Astra 2E: Canaries & Africa Reports

[BLUEPLATINUM]

BBC1 North West and BBC2 Scotland seem to be the strongest signals (both on TP 47 - 10803 H). Not really watchable at the moment (too much pixelation). I am definitely not getting vertical TPs at any time.

 

[FRINGE]

Still receiving BBC stuff (not HD) at 75/50 on Humax. No difference between BBC1 North West and any other - I watch BBC South. Same goes for BBC2, no difference between V and H.

Picture is good - no pixelation. But, given the 50% quality, I guess it would not take much weather to knock it out. Time will tell.

Now wait for ITV switch-over next week.

 

[BLUEPLATINUM]

Still receiving BBC stuff (not HD) at 75/50 on Humax. No difference between BBC1 North West and any other - I watch BBC South. Same goes for BBC2, no difference between V and H.

Picture is good - no pixelation. But, given the 50% quality, I guess it would not take much weather to knock it out. Time will tell.

Now wait for ITV switch-over next week.

Just out of interest, did you get vertical TPs back in the 2D days?

 

[FRINGE]

Just out of interest, did you get vertical TPs back in the 2D days?

Yes, I did. But they were at a reduced quality compared to H TPs. Which is why I thought it strange that on 2e both H and V are equal. Must say, things improved after the quad invacom was fitted (few years ago now).

The Humax also make a difference - we have a small apartment in the house which is feed by a direct line from the same LNB (admittedly the cable is about 15 m longer) but has a cheap fresat receiver. Was fine with 1n but now the BBC stuff pixelates so much it's not watchable.

 

[oldfart]

BBC 1 south - pixelating; so are all the others - not watchable.
bigger dish????

 

[BLUEPLATINUM]

The impression I am getting is that the results here in the Canaries are slightly inconsistent. There is a mixture of folk getting nothing and one or two receiving both Horizontal and Vertical TPs. I suspect the reason for this is that we are right on the "cusp" just like in the 2D days. There are a lot of variables ... receiver sensitivity, dish size, dish quality, LNB quality, scew and dish alignment.

I believe that a professional installer should be able to tweak most systems to work with 2E and 2F UK spot beams. The luck ones will just need a bit of realignment and others may need to invest in new LNBs, receivers or other equipment.

I have been recommended an installer here in Gran Canaria who apparently is always determined to squeeze every last bit of signal from every dish and can do so. I am going to wait until the ITV/C4 moves on Tuesday and then get him in for a look. Today I have been monitoring BBC2 Scotland all day and have consistently had an almost watchable picture so I am cautiously optimistic. Even if I can only get Horizontals perfectly it will be enough for me (especially if the HD TP 61 - 11023 H come in).

 

[bema]

BBC1 North West and BBC2 Scotland seem to be the strongest signals (both on TP 47 - 10803 H). Not really watchable at the moment (too much pixelation). I am definitely not getting vertical TPs at any time.

Turn your LNB 90 degrees and check the verticals ! (You have to change V to H in your receiver). My BUQ is 1.5 dB (approx SNR) less sensitive for the verticals. But did the turn and suddenly the horizontals was the weakest ones...

 

[Captain Jack]

Turn your LNB 90 degrees and check the verticals ! (You have to change V to H in your receiver). My BUQ is 1.5 dB (approx SNR) less sensitive for the verticals. But did the turn and suddenly the horizontals was the weakest ones...

That's quite interesting as I found a similar phenomenon on my C band LNB. Didn't think that it would apply for Ku.

 

[oldfart]

signal levels down today

this one on Wednesday

 

[gx6000]

BBC North west is best and works ok for me day and night but signal drops to 40% at night. Vertical frequencies all pixelated at night and showing 37%. No room for clouds.

 

[DishDick]

Turn your LNB 90 degrees and check the verticals ! (You have to change V to H in your receiver). My BUQ is 1.5 dB (approx SNR) less sensitive for the verticals. But did the turn and suddenly the horizontals was the weakest ones...

Hi Bema,

Not sure if I am being abit thick here, but if I skew an LNB for peak horizontal reception, surely its at or near peak for vertical reception. Now if I then turn the LNB 90 degrees, if I select a horizontal channel on my receiver surely I will get a vertical transponder and if I select vertical I will get no transponder? Or am I missing something?

 

[DishDick]

BBC North west is best and works ok for me day and night but signal drops to 40% at night. Vertical frequencies all pixelated at night and showing 37%. No room for clouds.

Hi gx6000, is your dish offset or prime focus? also what LNB are you using?

 

[timo_w2s]

Hi Bema,

Not sure if I am being abit thick here, but if I skew an LNB for peak horizontal reception, surely its at or near peak for vertical reception. Now if I then turn the LNB 90 degrees, if I select a horizontal channel on my receiver surely I will get a vertical transponder and if I select vertical I will get no transponder? Or am I missing something?

The idea is if you rotate your LNB 90 degrees (and switch settings in the receiver) you'll be physically using the LNB's other polarity so you can test to see if the LNB is the problem or if it is the incoming signal. Some LNBs perform better on one polarity than the other.

 

[DishDick]

I see now! So just for testing sensitivity!

 

[pro satn]

I wished View BBC channels
Unfortunately, until now no signal!

 

[Lynne]

Hi Lynne, what make/model LNB are you using (the item that the cables go into on the dish)?

Hi no idea the dish is on the roof and you can only get up there with a ladder. The men replaced the LNB after the storm in December, the man got a grey one out of the van and the other said let her have ?? it was all black I gather that one was more expensive

 

[solly]

Hi Bema,

Not sure if I am being abit thick here, but if I skew an LNB for peak horizontal reception, surely its at or near peak for vertical reception. Now if I then turn the LNB 90 degrees, if I select a horizontal channel on my receiver surely I will get a vertical transponder and if I select vertical I will get no transponder? Or am I missing something?

the vertical need to be 4 clock

 

[milestone 11]

978 on the EPG strong here, numbers suggest 2Epe. This is olympics RB2 which was available via other channels, not a sniff of RB1 on 977.

 

[Analoguesat]

BBC RB2 is on the 2F widebeam



Map now updated to here.

 

[milestone 11]

BBC RB2 is on the 2F widebeam



Map now updated to here.

Where's our pin Analoguesat?