Beginner needing some dish alignment basics

ChipJodie221

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hi, I am new to the satellite installation industry as I have just gone self employed in the Tv aerial and satellite installation business. I am fully clued up on TV aerial installation and alignment, but I don't know much about satellite dish alignment, and I have no peers to teach me.

I MUST POINT OUT I WILL ONLY NEED TO ALIGN ASTRA 28.2 FOR SKY OR FREESAT.

In my previous job I used a Horizon HDSM meter and the 4 axis were pre installed in my meter and I just aligned them until I got a good signal strength and quality and that was it, job done, I was never actually taught what I was actually aligning and what things meant. Since leaving them I have purchased a Televes H30 Flex meter for doing both sat and terrestrial and I cant get my head around what I need to be aligning here. I know I need to find the correct satellite first, but Transponders, MER, QBER, Horizontal and Vertical, its all gobbledygook to me. There seem to be loads of different transponders to choose from like H41, V42, H43 , V44 and so on and so on, I just want to know which ones I should be using and what I'm looking for on the spectrum. An idiots guide to this would be great or if someone could give me the basics I really would be truly grateful for your time. Thanks
 

Channel Hopper

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Welcome.

For advice, you cannot really go wrong with looking at this section

DISH SETUP: Single sat, Multi-Sat & Motorised

otherwise google is your best friend as long as you don't get fooled by false / misleading promotional material, some suppliers will peddle their equipment based on complete fabrication.
 

ChipJodie221

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Welcome.

For advice, you cannot really go wrong with looking at this section

DISH SETUP: Single sat, Multi-Sat & Motorised

otherwise google is your best friend as long as you don't get fooled by false / misleading promotional material, some suppliers will peddle their equipment based on complete fabrication.

Thanks. Although I did have a look at that section earlier and couldn't really see what I was looking for, you couldn't spare the time to give me some basics could you Sir?
 

SimonE

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hi, I am new to the satellite installation industry as I have just gone self employed in the Tv aerial and satellite installation business. I am fully clued up on TV aerial installation and alignment, but I don't know much about satellite dish alignment, and I have no peers to teach me.

I MUST POINT OUT I WILL ONLY NEED TO ALIGN ASTRA 28.2 FOR SKY OR FREESAT.

In my previous job I used a Horizon HDSM meter and the 4 axis were pre installed in my meter and I just aligned them until I got a good signal strength and quality and that was it, job done, I was never actually taught what I was actually aligning and what things meant. Since leaving them I have purchased a Televes H30 Flex meter for doing both sat and terrestrial and I cant get my head around what I need to be aligning here. I know I need to find the correct satellite first, but Transponders, MER, QBER, Horizontal and Vertical, its all gobbledygook to me. There seem to be loads of different transponders to choose from like H41, V42, H43 , V44 and so on and so on, I just want to know which ones I should be using and what I'm looking for on the spectrum. An idiots guide to this would be great or if someone could give me the basics I really would be truly grateful for your time. Thanks
ChipJodie221,

If you are prepared to read a book, I recommend DIGITAL,TV,SATELLITE AND MULTIMEDIA ISBN 978-0-9562748-0-9 by R.A Calaz.
Its still available I see on eBay £22.99. Its got lots of useful information for someone entering this field.

SimonE
 

Channel Hopper

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Thanks. Although I did have a look at that section earlier and couldn't really see what I was looking for, you couldn't spare the time to give me some basics could you Sir?

What is wrong with the manual (or the supplier) of the Televes meter you have purchased ?
 

jeallen01

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ChipJodie221,

If you are prepared to read a book, I recommend DIGITAL,TV,SATELLITE AND MULTIMEDIA ISBN 978-0-9562748-0-9 by R.A Calaz.
Its still available I see on eBay £22.99. Its got lots of useful information for someone entering this field.

SimonE
That book is pretty good and should help the OP understand some of the technical terms and so on, but it is getting a little dated in places with stuff relating to terrestrial analogue TVand thus now of little use (in the UK). Also, there's a lot of stuff about installations in blocks of flats and other multi-occupancy buildings that may or may not be of use to him. Finally, parts of it were clearly sponsored by a particular equipment manufacturer, and quite a few other reputable manufacturers don't get much of a "look-in" in some areas.

PS: Got my copy from Satcure before they folded - at, IIRC, about a tenner :D
 

Lazarus

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PS: Got my copy from Satcure before they folded - at, IIRC, about a tenner :D

Not much of a boost to Mr. Pickering's retirement fund!
 

jeallen01

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Not much of a boost to Mr. Pickering's retirement fund!
Nope - but he was kind enough as to offer the books, and I was "kind enough" to buy one:)
 

PaulR

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Cheapest copy I can see on Ebay is £19.95.
 
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