Astra 2F Discussion Here Please!

[Quillan]

I have worked out the following.:

Seems down here those with 80cm dish's at the moment are OK.

If you have C5 in standard definition then you are OK.

To tell if your Sky receiver has changed over go to Sky News then pull out your viewing card if you have one and it should still be there. If it goes then you are not on the Astra 2F. Likewise if you have a Humax or similar then you should now get Sky News so some of your channels may have moved to accommodate it.

Seems just north of the Pyrenees you can at present get away with a 80cm dish assuming nobody is going to 'tighten' the beam once all channels have moved across.

Personally, and just in case of the last comment being true, I shall be looking for a 90cm dish rather than an 80cm, sort of 'belt and braces' job if you know what I mean. I shall also change the location of the dish to ensure there is absolutely nothing in the way (like the odd tree). I still won't do anything yet mind you.

I saw in one forum a chap in Tenerife has a 3m dish and has lost all the C5 channels. Somebody says he needs a 10m dish, lovely. [;-)]

[Gardian]

[quote user="Martin963"]That must be a relief to you Gardian,  given the tree problem you mentioned earlier.    Looks as though you'll be OK....

How big is your dish?
[/quote]

Its a tiddler - just 50 x 40.

[Martin963]

Well I suppose you're neither as far east as 06/83/84 etc nor as far south as 66/31 etc.

So maybe you'll get away with it.....

[HoneySuckleDreams]

[quote user="PaulT"]

Am I right in thinking that optimism can rise a little from these early indications?

Interested to hear from anyone in 31 south of Toulouse but north of the Pyrenees.

Thanks to all of you providing reports

Paul

[/quote]

I was home for the weekend (Dept 65 - South of Toulouse - just north of the Pyrenees) and we had 100/90 QS readings on most channels. (Humax HD plus 80cm dish). So unless something has changed in the last day or two everything seems tip-top. I'm waiting for one of the kids to start wailing that QI has gone which will be a good marker that something has changed.

[Martin963]

Ah,  that's the rub.   Some transponders moved last night.   But unless you watch ch 4 HD or some ITV regions or ch 5 then you probably won't notice any difference until the next move,   and we don't know for sure when that will be.

[Quillan]

That's what I was going to say, it was as far as I am concerned, last night when it all kicked off, literally.

I also noticed that on my Sky box the signal strength and quality have not changed. I suspect (would like confirmation please) that it is showing the strongest total signal and not a channel dependant signal.

[Martin963]

Well nearly Quillan.   What it shows (unless you reset it) is the signal strength on a specific Sky-chosen transponder (and I think it's the one the EPG is on,  although I am ready for correction on that).

In other words (and I don't have a Sky box here to check it on) it's set to a transponder on Astra 2A or B and that will still be stonking in where you are.

There's a way of resetting the default transponder,  but again without a Sky box to hand I don't want to guess my way through the procedure.

Anyone?

[Danny]

http://www.satandpcguy.com/Site/sky_satellite_default_transponder_frequency_settings_costa_blanca_spain.php

instructions on how to do this.

Change steps 8 -11 with the appropiate frequency you wish to test on.

Danny

[Lou]

[quote user="PaulT"]

Am I right in thinking that optimism can rise a little from these early indications?

Interested to hear from anyone in 31 south of Toulouse but north of the Pyrenees.

Thanks to all of you providing reports

Paul

[/quote]

I'm not far from you, Paul, approx 20km from Boulogne on 65/32/31 border

We have an 80 cm dish and a Humax box - receiving Channel 5, Sky News loud and clear this evening (not that we particularly want either of them!) Ch 4 HD seems to be breaking up a bit, but having never watched it before I don't know if it's always done that!

Lou

[Quillan]

Can they change the UK beam size and make it narrower or is it fixed as it is now?

[Chezstevens]

Looks like my original sky dish (45cm? can't be arsed to go up ladder) & additional 60cm dish(opposite end of house) fitted by us some 18 years ago still work fine on all channels (inc CH5 & CH4HD). Obviously my wife's intepretation of the Skybox signal bar must of been pretty spot-on :)

So hopefully no unscheduled expense for folks round here.

Location: Southern 79.

[g8vkv]

Here's the situation in Centre Var.

We have a "carelessly aligned" 90cm dish and Humax FoxSat HDR.

When the 11023H tp started, I received it with SQ 75/60 on the Humax. This signal would always collapse, anywhere between 13:00 and 17:00 and reappear next morning.

Since the other tps have migrated, they can be received with SQ 80/70 consistently for 24 hours. The 11023H signal has also strengthened slightly and doesn't collapse.

The weather conditions have been good during this time (Provencal wall-to-wall blue), so that could be a factor.

[Jako]

I read what looked like an original SES document today that confirms the absence of the 10700-10950 frequency band on Astra2F.

This would explain the BBC channels not moving until next year when 2E is in place (Q2 2013) and why 1N will remain at 28.2 until that moment.

[Martin963]

I think some of those test reports which were submitted at the time when 2F was at 43 deg were probably a little fanciful then....

It does seem terribly odd that 2F doesn't seem to cover the old D band,   but - hey - let's hope SES know what they're up to.    I think they could be in trouble if 2E fails to launch for any reason....

