Satellite Equipment Aligning the Dish

The most common issue anyone will come across when aligning the dish is aiming at the correct satellite for the broadcasts they require. Satellite receivers do have certain details on them regarding the satellites, but they cannot determine whether you are aligned to the correct satellite. They rely on the user to align the dish in the correct direction. There are certain details you will require in order to successfully align the satellite dish accurately to the correct satellite for your requirements, these are listed below. These details can be obtained online (see our useful Links section for further details). Azimuth: This will be the heading required for the dish. The satellite that is broadcasting the signal will have a point of reference which the dish needs to be aligned to (for example, Astra 2A, B or D is set at 28.2 East of True South). Elevation: This is the angle of the dish elevation required that is above the reference heading for the satellite that you have aligned the heading towards. As the Earth curves, you need to find the correct elevation for the area where the dish will be situated. LNB Skew or Inclination: This is angle of the LNB on its axis. Much the same as the elevation, you are required to find the correct skew or inclination for the area where the dish will be situated. There are some very good websites which offer assistance in finding your skew elevation and azimuth for your location along with other interesting details (addresses provided at the bottom of this document).

Image from - http://www.dishpointer.com/

UK dish alignment
When choosing the location for your dish, be careful of any signal obstructions like trees or tall buildings. Using a compass will help give you an idea as to the best place to site the dish. Remember to take account that the dish needs to face south and be able to have an unobstructed view of the sky at the required angle of elevation. The angle of the signal hitting your dish will vary depending of how far North or South you are geographically. In the UK this varies between 20 in the North to 30 in the South (this figure is the elevation as mentioned earlier). Many dishes have a scale on the side indicating an elevation angle. It is worth bearing in mind that these often take into account the offset of the dish so sometimes will start at 20 or 30 degrees for example (if your elevation is lower than the start of the scale you would need to lower the angle of the dish to compensate). Once you have an approximate position for your dish you can then fine tune it for signal. It is recommended to use a satellite signal meter to aid in installation but if you are able to see your TV from where the dish is mounted you could use the signal quality/strength meters on your receiver set up menu. In our example we will assume you are using a signal meter like the one found by via the web address below: http://www.maplin.co.uk/satellite-finder-48325

With the meter connected to the dish, set the sensitivity control to the maximum setting (this may have a different name depending on the meter brand). Gently sweep the position of the dish around to your estimated alignment position until the meter indicates that a signal is received. Please note that at the highest sensitivity setting a meter may pick up background noise from the cable as a signal. A good way round this is to start by pointing the dish at the ground first and decrease sensitivity until no signal is indicated (this would then be considered your highest sensitivity starting point). When the meter indicates a signal is being received at the estimated alignment position, decrease the sensitivity gradually whilst gently adjusting the dish position to still show a strong signal level. You will eventually reach a point where the signal meter is set to around the lowest sensitivity but still shows good signal strength. This is your ideal dish position. Secure the dish into this position and then follow your receiver instructions for tuning in your channels. A useful youtube video showing this procedure can be viewed at the address below: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC5wu49VLRg

A common issue
Many people report that their receiver indicates they have good signal strength and are aligned to Astra 2 but they are receiving the incorrect channels (foreign broadcasts). This is a common mistake. If a dish is aligned to Astra 2 correctly it will not receive foreign broadcasts. Satellite receivers are set by the user to scan for a specific satellite channel list and this is displayed as the satellite being received irrespective of alignment. Receivers are unable to specifically identify the satellite that is being received and have to be manually set to it. Many users confuse this as an indication as to where their dish is aligned to. As an example, if your dish has been aligned for optimum signal and receives German, French and Spanish language channels then it is likely youre aiming the dish at Astra 1 (the most common satellite accidently received is Astra 1 which predominantly receives German, French or Spanish language channels). Astra 1 is found at around 19 east of south so the dish would need moving approximately 9 further East.

Useful Links
http://www.lyngsat.com/ - has some very useful lists of what channels are on what site and also if they require a decoder card or not (and if so, what type). http://www.dishpointer.com - has a very good dish calculator and also a augmented reality android and iPhone app (example video link follows): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AFtcgYRcu4 http://www.uksatellitehelp.co.uk has some useful alternative setup guides and alignment tools. http://www.satcom.co.uk/Calculator- is an interesting site with various calculators for aligning satellite dishes