Satellite dish alignment

|tera|

|tera|

Master of Messengers
Joined
Mar 31, 2006
Messages
25,903
Reaction score
2,952
Location
terra
Hi folks,

I'm using OVHD.
I know they share the same satellite as Dstv.

I recently relocated. The dish is mounted, but I'm having trouble with alignment to get any signal.

Is there perhaps an App or general instructions on how to align it properly?

I know I could get a Dstv installer to do it, but I'd first like to see if I can sort it myself.

Thanks :)
 
Get an analogue sat finder.. like 200 bucks or something.. that's going to be your best bet.. you can only align it by hand to a certain extent, before you need a satfinder to make the minute adjustments needed to get it aligned properly..
 
WAslayer said:
Get an analogue sat finder.. like 200 bucks or something.. that's going to be your best bet.. you can only align it by hand to a certain extent, before you need a satfinder to make the minute adjustments needed to get it aligned properly..
Click to expand...
Thanks.

That won't happen now. Stuck cash wise.
Let the waiting continue.
 
If you have android smart phone with a build in magnetometer and GPS you can download and install the Satellite Detector app from the play store. The app will give you the direction to the Satellite as well as skew angle and elevation for your location. The app can also be used utilizing the phone camera to determine if the location of the dish have a clear line of site to the satellite.
A whatsapp video call can also be used to get a clear view of the tv screen if you need to use the signal strength screen of the decoder for fine alignment.
 
Nemesys said:
If you have android smart phone with a build in magnetometer and GPS you can download and install the Satellite Detector app from the play store. The app will give you the direction to the Satellite as well as skew angle and elevation for your location. The app can also be used utilizing the phone camera to determine if the location of the dish have a clear line of site to the satellite.
A whatsapp video call can also be used to get a clear view of the tv screen if you need to use the signal strength screen of the decoder for fine alignment.
Click to expand...
Hi, thanks :)

My phone doesn't support compass/magnometer. I wil try my best to set it up and if not, get an installer later on.
Your post is likely to help many other people though, so thanks for sharing.
 
Nemesys said:
If you have android smart phone with a build in magnetometer and GPS you can download and install the Satellite Detector app from the play store. The app will give you the direction to the Satellite as well as skew angle and elevation for your location. The app can also be used utilizing the phone camera to determine if the location of the dish have a clear line of site to the satellite.
A whatsapp video call can also be used to get a clear view of the tv screen if you need to use the signal strength screen of the decoder for fine alignment.
Click to expand...
There are quite a few apps that can assist. I installed one myself from scratch a few years ago, it was surprisingly easy, but I also had an analogue satfinder to assist me.

Due to poor content, today the dish is aligned straight up and filled with water to give the birdies a bath, something like this. The birdies give feedback on the alignment every day, and they tend to agree with me that it's the best alignment ever.

iu
 
geezer said:
Use the Dishpointer.com website for all the information you need. https://www.dishpointer.com/
Enter your location and then choose 68.5E Intelsat 20 as the satellite.
Or follow these instructions: http://www.satellite-saints.co.za/index.php/diy/install-your-own-dstv
Click to expand...
Hi geezer,

Could you please confirm if the satellite icon on dishpointer, shows the actual position where it should point?
I see a straight line on the map with the icon.
Do I need to keep the dish in that position?
May sound silly. I'm just looking at another mounted dish and the direction is reversed in that alignment, not as the map shows.
dish2.png
 
|tera| said:
Hi geezer,

Could you please confirm if the satellite icon on dishpointer, shows the actual position where it should point?
I see a straight line on the map with the icon.
Do I need to keep the dish in that position?
May sound silly. I'm just looking at another mounted dish and the direction is reversed in that alignment, not as the map shows.
View attachment 939120
Click to expand...
Yes, that's correct. If you zoom out a lot you should see a line drawn from your location to the location of the satellite which to the south-west of India. Just make sure you choose the correct satellite (68.5E INTELSAT 20 (IS-20)) from the drop-down list after choosing your home address.
Capture.JPG
 
If you have a compass available the dish should point roughly 16 degrees north of east or otherwise in the direction where the sun comes up to check if the direction shown on the website is correct.
The correct Satellite to choose

Sat.JPG
 
It is obvious that you have never attempted to align a dish before. So lets start with the basics

At the bottom of the sat picture you will find information you need to align the dish with the Sat.

Sat 2.JPG

This is for my location yours will differ from mine
Elevation is the the amount the dish must be tilted to line up with the satellite . Most dishes have markings on the bracket to assist the installer with a rough setting to begin with so sett that before you start.
LNB Skew is the angle the LNB must the sett yo to align its internal antenna to the Sat signal. Again roughly sett it around 4 oclock on a watch dial. The next step would be to set the Azimuth using a compass in this case you would align it at 84 deg that would would be the angle from north towards east. Now you would need to have some way the measure signal strength either a sat finder or suing the build in signal strength meter on the decoder
You need to move the dish in vey very small increments at the time to get the best signal possible.
Start off the Azimuth (direction) then elevation alternating between the two until you are satisfied that you have the best signal the try changing the skew to get an improvement and the go back to direction and elevation

GOOD LUCK
 
Thanks again guys.

Apologies for the late reply.
I will do my best.
Have a good weekend further.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X