A satellite dish at home or in the country has already become commonplace, like an iron or an electric kettle. People are installing their own antenna for a good picture on their TV. The article and video will give you instructions for installation yourself.

Assembling the kit

When choosing a plate, the key is its diameter. For home reception in the southern regions, an antenna mirror with a diameter of 0.6 m is sufficient. In the northern regions, for a stable signal, the diameter of the device increases to 1.2 m. A large mirror provides a signal of better quality, but it is more difficult for them to “catch” a satellite than for small ones. A satellite dish only at first glance looks like a complex structure. You can assemble and install it yourself. Your plate kit should consist of the following parts:

Attention! Rely on a consultant or seller when choosing a receiver, converter, etc. He will suggest a model based on your needs and price. The entire set can also be purchased as a set.

Antenna installation

First of all, decide on the future location of the antenna. When planning, it is important to leave open space in the desired directions where the antenna will be turned, so that the signal path is not blocked by trees or buildings. There is no need to coordinate the installation of satellite equipment with any authorities. If we are talking about the roof or load-bearing wall of a multi-story building, inform the balance holder of the house about your intentions. Otherwise, conflicts may arise in the future.

During the assembly process you may need the following tool:

• impact drill or hammer drill with a set of drills;
• keys for 10 and 13;
• "nippers";
• screwdriver;

It is better to assemble the plate with all the “stuffing” at home and only then attach it to the wall. The instructions will most often clearly explain what is connected to what, and the tools will help you. After this, you can begin installation.

Antenna installation

The metal bracket on the wall must be fixed strictly vertically and held tightly. An anchor or a bolt - it doesn’t matter, the main thing is the safety and durability of the antenna. Otherwise, in windy weather the signal quality will decrease. After installation, you need to fine-tune the heads and connect them correctly to the DiseqC switch so that the settings in the tuner match the connection in the antenna. The disek will last longer if you cover it with a cut-off plastic bottle.

Antenna setup

To set up the antenna, you need to calculate the satellite azimuth and elevation angle. An ordinary compass and formula will help you calculate them. In order not to fool their heads, developers came up with smartphone applications, for example, Satfinder. An azimuth calculator can be easily found on the Internet along with a map of approximate satellite coordinates relative to your area. The search engine will also help you with the exact coordinates of your locality. All received water data must be entered into the formula, and the program will tell you about the azimuth and tilt angle of your antenna.

Vertical offset plates already have a curvature angle; its value can be found in the instructions. Fix the antenna firmly, but so that it can move with light force, and point it towards the satellite, taking into account the calculated data. A TV is required to tune the antenna. DiseqC is connected to the tuner (LNB IN input) by cable. Most often, this can be done using either a SCART connector or an RCA output (“tulip”). Communication with DiseqC must only be carried out with the power switched off.

Advice. Manually adjusting the antenna in relation to satellites is a delicate matter. It is inconvenient to raise the TV to a height, so adapt gadgets: a phone, car radio or tablet, which together with the tuner will provide a picture already on the roof.

After connecting to the network, the receiver should show no signal on the screen. To configure, you need to enter the receiver menu (usually the code is 0000) and find the satellite you need. You need to tune in to a strong satellite transponder: indicate the frequency, polarization, indicate the symbol rate, fec. A strong one is often the one from which several channels are broadcast. If after these manipulations the signal scales twitch to high levels, you have calculated correctly. Now you just need to slightly adjust the signal by rotating the antenna, no more than 10 mm in azimuth and angle.

Special programs will help you tune the antenna

If the quality leaves much to be desired, start searching manually. The sector for this is usually selected in this way: by elevation +/-10°, by azimuth +/-15°. It is necessary to rotate from the extreme corner, pausing for 2-3 seconds. after 4-5 mm. After successfully “catching” all the satellites, do not forget to isolate the connectors from external factors (for example, rubber) and carefully secure the cable along the way to the tuner.

How to install and configure a satellite dish: video

Satellite dish: photo

Installing a satellite dish is possible without the use of additional equipment, and anyone can connect and configure the receiver. The publication's experts suggest handling the satellite dish yourself in a few simple steps.

Installation of a satellite dish

Standard satellites - Sirius, Amos and Hotbird - currently broadcast 72 channels. Advantages of satellite television:

1. price: the subscription fee inherent in all cable TV channels has not been introduced for satellite television. The only cost that pays off over time is the installation of a satellite dish;
2. high image quality;
3. large selection of TV channels.

A standard bundle for three satellites - Amos 4.0W, Sirius 5.0E, Hotbird 13.0E - provides a choice of channels for every taste. Satellite television technologies are constantly developing, therefore every year there are more and more satellites and TV channels for users.

Antenna operating principle

1. the satellite signal hits the surface of the dish;
2. being reflected, it enters the converter;
3. the converter sends the satellite signal to the receiver;
4. The signal reaches the TV through the receiver.

Types of satellite dishes

• offset: the dish is installed in the direction not strictly towards the satellite, but below it, since the signal reflected from the surface of the satellite dish enters the converter at an angle. Such plates are mounted vertically so that less precipitation collects on them;
• direct focus: in them the converter partially covers the surface of the mirror.

IMPORTANT! The Svec dish and receiver are most often used - the reliability and practicality of this manufacturer’s product has been confirmed by ten years on the market.

Installation options for satellite antennas

To install a satellite dish, you must select its location correctly. If there is a tree in the signal path, it may degrade the reception quality. The antenna for three satellites must be tuned to the southwest.

Step 1 - Satellite Dish Location: Top View

Satellite TV set

The kit includes:

1. mirror (dish) for receiving the signal. The diagonal of the plate must be at least 60 cm (in some models the diagonal of the mirror is 1.2 m). The choice of diagonal depends on the terrain, as well as obstacles in the way of receiving the satellite signal.
2. the head (converter) converts the signal reflected from the plate and sends it to the receiver. There are converters with different numbers of outputs, allowing you to connect one, two or more receivers at the same time;
3. DiSEq connects several converters;
4. cable;
5. bracket;
6. The DVB receiver is the most expensive part of the kit. To receive a signal from free channels, a Globo-type receiver will be sufficient, however, to receive paid channels, models with card readers must be used;
7. F-connectors connect the cable to converters, receiver, DiSEq and other components of the system. The standard installation scheme involves the use of 8 pieces.

IMPORTANT! To insulate the connections of the F-connectors and cables, you will additionally need heat shrink, as well as anchors for attaching the bracket to the wall.

Equipment preparation

We determine the location of the cardinal directions on the ground. The figure below shows the approximate location of south at different times of the day. Of course, you can navigate by the Sun only in clear weather. More accurate readings can be obtained using a compass.

IMPORTANT! Near a reinforced concrete wall, the compass can become very unstable. Please note that the NTV+ satellite is always in the south, and the Sirius, HotBird and Amos satellites are approximately in the southwest.

Installing a satellite dish with your own hands: choosing an installation location

We determine the visibility of the satellite at the installation site.

The ideal option to eliminate the possibility of interference is to install a satellite dish on the roof. It is not advisable to attach the dish to the collective antenna rod or gas chimney pipes. Mounting on the wall of an elevator shaft is allowed.

A satellite dish cannot be installed under a roof canopy if the apartment windows face southwest or south: the canopy will simply block the signal. In addition, precipitation can change its position. It is optimal to mount the plate on the south or southwest side, on the outside of the balcony.

In the case of installing a satellite dish on the facade of a building, permission from the architectural control and a standard installation design are required.

IMPORTANT! Quite often, satellite dishes are stolen from roofs. If there is an option to install the plate on the wall of a building, it is better to choose it.

Step 3 - Selecting the antenna angle to receive the satellite signal

The procedure for installing a satellite dish relative to the elevation angle

Installing a satellite dish yourself: materials for installation

1. 10 mm spanners (used when assembling the antenna, as well as for fixing the dish at an elevation);
2. open-end wrench 10 (used during assembly);
3. wrench 13, L-shaped socket (used when installing the antenna in azimuth);
4. adjustable wrench (used if the plate is attached to anchors);
5. crosshead screwdriver;
6. pliers (used when cutting coaxial cables, as well as plastic clamps);
7. hammer drill SDS-plus (used when drilling mounting holes in the wall);
8. drills for hammer drills d=12 mm, length - from 120 to 180 mm;
9. extension;
10. building magnetic level;
11. a small TV with a low-frequency input (used when Openbox SF-10, SF-20 or SF-30 satellite finders are not at hand);
12. satellite receiver;
13. insulating tape;
14. plastic clamps (used when fastening the cable);
15. 40 cm of plastic corrugated pipe d=10 mm (used to protect the cable from chafing when descending from the roof);
16. cap screws (6 pcs.) x 13 with plastic dowels, length - 60-80 mm;
17. thick and wide metal washers d=30/50 mm - about 4-8 pcs. (used for leveling).

