Aligning dish using signal finder

[cajocars]

Hi all, I have a dish pointed at Astra 28.2E and I wanted to move it to Astra 19.2E; I have done this in the past with a ZGemma H2 (same town and a sky dish) and it took less than 5 minutes.

Yesterday I tried with a ZGemma H5, I went to the "signal finder" page to check that is was showing the 3 top bars for 28.2E; then I went to "tuner configuration" and I selected "Astra 19.2E Ku Band" (there was also the option Ka band, does this matter?)

I went back to "signal finder"; I didn't change anything in frequency, inversion, symbol rate, polarization or FEC

I started moving the dish towards west (right if looking from behind it) with very small movements keeping an eye at OpenWebif (refreshing every 1 second), then I moved the dish up a bit and started another slow movement in the other direction; I did this for at least 30 minutes without ever seeing a signal bar apperaring.

Am I doing something wrong? I just ordered a cheap satellite finder from Amazon (~10£, the type you place in line between dish and receiver), the question is, how does it know what satellite I'm looking for, would selecting it on the Zgemma suffice?

 

[biff2005]

ive used this in the past
DishPointer - Align your satellite dish

hope it helps

 

[cajocars]

ive used this in the past
DishPointer - Align your satellite dish

hope it helps

Yes, I've used something similar to check where I have to point the dish, which is 10 degrees more to the west and 3 degrees higher. But that's all it tells you if you don't have sophisticated tools to measure those angles

 

[linesman66]

You have answered your question in your post
That type of signal finder could be on any transponder as it can't name any transponder
For 19.2ku-bandAstra1KR/1L/1M/1N
This is what your signal finder app should show
When your satellite dish is aligned on 28east
2E2F2G Your dish elevation is about 20°
With 19.2 east 1KR/1L/1M/1N your dish
Elevation will move up 6 or 7°
Check in dish pointer.com as mentioned above

 

[linesman66]

This is my readings in signal finder app

 

[cajocars]

This is my readings in signal finder app

So I just need to setup the tuner and the analog tool I've ordered will know what satellite to look for and when to beep?
Why have you selected Ku band and not Ka, what's the difference? I'm trying to pick up Movistar España

 

[linesman66]

It's a universal ku band l.n.b you are using
Your best to get a signal on the sat finder app
First then you will be on the correct transponder Then use your sat meter to
Peak the signal increase your s.n.r

 

[cajocars]

It's very difficult to read what you've written

I understand you're telling me to:
1) select Ku Band Astra 19.2E
2) Then trying to find a signal using only the signal finder on the decoder (this is what I've done yesterday with no success)
3) Then use the sat meter to fine tune

Have I got this right?

 

[linesman66]

That's correct 19.2 is easy enough to recieve
a signal Remember you will.have to adjust the
Skew angle of Your l.n.b.as well Looking at your satellite dish face on. Sits at 12oclock

 

[linesman66]

Would there be any trees blocking your line
of sight

 

[cajocars]

why can't I use the sat meter during the entire alignment process? it sounds like it would make things much easier as I can adjust sensitivity and gives me a constant sound feeback

 

[cajocars]

Would there be any trees blocking your line
of sight

no, I'll be actually moving into a clearer line of sight

 

[linesman66]

As your sat meter will not name the Transponder how do you know your on 19.2
East you could be picking up 23.5 east 13 east
This is my multisat system look at the difference between 28 east and 19 east
Looking face on at the satellite dish 19 east
Is in the middle 28 east to the left

 

[cajocars]

As your sat meter will not name the Transponder how do you know your on 19.2
East you could be picking up 23.5 east 13 east
This is my multisat system look at the difference between 28 east and 19 east
Looking face on at the satellite dish 19 east
Is in the middle 28 east to the left

I thought the sat meter would only pick up the satellite selected on the receiver, otherwise why bother with it at all?
I've seen videos where it's used to find the signal starting with the dish in the completely wrong position

 

[linesman66]

The sat finder pro app can be heipiful
From Google play store
You could set your tunner configuration to
Simple single satellite 19.2east
Then do automatic scan of your channels
When you have picked up.a signal With your
Meter This wil confirm your on the correct transponder

 

[linesman66]

With automatic scan of 19.2east
You should scan 1400 channels

 

[pieeater2015]

On your box in plugins menu install a channel list for 19 east then find a free to view channel on the list then start turning the dish till the channel comes on,ideally you want someone watching the tv while you turn the dish slowly,I have done this in the past with a old sky dish before i fitted a motorised,once the free channel on 19.2 east shows thats were a sat meter comes in handy to peak the signals.I know its not the pro way to do it but it works.

 

[cajocars]

when I'm on the "signal finder" page, do I also have to switch it to a specific (free to view) channel?

 

[linesman66]

This is the Transponder frequency for
BBC world 11229v22000 2/3

 

[pieeater2015]

when I'm on the "signal finder" page, do I also have to switch it to a specific (free to view) channel?

Use BBC world like linesman says or look here Astra 1KR / Astra 1L / Astra 1M / Astra 1N (19.2°E) - All transmissions - frequencies - KingOfSat and look in the 5th box along to a channel what says clear(FTA).








once you have the dish setup you can go back to plugins and delete the settings if you want,Then setup ABM or just Manual scan