Receiving BBC/ITV/Ch4 + 5 south of Rome

Mark Fardelli

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In a past post I spoke about my Panasonic receiver not working anymore and going on standby...if I buy a non Sky simple free to air digital receiver (currently on sale at my local supermarket for €74!) and presuming that the dish is alligned etc can I get BBC Radio and Ch 4 and 5 without using my free to view card?

Obviously not being an expert is it possible that the BBC may widen the beem for the astra 2d satellite or use other bands (please forgive me using any wrong terminology) that might mean that we can see/hear something here south of Rome?

If I have to buy a new receiver on line can anyone let me know of an honest dealer that I can contact?

Many thanks

M
 

rolfw

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Yes the receiver should be fine for the Free To Air channels within the scope of your dish size, but as for channel 4 and 5, you will need a Freesat card.

It is very unlikely that the BBC channels will be spread any wider footprint wise, unless they re-encrypt and I can't see that happening in the near future, although it is not an impossibility.
 

Analoguesat

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The BBC cant widen the beam - they dont own the satellite & SES Astra really wouldnt like the BBC fooling around with the technical performance of their satellite!
 

dave branson

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Today the reception of BBC/ITV was coming through at 07-00 am,
for the last 3 months good reception was only possible from 12-00 noon
till 19-00pm exactly.
Having monitored the reception over the last 3 years,it seems that the satellite 2D gets repositioned as the nights draw in.
 

dxsat

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Many FTA receivers are not as sensitive as the best Sky Digiboxes.

Fringe 2D reception: It's a complex mix of factors, earth's distance from sun, ambient temperature, water vapour in the troposphere, local pollution, station-keeping and probably few other things I haven't thought of. I don't think Astra turn up the power in the autumn.
Dr Kelso explains it quite well HERE
The most striking graph is this one, the data is old but this pattern repeats each year. 2D reception is very similar, based on my own observations.
 

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dave branson

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Very interesting, thanks,my theory is that they reposition the satellite at this time of the year,so that the solar panels face the sun at a lower angle for the winter months.
This slight change is enough to increase the sidelobe,it happens here that the reception has changed on a constant basis over the last 3 years ie poor reception in the summer,great reception in the winter.
 
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