You can assemble the satellite dish according to the instructions - assembly rules are included with each product.

Secure the bracket. The choice of fastening elements (anchor bolts, nuts, screws) should be based on the expected wind load and the material of the walls on which the installation is being made.

Step 5 - Fix the mount to the body of the bracket

Install the converters in the holder with the connector facing down: after installation, atmospheric moisture should not get inside the converters.

Step 6 - Attach the bracket to the plate

Connect the cable to the converters using F-connectors.

Installation of F-connectors

Remove the top insulation of the cable by approximately 15 mm. It is important not to damage the shielding braid.

Step 7 - Remove the top insulation of the cable

The shielding braid is placed along the cable.

The foil is placed along the shielding braid. Remove the layer of internal insulation by approximately 10 mm.

The connector is screwed in until it stops. The center conductor should not protrude beyond the connector by more than 2 mm. If its length exceeds 2 mm, the excess is bitten off. Seal the F-connector. Be sure to seal with insulating tape in two layers along the entire length. A layer of sealant is applied over the tape (it is better to use silicone).

Step 10 - Screw the connector onto the cable (all the way)

Attach the cable to the arc of the cymbal converter holder using plastic clamps or insulating tape.

Step 11 - Install the converters in the holder with the connector down: after installation, atmospheric moisture should not get inside the converters Step 13 - View of the mounted antenna without wire and converter

Install the antenna on the bracket. Tighten the adjusting nuts so that after installation it can be moved vertically and horizontally with little effort.

Step 14 - Install the bracket to the wall

If calibrating the dish relative to the satellite’s position was not part of your plans, you can install an antenna with a motorized suspension that automatically adjusts to the satellite’s location.

Step 15 - Connect the cable to the converters using F-connectors Step 16 - Install the antenna on the bracket. Tighten the adjusting nuts so that after installation it is possible to move the antenna vertically and horizontally with little effort. We check the fixation of the bracket to the plate. Near the antenna, you must leave a supply of cable 1 m long, securing it to the bracket. The cable is secured to the bracket using plastic clamps or insulating tape. Step 17 - Installing the Cable to the Antenna

Correctly setting up a plate with your own hands

Approximately set the azimuth angle and the antenna elevation angle (the azimuth is set with a compass).

Connect the cable to the satellite receiver (the operating instructions should clearly explain this step) - the cable must come from the converter or DiseC. The F-connector is processed according to the method discussed above.

The digital receiver is connected to the TV. Turn on the receiver.

IMPORTANT! Upon purchase, a digital satellite receiver must already be programmed for satellite channels (Sirius, Amos, Hotbird - for conventional dishes, on Yamal 201 - for dishes with a motorized suspension). From the list of receiver channels, select any “open” channel with a signal from the satellite.

Using progressive, not very strong pushes, move the dish mirror vertically/horizontally around the approximate location point chosen for using the satellite. As a result, a column (quality indicator) and a television picture should appear on the screen.

IMPORTANT! When turning by a degree, wait up to 5 seconds - during this time the signal from the satellite should reach the antenna.

In the satellite receiver menu, find the “Received signal level” item and activate it. The maximum signal level can be achieved by smoothly moving the plate vertically/horizontally.

IMPORTANT! The signal level will directly depend on weather conditions.

The adjusting nuts must be tightened while monitoring the signal level received by the system.

When setting up to receive signals from Sirius, HotBird and Amos satellites, configure the converter by switching the received channel on the receiver to the one corresponding to the satellite currently being tuned.

Installation of Tricolor TV satellite dish

Among satellite systems that provide consumers from all over the country and far beyond its borders with a high-quality signal, the most popular is the Tricolor TV system.

The advantage of the system, in addition to an excellent signal and an audience of thousands of users, is that a wizard is not required for installation: independent installation and configuration will take no more than 2 hours, everything you need is included in the kit.

Installation of Tricolor TV satellite dish: average price

The cost of installing a Tricolor TV FULL HD antenna is approximately $300. This price includes payment for a full set of equipment, the Maximum HD package (170 channels, 24 of which are shown in FULL HD format), installation of an antenna, registration of a decoder, as well as activation of an access card to the Tricolor subscriber system.

Rainbow TV and Telekarta TV are also considered popular satellite television networks.

On the official website of the Rainbow TV network you can find a special program “Installer Assistant”, which describes in detail all the main points of installing a satellite television antenna, as well as a basis for setting up signal reception.

Installation of satellite dishes: price issue

How much does it cost to connect to satellite TV? Everything will depend on several factors:

1. on the number of TVs connected to the antenna: Kyiv - 950 UAH, 1,550 UAH, 2,100 UAH and 2,400 UAH for 1, 2, 3 and 4 TVs, respectively;
2. or on the diameter of the antenna itself: Moscow - 2,500 rubles, 4,000 rubles and 6,000 rubles for antennas of 0.6/0.9/1.2 m, respectively.

The cost calculation may also take into account an additional payment for installation in a hard-to-reach place, installation of a motor suspension, dismantling of plates, and customization of the installation system.

Video tutorial: installing a satellite dish

A convenient tablet for beginners, which provides annotations on the satellites visible in Moscow, as well as the criteria for their reception.

Attention! Dear readers. This article was written back in 2003 and has since been only slightly edited several times. Since then, a lot has changed: new satellites were launched, old ones were decommissioned, some were renamed, some even fell! In the near future, it is planned to write a new edition of this article, which would reflect modern realities.

Let's quickly take a look at the geostationary orbit, which is visible in Moscow, and see what is on which satellites and which of them are of the greatest interest. Satellites from 105.5E to 31.5W are shown; positions with an elevation below 3 degrees were not taken into account, since their reception is very doubtful.

Attention! A visible orbit does not mean at all that the satellite can be received. If the transponder beam is directed in the other direction, then reception is impossible.

I would also like to add that the data presented is quite subjective and condensed. The purpose of the article is to give just an overview of what you might want from satellite TV. Perhaps this will help beginners choose a more optimal system (not rush to see everything), someone will refuse a rotating antenna, someone will understand that he will not find a better one than what he has now, and someone will decide to deliver another LNB on a multifeed .

The article is addressed primarily to the average Russian-speaking Moscow viewer who prefers to watch English, German, Italian channels and more often ignores Asian channels.

Red- satellites that cannot be received are marked, yellow- which, if possible, then on a very large plate or it is not known whether it is possible, green- received satellites. Bold useful satellites that make sense to accept are highlighted.

So, let's run...

