I posted this to uk.tech.digital-tv but subsequently thought it might be of
interest to other potential d-i-y satellite-TV 'ers here too.

Lidl started me off with their inexpensive kit, 79.99 complete with dish,
which worked fine. Its weak point is the flimsy dish mounting bracket.
The snag setting it up d-i-y was selecting a location for the dish that was
not obscured by individual conifer trees, clear line of sight to the
satellite being essential.

For anyone uncertain of a suitable location for a satellite dish, possibly
because there are tall buildings or trees close by, the sun can provide a
useful guide in the next couple of days. (Monday 11 & Tuesday 12)

Twice a year, spring and autumn, the arc of the sun across the sky is
practically identical to the arc on which lie the positions of the
geostationary communication satellites.

At the time of the eclipse (sun-out) for each satellite, sun and satellite
are at the same position in the sky, so anywhere where the sunlight falls
will have a clear view of the satellite and tree/building shadows will
indicate adverse locations.

The table of sun-out times is found from he
http://www.noctua.demon.co.uk/sunouts/sunouts.html
Click the link for your nearest city to get the times for each satellite.

e.g. for Birmingham:
http://www.noctua.demon.co.uk/sunout...m_sunouts.html
shows sun-out time for Hotbird as 11:49, Monday 11 th & Tuesday 12 Oct.

It may be useful to take some digital photos of possible locations at the
times of eclipse of selected satellites as a record of the positions of
tree/building shadows for future reference.

Roger

Isn't it amazing what you can find on the web, although not much help if you
are setting up the dish on Wednesday. BobS
--
Tees off to reply.

"Roger" telstardotsixoneseven0threeatt@claradottnett wrote in message
...
I posted this to uk.tech.digital-tv but subsequently thought it might be of
interest to other potential d-i-y satellite-TV 'ers here too.

Lidl started me off with their inexpensive kit, 79.99 complete with dish,
which worked fine. Its weak point is the flimsy dish mounting bracket.
The snag setting it up d-i-y was selecting a location for the dish that
was
not obscured by individual conifer trees, clear line of sight to the
satellite being essential.

For anyone uncertain of a suitable location for a satellite dish, possibly
because there are tall buildings or trees close by, the sun can provide a
useful guide in the next couple of days. (Monday 11 & Tuesday 12)

Twice a year, spring and autumn, the arc of the sun across the sky is
practically identical to the arc on which lie the positions of the
geostationary communication satellites.

At the time of the eclipse (sun-out) for each satellite, sun and satellite
are at the same position in the sky, so anywhere where the sunlight falls
will have a clear view of the satellite and tree/building shadows will
indicate adverse locations.

The table of sun-out times is found from he
http://www.noctua.demon.co.uk/sunouts/sunouts.html
Click the link for your nearest city to get the times for each satellite.

e.g. for Birmingham:
http://www.noctua.demon.co.uk/sunout...m_sunouts.html
shows sun-out time for Hotbird as 11:49, Monday 11 th & Tuesday 12 Oct.

It may be useful to take some digital photos of possible locations at the
times of eclipse of selected satellites as a record of the positions of
tree/building shadows for future reference.

Roger

In message
"Roger" telstardotsixoneseven0threeatt@claradottnett wrote:

(Snip)


The table of sun-out times is found from he
http://www.noctua.demon.co.uk/sunouts/sunouts.html
Click the link for your nearest city to get the times for each satellite.

e.g. for Birmingham:
http://www.noctua.demon.co.uk/sunout...m_sunouts.html
shows sun-out time for Hotbird as 11:49, Monday 11 th & Tuesday 12 Oct.

It may be useful to take some digital photos of possible locations at the
times of eclipse of selected satellites as a record of the positions of
tree/building shadows for future reference.

Roger



This looks really useful, but how does it deal with offset LNBs ?

--
Marcus
To reply use marcus at frenchay dot demon dot co dot uk

BobS wrote:
Isn't it amazing what you can find on the web, although not much help if you
are setting up the dish on Wednesday. BobS

It doesn't move that far.
It's only really useful for siting the dish, and approximately aiming.
It's hard to get it dead on, and is much easier to use a signal meter
for, or even wiggle it to get a picture.

