Getting hundreds of Channels but not the Ones I want

[EamonX1]

Just set up Satellite dish for Free to Air channels - directed at Astra 28.3
(am in East Cork, Ireland). I am getting two or three hundred channels, mainly in German and French. I really only want BBC 1 and BBC 2, ITV (or UTV), and Channel Four and a few news channels (like Sky news). I have been able to locate Sky News, but NO BBC 1 and BBC 2, nor ITV nor Channel 4. I can get BBC World News. Very many of the channels dont have names - they are simply channels with numbers after them. Could the channels I want be among them? I am going to scroll down and check, but would be interested anyway to know. Could I be pointing the dish at something else (I used compass and meter to get best signal).

 

[Robbo]

Hi,

Your dish is most definitely pointing at the wrong satellite. Could be 19.2E or maybe 23.5E

What frequencies are you getting bbc world and Sky news on?

 

[Topper]

No sky news on 23.5 East so really has to be 19.2 East I would say so you need to move the dish further East

 

[EamonX1]

Thanks. That makes sense. Will adjust on Monday and report.

 

[Analoguesat]

You have done the difficult bit - finding a signal. Make sure you mark the dish brackets and mounts so if you get hopelessly lost you have a starting point if you get hopelessly lost

 

[Robbo]

... if you get hopelessly lost you have a starting point if you get hopelessly lost

Yes, try not to get hoplessly lost, I say try not to get hopelessly lost.

 

[EamonX1]

The Satelite I need to contact is Astra at 28.5 degrees East.
I am contacting a Satelite and getting a lot of channels with good quality, but clearly this is the wrong Satelite. (I will list some of the channels below I am getting which may help you to identify where I am pointing)

This is how I located the Satelite that is giving me the signal at the moment. I pointed my Dish due South and moved it to the left (Eastwards) about 20 degrees (to 160 degrees). I am picking up the signal in this vicinity.

I thought that if I moved the dish further East that I would pick up the Astra 28.5 satelite, but I have found nothing. There are some trees coming into the line of the satellite as I move it eastwards and perhaps that is the problem. Can trees (no leaves on them) completely block a signal - or should there be some flicker on the meter?

Or maybe I am pointing completely in the wrong direction, mis-reading the compass. I have no problem in aligning it North South, but after that I'm not so sure. Where, exactly, is 28.5 East on the Compass? Is it located between East and South, or between North and East.

These are some of the 100's of channels I am getting currently but dont want: TV Polonia: TUP Kultur: Budapest TV; Taquilla 10; Compra SMS, TV Canaria; NRJ Paru; Cubavision; Direct 8; France 24; Canal Algerie; Arte; RAI 1; Sky News: Bayerische FS: Thuringen; RTL

 

[Cupart]

Eamon X1,

If you are getting loads of German and French channels then most likely you have 19.2 E and not 28.2 E in sight as the guys above have said. Move the dish a little further to the east and slightly lower the elevation on the dish. Best thing is first move the dish to 28.2 Degrees East of true south (around compass heading 152 Degrees) and then andjust the elevation.

Thumb of rule: Any obstacles in the way should not be more than half the hight than the lenght from where your dish is. So, if you have a 6 feet tree in the line of sight your dish should be 12 feet from the base of the tree in sight. Makes sense?

Also, what size dish are you using?

 

[Topper]

Not sure about Taquila but the others seem to correspond to 19 East, it could be you are picking up channels that have different names on other satellites but have the same frequency. You must remember that these are located on an arc and thus you must lower the dish the further East you go


edit must re-organise my pics, takes far too long to find one

 

[Analoguesat]

These are some of the 100's of channels I am getting currently but dont want: TV Polonia: TUP Kultur: Budapest TV; Taquilla 10; Compra SMS, TV Canaria; NRJ Paru; Cubavision; Direct 8; France 24; Canal Algerie; Arte; RAI 1; Sky News: Bayerische FS: Thuringen; RTL

You are aligned onto 19E.

 

[Cupart]

Eamon X1,

If you are getting loads of German and French channels then most likely you have 19.2 E and not 28.2 E in sight as the guys above have said. Move the dish a little further to the east and slightly lower the elevation on the dish. Best thing is first move the dish to 28.2 Degrees East of true south (around compass heading 152 Degrees) and then andjust the elevation.

Thumb of rule: Any obstacles in the way should not be more than half the hight than the lenght from where your dish is. So, if you have a 6 feet tree in the line of sight your dish should be 12 feet from the base of the tree in sight. Makes sense?

Also, what size dish are you using?

If you re standing behind the dish move it slightly to the left. If you're standing in front of the dish it should be moved slightly to the right ;)

 

[gouik]

Move the antenna on east.

 

[EamonX1]

The dish is an Electronic Link 60 cm Reflector for BSkyB Digital Zone 2

I will follow the above advice. Didn't realize about lowering the dish the further East I go. I'm glad to be given a bearing (152 degrees East of South). Am still worried about the tree and will check distance and height. Can the tree (with no leaves) block out the signal completely. I am asking this, because if I get a slight signal, I will at least know there is something out there. Thanks guys

 

[Analoguesat]

Dont drop it too far down - half an inch at the lnb will be about right.

Leafless trees will absorb some signal, but I guarantee total signal loss once the leaves start to grow if your signal is passing through the tree.

 

[bigtee]

Dont drop it too far down - half an inch at the lnb will be about right.

Leafless trees will absorb some signal, but I guarantee total signal loss once the leaves start to grow if your signal is passing through the tree.

To be honest, I have done a test with the Lidl 80 cheapie and find that you can travel from 7e to 28e (except the usual toughies 16e, 26e) and get good reception on the range even without changing elevation.

 

[EamonX1]

Got it working. Moved dish to better location and well away from obstructions. Easy to locate with meter. The advice about the arc (slightly lower as I moved East) was important. Thanks a lot guys. Really good site.

 

[Analoguesat]

Well done Eamonx1 - enjoy your new programming

 

[Topper]

Well done Eamon, :-handclaplooks like you might have come down with 'the bug'

At least we wern't with you

 

[malman]

Yes I concur this is a brilliant site. Eamonn if you want more specific info relating to Ireland such as the much anticaped Irish DTT then go to boards.ie and follow this route: Tech - Cable & Digital T.V