Position	Satellite		Summary
105.5E	AsiaSat 3S	C/Ku	Chinese, Pakistani, Indian channels. Some English. Theoretically, it is possible to receive only C-Band, which contains Zee Network, CCTV, TVB, Sahara Samay, STAR TV packages. In total, you can receive 20-25 channels.
105.0E	AsiaStar	C	The satellite has ONLY radio channels. Many English-language rebroadcasts for the Asian and African region. All of them are also on European satellites. As well as local Japanese, Korean and Thai channels.
103.0E	Express A" KazSat 1	C	Russian-language channels ORT, RTR, etc. with time offset +6, +7, +8 and Kazakh channels.
100.5E	AsiaSat 2	C/Ku	Mainly Chinese and Mongolian channels. There are several English, French and German ones, but they are all on European satellites. Theoretically, it is only possible to receive C-Band, which contains the packages Henan TV, Jiangxi TV, Liaoning TV, Guangxi TV, Jiangsu TV, Hubei TV, WorldNet, DW TV, Dubai mux, MSTV. In total there are about 100 channels, all with radio.
95.0E	NSS 6	Ku	Telecommunications satellite providing Internet (SatLink). And only 3 TV channels. Theoretically, it is possible to receive only the MiddleEast beam, which contains only an Internet stream.
93.5E	Insat 3A	C	Indian and Arabic channels, several English (CNN, BBC...). There is a Zee Network package. In total there are about 40 channels.
91.5E	Measat 1	C/Ku	Malaysian channels (TV3, VTV) and their large Astro package (about 40 TV channels and 15 radio). The package includes Malaysian versions of the popular ones: Discovery, Nickelodeon, Hallmark, Bloomberg, Disney, MTV, CNN, BBC.
90.0E	Yamal 102	C	Huge selection of Russian-language TV and radio channels. Plus the Turkmen TMT package. From Russian-language: Russian basic (ORT, RTR, NTV, TVC, MTV, etc., of course, with a time shift) and regional broadcast channels (Tyumen TV, Komi RTK, Dalnevostochnaja...). Some channels are in the C band, others in the Ku band. In total there are about 25 channels.
88.0E	ST 1	C/Ku	About 20 channels in Chinese + BBC in English.
87.5E	Chinastar 1	C	Empty Chinese satellite :)
83.0E	Insat 2E Insat 3B	C/Ku	About 30 Indian, Malaysian, Thai channels. Theoretically, it is possible to receive only Global and Wide beams that include Kairali Channel, Asianet, Jeevan TV, DD Bangla, DD Saptagiri, ETV package.
80.0E	Express 6A	C/Ku	Many Russian broadcast (with time shift) and regional channels, + encoded channels in Russian from the Gazcom package.
78.5E	Thaicom 2 Thaicom 3	C/Ku	Thai, Cambodian, Pakistani channels + several English ones, which, however, are also available on European satellites. UBC DStv Thailand package (not accepted!) with the usual Discovery, Disney, Cartoon Network, MTV, CNN and BBC for Thailand. And the TARBS package includes NTV and ORT. Theoretically, it is possible to receive only the C-Band global beam, which includes Korean Central TV, the TARBS package, the RR Satellite package, and MRTV. In total there are about 50-60 channels.
76.5E	Apstar 2R	C/Ku	Theoretically, it is possible to receive only the Asian beam, which contains at most 5 channels: TV Lanka, Channel NewAsia, I-Cable, NTV Bangladesh.
75.0E	LMI 1	C/Ku	A bunch of channels in Russian. A dozen Arabic channels, half of which are in analogue broadcasting.
74.0E	Insat 3C	C	A dozen Indian channels.
72.0E	PAS 4	C/Ku	Theoretically, it is only possible to receive the European beam, which includes the Puglia Channel and RTB International.
70.5E	Eutelsat W5	Ku	About 10 uninteresting channels in a language other than Russian.
68.5E	PAS 7 PAS 10	C/Ku	For Moscow, European beams PAS7/PAS10 and circular from PAS7 are available, which contain the Arabic channels Jain TV, Channel Swazi and the Vivid package mainly consisting of radio channels, which can also be found on HotBird.
66.0E	Intelsat 704	C	On the satellite there is the Nepali channel Nepal TV and the Asian version of CFi (3 TV channels 4 radio).
64.0E	Intelsat 601 Intelsat 906	C/Ku	African and Arabic channels. We have access to the European beam, which only carries the Greek Alpha TV.
62.0E	Intelsat 902	C/Ku	African, Azeri and Arabic channels. It is possible to receive only the European beam in which nothing goes.
60.0E	Intelsat 904	C/Ku	Moscow beam with regional channels. Asian beam with the Kazakh package Katelco (about 25 channels including CNN, BBC, Discovery, MTV, Fox Kids, NTV, TV XXI, MCM, Eurosport, Euronews. All in Dechipher2 technology encoding).
57.0E	NSS 703	C/Ku	It is possible to receive only the European beam, which includes Star TV, Star News UK, Star Plus UK, Fox Sports MidEast, and the global beam, which includes the WorldNet radio package.
56.0E	Most 1	Ku	NTV Plus broadcasts from this satellite to the eastern part of Russia.
55.1E	Insat 2DT	C	5 Indian channels in analogue format.
53.0E	Express AM22	C	There are not many channels in Russian and a couple in Ukrainian.
48.0E	Eutelsat 2F2	Ku	4 Italian TV and 7 radio channels. Internet from SMS Internet.
45.0E	EuropeStar 1	Ku	Indian Maharishi package. It is possible to receive only the European beam, which includes the English-language Telly Track channel and the Polish Hipika TV.
42.5E	NewSat 1	C	Internet only. Theoretically, reception is possible, but on a plate 5m.
42.0E	Turksat 1C Eurasiasat 1	Ku	The overwhelming majority are Turkish channels (about 80 channels together on the radio). There are English ones, but they are also on HotBird. Particularly popular are 3 channels in Georgian and 3 channels in Azerbaijani.
40.0E	Express A1R	C/Ku	ORT, RTR, Culture, radio Mayak and Yunost, as well as Ukrainian Svit and Azerbaijani Space TV.
39.0E	Hellas Sat 2	Ku	Empty satellite :) Only the European beam can be received.
36.0E	Eutelsat W4 Sesat 1	C/Ku	Popular NTV Plus packages with channels in Russian. Tricolor TV: all Moscow broadcast channels and Moscow radio stations in circular polarization. And a herd of different channels for Africa, Turkey, the Caucasus, etc. in linear polarization (they require a dish of at least 120 cm and a linear converter, respectively). And also several Internet providers.
31.3E	Turksat 1B	Ku	Internet for Turkey.
30.5E	Arabsat 2B	C/Ku	Theoretically, it is only possible to receive C-Band, which includes Arabic RTM1, TV de Mauritane, Zen TV, Somalia TV, RTD.
28.2E	Astra 2A Astra 2B Astra 2D Eurobird 1	Ku	The vast majority are English-language channels. Super-package SkyDigital (more than 500 channels) and packages BBC, Globecast, Slovak Link, Czech Link. The downside is that it is impossible to receive channels from the Astra 2D satellite, since they are in a super-beam aimed only at England, and these are all BBC channels and part of the channels of the SkyDigital package (about 50 channels).
26.0E	Arabsat 2C Arabsat 3A Arabsat 2D	C/Ku	Kuwaiti, Syrian, Jordanian and other channels (there are no European ones at all). A total of more than 100 channels.
23.5E	Astra 3A	Ku	German package Kabel Deutschland (MTV, BBC, CNN, RAI, ATV, RTV, Detskiy Mir, Nashe Kino, TV Polonia, Canal 24, Show TV... About 35 channels in total), but in different languages, even in Russian.
21.5E	Eutelsat 2F3	Ku	Internet from SkyVision and 4 Italian channels.
19.2E	Astra 1B Astra 1C Astra 1E Astra 1F Astra 1G Astra 1H Astra 2C	Ku	Most of the channels are in German. Satellites Astra 1B, Astra 1C and Astra 2C broadcast in analogue form, so we do not take them into account. The rest include packages RTL, ZDF Vision, Premiere World, MTV Networks, Canal Satelite France, ARD Digital, UPC Direct, ProSieben, Canal Digitaal Satelliet, DPC, Deutsche Telekom, ORF Digital, Canal Satelite Digital. All popular European channels in German, Spanish and French. In total, including the radio, there are about 1000 channels. There are also Internet providers.
16.0E	Eutelsat W2	Ku	Dutch channel TMF, large French packages CanalSatellite Reunion (40 channels) Parabole Reunion (35 channels), Italian packages Elpitel and SNAI Sat, Romanian package Romanian mux, Kurdistan TV, Armenia TV, Ajara TV. Paid packages of Balkan countries. In total, the satellite has more than 100 channels.
13.0E	Hot Bird 1 Hot Bird 2 Hot Bird 3 Hot Bird 4 Hot Bird 6	Ku	The most popular satellite (or rather a group of satellites). There are a lot of open channels (both European and Arabic). Packages Cyfra+, British Telecom, TPS, RTL, Arte, BBC, DW TV, Telespazio, NTI, Viacom, TVN, Deutsche Telekom, Globecast, Bloomberg TV, AB Sat, RAI, Nova, RTVi, RTV Slovenija, RR Satellite, SBC, WorldNet, HRT, Eurosport, Pink, Arabsat and others... In total, together with the radio there will be at least 1500 channels. In Moscow, only the Italian Stream TV and Tele+ Digitale packages are not accepted, since they are in a super-beam: (Although the packages are good.
10.0E	Eutelsat W1	Ku	Internet from Intelcom, Divona, StarDuo and several Turkish channels.
7.0E	Eutelsat W3	Ku	Internet from OpenSky, Evolve, SkyLogic, Web-Sat. Dense Turkish DigiTurk package (about 60 channels, including popular European ones in English, German, French), English BFBS (7TV / 15radio), Polish TVP package.
5.0E	Sirius 2 Sirius 2	Ku	Another one of the most popular satellites. Super-package Viasat (more than 50 channels mainly in English, music MTV, VH-1, cinema Ticket, TV1000, CINEMA, news CNN, BBC, FoxNews...), Swedish SVT and NSAB (which carries NTV Mir, RTR-Planeta, ORT, Moscow open world...), Ukrainian Ukrainian mux (TET, New Channel, Inter, Enter film...), Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and several Romanian channels. In total, the satellite has more than 100 channels.
3.0E	Telecom 2A	Ku	Empty satellite :)
1.0W	Thor 2 Thor 3 Intelsat 707	C/Ku	Radio package DW TV, Arabic ERTU, Danish Danish mux, Telenor Slovakia, Finnish Finish mux, Bulgarian Bulgarian mux and one of the best Canal Digital packages (with Discovery, CNN, MTV, BBC, Fox Kids and other popular channels in English !besides them there are many Danish and Norwegian channels (more than 100 channels in total in the package).
4.0W	Amos 1	Ku	It is possible to receive only the European beam, which contains the Yes package (with a huge number of English, Russian, French and Israeli channels) and many Eastern European channels (Poland, Hungary, Serbia, Croatia...). More than 100 channels.
5.0W	Telecom 2C Atlantic Bird 3	C/Ku	French Globecast package, French MTA International radio package, Reuters service, African package in French, just a scattering of French channels and Internet providers. You can find a lot on HotBird.
7.0W	Nilesat 101 Nilesat 102	Ku	Egyptian satellite with coverage area only in North Africa. The satellite has about 100 channels in Arabic and two ADD packages (about 55 channels, including in English) and Showtime Network (about 50 channels, including in English).
8.0W	Telecom 2D Atlantic Bird 2	C/Ku	EuroNews in all languages, Globecast package in French, ViaAvision package with Turkish, Polish, Italian, Greek, Croatian and Serbian channels (19 channels in total and most of them are on HotBird).
11.0W	Express 3A	C/Ku	From this satellite you can only receive the Bulgarian package (about 10 channels), Russian channels “RTR-Planet” and “Russian World”. But the Italian and Georgian ones are no longer there.
12.5W	Atlantic Bird 1	Ku	It is theoretically possible to receive the European beam with the MBC USA and Al-Arybiyah channels. There is nothing else on the satellite.
14.0W	Horizon 37	C	There is only one channel on the satellite - “Channel One (ORT)” and that is in analog form :)
15.0W	Telstar 12	Ku	It is possible to receive the European beam, which includes several Bulgarian and Hungarian channels, the Arabic ADTH package, the multilingual BUY TV channel, the Eastern European UPC TV package and two Internet providers PlanetSky and SMS Internet.
18.0W	Intelsat 901	C/Ku	The satellite has a dozen channels in English and German and it is theoretically possible to receive them. All these channels are available on other satellites.
22.0W	NSS 7	C/Ku	From this satellite it is theoretically possible to receive eastern and global C/Ku-Band beams that include the English BFBS1 radio package, the Arabic version of the Globecast package, the CNN channel, the French CFi and LeSat package. In total there are about 45 TV and radio channels.
27.5W	Intelsat 907	C	It is theoretically possible to receive a European beam in which nothing goes :)
30.0W	Hispasat 1B Hispasat 1C Hispasat 1D	Ku	The vast majority are Spanish and Portuguese channels, but there are also English and French channels. It is possible to receive only the European beam, which includes the Spanish/Portuguese packages Multicanal, TSA and TV Cabo, as well as the Spanish Globecast Espana, Retevision and ViaDigital. A lot of "naked movies" :) The total number of received TV channels is about 150.
31.5W	Intelsat 801	C/Ku	CanalSatellite Caraibes package broadcasting to the Caribbean. The vast majority are French channels, but there are some English and Spanish ones. In total there are about 50 channels. In Moscow you can only receive the European satellite beam in which nothing is coming :)