In article , BobS
wrote:

Isn't it amazing what you can find on the web,

Certainly is. Have you not seen this yet?

http://www.allmyfaqs.com/faq.pl?How_to_post

--
AJL Electronics (G6FGO) Ltd : Satellite and TV aerial systems
http://www.classicmicrocars.co.uk : http://www.ajlelectronics.co.uk

"Marcus Foreman" wrote in message =
...
In message
"Roger" telstardotsixoneseven0threeatt@claradottnett wrote:
=20
(Snip)
=20
=20
The table of sun-out times is found from he
http://www.noctua.demon.co.uk/sunouts/sunouts.html
Click the link for your nearest city to get the times for each =
satellite.
=20
e.g. for Birmingham:
http://www.noctua.demon.co.uk/sunout...m_sunouts.html
shows sun-out time for Hotbird as 11:49, Monday 11 th & Tuesday 12 =
Oct.
=20
It may be useful to take some digital photos of possible locations at =
the
times of eclipse of selected satellites as a record of the positions =
of
tree/building shadows for future reference.
=20
Roger
=20
=20
=20
This looks really useful, but how does it deal with offset LNBs ?=20
=20
--=20
Marcus
To reply use marcus at frenchay dot demon dot co dot uk

It dosn't mater what dish/LNB you use.

If you can see the sun at that time of day then from that position you =
will be able to site a dish there and get that satellite.

In message
"Graeme" wrote:

"Marcus Foreman" wrote in message ...
In message
"Roger" telstardotsixoneseven0threeatt@claradottnett wrote:

(Snip)


The table of sun-out times is found from he
http://www.noctua.demon.co.uk/sunouts/sunouts.html
Click the link for your nearest city to get the times for each satellite.

e.g. for Birmingham:
http://www.noctua.demon.co.uk/sunout...m_sunouts.html
shows sun-out time for Hotbird as 11:49, Monday 11 th & Tuesday 12 Oct.

It may be useful to take some digital photos of possible locations at the
times of eclipse of selected satellites as a record of the positions of
tree/building shadows for future reference.

Roger



This looks really useful, but how does it deal with offset LNBs ?

--
Marcus
To reply use marcus at frenchay dot demon dot co dot uk

It dosn't mater what dish/LNB you use.

If you can see the sun at that time of day then from that position you will be able to site a dish there and get that satellite.

As far as I can understand it, if the shadow if the LNB lies exactly at the
point where the support arm is attached to the dish, then the whole assembly
is pointing straight at the satellite. So if the arm is offset, then this
will not occur.

Now if you want the *direction* at which to point the dish, then this
happens once a day. The software for this will therefore be much simpler.

--
Marcus
To reply use marcus at frenchay dot demon dot co dot uk

Could try http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/AltAz.html

It lets you calculate the Altitude and Azimuth of the sun or moon on any day
in any location.

You can use a time where the sun has the correct Altitude to align the dish
vertically and then another time to align the dish horizontally.

I have used this site to help setup a satellite in a field in France for a
week camping at Le mans.

Andrew

"Roger" telstardotsixoneseven0threeatt@claradottnett wrote in message
...
I posted this to uk.tech.digital-tv but subsequently thought it might be of
interest to other potential d-i-y satellite-TV 'ers here too.

Lidl started me off with their inexpensive kit, 79.99 complete with dish,
which worked fine. Its weak point is the flimsy dish mounting bracket.
The snag setting it up d-i-y was selecting a location for the dish that
was
not obscured by individual conifer trees, clear line of sight to the
satellite being essential.

For anyone uncertain of a suitable location for a satellite dish, possibly
because there are tall buildings or trees close by, the sun can provide a
useful guide in the next couple of days. (Monday 11 & Tuesday 12)

Twice a year, spring and autumn, the arc of the sun across the sky is
practically identical to the arc on which lie the positions of the
geostationary communication satellites.

At the time of the eclipse (sun-out) for each satellite, sun and satellite
are at the same position in the sky, so anywhere where the sunlight falls
will have a clear view of the satellite and tree/building shadows will
indicate adverse locations.

The table of sun-out times is found from he
http://www.noctua.demon.co.uk/sunouts/sunouts.html
Click the link for your nearest city to get the times for each satellite.

e.g. for Birmingham:
http://www.noctua.demon.co.uk/sunout...m_sunouts.html
shows sun-out time for Hotbird as 11:49, Monday 11 th & Tuesday 12 Oct.

It may be useful to take some digital photos of possible locations at the
times of eclipse of selected satellites as a record of the positions of
tree/building shadows for future reference.

Roger

Marcus Foreman wrote:


As far as I can understand it, if the shadow if the LNB lies exactly at the
point where the support arm is attached to the dish, then the whole assembly
is pointing straight at the satellite. So if the arm is offset, then this
will not occur.

Now if you want the *direction* at which to point the dish, then this
happens once a day. The software for this will therefore be much simpler.


umm, you could cover the dish with aluminimum foil and adjust the dish
for the best reflected light hitting the lnb feedhorn.

But of course you'll have to wait for the next solar outage!