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Setting up a satellite dish

blackrose

By blackrose
in Boat Equipment

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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

Posted
Posted

I just bought a portable HD satellite dish (12v/240v) but I've fallen at the first hurdle and can't even get a minimum signal on the satellite finder to show that it's powered by the receiver.

 

I connected the LNB to the finder and the finder to the receiver and switched the receiver on. The receiver has a green light (on) and the connections are all good but no power on the finder. Is there a limit to cable length for this step of the setup?

johnmck Experienced

johnmck

Posted
Posted (edited)

Make sure any "screw on " type connectors are really tight. ie use a spanner. Found this was the problem when we first got ours. Our cable runs the full lengh of the boat and no problem.

Edited by johnmck
The Bagdad Boatman (waits) Rising Star

The Bagdad Boatman (waits)

Posted
Posted (edited)

use a magnetic compass to find the position and then set the angle. I have used the tv to set the system up. Sometimes it was magic sometimes crap. they do not like trees and rain.

Edited by The Bagdad Boatman (waits)
blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

Posted
  • Author
Posted

use a magnetic compass to find the position and then set the angle. I have used the tv to set the system up. Sometimes it was magic sometimes crap. they do not like trees and rain.

I'm not as far as setting the angles of the dish yet. I'm just trying to get a power signal on the finder.

 

The F type connectors just screw straight onto the cable. I thought the connection was made by the core of the cable and the braid. Why would they need to be so tight?

Odana Rising Star

Odana

Posted
Posted

We feel your pain. We were given a dish, and have 2 boxes to go with it, and a techie son to set it up. And we have gone back to a good old aerial because the erratic picture was driving John mad. We may try again if and when weather permits

Good luck!

blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Blackrose.

 

Put your postcode/location on the attached site (Dishfinder)

Choose your satellite (probably 28.2E Astra???)

Move the location flag to your exact location

It'll show you where to point your dish

 

I no longer use a signal finder - this is more accurate

Thanks, but I can't really do that as I'm just on my phone.

 

I'm afraid nothing is working at my new mooring so far. Can't get an internet connection, TV doesn't work and my phone signal is shite too!

 

My postcode here is B50 4NP if it's easy for someone to check the dish position. Cheers

Edited by blackrose
mayalld Veteran II

mayalld

Posted
Posted

I connected the LNB to the finder and the finder to the receiver and switched the receiver on. The receiver has a green light (on) and the connections are all good but no power on the finder. Is there a limit to cable length for this step of the setup?

Bin the finder, by and large they are crap.

 

Set the dish with the arm as near horizontal as you can get it and point it vaguely south. Then rotate the LNB in its clamp So that if viewed from the front the cable leaves at about 7 o'clock rather than straight down this bit is important and makes a huge difference to reception

 

Tune to a preset channel on the receiver and put the info on to show signal strength on the TV if the receiver has a tone turn it on.

 

Slowly swing the dish towards the east until it picks up a signal. Once you have the knack it will only take moments every time

dor Veteran II

dor

Posted
Posted

If there is no power light on the finder when connected to the feed from the tuner then something is not working.

If it is the one with a line of leds, there is a little adjuster in a hole to adjust sensitivity. The finder should come with a little plastic knob which I superglued in so it is easy to adjust.

Once you've got it sussed it will only take a minute to set up. As long as the kit works.

blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

Posted
  • Author
Posted

If there is no power light on the finder when connected to the feed from the tuner then something is not working.

If it is the one with a line of leds, there is a little adjuster in a hole to adjust sensitivity. The finder should come with a little plastic knob which I superglued in so it is easy to adjust.

Once you've got it sussed it will only take a minute to set up. As long as the kit works.

That's right. The finder has a line of leds and an adjuster... And it's not working!

keble Rising Star

keble

Posted
Posted

Before you screw the f connector on you have to strip back the outer insulation for 20mm then fold back the outer screen wire, then strip back the inner insulation leaving about 5mm. You should have about 15mm of the inner wire sticking out. Now screw the connector onto the wire.

You might need to shorten the inner wire a bit else it won't go into its mating socket.

There will be a video somewhere.

Ex- Member Veteran II

Ex- Member

Posted
Posted

We have the Ross kit, the sat finder is a pain in the arse, Ok we used it the first couple of times, but having to connect it then disconnect it then screw in the sat cable faff faff faff and it nearly ended up in a hedgerow LOL

 

I find if the dish is almost vertical and you swing it left to Right S-SE you'll get something pretty quickly and you can fine tune from there. I new the LNB had to be off set, now ours has been pointing 11 o'clock and cables exiting 5 o'clock having said that we havend had a max signal although almost 26 dots out of 30 mayalld suggests cable exits 7 0'clock, are there different settings for the LNB or is the 7 0'clock mayalld suggests a universal setting for the U.K

 

Having thought about this, I don't recall where we got our 11 o'clock 5 o'clock setting from, possibly on here LOL

Biggles Veteran

Biggles

Posted
Posted

Ignore the sat finder and a magnetic compass on a steel boat. If you have a smart phone get one of the many free sat finder apps. They will give you a point in the sky for dozens of satellites as well as the angles in figures.

johnmck Experienced

johnmck

Posted
Posted

If you are not getting power to the sat finder, you aint going to get a signal no matter how much you point and elevate. I still think you have a connection problem and would re check all. Once the finder is live, then you can be assured the signal will get to the receiver. We use the signal strengh meter on the tv more than the sat finder. Our initial problem was a dodgy connection. Coaxial connectors are primitive and prone to fail in systems like these.

Biggles Veteran

Biggles

Posted
Posted

I use this app when I occasionally need to as I can mostly do it without

 

Screenshot_2013-05-16-23-17-29.png

 

When you get the phone crosshairs facing the spot in the sky the circle turns green.

 

This is overlaid on a image from the phones camera.

 

Simply brilliant.

Ex- Member Veteran II

Ex- Member

Posted
Posted

I use this app when I occasionally need to as I can mostly do it without

 

Screenshot_2013-05-16-23-17-29.png

 

When you get the phone crosshairs facing the spot in the sky the circle turns green.

 

This is overlaid on a image from the phones camera.

 

Simply brilliant.

 

Like that, can you post a link????

matty40s Veteran II

matty40s

Posted
Posted

Blackrose . . . . I hope this helps

[/url]">Screenshot2013-05-16at224216_zps4eec08df

 

problem is with that one Dave, as soon as you turn it on the martian death ray vapourises your boat.....

 

DSC_0806_zps35e5687f.jpg

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