I would be grateful if you send corrections and additions. The topic of “theoretically accepted satellites” is of particular interest. Does anyone accept them in Moscow and on what plate?

Now let’s consider the sizes of satellite antennas (dishes) necessary for receiving the “useful” satellites noted in the table (data are given for reliable reception):

90.0E	-	120cm	80.0E	-	180cm
36.0E	-	60cm	28.2E	-	120cm
19.2E	-	120-200m	16.0E	-	90cm
13.0E	-	90cm	5.0E	-	120cm
1.0W	-	120cm	30.0W	-	90cm

I hope I helped you create an idea of ​​​​the possibilities of receiving satellite TV in Moscow.

There is a reason to immediately abandon 28.2E, since a special receiver and registration in England are required (or $1500-2000 for a connection in Moscow).
From 30.0W because it may not be interesting due to the abundance of Spanish.
From 16.0E due to French channels, which are already on 13.0E.
From 90.0E and 80.0E because a fairly large dish is required, provided that most of our channels can be taken directly from Ostankino.

I can personally recommend choosing the following set: 36.0E, 19.2E, 13.0E, 5.0E

At this stage, we need to determine the approximate tilt of the mirror of our satellite dish in a vertical plane.

You can, of course, not calculate this parameter. But, knowing the correct tilt of the satellite dish will save a beginner, if the search for a signal is unsuccessful, from unnecessary assumptions." Is the antenna positioned correctly?? ". For example, if, when setting up, you deflect the antenna mirror quite strongly to the top (or to the bottom). After all, you will already have a visual idea of ​​how it should stand, and in any case, you will return satellite dish mirror to its original state, after which, continuing the search.

Although, of course, this will not eliminate manual configuration, it will still significantly facilitate the entire process. satellite dish settings(while also saving time).

Now let's calculate what slope the offset mirror will have satellite dish.

Satellite dish tilt - tilt angle calculation

Unfortunately, since satellite dish tilt, directly depends on its diameter and shape, in order to calculate this slope, alas... it is necessary to make calculations using special formulas.

I don't want to overload your head with already quite a lot of information. Therefore, here I will suggest three ways:

First way. Don't do any calculations now. When adjusting the vertical position of the antenna, first place it in a vertical position. Then, gradually lower the mirror down (or raise) until a signal from the satellite appears. In principle, this is what all experienced tuners do.

Second way. Emphasize on tilt angle of satellite dishes installed nearby, for example, on the same house, or on the balconies and roofs of neighboring buildings.

Third way. To do calculating the tilt angle of a satellite dish To do this, use any computer program.

To make it more clear, to determine the tilt of the antenna, I will use the same program “Satellite Antenna Alignment”.

To do this, launch this program and go to the “ Offset antenna».

Determining the tilt of a satellite dish.

In the satellite selection window, select the one for which the satellite dish will be configured. In this case, I chose the Express AM 22 satellite (Photo 2).

Photo 2. We select the satellite for which the satellite dish will be configured.

Let’s set the dimensions of your antenna mirror in the “Antenna width” and “Antenna height” cells.

We indicate the dimensions of the offset mirror of the satellite dish.

As soon as we enter the dimensions of the antenna, next to the image below, the numerical indicator “Antenna tilt required” will change its value. In my case it was 73.20°.

Satellite dish tilt.

Being at the antenna installation site, based on the fact that we will insert the initial position only visually, it is easier to measure the tilt of the satellite antenna mirror not from the horizontal, as is done in the program, but from the vertical. To put it in more correct words, this will be the Declination angle - that is, the declination angle of the satellite dish mirror.

Satellite dish tilt, or declination angle.

Therefore, to make it more convenient for us, we will do some simple calculations. Since a right angle is 90° degrees:

That is, if we place the satellite dish strictly vertically, then from this position the antenna mirror must be tilted by 16.80 degrees.