[Quillan]

Channel hopping a few minutes ago I notice that 4seven now comes up with no signal found. Could this be the first of the '4' stable to move?

[Jazzer]

...still on our box.

[Quillan]

I found this on Ebay, it is the same as Amazon (Fance), cheaper and with free delivery. I don't know about these things so could somebody tell me if it is any good.

http://cgi.ebay.fr/PARABOLE-90-CM-NEUF-par-pro-avec-facture-/290784496268?pt=FR_Image_son_Autres&hash=item43b41b4a8c

I need to get some cable but they seem to have different db ratings so what is better, higher or lower?

[Danny]

[quote user="Quillan"]Channel hopping a few minutes ago I notice that

4seven now comes up with no signal found. Could this be the first of the

'4' stable to move?[/quote]It has already moved on Tuesday. It is on the same transponder as Channel 4 HD.

Danny

[Danny]

[quote user="Quillan"]

I found this on Ebay, it is the same as Amazon (Fance), cheaper and with free delivery. I don't know about these things so could somebody tell me if it is any good.

http://cgi.ebay.fr/PARABOLE-90-CM-NEUF-par-pro-avec-facture-/290784496268?pt=FR_Image_son_Autres&hash=item43b41b4a8c

I need to get some cable but they seem to have different db ratings so what is better, higher or lower?

[/quote]

It probably makes little difference in performance but it is important to make sure that the the f plugs you use are the correct size to match the cable and that the plugs are properly installed.

more useful on this UK site http://www.satcure.co.uk/accs/page7.htm

and everything else you wanted to know here http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/satindex.htm

Danny

PS I have bought from BFSAT in the past and found them to be pretty efficient

[dave21478]

I have been back in UK for a while, and returning today I expected potential problems, but all is as before - I have the freesat channels through an old Panasonic digibox, with a cheapo 80cm Bricodepot dish on the chimney stack, aligned by eye, compass and prayer. Signal strength is 100% and signal quality is 80 - 90%, as it was before.

I am in the Tarn, around the Albi / Castres area.

Will wait and see what happens.....

[Quillan]

True Movies 1 and 2 seem to have disappeared today, were OK yesterday. So it seems they are still moving channels over. I think it is time to buy me new dish.

[Danny]

They have not moved satellite so it must be related to rain/cloud or other meteorological factor.

They are on the same frequency as lots of music channels and kid's channels - you can check if you get these or not http://en.kingofsat.net/tp.php?tp=1238 - but it is on Eutelsat 28A sat (which is at the same location as all the other UK channels group of sats) and your dish is probably not optimally aligned to receive from this satellite. The skew setting (rotation of the LNB in its holder) can make a big difference. Normally, the ideal skew position is different for each sat in this group i.e. if you rotate it one way you will improve the signal from say Astra 2F but worsen the signal on 28A and vice versa if you go the other way. For best general reception of all channels it needs to be set in the middle of the two best settings.

It could also be something else too, of course - dish has moved slightly etc. but the channels have not changed frequency or satellite.

All the channels which have moved and the rest which will move within the next six months are on the satellites owned and operated by SES under the name Astra. They are just updating their fleet. The new replacements are capable of more closely focussing on the UK so that acounts for the changes in reception outside the UK.

The sats at this position owned by Eutelsat - this one has UK channels http://en.kingofsat.net/sat-eurobird1.php - will see no changes. For the present, anyway....

Danny

[Quillan]

Hi Danny, sorry to contradict but they are not on Eutelsat 28A. I did a google for this particular satellite and found the following link and unless I need to go to Spec Savers it's not there.

http://www.tracksat.com/satellite26.html

Interestingly the CBS channels are there and I can get them with no problem. I can also get all the Movies for Men channels. Strangely I can get the Horror channel but not Horror channel +1. These come from Eutelsat 28A as well according to the list.

To be honest it is all a big mystery to me, I thought it all comes from one satellite, well two now and I just don't know whats happening. Added to that Mrs 'Q' is getting pissed as her evening viewing is across several channels depending on time etc. I'm now getting it in the neck because, of course, it's all my fault. [:(]

[Martin963]

Danny is right.   They are on Eutelsat's Eurobird (as it was called).   All that Danny has written is correct.

http://www.lyngsat.com/Eutelsat-28A.html

Although I think there are plans to replace Eurobird very soon,  I have a feeling another sat has arrived on site.

So at 28.2 deg E there are Astras 2A,  2B,  1N,  2F.   2D is nearby.

At 28.5 deg E there is Eutelsat 28A.

As far as most dishes are concerned there is no obvious difference between satellites separated  by a mere 0.3 deg.   However,  you can tweek both azimuth and skew a bit to improve one at the expense of the other,  as Danny is suggesting.

There have been various reports of weaker signals on Eutelsat's 28A,  maybe because it's getting near its end of life.

[Danny]

Can't comment on your eyesight [:D] but that site is not clear or well updated.

Check on the site I linked to http://en.kingofsat.net/sat-eurobird1.php and scroll down to transponder C4 11307V to see what is there.

All these channels did change frequency quite a few months back. Maybe you did have not updated since.

Danny