Astra 3a Swindon

P

petko13

Peter
My Satellite Setup
1m Orbital dish+0.3dB LNB,Humax
My Location
Wilts
I HAVE PROBLEM WITH ASTRA 3A(I HAVE 1M DISH+0.3 DB LNB).WORKS FINE IN THER MORNING-LOOSES QUALITY DURING DAY WORK AGAIN AFTERNOON.6.00 PM QULITY WILL LOOSE AGAING AND LATER COMPLETELY.WILL 1.2M DISH HELP?i TRIED ONE,BUT I THINK IT WOS'N VERY GOOD DISH,BECAUSE SIGNAL WAS WORSE THAN ON 1M DISH WHAT I HAVE.CAN SOMEBODY HELP ME!
THANKS
 
The 1m dish is too small, I have had quite a few calls from people who have moved across from Eurobird to Astra 3A and are experiencing similar problems. A good 1.2m dish "should" do it, but it is important that it is set up well, unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to test it.

It doesn't help that many people are taking the advice of "experts" in their home country who advise them that a 1m is fine after looking at the footprint.

PS. Please turn off your caps lock.
 
Astra 3A is weak in the uk as the footprint is quite a tight spotbeam pointing at Germany.

A bigger dish should help pull in weak signals, but will need more accurate alignment.

But before you try that have you tried altering the skew (twist) of the lnb and possibly try sliding the lnb back and forward a little at a time in the clamp. This should help maximise the collected signal.
 
I have a similar problem, like Petko I am trying to get the Slovak Link chanels on Astra 3A. I am in Gloucester, using a Triax 110 dish and 0.3 LNB. I will upgrade as required to achieve the goal, my Slovak wife is determined that we DO achieve it :) . Can anyone give advice as to how best to upgrade, ie, bigger dish, how big?
My QTH has a good open take off towards 23E, my results so far match Petko almost exactly, Any thoughts?

Cheers

Martin
 
My missus is adamant, Markiza and STV. The only way to get these, I think, is via Slovak Link. (anyway UPC is Hungarian, that would realy p*** her **f :) )

Do you think one of the cheapo 1.6, 1.8 or 2.4 dishes available on a national auction site would be any good, or the 1.8 cheapo from a well known hobby electronics firm. I know they are probably crap quality, but once I can prove that it is possible then i can look for somthing better at my lesuire.

Is the Fortec 0.3 LNB any good realy, can I improve the signal significantly by spending on a quality LNB?

Thanks

Martin
 
If you have the space, (and the planning permission) you have nothing to lose apart from a few quid and some hours of your time. Make sure you have a big enough secure base for such a big dish. It could do a lot of damage if it came adrift in a storm!
 
I have an elevated area in the garden that would stand a 2mt, although a 1.8 would be better. on the ground and out of eyeshot of neighbours do i need planning?
 
Whether you need it is not in question, whether you can get away without having it is what you need to consider. :)
 
which suggests signal strength falls off rapidy westwards. Gloucestershire you are probbaly looking at 1.5m minimum. You might be better off going for the UPC package on 19E.
Click to expand...


Absolutely right AS.
I'm in the west of the county and really struggle with the weak ones on that bird with my setup. Don't think a reliable signal could be had with anything smaller than a 'good' 1.5mtr, and certainly not if you are west of me.


L.:)
 
I live in Reading, Berkshire and recently had a 1.2m dish installed with a 0.3 Noise LNB. This is connected to a KAON satellite decoder with a Czech Link Card.

Currently we are having problems with signal quality which seems to raise and fall through the day causing complete loss of audio and picture. This is average days signal information.

Channel CT-24

CT 24 Czech republic News Clear 8006 165 100 cze 1029 165
12525 Vertical 27.500 sym

Time
13:30 S-79 Q-78 Fine
14:00 S-78 Q-68 Fine
14:30 S-76 Q-41 No Picture
15:00 S-75 Q-49 No Picture
15:30 S-79 Q-68 bottom Pixal
16:00 S-80 Q-73 Fine
16:30 S-79 Q-70 Fine
17:00 S-78 Q-69 Fine
17:30 S-78 Q-67 Fine
18:00 S-75 Q-64 Some Pixal
18:30 S-74 Q-63 Some Pixal
19:00 S-73 Q-58 No Picture
19:30 S-68 Q-49 No Picture
20:00 S-67 Q-48 No Picture
20:30 S-65 Q-47 No Picture

S = Signal Strengh Q = Quality

Does anyone else have this experience in the Berkshire area?
 
A good quality 1.2m dish, well installed with a good LNB should get you 24hr coverage of all of the Czech channels.

You mention the make of the receiver, but not the two most important parts of the installation, the dish and LNB. :)

The dish mentioend for Reading in this thread, is a 1.2m Gilbertini.
 
The satellite is a 1.2m Archsat Dish (Product Code DJ120) I believe the LNB is a 0.3 MTI but tbh the trouble I am having with the installation company it could be any rubbish they decided to throw on.

We have had about 4 engineer visits now, each time a different story as to why we are having reception problems.

* Faulty Receiver
* Taxi / Pirate Radio interfereing with signal
* Astra reducing the footprint of the satellite
* Astra reducing the strength during the night
* a 0.6 LNB installed should now be swapped to a 0.3

At the moment we are looking to return the equipment and get a refund then look for a company that has some idea what they are doing with regards to the Astra 3a satellite and receiving Czech Link channels.
 
It is very difficult with the Czech channels on 23.5E and dish quality/alignment is critical. I can't comment on the quality of the dish, as I've never used one and it is quite difficult to get hold of quality 1.2m dishes in the medium price range from the wholesalers.

One of the best of the mid range dishes is the Gilbertini 1.2m, combine that with a matched C120 feedhorn and 0,.3db LNB and you should achieve solid reception, but they are difficult to get hold of at the moment. Channel Master/Andrews make a superb 1.2m dish, but it is top price band and once you've bought the feedhorn, LNB and AZEL mount, most people think it is too expensive.

There may of course also be external factors influencing the reception, even down to cell phone masts or DECT phones, perhaps local radio operators.
 
it is a bit tight that beam,can get it on a 1 meter channel master in aylesbury but am using a old .6 lnb getting about 68% signal on a technomate 1000 series box,heres a link to astras footprint,as can be seen fall off is rapid.
 
You can get the Czech Link channels in Aylesbury with a 1m dish? That is surprising.
 
In south wales astra 3a is a 1.8m dish job i have installed three 1.8m andrew channel master dishes for Czech Link in the last few month on astra 3a as the foot print drops of bad here, 2 dishes i installed in cardiff and one near chepstow near the severn bridge,
 
you can get it ok but thats the best on my dish,it never goes above 82% signal quality anyway even on other astras,the hd channels are higher signal.
but its to be found when outside the main spotbeam centre signals do vary very quickly by area,setup ,lnd,cable length also has an effect.
 
I am getting the Czech Link ( CT24) transponder at the moment and it is pissing rain. I am in Kilkenny, S. Ireland, using 1.1m Triax and Smart 0.2 lnb.
The Slovak transponder (Markiza?) is a good bit weaker and disappears during the rain. I am pretty sure I get Czech link channels 24/7, I never stay on this satellite long. Will keep an eye on it over the next few days and see what my reception is like.

Hope this is useful info.
 
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