Which cheap satellite finder

mark2101

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2005
Messages
67
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
44
My Satellite Setup
Fortec-Star Lifetime Classic Receiver with 65cm dish single LNB
My Location
London, UK
I want to buy a cheap satellite finder to help me align my dish, really only want to spend around £20 but will spend bit more, can someone please recommend one for around that price, want it especially for finding Hispasat. I saw some on e-bay but seemed as though they were only suitable for finding astra 28 for sky.
 

2cvbloke

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2006
Messages
9,768
Reaction score
1,808
Points
113
Age
38
My Satellite Setup
No satellite stuff for the moment (aside from a 43cm minidish that was on the house already), Samsung SyncMaster T27B550 Smart TV & Monitor, and a few computers...
My Location
Near Pontop Pike, Co. Durham
This one...

£7.75, made by SatConn...

I bought myself one yesterday and it arrived today, I tried it out on Hispasat and it works perfectly... :)

(By the way, you can use any satellite meter to find any satellite, they only sell them as "sky" finders because that is the incorrect term for Satellite TV)
 

wod

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2005
Messages
4,213
Reaction score
238
Points
63
My Satellite Setup
1m channel master, jaeger smr1224, Inverto black ultra twin, technomate tm-1500ci, broken receiver vantage x221ci, New additions Skybox F5s and technomate tm-5402 HD arriving soon.
My Location
yorkshire
anyone have the digisat pro meter are these any good as they can move a DiSEqC motor
 

Skip Channel

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
317
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
48
My Satellite Setup
28e, 19e, 13e, 30w
My Location
England
2cvbloke said:
This one...

£7.75, made by SatConn...

I bought myself one yesterday and it arrived today, I tried it out on Hispasat and it works perfectly... :)

It's pretty good at helping you find Hispa but try it where there's two powerful satellites just 3 degrees apart (even 6 degrees, TBH) and it can give odd results... I found that it preferred to be pointed BETWEEN 5 and 8 west!

It's real noisy as well - but the sensitivity can be turned down. It looks like it'd be easy to disable the sound for good if you take the back off and make some "adjustments". I didn't want to permanently disable the sound so I used good old blu-tack to muffle it!
 

gameboy

Ding Dang Doo
Joined
Jan 31, 2004
Messages
4,305
Reaction score
6
Points
38
Age
67
Website
www.gamezplay.org
My Satellite Setup
DreamBox 7000s - Nokia Freeview - Several GameBoys - DS Lite - ZX81 - SNES - N64 - Saturn - Dreamcast - PlayStation - PS2 - Gamecube - PSP - iPod - iPhone - XBox - PS3 - Wii - iPad - No Life!
My Location
Scotland
Look on eBay for the ones Lidl sold for £3.99!

Here's one...

_http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SATELLITE-FINDER-SET_W0QQitemZ9720661443QQcategoryZ4693QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

They have an LCD display and an audio warning. They work great as you can move the motor inside and listen to see if the dish is picking up a signal at the same time.

Lidl have sold them twice in the last two years if you can wait!
 

mark2101

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2005
Messages
67
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
44
My Satellite Setup
Fortec-Star Lifetime Classic Receiver with 65cm dish single LNB
My Location
London, UK
2cvbloke said:
This one...

£7.75, made by SatConn...

I bought myself one yesterday and it arrived today, I tried it out on Hispasat and it works perfectly... :)

(By the way, you can use any satellite meter to find any satellite, they only sell them as "sky" finders because that is the incorrect term for Satellite TV)
Sounds good where did you buy it from? Also how do you know which satellite you picked up, how does it work exactly because when you point the dish there could be a few satellites close togther and it may give a signal strength but not for the one you want. Does it tell you when your at the satellite you want?
Question might sound stupid just i've never used one before so dont know how they work.
 

gameboy

Ding Dang Doo
Joined
Jan 31, 2004
Messages
4,305
Reaction score
6
Points
38
Age
67
Website
www.gamezplay.org
My Satellite Setup
DreamBox 7000s - Nokia Freeview - Several GameBoys - DS Lite - ZX81 - SNES - N64 - Saturn - Dreamcast - PlayStation - PS2 - Gamecube - PSP - iPod - iPhone - XBox - PS3 - Wii - iPad - No Life!
My Location
Scotland
Don't really see what you mean...

Satellites are group together at the same location so that you can view all available channels.

This may be limited by the sign strength/dish size at your location or the channel may be encrypted.

If you want a specific channel - it is receivable from your location and your dish size is suitable - tune your receiver to that channel and when you find it the meter will indicate this.

You can then fine tune.

If you then scan that location all other channels on all satellites you can receive will show.
 

mark2101

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2005
Messages
67
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
44
My Satellite Setup
Fortec-Star Lifetime Classic Receiver with 65cm dish single LNB
My Location
London, UK
What I meant was when say on my reciever I pick say Hotbird 13E my signal bar has a signal strength where ever I point it so I thought that must mean that it's picking up another satellite like maybe astra 19.2 So I thought if i'm looking for Hotbird will it just beep when it hits that or beep when it hits any satellite because my signal bar seems to do that, unless I should be looking at the quality bar instead. Dont know if you see what I mean now. So i take it with the satellite meter if I pick say Hotbird whan the dish finds it, it the meter will beep.
 

gameboy

Ding Dang Doo
Joined
Jan 31, 2004
Messages
4,305
Reaction score
6
Points
38
Age
67
Website
www.gamezplay.org
My Satellite Setup
DreamBox 7000s - Nokia Freeview - Several GameBoys - DS Lite - ZX81 - SNES - N64 - Saturn - Dreamcast - PlayStation - PS2 - Gamecube - PSP - iPod - iPhone - XBox - PS3 - Wii - iPad - No Life!
My Location
Scotland
mark2101 said:
I thought if i'm looking for Hotbird will it just beep when it hits that

Not it beeps when you get a signal and to make matters worse channels at different positions share the same frequency!

beep when it hits any satellite

Yes it will, what you have to do is pick a FTA channel on Hotbird and tune the frequency into your receiver (if not already stored).

Move the dish until you get a signal/beep and wait a few second to see if you get a picture (digital signals take a few seconds to lock).

Make sure the channel you're watching is the one you were searching for (most carry a logo). Once you have that tighten the dish and check out channels at the same position - if they work you're pointing at the correct position.

If not then chances are you're on Astra - move the dish slightly right when looking from the back and start again.
 

mark2101

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2005
Messages
67
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
44
My Satellite Setup
Fortec-Star Lifetime Classic Receiver with 65cm dish single LNB
My Location
London, UK
Ok got it, when I was trying to tune my satellite without a sat finder I didn't tune to a channel manualy, was trying to use the bars but couldn't find the sat because it kept just picking up any sat. Then tried to do auto scan whilst moving which I figured was impossible anyway. Will do it the way you said whan have my dish set back up.
Thanks for that, pleased i've got this forum to help or I would be having to get someone back to reset up for me.
 

Rav

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2005
Messages
77
Reaction score
1
Points
0
Age
55
My Satellite Setup
Fibo 90cm/55cm, Inverto Black Pro/White Tech, Moteck SG-2100A, Dreamboxes DM7020/DM600/DM800HD
My Location
Zürich/London
wod said:
anyone have the digisat pro meter are these any good as they can move a DiSEqC motor

I used this meter to set up last week, bought off eBay for £29 a couple of months ago. Mine is the single LNB version, not the twin.

As a novice I found it very useful once I was pointing in the right direction! It's simple to use, very sensitive and the readout is very clear. Didn't use the DiSEqC motor control function on it though, didn't need to.
 

2cvbloke

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2006
Messages
9,768
Reaction score
1,808
Points
113
Age
38
My Satellite Setup
No satellite stuff for the moment (aside from a 43cm minidish that was on the house already), Samsung SyncMaster T27B550 Smart TV & Monitor, and a few computers...
My Location
Near Pontop Pike, Co. Durham
Sorry, forgot to mention, whilst I was moving the dish I also had my PortyII on EuroNews on Hispasat with the signal info up on screen to make sure I had the right satellite.... :D
 
Top