FREESAT Dish set-up

[yottie]

Have been using Freesat for some time now.
Owing to living on the edge of woodlands my signal is now erratic, especially in high winds!
Am preparing to move the dish to , what I hope will be, a better spot.
I am ashamed to admit that I've forgotten how to use a compass to do this job.
I understand that I need to point the dish at Astra 2 @ 28.2E. (I live in NE England)
Could some-one explain this please, or point me towards a web-site for instructions.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It is fairly easy, but make sure your new mounting position really does have a better view of the essential bit of the sky. This will helps - https://www.smartaerials.co.uk/blog/how-to-align-a-satellite-dish

To that I would add that you will find it easier if you are able to actually see the TV, from the dish position, so you can watch the signal level as you adjust. I use satellite exclusively for my tourer caravan, every time I arrive on a site, I have to set up the dish. A rough compass, a rough inclinometer and sight of the TV, means I have it set in a couple of minutes.

 

[Mottie]

When we moved house in 1990 I brought my satellite set up with me. I shinned up a ladder, scrambled up to the top of the roof and bolted the dish to my chimney breast. I then dragged up an extension lead, the satellite wiring, the receiver and a portable TV. Connected it all up, tuned the satellite to the TV and just twiddled with the dish until I got the best picture. Of course, I was a lot younger, fitter and lighter in 1990. Nowdays, I doubt if I’d have the balls to get off the ladder and onto the roof!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I shinned up a ladder, scrambled up to the top of the roof and bolted the dish to my chimney breast.

Unlike terrestrial TV antennas, satellite dishes do not have to be installed at a height - they just need to be able to 'see' the relevant bit of sky. My own home dish is at 8 feet above the ground, the one I use when away in the caravan sits on the ground.

 

[foxhole]

You can use phone app to located direction .

 

[lostinthelight]

Ive found a satfinder does the job, one can set the bearing with a compass but not the elevation

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SSL-high-quality-positioning-sensitivity-instructions/dp/B075GT5PC8/ref=asc_df_B075GT5PC8/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=394304861401&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10641853925183212574&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007420&hvtargid=pla-838702440949&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=80811963966&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=394304861401&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10641853925183212574&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007420&hvtargid=pla-838702440949

 

[foxhole]

Ive found a satfinder does the job, one can set the bearing with a compass but not the elevation

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SSL-high-quality-positioning-sensitivity-instructions/dp/B075GT5PC8/ref=asc_df_B075GT5PC8/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=394304861401&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10641853925183212574&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007420&hvtargid=pla-838702440949&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=80811963966&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=394304861401&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10641853925183212574&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007420&hvtargid=pla-838702440949

If the Sat is refitted level it should not disturb the original angle provided the bracket has not been loosened during removal .

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Ive found a satfinder does the job, one can set the bearing with a compass but not the elevation

Mine does - The satfinder for the dish I use when away with the caravan, has a combined compass and elevation indicator. The unit sort of plugs mechancically into the back of the dish, a rotating ball compass then indicates both elevation and direction. You just dial in your location and the sat you want to receive, then just move the dish to get it on the marks.

There is an Iphone app, which uses the camera to show you where in the sky the various satellites are located on the view of the sky.

 

[lostinthelight]

If the Sat is refitted level it should not disturb the original angle provided the bracket has not been loosened during removal .

The elevation can be out a little if the surface under the bracket is not exactly the same or wall out of plumb, some dish arms have a built in spirit level.

 

[lostinthelight]

Mine does - The satfinder for the dish I use when away with the caravan, has a combined compass and elevation indicator. The unit sort of plugs mechancically into the back of the dish, a rotating ball compass then indicates both elevation and direction. You just dial in your location and the sat you want to receive, then just move the dish to get it on the marks.

There is an Iphone app, which uses the camera to show you where in the sky the various satellites are located on the view of the sky.

Essential for the travelling man who cant do without their telly but not the sort of equipment readily available to someone wanting to move their bog standard sky dish I would have thought

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Essential for the travelling man who cant do without their telly but not the sort of equipment readily available to someone wanting to move their bog standard sky dish I would have thought

Probably not, but it is a very simple idea and makes to it so quick and easy to get a dish in the right ballpark - I am surprised the idea has not seen more commercial use.

 

[foxhole]

The elevation can be out a little if the surface under the bracket is not exactly the same or wall out of plumb, some dish arms have a built in spirit level.

Yes , you just ensure bracket is level before removal and after refit .

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Even if you get a signal after the move, it will definitely need some fine tuning, using either a cheap signal meter, or sight of a TV. I find it is always easier to fine adjust on a cloud free day, because the clouds can cause the signal strength to wonder around quite a bit.

 

[yottie]

Great advices to my question.
Many thanks to all.
I have a "signal finder" gadget on it's way at the moment. (£9 ota)
The temporary TV along-side the dish sounds nice and simple though?

 

[Nozzle]

Your sat finder will find any sat up there, not just the one you want! Still useful though, but you need to point it in approx the right direction to start with. There's a website where you can put your location on google map and tell it what sat you're interested in and it draws the line of sight - which you can then use (with particular land marks in mind) to get it point right. Not much help with elevation - but set that roughly with the gauge on the arm, then use the meter you've bought for fine adjustment; keep slackening one dimension at a time so you cen see where the strongest signal is.

Problem with your compass can be if your sat arms dish etc are made from steel (which is magnetic..) You have the added bonus that magnetic north and geographical north aren't the same thing.

Nozzle

Update

Satellite dish pointing calculator for UK, Ireland, Scotland, Wales