Satellite Dish Move
 

I need to move my Sky satellite dish to make way for a new conservatory.

I was wondering if realigning them following a move is difficult?

I had a quote of £40 to do this, which is probably not extortionate, but
I'd rather keep hold of my money.

TIA,

Alex.

AlexW wrote:
I need to move my Sky satellite dish to make way for a new conservatory.

I was wondering if realigning them following a move is difficult?

I had a quote of £40 to do this, which is probably not extortionate, but
I'd rather keep hold of my money.

It's not impossible, you can use the signal strength and signal quality
bar graphs on the Sky box set up menu. However these are rather slow to
react, so you need to move the dish, and wait a few seconds. It would
obviously be preferable to bring a portable TV outside so you can look
at the screen the same time as adjusting ! Once you've got a signal back
(signal quality is more important than strength), place a damp tea-towel
over the LNB to reduce the signal, that way it is easier to 'peak' up
the adjustments. Be aware that the signal strength meter in the
'consumer' menu only looks at one frequency. Check reception of channels
that are in low band (BBC and ITV)and lower power channels on the
Eurobird satellite (that is almost co-located with the Astra sats that
most Sky platform channels use). Eurobird channels include EuroNews on
Ch 528. You can check any transponder and frequency by resorting to the
installer's hidden menu Services-4-0-1-Select

Don't extend the cable, if you can replace the entire length with a new
run (Cable grade CT-100). If you must join it, use F-Type plugs and a
coupler, if the join is outside wrap the whole thing in
self-amalgamating tape. You also need to use this on the connection to
the LNB :-

See
http://www.satcure.co.uk/

For more detailed help and advice have a lurk in uk.tech.tv.sky and the
Sky FAQ

http://tinyurl.com/6u4p9

If all else fails, get a man in (NOT Sky) it's a very easy job for any
reputable dealer, coz they'll use a meter to adjust the dish in a jiffy.

40 quid sounds about right to me.

--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply

"AlexW" wrote in message
...
I need to move my Sky satellite dish to make way for a new conservatory.

I was wondering if realigning them following a move is difficult?


Best ask in uk.tech.tv.sky or uk.tech.digital-tv.

Its not at all difficult to align a dish IMHO. Note some local landmark to
get the horizontal direction right after the move and a spirit level to
estimate how far off vertical the dish is. The services menus tell you how
strong the signal is, but has an approx 5 second time delay.

joh

"AlexW" wrote in message
...
I need to move my Sky satellite dish to make way for a new conservatory.

I was wondering if realigning them following a move is difficult?

No, you do need line of sight to the satellite.

Ideally, you also need to use a satellite receiver which shows signal quality
you then just align the dish for maximum quality.
The receiver must be set to look for an active transponder on the satellite
28.2E

If you have a spirit level with an adjustable buble, place it vertically across
the front of the dish and use it to record the elevation prior to the move. You
can then use the spirit level to set the elevation in the new position. Any way
you can record the azimuth would also help. Do not twist the dish or the LNB.
You should use satellite quality coax.

If the dish is pointing the wrong way you just won't get a picture. (well maybe
the wrong satellite). Just keep trying until it works!

See www.satcure.co.uk also news:alt.satellite.tv.europe

Remember that the STB stuffs about 20v down the Coax to drive the LNB. This is
enough to give you an electric shock. You may also find that the cable screening
and plug are also live when your TV and STB are switched on. Something you might
notice if you are outside in damp conditions but would be unaware of indoors.

--

Michael Chare

On Fri, 11 Mar 2005 11:21:41 +0000, Mark Carver
wrote:

Iplace a damp tea-towel
over the LNB to reduce the signal, that way it is easier to 'peak' up
the adjustments.

I have always partially covered the LNB with tinfoil to achieve the
same effect.

sPoNiX

AlexW wrote:
I need to move my Sky satellite dish to make way for a new conservatory.

I was wondering if realigning them following a move is difficult?

I had a quote of £40 to do this, which is probably not extortionate, but
I'd rather keep hold of my money.

TIA,

Alex.

Cheers to all for the advice.

In message , AlexW
writes
AlexW wrote:
I need to move my Sky satellite dish to make way for a new conservatory.
I was wondering if realigning them following a move is difficult?
I had a quote of £40 to do this, which is probably not extortionate,
but I'd rather keep hold of my money.
TIA,
Alex.