In principle, since we will be setting up the satellite dish manually (without any “special tools”), we don’t need such precision. Therefore, take a sheet of paper, draw this angle, and just visually remember its slope.

It turns out... to start setting up a satellite dish for the Express AM 22 satellite, you must initially place it at 16.80° from the vertical position. These meanings naturally apply specifically to my case. Do the calculations for your option, and just remember these two parameters.

No matter what accurate data the Satellite Antenna Alignmen program gives us, we will not be able to take full advantage of this accuracy, since we seem to have nothing to bind to for measurement. After all, we will only have to imagine all the planes needed for counting, and this means that we will measure degrees only in our thoughts, with our internal “degree meter”. But all this is quite enough for our purposes.

And so, we know the coverage area of ​​the chain of satellites visible from the installation site of the satellite dish, and the vertical tilt of the antenna mirror is also known to us. In principle, we can begin preparing satellite equipment. But before that, let's digress a little. I would like to explain some points regarding the vertical adjustment of a satellite dish, which you may also encounter.

Satellite dish tilt - setting

(description of some points related to the vertical alignment of the satellite dish)

In the design of a satellite antenna, the suspension is designed in such a way that the antenna mirror can be equally raised or lowered to the same maximum angle

Satellite dish suspension with equal vertical rotation angle.

But in my practice, I have come across satellite antenna hangers, in the design of which the vertical rotation of the antenna itself was carried out as if tilted to one side. Therefore, with such a design, it is important to assemble it correctly, in accordance with your geographical location, or more precisely, depending on your latitude and the distance of the satellite.

Since I am at a latitude of 63°, the tilt of the satellite dish will be 16.80° from the vertical, and if you mount an antenna with a suspension with a priority tilt in one direction, then you need to place a U-shaped element as in Photo 2 (it shown by red arrow).

At the same time, the angle of travel of the satellite dish mirror just fits into the tilt of “16.80°” (Fig. 1). In this case, it feels as if the antenna itself is looking slightly toward the ground.

If my location were closer to the equator, for example, at 40 degrees north latitude, then in this case, the satellite dish mirror will rise, and the angle of travel should be as in Fig. 2.

In this case, the U-shaped element must be positioned in reverse, as in Photo 3 (here I apologize, I simply turned this photo vertically).

The next point also concerns adjusting the tilt of the satellite dish, or rather, installing the suspension with a slope in one direction, on a vertical support.

When using a satellite dish hanger with a priority slope in one direction, if your location is more distant from the equator, it must be installed on a mount, as in Photo 4 and Photo 5.

Satellite dish, the suspension of which is inclined in one direction

Installed satellite dish.

Since in this case, the satellite dish will have a certain angle of inclination towards the bottom. Therefore, the L-shaped suspension element, at one end of which the converter is fixed, needs to have some free space in the lower part of the structure, allowing this angle of inclination of the antenna to be changed.

To more clearly explain the essence of this problem, which you may also encounter, let’s try to mentally install the already configured satellite dish shown in Photo 4 on a vertical support (Photo 6 and Photo 7).

Homemade vertical satellite tower

Homemade vertical support for installing a satellite dish on a horizontal surface.

Comparing these two images (Photo 8), we will see that the corner of the L-shaped suspension element (Photo 9) rests against the wall of the vertical pipe, and the place where the suspension is fastened does not even reach this pipe.

Naturally, if we nevertheless secure this suspension, pulling it to the pipe itself, the angle of inclination of the satellite dish will change, thereby making further vertical adjustment impossible.

Of course, this option for installing such a suspension, shown on Photo 7, on a vertical support, is quite suitable for those whose antenna mirror will stand almost vertically, or higher. For others, when purchasing a satellite dish, you will have to take into account the problem described above.

Since the satellite antenna itself, as a rule, comes with its own standard suspension, it is better to purchase a support for it, depending on the coordinates of the place where this antenna will be installed.

Based on this, when purchasing a satellite dish and support, it is advisable to already know the tilt angle of the antenna for your area, or rather, the range of this tilt angle.

To find out the tilt range of the satellite dish, let's again use the Satellite Antenna Alignment program. As always, I will explain based on my own example.

Equipment for setting up a satellite dish

The satellite dish is in place, connectors are installed on the cable, and all preliminary settings have been made in the receiver. In order for us to be able to make further adjustments, it is necessary to have free access to the back of the already suspended satellite dish.

To position the satellite dish to the selected satellite, we will need the following equipment for setup:

• 1. A small or portable TV that supports the outputs that are on your receiver.

3. A piece of coaxial cable to connect the receiver to the converter, approximately 1.5...2 meters long, with connectors installed at both ends (this cable is used only during setup).

• 4. Connecting cable (LF or HF) corresponding to the connection between the satellite receiver and TV.
• 5. Wrenches and screwdrivers suitable for fastening the converter and satellite dish mounting.

If you don’t have a small portable TV, then, of course, there is no point in buying it specifically for setting up a satellite dish. To avoid unnecessary costs, you can purchase a relatively inexpensive device called "Sat Finder". It was created specifically for setting up satellite dishes at home. At the time of writing this page, the cost of such a device was in the range of 400...700 rubles, which is significantly cheaper compared to the cost of a portable TV. It, of course, has its advantages, and unfortunately, it also has its disadvantages. You can read about what kind of device this is and how to work with it. If this is your first time setting up a satellite dish, then I would still recommend that you use the option with a receiver and a portable TV. I think this will be easier and more reliable for you.

Based on the fact that I will explain the installation and configuration of a satellite dish using my own example, I will use the following equipment and tools:

Digital satellite receiver (in this case, an FTA receiver designed for viewing open channels is suitable for us).

Looking at the back panel, you can see that this receiver can be connected to a TV, both at high frequency, from the output of the RF modulator, and at low frequency, through tulip-type audio-video connectors.

Portable TV. In principle, any small TV will do here. The main thing is that it supports the outputs that are present on your satellite receiver.
Looking at the back panel of this TV, you can see that it can also be connected via both a high-frequency input and a low-frequency audio-video input.

If you have a receiver with an HF modulator, then there is no need for low-frequency audio-video connectors, but in this case, the TV must support the UHF radio frequency range (although I do not rule out the possibility that the HF modulators of some receivers, or older model TVs, can only operate in the meter wave range, in the microwave range).
If you have a receiver without an RF modulator, then low-frequency audio-video connectors on the TV itself are required.

A piece of coaxial cable(for connection to the converter), approximately 1.5...2 meters long, and with “connector connectors” installed on this cable at both ends.

LF (low frequency) audio-video cable tulip type, for connecting to a TV via low-frequency output and input.

Radio frequency cable (RF), another name for high frequency cable (HF). For the option of connecting to a TV via a radio frequency antenna input (only if the receiver has an RF modulator).

Due to the presence of an audio-video input on the TV, I will not use this cable.

Wrenches and screwdrivers, for tightening the suspension fasteners and converter fastenings corresponding to your satellite dish kit.
Also, to tighten the connector connector on the satellite converter, you will need an 11-size open-end wrench.

And so, the equipment for setting up the satellite dish and the tool are prepared. Finally, we will need some network extender to bring it to the setting location (to an already installed satellite dish), mains voltage 220 volts. The extension cord must have two sockets for connecting a satellite receiver and a portable TV.

Also, to configure the satellite dish in the horizontal plane, we will need compass.

Connecting equipment for setting up a satellite dish

Now, you can move the tuning equipment and tools to the installation site of the satellite dish. The general diagram of equipment connection for subsequent configuration is shown in Fig. 1.

Rice. 1 General diagram of connecting equipment for setting up a satellite dish.

For convenience, I placed the satellite receiver with TV on a small chair (Photo 1). It is advisable to position the TV itself so that when setting up a satellite dish, you can adjust the direction of its mirror with your hands and look at the TV screen, almost simultaneously.

Photo 1 Connected equipment for setting up a satellite dish.

