James2 Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Hi,Anyone trying to align a dish to Astra 2F? We are on the Dordogne/Charente border near Saint Aulaye. I am using a 1.1metre dish with a Inverto IDLB-QUDL40-ULTRA-OPP Quad LNB . Scanning at 28.2deg East to SSEast. But upto now not a blip on my meter.So anyone had any success searching for this satellite, as we do miss the old telly and the snooker?Just to add, the IPlayer is no use as our broadband is to slow.James2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 If you have or can get your hands on a Smartphone you can use the Satellite Finder program which may help. I am pretty useless at aligning dishes but it did much better with this. Its free for both Android and IPhones.https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=zekitez.com.satellitedirector Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 You really should have no problem with receiving in your area.The larger the dish, the more you need to be precise with the alignment.If you dont have a smartphone, you could get a good idea of the correct direction and elevation etc from http://www.dishpointer.com/Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 To add to Dannys comment you need to make sure the clamps are done up tight and the mounting bracket is well fixed to the wall or whatever. You only need a very slight movement to move it off 'beam' and lose picture quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jako Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 1 meter is a bit overdone in that area, once properly aligned you will have a huge signal. But, as you have noticed, aligning a big dish is a lot harder to do, every mm counts. Set the elevation at 31 degrees , turn the dish way too much to the east and then slowly back west until you get a signal. The first signal you encounter should be the Astra2 position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James2 Posted April 26, 2014 Author Share Posted April 26, 2014 Thanks Jako and all replies, the reason for the 1.1m dish is because of the new 2F footprint my 600mm dish no longer works. Danny`s link to Dishpointer.com directed me to my location and confirmed correct alignment for Astra 2F.So now armed with a better idea with your info, I will try again. Thanks for all your help James2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James2 Posted May 6, 2014 Author Share Posted May 6, 2014 No luck so far, installing a 1.1metre dish on Astra 2F. I spent all day with the dish set up as per Dishpointer.com recomended which is:- Elevation at 31.0 degrees Azimouth at 143 degrees from N LNB skew to -17.5 degreesusing a Triax 1.1 metre dish with a Inverto IDLB-QUDL40-ULTRA-OPP Quad LNB . Very careful scanning from East to SSE, there was no response on my signal meter for Astra, allthough a full signal was detected on the French satellite by scanning further to the south. Our house in France is surounded by open country-side with no immediate hills or forests to interfear with the signal. Any further help would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Throw out the signal meter, point the dish so that it points higher tan the elevation of the satellite, have a box and TV near by tuned to CBS (any channel on a pan european beam) and move the dish thorugh an arc that covers where the satellite is. Then drop the dish down very slightly and move it through the arc. Repeat this until you get reception. Mark the dish mount and dish so that you can return to this point. Now tune to BBC, ITV etc and fine tune the dish to get the best signal quality - done.I have used this twice with good results, the signal meter was absolutely useless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 I used the combination of the Satellite Finder software on my mobile phone and a meter but that was up to 90cm in size. At 1M and beyond personally I have never had much luck as the movement is so small so I call in a guy from the local shop to do it for me. He takes about 30 minutes to get it set up spot on and well worth the money in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoneySuckleDreams Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 forget the skew for now, that is just for fine tuning. Concentrate on the elevation, it doesn't take much with a big dish to miss the mark even if you think you are pointing in the right direction. What have you got the dish fastened to ? If it's a chimney then make sure that you are working off a vertical. Ours was leaning by 6degrees so it took a while to adjust.You should have found the satellite by now though, We had our 1.5m dish fastened to a wooden stake hammered into the garden and managed to get a signal OK (not the best but it worked for the 6Nations). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James2 Posted May 7, 2014 Author Share Posted May 7, 2014 WOW, More great ideas, thanks to all, I will be scanning again to-day, ( Wish me luck )!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James2 Posted May 9, 2014 Author Share Posted May 9, 2014 Grrrrrrrrrrrr Spent all day yesterday, scanning the sky, using all the info given but to no avail. Deep disappointment as we are returning to Bristol next week so I have run out of time. We return to France in August so no doubt I will try again. A disheartened James2 signing off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 Get a specialist in to do it for you. Not only will it save time but he/she will do a much better job. He does not have to enter the house to do it either so organise it now then pay him/her when you get back and have tested it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 And, using the 'scanning' method it needs to be done SSLLOOWWLLYY so that the receiver detects and reacts - it took me a couple of hours. If you want it easy then do as Q says. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Satellite hunting can be very frustrating. Half a degree out and you miss the main beam by some 400 miles.The first time I did it was for a dish attached to a tripod ( it was an appartment and I wasn't allowed to clamp anything to the balcony)After hours of trying I found nothing and it a fit of temper just slammed the tripod down and what do you know? Perfect alignment !!Not suggesting this as a reliable method of finding a Sat though [:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jako Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 When using a cheap satfinder you need to make sure that the needle is always pointing in the middle, that way you are able to detect even the slightest improvement and weakening of the signal strength when searching for a satellite. With the needle pointing all the way to the left you will never find it, turn the amplification always up until the needle is in the middle when you receive nothing. Once the sat is located you have to turn the amplification down to keep the needle in the middle and keep improving reception until the signal is optimal. Then turn to the signal strength meter of the receiver and fin-tune until the signal quality is at its highest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crakpot Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 HiAfter a good 18 years on sat TV using old sky boxes cheap brico receivers and a Manhattan box along with a 100cm dish I have given up I now use internet Tv on a 2.3MB copper line its brilliant having access to BBCiplayer and all UK TV we no longer watch rubbish I pay £4,03 on last months exchange rates a month no contract.8 days free trial with no card details try http://www.unotelly.com/unodns/C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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