Receiving Cyprus Channels

[Robbo]

I have a subscription to a foreign provider, movies mostly, plus like satman the MBC channels, but I watch them off 7W. With the right hardware/software it is also possible to get a few 'extra' channels as well, but I don't need to bother.

 

[Zorba]

What about getting PIK from Hotbird ? Would that be easier to align and a stronger signal for UK ? Then you could get a card for Nova Greece or Cyprus.

 

[Robbo]

What about getting PIK from Hotbird ? Would that be easier to align and a stronger signal for UK ? Then you could get a card for Nova Greece or Cyprus.

Yes, Hotbird is stonger for sure, but 39E although weaker is also easily achievable. A Nova card would be very expensive to buy in the UK.

Robbo

 

[satelliteman]

Yes, 39e with careful alignment should be easily achievable and is as easy as aligning for 13e.

 

[jammy1]

I'm going to pop round to my mums tonight to give it a go. I'll let you know the outcome tomorrow! Wish me luck!

left a bit, right a bit, up a bit, BINGO. That's the plan.

 

[Robbo]

Good Luck!

 

[jammy1]

I'm starting to dislike satellites. 'O'-red

I'm going to give up now. I need someone to come round and do this for me before it gets launched off the balcony.

I think maybe I've fitted the dish too low, as the 'satellite finder' would just beep like crazy whenever I tilted it down towards the metal guard rail.

Please see the attached pics of my floppy 'I give up' setup, and let me know where I've gone wrong.

1) What angle should the notch be pointing to?
View attachment 16512

2) The compass seemed to point in different directions depending on how close to the dish I was.
View attachment 16510
3) Is this fitted high up enough?
View attachment 16511
4) Rough skew
View attachment 16513

5) The satellite finding kit
View attachment 16514

HELP!
.

 

[rolfw]

The compass bearing will be around 140 degrees (keep away from anything ferrous), the dish face will be slightly off the vertical, probably a few degrees down (forget about the scale), the dish looks to be high enough on the wall, but may need to be further out, the skew is about right, certainly not far off.

Can you upload the photos rather than link to them in future please.

 

[jammy1]

Here are the photo's.

 

[satelliteman]

I take it you have the dish facing down like that because you were adjusting it

If not this elevation is way way off for 39e !

DON'T GIVE UP

I am sure that we can get you up and running with the advice on here.

Start from the beginning and try again. As already said the dish elevation should be slightly down from vertical.

 

[jammy1]

LOL, no the dish is at that angle because I loosened the bolts to try and adjust.

I tried at a slight down angle and moved slowly back and forth, but you only get a couple of degrees down before the satellite finder starts beeping constantly, no mater what direction you choose.

1) Would the metal hand rail cause a problem in receiving a signal considering it's position?

2) How accurate does the skew have to be?

3) How do I know what offset the LNB is to the dish?

 

[Robbo]

Hi,

I would say ditch the satellite finder possibly, and use the receiver, you might find it easier. I used to use one of those, but they are annoying.

1. The metal handrail won't cause a problem, it is too low.

2.Not very. On the really really weak satellites it can make a difference, but for 39E, with the cable sticking out the bottom at 25mins to the hour is about right.

3. You mean the distance away from the dish. Again not that critical for a strongish satellite, it can be optimised once you get a signal.

So, is the needle actually going up and down then as you move the dish accross? If so it means you are getting somewhere (I think ). To use the meter turn the knob until the needle is about half scale, when the needle goes to max, turn the knob down so it goes to half scale again.

 

[jammy1]

3. You mean the distance away from the dish. Again not that critical for a strongish satellite, it can be optimised once you get a signal.

I meant, so I can accurately calculate what elevation angle the dish needs to be, I need to know what angle the LNB is to the dish and subtract, right?

i.e if the LNB is 22degrees off center of the dish, and the elevation I should be on is 20.7, then the dish needs to be at -1.3degrees

So, is the needle actually going up and down then as you move the dish accross? If so it means you are getting somewhere (I think ). To use the meter turn the knob until the needle is about half scale, when the needle goes to max, turn the knob down so it goes to half scale again.

The needle doesn't move until I go to about -5degrees and below on the dish, then it stays there no mater what direction I move the dish. Above that, say at -1 to -2degrees where it should be, the needle only goes up if I stand in front of the dish!

 

[Robbo]

The offset angle of dishes vary, it usually says on the manf' data. It could be 22 or 26 or some other number in that region. The scale on the back of the dish should tell you where the dish is pointing to, unfortunately, they can be innaccurate too.:mad:

To be honest, I have never paid attention to the figures at all, and just set it so the dish face is about vertical, and gradually swing it round until I find any satellite, then find out which one it is using the receiver. Once you have got one satellite it is easier to find any others, as you now have a reference point.

You could try finding 28.2E for example, it would be much easier to find. Did you check your LNB settings on the receiver to make sure they were OK?

Try picking a transponder from 28.2E like 10773H (it has BBC1 London on it) for example and see if you can get good qulaity on that.

 

[satelliteman]

Agree, try and find Astra 28e first using the receiver signal screen.

> Select a transponder as Robbo has suggested on the receiver first for 28e.
> Then change the receiver for 39e Hellas, 12.606h
> Go for 39e and drop the dish down a fraction first and swing slowly left from behind the dish until you see 39e signal shoot up. You will find it with the skew still set for 28e, just turn it a very small fraction for maximum signal from Hellas 39.

 

[jammy1]

So, I finally got this sorted. Well, Walter, the nice man from london satellites sorted it for me!

Bigger dish (80cm) and different LNB, and voila!

97% signal, that'll do.

 

[Zorba]

Thats great,hanging the dish on the washing line.What happens when its windy ?

 

[satelliteman]

Glad you got it sorted.

Shame you didn't manage it without calling out an installer.

Happy days

 

[Robbo]

Alls well, that ends well, certainly looks like a good signal on that 80cm.