First time set up.

E

Etherbeats

New Member
My Satellite Setup
I am setting one up.
My Location
Fife
Hi, I am trying to replace my sky rip off service to a satellite based viewing system.
I would like to be able to receive signals from any satellites in my range like hotbird/astra etc, so any thoughts on what I would need would be appreciated!

Phill
 
Well for a first go I'd recommend a dish around 80cm with an inexpensive DiSEqC Motor, all mounted on a T&K bracket combo.

That'll get you a huge range of Satellites from (usefully) 30W (not that much further out) to 52E.
 
Ok, so I've done some sat receiver reviews & gone for a Bware RX540 EV HD.

Now looking for 2 high end LNB's to go with a 1.2 metre prime focus dish, any recommendations greatfully received:D

Phill
 
Never heard of that receiver but doesn't mean that it's not good.

What are you actually trying to receive and why a prime focus dish? Most 1.2m dishes are offset and would be happier to take 2 LNBs unlike a prime focus one.
 
I'm going to cancel my sky tv package, so I just need to receive most of the channels & was looking at a fixed dish with 2 LNB's for the astra & hotbird sats.
I have a couple more sky dishes to play around with & I'll probably need a good sat finder.

Phill
 
You don't need a 1.2m dish for Astra 1 or for Hotbird.

80cm offset dish is more than adequate. And a 6 degree Monoblock LNB would be easier to install than two separate LNBs.

But there aren't any "Sky" channels there anyway apart from News Channel variants.

If you could be more specific about exactly what sort of Channels you'd like, then we could give better advice.
 
Lazarus said:
You don't need a 1.2m dish for Astra 1 or for Hotbird.

80cm offset dish is more than adequate. And a 6 degree Monoblock LNB
Click to expand...

In Fife, during bad weather( pestilence/ locusts etc.) one might.
 
Basic choices are, I would think:

How many receivers/tuners do you want to supply with signal?
Do you want motorized or multifeed setup?
Do you want only Ku-band or also C and Ka band?

Greetz,
A33
 
a33 said:
Basic choices are, I would think:

How many receivers/tuners do you want to supply with signal?
Do you want motorized or multifeed setup?
Do you want only Ku-band or also C and Ka band?

Greetz,
A33
Click to expand...
I would like a twin feed set up to one box with a twin input.
I don't know which channels are available on those bands, so I'm off to look up this info.

Phill
 
So
Etherbeats said:
I would like to be able to receive signals from any satellites in my range
Click to expand...
is now reduced to just 2 satellites, not even including the FTA channels on 28 east, if I understand correctly?

Then Lazarus advice would be simplest.
Or use two of the dishes you have, with their own LNB + diseqc switch.

I use a simple and very cheap satellitefinder(satellitebeeper) to find satellites, and a receiver with a not-so-bad (quickly responding) satellitemeter internally for signal quality; which I take out to the dish to finetune on them.

greetz,
A33
 
a33 said:
So

is now reduced to just 2 satellites, not even including the FTA channels on 28 east, if I understand correctly?

Then Lazarus advice would be simplest.
Or use two of the dishes you have, with their own LNB + diseqc switch.

I use a simple and very cheap satellitefinder(satellitebeeper) to find satellites, and a receiver with a not-so-bad (quickly responding) satellitemeter internally for signal quality; which I take out to the dish to finetune on them.

greetz,
A33
Click to expand...
Hi, even though I'll be concentrating on the astra/hotbird sats, I'm also interested in what else is out there.
I also have a very cheap sat finder that whistles with increasing volume as you get closer to the sat, but you still need to be in the general area before it wakes up.

Thanks everyone for you're help so far, maybe it's easier than I think, maybe I'm just nervous about wasting my money.

Phill
 
Most cheap satellite meters will give a signal even if the dish is pointing at the ground, if you set it up correctly.
All you do is turn the knob, to the left, or press the negative button, to increase the sensitivity, until the meter reads 5, about half way, then gently move the dish until it reaches maximum. You then decrease the sensitivity, by turning the knob to the right, again until it reads 5.
Keep moving the dish, to get the reading to maximum, then continue this process until your signal strength is as best as you can get it.
 
Mickha said:
Most cheap satellite meters will give a signal even if the dish is pointing at the ground, if you set it up correctly.
All you do is turn the knob, to the left, or press the negative button, to increase the sensitivity, until the meter reads 5, about half way, then gently move the dish until it reaches maximum. You then decrease the sensitivity, by turning the knob to the right, again until it reads 5.
Keep moving the dish, to get the reading to maximum, then continue this process until your signal strength is as best as you can get it.
Click to expand...
Thank's for the info, I've only used mine a couple of times & left it to it's own devices.

Phill
 
I think, to begin with, a multifeed dish capable of receiving Astra 2 (28.5) UK channels; Astra 1 (19.2e) German channels; Hotbird (13e), will do.
Maybe a separate dish for Eutelsat 5W to receive the French and Italian channels (Multistream receiver required) can be a nice option?

Off course, a motorized dish gives you the option to work with only one dish. But you can't record a channel from Astra 2 whilst watching another channel on 5W...
 
I first started this hobby around 2016 with a 90cm dish/motor

Currently have a 1.5m dish/actuator and a fairly decent satellite meter

My advice: listen to people here they are very knowledgable and have been doing this since the 80's

Also instead of spending fortunes on equipment check the classified/ebay etc you can get some really good stuff for next to nothing
 
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