At the time when the photographs for this page were taken, it was the beginning of winter. Therefore, the temperature outside reached minus 7...10 degrees. In such conditions, it is not advisable to use electronic devices that are intended to be operated at room temperature. But this means that setting up the satellite dish will have to be postponed to a warmer time, which, of course, did not suit me. So I continued with this setup anyway, but... following some rules, and these are:

1. As soon as the equipment is outside, you must immediately supply power to it. This means that you need to not only turn it on to the network, but also take it out of standby mode (take it out of the “standby” mode by pressing the “Power” button, for example, on the remote control), that is, bring it into a fully operational mode. This is necessary so that the radio elements of the equipment are heated due to their own thermal radiation. For optimal operation of the device, such heating, of course, is not enough, but this will not allow it to cool down quickly enough.

2. If, in any case, the device was moved back into the heat, before turning it on, you must wait at least 30...40 minutes at room temperature. This also applies to taking it back outside if necessary.

3. It is not advisable to adjust the satellite dish at temperatures below 10..12 degrees.

4. Carry out adjustment work as quickly as possible.

5. If the satellite receiver begins to react poorly to any commands, freezes, or behaves in some other unusual way. Turn it off immediately and bring it into a warm room for 30...40 minutes. And only after that, continue any work with it.

Although, by and large, I would certainly not recommend operating the equipment in such extreme conditions for it. In any case, you will do this at your own responsibility, that is, at your own peril and risk.

When installing satellite equipment in the cold season, it is strongly recommended that all adjustments to electronic equipment that can be carried out without being near the satellite antenna structure (for example, preliminary setup of the receiver) should be carried out in a warm room, and only then transferred to the the location where the satellite dish is installed and configured.

As for the satellite converter itself, it was initially designed by the manufacturer to operate in both normal and low temperature conditions (but I do not exclude that there are models of converters designed to operate in hot countries). The only thing I want to warn you is that if the satellite converter was moved back into the heat, before putting it back into the cold, it is also advisable to wait at least 30...40 minutes....

Now, let's connect the setup coaxial cable, with the connectors installed on it, to the receiver and converter (Photo 2 and Photo 3). Position it so that, if possible, it does not interfere with various manipulations with the satellite dish. When you screw the connector-connector, do it only by hand, since this cable is only a setup cable, then, when you connect the permanent one, tighten the connector with a wrench (usually an 11 wrench), but do not overdo it, even though it is metal, , quite fragile.

Connecting a cable to set up a satellite dish.

Coaxial cable connection

Connecting the coaxial cable to the receiver.

Connecting a coaxial cable to a satellite dish converter.

Connecting a satellite receiver to a TV

Connect the satellite receiver and portable TV (Photo 4). If your TV does not have a low-frequency input, then connect via. But as I already mentioned, for this the receiver must have an RF modulator. Also, in this case, you need to configure your TV to the radio signal coming from the receiver. The principle of setting up the TV itself will be the same as when receiving over-the-air programs, the only difference is that instead of an over-the-air antenna, you will connect the radio frequency cable coming from the satellite receiver.

Photo 4. Connecting the receiver to the TV.

Connecting the receiver to the TV to set up a satellite dish via a low-frequency tulip audio-video cable.

Connecting the receiver to the TV to set up a satellite dish via a coaxial high-frequency (radio frequency) cable.

Below on Photo 5, it is indicated which main connectors may be needed for connection.

Photo 5. Connectors for connecting a satellite dish and TV.

Connect the power plugs of the TV and satellite receiver to the extension cord, and also turn on both devices in full-on mode. If they are connected via an audio-video cable, then switch the TV to receive a video signal (A/V mode); if via an RF modulator, tune your portable TV to the modulator frequency (it is better to do this in advance, in a warm room). In general, ensure that the TV screen displays a stable image transmitted from the satellite receiver.

Setting up a satellite dish for a satellite

Press the button on the receiver Menu", and go to the submenu for editing transponders. Select the satellite of interest, and just in case, check the parameters of the desired transponder(s), which we entered earlier.

Also, if desired, here you can immediately edit the name of this satellite. It should be noted that usually in names you can enter only a certain number of letters, so if the word does not fit, you have to shorten it. I usually try to write the name of the satellite and its position in degrees. Since the number of letters is limited, I abbreviated the satellite “Express AM 22” 53°E as “Exp 22-53”. In principle, the function of renaming satellites is made only for convenience, and there is no special need for it (that is, the name of the satellite does not affect any important parameter). But, if in the future you plan to install a motor on a satellite dish, knowing the name and position of the satellite, it will be easier to navigate when choosing television and radio channels.

Your transponder editing menu may differ significantly from the option I propose, but the basic principle will remain unchanged.

Now let's take a look at the transponder editing menu in more detail, using receiver No. 1 as an example. Such a menu will be our main tool in subsequent setting up a satellite dish for a satellite(Photo 1).

On previous pages, in order to reduce page download time, I had to crop all the “menu” images, showing only the areas that were necessary at the moment. Now, let's look at it in full. In the image, I have highlighted two areas needed for subsequent setup of the satellite dish.

Photo 1. Menu for editing satellite transponders and signal indicator.

In the first section, there are parameters of one of the transponders of the selected satellite. Namely: frequency, symbol rate, and type of polarization. If necessary, we can adjust these parameters.

In the second section, an indicator of signal level and quality is displayed. This indicator usually has two indicators, calculated as a percentage (%). One indicates its level, may also be designated as - Strength, Level, L, etc. Other, displays quality of this signal may also be designated as - Quality, Q, etc. Based on this indicator of signal level and quality, we will “catch” the satellite we need.

Each satellite receiver, of course, has its own original interface that displays the appearance of such an indicator. But, in their principle, they are very similar. To make it easier for you to understand how this indicator will look in your receiver, let's look at three of their options.

In receiver No. 1, the satellite signal indicator appears only when there is a signal at the receiver input that matches the transponder parameters, as evidenced by yellow stripes (Photo 2 and Photo 3). That is, it seems to have two states: there is no signal, or its presence, which is usually displayed as a percentage.

Receiver No. 2 has three satellite signal indicator states. The first state (Photo 4) shows the absence of a signal. The second (Photo 5) shows that this signal is there, but the parameters do not correspond to the selected transponder (possibly satellite antenna already configured, but to a different satellite), in this state, the signal strength indicator turns red.

Well, the third state of the satellite signal indicator (Photo 6) shows the presence of this signal, while changing the length and color of the stripes of the indicator itself.

Photo 6 There is a signal.

The third type of indicator of the presence of a signal from a satellite, I took, at that time, from the well-known satellite receiver "DRE 4000" (or DRE 5000). Such a receiver allows you to view the program package of the Russian project, Tricolor-TV, which is broadcast in DRE Crypt encoding. With this satellite receiver, instead of stripes (as in previous versions), the signal is displayed in the form of dots (Photo 7 and Photo 8).

The greater the number of points of such an indicator, and, accordingly, the percentage value, the better the signal characteristics from a given satellite (from a given transponder of this satellite) will be.

Now, I hope you can figure out your indicator without any problems.

And so, the current transponder has been entered, you can move on to the mechanical part of setting up the satellite dish. In principle, judging by this, this is precisely why this entire section was created.

Satellite tuning

At this stage, let's remember what we did when we determined the horizontal direction to the selected satellite, and repeat these steps, but apply this to the satellite dish setup itself. That is, at this stage, we will first align the mirror of our satellite dish in a given direction (in the direction of the selected satellite).

Preliminary horizontal adjustment of the satellite dish

Taking the compass in hand, from the installation site of the satellite dish, we will determine again, based on the azimuth, the direction to the selected satellite (Fig. 1).

Rice. 1. Determining the azimuth of the direction to the satellite.

Let's set the compass sight in accordance with the azimuth of the selected satellite. Looking through this sight, we will find a landmark on the surface of the earth, which is located in the same direction as the satellite itself.

That is, the direction of the mirror plane of the satellite antenna of the landmark and the satellite will be on the same line.

Selecting a landmark- as a landmark, you can take a tree located on the ground, an electric pole, a house window, and so on... This landmark will be for us, like a beacon, in the direction of which we will initially align the plane of the satellite dish mirror along the horizon (Fig. .2).

Rice. 2. Aligning a satellite dish to a satellite using a landmark.

The presence of a landmark will make it much easier for you to search for a signal from a satellite, without allowing us to move the satellite antenna mirror in the wrong direction. It is more convenient to look at the landmark itself at the bottom of the antenna structure itself, along the L-shaped converter holder (as if aiming) .