Cheers to all for the advice.
By coincidence, Maplin mail shot me this week with a dish alignment kit
offer for 20 quid, see here,

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...uleNo=858&TabI
D=1&source=15&WorldID&T=BZ68Y

(or if that doesn't work - http://tinyurl.com/6tkxk)

Although through this very group a few months ago I learned that you can
use the built in signal meter of the Digibox to achieve the same for
free.

See this thread;

http://groups-beta.google.com/group/...ead/c6b6eb1dff
98b5f1/d043d1d238c5a98d?q=Another+Sky-DIY+Question#d043d1d238c5a98d

(or, via tinyurl - http://tinyurl.com/6w4f2)

Cheers,

Andy
--
Andrew Sinclair http://www.smellycat.org

In message , AlexW
writes
I need to move my Sky satellite dish to make way for a new conservatory.

I was wondering if realigning them following a move is difficult?

I had a quote of £40 to do this, which is probably not extortionate,
but I'd rather keep hold of my money.

Are you simply repositioning it on the same wall ?

Should make gnats all difference

--
geoff

In message , Michael Chare
writes
Remember that the STB stuffs about 20v down the Coax to drive the LNB. This is
enough to give you an electric shock.

Is this from direct experience or are you perpetuating an urban myth
here?

Even with upwards of 50 volts I have never even felt a tingle

a couple of kV from the output of a central heating spark transformer,
now that wakes you up

--
geoff

Are you simply repositioning it on the same wall ?

Should make gnats all difference


Yes ... same wall, but the wall is random stone so alignment will prove
an issue I would imagine.

On Sat, 12 Mar 2005 23:48:03 GMT, raden wrote:

Remember that the STB stuffs about 20v down the Coax to drive the
LNB. This is enough to give you an electric shock.

Is this from direct experience or are you perpetuating an urban myth
here?

Define "electric shock".

When hooking up the lines for an OB in the peeing rain a good few
years back I was most miffed at getting shocks from the BT Block. The
lines where four wires and musics, no volts on them and the shocks
where DC, so not ringing on the controls. It wasn't until I put the
DEL on...

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

raden wrote:
In message , Michael Chare
writes

Remember that the STB stuffs about 20v down the Coax to drive the
LNB. This is
enough to give you an electric shock.


Is this from direct experience or are you perpetuating an urban myth here?

In this case the LNB control voltage (13-18v) is unlikely to provide a
shock, but you might well find around 100 volts w.r.t.earth on the
screen of the co-ax as the digibox's chassis floats (as do many similar
un-earthed devices) at this potential. You can't draw any significant
current, so it's not harmful, but it does make you jump !

--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

Mark Carver wrote:
raden wrote:

In message , Michael Chare
writes

Remember that the STB stuffs about 20v down the Coax to drive the
LNB. This is
enough to give you an electric shock.



Is this from direct experience or are you perpetuating an urban myth
here?


In this case the LNB control voltage (13-18v) is unlikely to provide a
shock, but you might well find around 100 volts w.r.t.earth on the
screen of the co-ax as the digibox's chassis floats (as do many similar
un-earthed devices) at this potential. You can't draw any significant
current, so it's not harmful, but it does make you jump !

And should you be at the top of a ladder, it can be injurious to you health!

In message , Mark Carver
writes
raden wrote:
In message , Michael Chare
writes

Remember that the STB stuffs about 20v down the Coax to drive the
LNB. This is
enough to give you an electric shock.
Is this from direct experience or are you perpetuating an urban
myth here?

In this case the LNB control voltage (13-18v) is unlikely to provide a
shock, but you might well find around 100 volts w.r.t.earth on the
screen of the co-ax as the digibox's chassis floats (as do many similar
un-earthed devices) at this potential. You can't draw any significant
current, so it's not harmful, but it does make you jump !

Pah - I spit on such paltry things - as I said a couple of thou, now
that makes you jump

Actually 1uF caps charged up to mains work too ...

--
geoff

Andrew Chesters wrote:
Mark Carver wrote:

In this case the LNB control voltage (13-18v) is unlikely to provide a
shock, but you might well find around 100 volts w.r.t.earth on the
screen of the co-ax as the digibox's chassis floats (as do many
similar un-earthed devices) at this potential. You can't draw any
significant current, so it's not harmful, but it does make you jump !

And should you be at the top of a ladder, it can be injurious to you
health!

Bond the co-ax screen to your ladder then :-)


--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply