satellite TV dish question (1 Viewer)

[bernardfeay]

I hope others have the same device as me for finding the satellite. My dish goes up by being manually raised and I need to get the tilt right and the angle to find the satellite.

My problem is that the LED indicator that used to show when I was between 17 degrees and 45 degrees has stopped working. Not only that, it results in me not finding the satellite at all.

Has anyone come across this problem?

 

[DBK]

Mine has a dial which shows the elevation in degrees. I normally raise it to just over 20 degrees and point it roughly south west to find the satellite. Then use the beeping signal strengthometer* to find the exact position. If you can't now see what angle it is raised to (if I understand your comment about the LED) then if you can find a satellite just remember how many turns of the handle it took to raise the dish.

*it may have a more technical name.

 

[bernardfeay]

Thanks, that is exactly what I tried to do. I figured I could manage knowing roughly where the satellite would be and counting my turns but it seems that once the display stops showing a number the satellite won't kick in. I certainly expected that it would with perseverance, but no luck.

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[SomeoneElse]

To find the elevation needed you can use http://www.dishpointer.com/
It start at NewYork but you put in any location, for the uk I input the post code followed by a comma and UK.
Next select the satellite you are looking for 28.2E?
It will show you a satellite image with the direction marked and gives the elevation and azimuth (true and magnetic).

 

[bernardfeay]

I'm not explaining myself well enough. I am sure that I manage to point at the satellite in my various adjustments. But, instead of getting the tell tale red bricks on the LED I get nothing. It's not that I can't find the satellite, it's just that I can't get it to acknowledge that I am pointed at it.

 

[Geo]

By little red bricks im assuming you mean the sat finder that squeals at you as well as indicating with a row of red led,s (Bricks)
no response from the meter would suggest
1. a faulty meter, try another
2. a break in the main co ax cable,or little link leads resulting in no voltage at meter
Some old sky box's needed to have the voltage turned on in the menu sometimes an update might switch it back off
G

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[bernardfeay]

I managed to find a firm in Mirfield today who knew how to diagnose my problem. It turned out to be a coaxial cable that had a break in it. The whole mechanism had to come apart to fix it and it took two and a half hours. Now, £190 poorer it works. But, fair play, they knew what they were doing.

 

[johnp10]

I have a sat finder which I bought at Jaws' charity auction.
Never used it, wouldn't know how to, just do it manually.
DBK's method is the one.
I press "info" on the sat receiver control and just watch the signal and quality strength bars on that.
This function does what a finder will do.
When you hit the right sat, your chosen prog comes up anyway.

There is lots of "man crap" attached to finding a satellite, using magical mysterious tools with bells, whistles and coffee making facilities embedded.
It's a simple process, don't complicate it.

Edit:
Just seen your "fixed" post.
Pleased you got it sorted, but the simple methods are the best.

 

[Geo]

£190 They certainly knew what they were doing alright

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[DBK]

To find the elevation needed you can use http://www.dishpointer.com/
It start at NewYork but you put in any location, for the uk I input the post code followed by a comma and UK.
Next select the satellite you are looking for 28.2E?
It will show you a satellite image with the direction marked and gives the elevation and azimuth (true and magnetic).

For my Android phone I downloaded the app Satellite AR. You just hold the screen up and follow the arrow until the satellite you want appears superimposed on the picture of the sky.
It is useful for checking a potential pitch if you are near trees or buildings but it is not perfect. It sometimes decides it can't access the GPS on the phone but the main drawback is it doesn't work offline so you need a connection. It was free or nominal cost, can't remember and is useful sometimes although these days I find a compass and the Mark 1 eyeball are sufficient as I've learned through experience where to find the satellites - in the SE not SW as I wrote above in a moment of disorientation!

 

[bernardfeay]

I don't have any complaints about my kit and it is pretty basic. My problem turned out to be a break in the coaxial cable and no amount of knowledge relating to where the satellite is would have helped.