Alas, no matter how hard we try, it is practically impossible to immediately install a satellite dish strictly in accordance with the azimuth (although in practice, this has happened). Therefore, our next task will be to expand the range of the expected location of the satellite.

Let's take this option as an example. There are two houses located not far from each other, and the landmark will be a tree standing almost between them (Fig. 3).

Rice. 3. Setting the direction of the satellite dish, choosing a landmark.

The picture shows, let's say, the ideal option. In practice, of course, all this can be completely different, but, for example, I think this option will be enough

Since we have determined only the approximate direction to the satellite, and we cannot say that our landmark is exactly on the same vertical line with the satellite itself, we will have to slightly expand the search range (Fig. 4).

Rice. 4.

That is, we need to minimally expand the search range, but at the same time, be sure that the satellite itself is located in this range, the limit of which will be the two extreme landmarks. In this case, our two extreme landmarks will be the edges of two houses adjacent to our tree.

Now, let's look at another option. Where the tree itself, in the direction of which the satellite we need hangs approximately, stands closer to one of the houses. Here, the range can be taken starting from the second from the edge of the window of one house, and the edge of the corner of another house (Fig. 5).

Rice. 5 Selecting the tuning range of the satellite dish to the satellite.

Satellite dish tilt angle

(pre-setting the initial tilt of the satellite dish)

We have decided on the horizontal search range. Now, let's look at the vertical initial position of the satellite dish, that is, its tilt.

I have already talked about how to determine the tilt of a satellite dish earlier.

According to the coordinates of my location, the tilt of the satellite dish will be 73.20° from the horizontal plane, or if measured by the declination angle, then 16.80° from the vertical plane (Fig. 1).

Rice. 1

Since it is not possible to immediately establish the exact tilt of the satellite dish mirror (there is no place to get a reference point from), we, in principle, do not need to know the exact data of this angle at all. I gave all the explanations and drawings so that you can roughly imagine what vertical position your satellite dish should be in. This will be useful if, for example, you tilted the antenna mirror too much (or raised it), then you immediately realized that the antenna should be moved back.

Now, we need to set the initial angle of inclination of the satellite dish mirror, from which we will begin the vertical adjustment. In my case, I will install the antenna mirror above the desired angle, about half (Fig. 2).

Rice. 2

Then, when setting up the satellite dish, I will lower its mirror in small steps until a signal appears. You may have a question, why exactly did I initially raise the antenna, and when tuning, lower its mirror down, and not vice versa? The point here is that the satellite dish itself, under its own weight, tends to lower its mirror down. And if we gradually raise it rather than lower it, then due to the play in the bolted connections, the antenna will move back a little, thereby making it difficult for us to adjust later.

Decide in what vertical position your satellite dish will be placed, and apply the above to your case.

If you don’t know what slope the mirror of your satellite dish will have, then you can put it in a vertical position, and also gradually lower the mirror (or if you live close enough to the equator, raise it) until a signal from the satellite appears. But this again will increase setup time.

Well, I think now it’s time to move directly to searching for a satellite, that is, to step-by-step adjustment of the horizontal and vertical position of our satellite dish...

Before you start setting up a satellite dish, that is, before searching for a signal from a satellite, check all cable connections. Don't forget to check that you have correctly connected the coaxial cable from the converter to the receiver. It should be connected to the connector with the inscription - IN(Photo 1), that is " entrance". In this case LNB IN- converter input (LNB - converter designation).

Photo 1. The cable must be connected to a connector with the initials - IN.

Attention! Since there is a difference voltage between the converter and the receiver (even when it is turned off), in order to avoid their failure, connect and disconnect the coaxial cable only when the receiver’s power is turned off (while touching the plug to the connector, a discharge spark may slip through).

Having connected all the cables, turn on the receiver, and then go to the menu where an indicator of the level and quality of the signal of the selected transponder is displayed. Since the satellite dish has not yet been configured, the indicator readings will be at zero (the indicators of some receivers may show a low signal level, that is, the level of the receiver or converter’s own noise).

The fasteners on the suspension device, that is, those fasteners that are responsible for the horizontal and vertical movement (Photos 2 and 3), should be slightly tightened. We will do this so that in the future, with little effort, we can move our satellite dish.

Satellite dish fasteners

Satellite dish mounting mounting bolts (option No. 1).

Satellite dish mounting mounting bolts (option No. 2).

Next, let's come to the design of the satellite antenna itself, and stand so that you can simultaneously move the antenna mirror and look at the TV screen. As I explained earlier, we need to observe the readings of the signal level and quality indicator, as in the example of receiver No. 1 (Photo 4 and Photo 5).

Preparing to set up a satellite dish

Before we begin setting up a satellite dish for a satellite, I think it would be useful to explain one more point regarding the input of existing transponders into the satellite receiver.

Satellite coverage map

Let's imagine such an example. The satellite receiver is correctly configured for the satellite antenna configuration (the correct parameters of the converter installed on the antenna are entered), and the parameters of the entered transponders of the selected satellite contain valid values. Further, when you try to tune a satellite dish to a signal from this satellite, no matter how you twist the mirror of this antenna, there was no signal. Why?

The point here is that any satellite also has such a parameter as the satellite signal coverage area, which I already mentioned earlier, that is, this signal can only cover a certain area of ​​the earth’s surface. And if we enter even valid transponders into the satellite receiver, then the signal from the selected satellite may simply not cover the area of ​​the earth’s surface where your particular settlement is located. Well, of course, there can be no talk of any signal reception from this satellite.

So, before tuning the satellite dish to the selected satellite, be sure to check not only whether the transponders are valid, but also check on the coverage map of the selected satellite whether your locality is included in this coverage area. That is, whether the selected satellite, with its beam, covers your geographic coordinates.

Express AM 22 53.0°E satellite coverage map from the website www.unionsat.ru

Using the table, we find the diameter of the satellite antenna, which corresponds to the given power. It is equal to 0.95 meters. I took 1.1 meters, that is, a little with a margin.

At the next, quite important stage, we have to configure the satellite dish to the signal from the selected satellite. Therefore, a little about life...

Alas, no matter how much I would like to talk about it, but as practice has shown, it is at this stage of setting up a satellite dish, after several unsuccessful attempts, that novice tuners lose all interest in the setup itself. Here, don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking specifically about you.
But still, if this happens, do not despair under any circumstances, because even an experienced tuner can make the simplest mistake. Be sure to check all cable connections and the settings you entered into the satellite receiver. And of course, be sure to try again.
It happened, more than once, that I heard something like this: “...what am I...”, “it turns out there, all that happened...” and so on.
Remember, to set up a satellite dish, you do not need to have any “normal” abilities, or any special gift from nature. YOU can do all this YOURSELF!

Searching for a satellite signal

Now, as I explained earlier, the direction of the satellite dish mirror, horizontally, should be in one of the extreme positions of the range of intended landmarks, for example, in the left. In Fig. 1, in this direction, a red vertical line is drawn.

Rice. 1 Start searching for a satellite signal.

If you have not determined the horizontal range in which the desired satellite is located (for example, you have not found landmarks), deflect the satellite dish mirror based on compass readings, plus a small margin. For my case, this is the situation I indicated in Fig. 2. I indicated the initial horizontal position of the antenna with a green arrow. This example, of course, is suitable for my location, since in your case, the direction to the satellite may be different.

Rice. 2 Initial horizontal direction of the mirror satellite dish.

Vertically, as I explained earlier, before searching for a satellite signal, the satellite dish must be tilted, approximately half the angle of inclination to your area (Fig. 3).

Rice. 3

If you also do not know the tilt of your antenna, then place it in a strictly vertical position (Fig. 4).

Rice. 4 Tilt the satellite dish before searching for a signal.

The general principle of this satellite dish setup is to scan a certain area of ​​the sky with the antenna mirror, although this sounds strange, but in fact, this is exactly the case. To be more precise, we need to scan that part of the sky in which we are absolutely sure that the desired satellite is located there.

We will begin the search for a satellite by rotating the satellite antenna mirror in a given search range in the horizontal plane, while starting the movement of this mirror from one landmark and ending with another. In Fig. 5, I indicated the edges of the search range with blue arrows.

