I've really confused myself!

[H.Rule]

Yes indeed!

I've been looking at various satellites (as you do!) and confused myself today - how do I know what satellite I'm on? The problem is that the list of stations I get from the receiver for a particular satellite doesn't bear much resemblance to what's listed for that particular satellite on Lyngsat or in what satellite.

I see many channels such as "TV 1 - 10719V Bonum" - this is on the Bonum 1 satellite at 56E. Is the "Bonum" (above) sent by the satellite or is the receiver adding it?

Probably a stupid question!

 

[rolfw]

You will not see that satellite with an 88cm dish from London, so if your receiver is finding a channel called TV 1, it is from a different satellite.

 

[H.Rule]

You will not see that satellite with an 88cm dish from London, so if your receiver is finding a channel called TV 1, it is from a different satellite.

So how do I find out which one it is?

 

[rolfw]

What other channels are there ?

 

[Analoguesat]

Many receiver "make up" names where none is actually broadcast. My Technomate finds loadss of names such as "TV 1's followed by a frequency" when it hits the sky movies ppv channels on 28E.

You need to find a channel in the clear so you can identify it then we can tell yiou what sat you are on.

 

[H.Rule]

What other channels are there ?

Hundreds! I just scanned for tv channels and there are a lot or RAI channels (RAI Africa, Asia, Uno, Due, Tre, 2, 3, Edu, Med etc), BBC Prime, BBC World, RIKSAT, TVN METEO, TVN TURBO, TVN Style, TVN Gra, Planet, Extra 3, Ishtar TV, NRJ 12, TV Romania, K+, to name but a few!

 

[Analoguesat]

13E Hotbird

 

[H.Rule]

13E Hotbird

Thanks, looks like you're right!

So, what's the best way to identify a satellite? Lyngsat?

I think the problem arose because the dish didn't turn, which is a bit worrying.

 

[Analoguesat]

Of course Im right

(Im modest too!)

I like Flysat best

http://www.flysat.com/satlist.php

 

[H.Rule]

Of course Im right

(Im modest too!)

I like Flysat best

http://www.flysat.com/satlist.php

And I'm now completely lost and don't know what the heck satellite I'm watching.

I thought this was going to be fairly straightforward....

 

[H.Rule]

So how do you identify what satellite you are "watching"?

 

[Analoguesat]

Use the Kingofsat search tool.

First identify one definite channel from an on screen logo then zap to this page:

http://en.kingofsat.net/search.php

To be honest its just a matter of getting a bit of experience - you soon get to know which channels are on what on each satellite.

 

[Rob]

So how do you identify what satellite you are "watching"?

I really don't understand that you don't know which sat you are on using a Technomate.

When ever you change satellites or channels a "box" opens for about 5 seconds (you can change the timing on this) at the bottom of the screen showing you the channel name, freq, encryption system, signal strength, time, and the SATELLITE you are on.

Check menu and click on "OSD Setting" and make sure "Information Timeout" is set for at least 3 to 5 seconds.
Then save settings.

 

[H.Rule]

I really don't understand that you don't know which sat you are on using a Technomate.

Yes, mine shows this information, but it's showing me duff info. For example, I was watching (I thought) Hispasat 30W (according to the receiver), but it turned out to be Sirius 5E....

 

[Analoguesat]

Ah - your problem / confusion is a common one - the same frequencies are used over and over again right round the satellite arc. So if you set your receiver off to scan 13E, but your dish is pointing at 28E you will get the UK channels scanned onto your Hotbird list.

However we can make some generalisations to make things easier for you on the easiest to get orbital slots :

42E - Turkish stuff
39E - Greek channels
28E - UK channels
23E - Dutch regionals
19E - German channels
13E - Italian, Arabic & Asian channels, all sorts of interesting stuff on here
07E - Turkish stuff
05E - Ukrainian & Nordics
01W - Nordic stuff
05W - French channels
30W - Spanish stuff

 

[H.Rule]

Ah - your problem / confusion is a common one - the same frequencies are used over and over again right round the satellite arc. So if you set your receiver off to scan 13E, but your dish is pointing at 28E you will get the UK channels scanned onto your Hotbird list.

However we can make some generalisations to make things easier for you on the easiest to get orbital slots :

42E - Turkish stuff
39E - Greek channels
28E - UK channels
23E - Dutch regionals
19E - German channels
13E - Italian, Arabic & Asian channels, all sorts of interesting stuff on here
07E - Turkish stuff
05E - Ukrainian & Nordics
01W - Nordic stuff
05W - French channels
30W - Spanish stuff

That's useful - I think I'm making some progress now. Perhaps I just assumed it would be easier than it is! I thought that each satellite would have transmitted some sort of identifier, but it seems that the receiver just shows what's programmed into it, whether it's right or wrong.

What a way to spend a holiday!