

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Messages
50,739
Reaction score
11,220
Points
113
Location
Scottish Borders
My Satellite Setup
TM 5402HD
Sky+ UK.
My Location
Scottish Borders
IF you get a big enough dish then yes it will be possible to receive more. Look at post #5. According to that a 5.5m dish will give you some of the Astra 2A & 2B channels. Be warned - you arent going to get the BBC / ITV / other 2D channels without something much, much bigger
 

abs23

Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2007
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
43
My Satellite Setup
Dreambox
My Location
Bahrain
Thanks for the reply,

And sorry because I have no idea about the technical side of things, if I get a bigger dish...it needs to be pointing at the same direction right? I'm not lookin for the 2D channels..just really interested in the others if possible.

And I know this is not the thread..but do you know if it's possible to receive sky italia? At the moment I have reception for the channels on hotbird but not the special beam.

Thanks again.
 

Analoguesat

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Messages
50,739
Reaction score
11,220
Points
113
Location
Scottish Borders
My Satellite Setup
TM 5402HD
Sky+ UK.
My Location
Scottish Borders
Half the Sky Italia package is on the Hotbird 2 super beam, so no probably not..

Astras 2A & 2B have north & south beams. You probably wouldnt get anything on the north beam
 

trigger

Specialist Contributor
Joined
Nov 28, 2004
Messages
682
Reaction score
54
Points
28
Age
54
Location
Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote
My Satellite Setup
30W, 27.5W, 7W, 0.1W
4.8E, 9E, 13E, 19E, 23.5E, 26E, 28E
Technomate 5402HD super
Bein Sports on 25.5E
FTE Mini S2T HD Analyser
Horizon HD S2 sat meter
My Location
Lanzarote, Canary Islands
Slingbox (180 pound), A friend in the Uk that can connect up Digital FTA system (100 pound). Connect it to the internet in the UK and watch anywhere in the world. Picture is OK and is watchable. Needs to be broadband or ADSL though.
 

rolfw

Believe it when I see it Admin.
Staff member
Joined
May 1, 1999
Messages
38,292
Reaction score
1,615
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
Technomate 5402 HD M2 Ci, DM7000s, Transparent 80cm Dish, Moteck SG2100 DiseqC motor, lots of legacy gear. Meters: Satlook Digital NIT, Promax HD Ranger+ spectrum analyser.
My Location
Berkshire
Yes I've tested one, but only OK if you don't mind watching your TV on the equivalent of a 12" tv. ;)
 
Top