Rice. 5

If you have not decided on the search range, then, guided by the compass readings, start a horizontal search for the signal from the satellite, from the position that I showed on the previous page (in Fig. 3) to approximately the same position (as if in a mirror image) , on the other hand (Fig. 6). This method is usually used by more experienced installers.

Rice. 6

But, be that as it may, in both cases, you must be sure that the satellite is located exactly in the search area. If you are not sure about this, then be sure to expand it.

Since our satellite antenna looks with the plane of its mirror towards the extreme position of the selected range, we begin to slowly rotate it around the support pipe, from right to left (Fig. 7). You can, on the contrary, start from the other edge of the search zone, as you wish.

Rice. 7 Let's begin to slowly rotate the satellite dish mirror around the support pipe.

Here, I want to explain some important points related to this stage of setting up a satellite dish.

Each satellite receiver, when a signal appears at its input, has such a disadvantage as inertia, that is, it needs time to process the data stream from the satellite. Therefore, if you move the satellite dish mirror too quickly (!), the receiver will not have time to process it, and you will miss the desired point. Please take this into account when setting up your satellite dish at this stage.

Searching for a satellite signal (end)

Having reached the edge of the satellite signal search area, lower the satellite dish mirror by about one degree, and similarly move in the other direction. And again, we reached the edge, lowered the antenna mirror... etc. Do not forget, while doing these manipulations, to look at the signal level and quality indicator. Continue this way until the signal itself appears. I schematically depicted the trajectory of the satellite antenna mirror below in the figure (Fig. 8).

Rice. 8 The procedure for searching for a satellite signal.

If, with such actions, you do not end up in the very center of the satellite signal flow (Fig. 9), then your satellite receiver will still show some level of this signal.

Rice. 9 The procedure for searching for a satellite signal, the possible location of a satellite.

Usually it goes like this. While the satellite dish mirror is moving, at some point, the receiver sharply shows the signal level, and this signal disappears again. In this case, move the antenna even more quietly, but in the opposite direction, until a stable level of the satellite signal appears.

If, after scanning the entire area, you still do not receive a satellite signal, then return the antenna to its original position and repeat the entire procedure again.

At this stage of setting up a satellite dish, very common mistakes are:

• The satellite dish mirror moves too quickly, and the receiver itself simply does not have time to process the signal from the satellite (that is, the data that this signal carries).
• They lower the satellite dish mirror in too large steps. In this case, the proverb fits well here - “The slower you go, the further you will go.”

If, when searching for a satellite signal, you made several attempts, and still did not get a signal... Then below, I will list possible errors and malfunctions:

1. The transponder entered in the receiver settings is not valid.
2. The signal coming from the satellite you have chosen does not cover the coordinates of your locality. That is, the coverage map of the selected satellite has not been verified.
3. The polarization of the satellite signal is incorrectly set in the receiver settings.
4. There is no line of sight between the satellite and the satellite dish. For example, a neighbor's house or a tree next to your house may be an obstacle.
5. The coaxial cable is not connected correctly to the receiver (to the wrong jack).
6. A converter is installed on the satellite dish, which is not suitable for the frequency range or type of polarization.
7. The diameter of the satellite dish is too small to receive a signal from this satellite.
8. There is a short circuit in the connecting “connector-connector” of the coaxial cable (a hair of the cable braid gets onto the middle core).
9. The search area is incorrectly selected (the wrong direction is selected).
10. The converter, on its holder, stands crookedly (turned sideways around the axis of the “L-shaped” holder). In principle, in this position, reception is possible, but if the signal power from this transponder is weak enough (to be received by the diameter of your antenna), then it will be difficult to catch it. The position of the converter around the axis of the holder is quite critical for receiving a signal in horizontal and vertical polarization . A converter with circular polarization, in principle, does not need such an adjustment, and it will be enough to simply place it vertically.
11. The satellite converter or receiver may be faulty.

In my experience, as well as the experience of my friends, a malfunction of a satellite receiver or converter is a very rare occurrence. There were cases when, for example, the converter produced a weak signal, or stopped working normally after rain (defect in the seal of the housing). In principle, equipment malfunction is the last thing to think about. Be sure to check and double-check everything, and check and double-check everything again, and only then blame the equipment.

Further, I will assume that you received a signal from the selected satellite, and both level and quality appeared on the signal level and quality indicator. Below in the images, I have given photographs of indicators of satellite receivers with the presence of a signal, which I have already shown earlier.

Now, we need to more accurately adjust the satellite dish mirror to the maximum signal level. To do this, constantly watching the TV screen, that is, the signal level and quality indicator, tilt the mirror satellite dish right and left, up and down. At the same time, ensure that the indicator readings are as maximum as possible.

The procedure for tightening the bolts and nuts of the satellite antenna suspension

As soon as the signal level is at its maximum, we need to tighten the mounting screws. This must be done with caution, so as not to disrupt the previously carried out setting up a satellite dish. I have indicated the desired order of tightening the nuts and bolts in Photo 1 and Photo 2.

It is advisable to tighten the fasteners (nuts, bolts) that press the suspension itself to the support pipe simultaneously. Since it is practically impossible to do this at the same time, we do it this way. We tightened the first nut or bolt one half turn, then the second one, and so on.

In the first option (Photo 1), in more detail, the order of tightening the nuts is as follows - tighten one, or half a turn 1 - 2 - 3 - 4, then again 1 - 2 - 3 - 4... and so on until you press the suspension to support with sufficient rigidity. We tighten the bolts or screws with nuts for the vertical movement of the suspension (5) last (also one by one, half a turn).

In the second option (Photo 2), after tightening the fasteners of the suspension to the support, first screw in screw with nut 2 (which stops the vertical stroke of the suspension) until it stops, and only then 3.

While tightening the nuts, constantly monitor the signal indicator readings; if the level drops a little, slowly unscrew the nut that was being turned at that time, and begin to tighten the other one in the same way. In general, ensure that when the gimbal is securely fastened, the signal level remains at the same maximum level as before tightening the nuts.

And so, setting up the satellite dish mirror to the desired satellite is complete!

Next, in order to squeeze the maximum signal level out of the diameter of our satellite dish, it’s time to start adjusting the position of the satellite converter...

If you think that the antenna can be hung anywhere or on any side of the house, and in each case it will be able to receive a signal from the satellite, then you are very mistaken.

Which side are the satellites on...

All satellites fly over the equator, that is, from the South, South-East or South-West. Therefore, the antennas need to be directed to the South.

There is not a single television satellite in the direction of the north, and people hang antennas on the north side for fun.

Attention, this news will shock many, but television satellites always “hang” in one place. Yes, yes, always: today, and tomorrow, and yesterday. Satellites do not fly anywhere and do not move anywhere. This is the technology for transmitting a signal from space to satellite dishes.

You have a goal...

Now that you know that the satellite is in the same place from year to year in the same place, and even on the southern side, it’s time to find out exactly where and where the antenna should be pointed.

01 | HOW TO DETERMINE THE DIRECTION TO A SATELLITE METHOD #1

A quick and easy way...

What does this data mean...

Azimuth is the angle between north and the desired direction. Azimuth is measured in a clockwise direction. The figure shows the direction to the satellite with an azimuth of 190°. That is, from north we count 190° clockwise. The blue line is the direction of the satellite dish.

Rotating the converter. If you look at the converter the way a plate looks at it, then you need to turn it clockwise for a positive value, and counterclockwise for a negative value. For Tricolor and NTV+, the converter does not need to be turned.

Tilt angle- the angle by which you need to raise or lower the antenna vertically. At negative angles, the antenna points toward the ground, which is quite normal. inferior in accuracy of calculating the angle of inclination.

Elevation angle- the angle between the horizon and the direction to the satellite. With negative and close to zero values, signal reception from the satellite is impossible.

02 | HOW DETERMINE DIRECTION TO SATELLITE METHOD #2

• The program will indicate whether a tree or house will interfere with reliable signal reception;
• Calculate the time at which the satellite and the sun are in the same direction;
• It will calculate the antenna tilt angle as accurately as possible.

In the first tab program, you must enter: 1) the name of the satellite to which you want to tune the antenna 2) the latitude of the location 3) the longitude of the location. It’s easy to find out the latitude and longitude for your city: for example, I enter the query “latitude and longitude of Mogilev” into a search engine, and already in the first link I find the result.