Everyone knows that satellite television is one of the pinnacles of modern technology. But there is such a principle: everything ingenious is simple. It is not difficult to handle satellite television subscriber devices, and installing a satellite dish with your own hands is quite within the power of a citizen who does not know how to use a soldering iron and who has completely forgotten Ohm's law. But accuracy, ingenuity, an accurate eye and a faithful hand are necessary, as well as the ability to use a compass and elementary knowledge of astronomy.
Do you need documents for it?
Do I need to coordinate home satellite television in some instances, register, get permission? No, it doesn `t need. Satellite broadcasting is free. True, when you “catch” a satellite, set up the receiver and see a list of channels, many will be marked with an asterisk, an exclamation point, or some other icon. These are paid channels. To watch them, you need to buy a key card. If you know in advance which of the paid channels you need, you can purchase a card for them together with the receiver, or from a satellite broadcasting company.
However, if you live in an apartment building, installing the antenna on a wall or roof will require permission from the owner or building operator. But if the antenna is fixed to the balcony railing, and the supporting structures were not touched during its installation, then permission is not needed.
True, in this case, the antenna will stagger more under the wind, and in bad weather the reception will be unstable. Therefore, many subscribers order the installation of satellite dishes in specialized companies, and they themselves coordinate all issues with the Housing Office. In Russia, the largest of these is Tricolor.
General information about satellite broadcasting
Broadcast satellites are located in geostationary orbit, at an altitude of 35,786 km above sea level in the plane of the Earth's equator. The orbital speed at this height is equal to the speed of the Earth's rotation, so the satellite hangs over the same point on its surface. The location of a satellite in geostationary orbit is called its station.
In reference manuals, satellite positions are indicated by their geographic longitude: the angular distance from the zero (Greenwich) meridian. This must be taken into account when orienting the antenna and give a correction: from a given point, the Greenwich meridian is “visible” at an angle reciprocal to the longitude of the place. How some stationary satellites from Greenwich are visible is shown in the figure.
Example 1: the longitude of the center of Voronezh is 39 degrees 15 minutes east. The position of the Eutelsat II F4 satellite is 7 degrees to the east, i.e. from Greenwich, this satellite is visible at 7 degrees to the east. If Eutelsat II F4 hung exactly above the zero meridian, the antenna would have to be rotated 39 degrees 15 minutes towards Greenwich to receive it, i.e. west. And since Eutelsat II F4 is already "shifted" by 7 degrees to Voronezh, the antenna must be rotated to the west by 32 degrees 15 minutes.
From Earth, a stationary orbit is “visible” in the sky in the form of the so-called “Clark Belt”. It should not be confused with the celestial equator. The angular height of the celestial equator varies throughout the year, and the Clark belt is "visible" as an arc of a curve degenerating from a circle at the poles to a straight line at the equator. Clark's belt “rests” on the horizon exactly in the east and west, regardless of location.
At a particular geographical point, the highest point of the Clark belt is located exactly in the south, and its angular height is equal to the reciprocal geographic latitude of the place: 0 at the poles and 90 degrees at the equator. Therefore, in high latitudes, the reception of satellite television is difficult or impossible at all: the Clark belt "lays" on the horizon, and the satellite signal, even if it "shines" here, "stalls" in the atmosphere.
Example 2: the geographical latitude of the center of Voronezh is 51 degrees 20 minutes north. The highest point of Clark's Belt can be seen from here at 90 degrees minus 51 degrees 20 minutes = 48 degrees 40 minutes due south.
Satellites do not emit signals in all directions, it would be too wasteful. The transmitting antennas of the satellites are directional, and "illuminate", as a rule, the territory of the owner country, or the region to which the broadcast is conducted. Therefore, all satellites visible from a given place cannot be “caught”: it may be visible, but it “shines” in the other direction.
If the satellite "shines" exactly down, then, in principle, it can broadcast to the entire hemisphere below it, having an antenna with a directivity pattern with an opening of just over 10 degrees. However, at a distance of 36,000 km, this requires a transmitter power of more than 10 kW, solar panels of the appropriate area, and the entire satellite must be put into orbit by a heavy carrier. Therefore, there are not so many broadcast satellites.
Video: basic moments of the direction of the satellite dish
Satellite TV - at home
Let's say right away: manual alignment (i.e., orientation to the desired satellite) of a highly directional antenna is a delicate matter. It is not theoretical knowledge that decides the matter, but experience, working skills (“muscle memory”) and just a flair. Therefore, when buying a “plate”, at least in the same Tricolor TV, it is better to immediately order an installation with adjustment. For masters who have filled their hands, this is arguing, so such a service is not overly expensive.
However, even if you are not a big fan of doing everything, after a storm or heavy snowfall, the antenna may need to be realigned. Therefore, the adjustment procedure will be described below. But before aligning, the antenna with the equipment must be selected, purchased and installed.
What and how will we watch?
Reference manuals list the locations and signal parameters of all fixed broadcast satellites. But in a particular locality, the conditions for their reception can vary significantly. An ordinary hillock, especially in the northern regions, can make a satellite invisible, which actually shines well here.
Therefore, when buying an antenna, consult with the seller which satellites are well received by you, select three (up to 3-4 satellites can be received on one antenna), and write down the parameters of their signals:
- Carrier frequencies of satellite transmitters. For example, for one of the most popular satellites - Sirius - it will be 11.766 GHz; all satellites broadcast in the so-called. Q-band with an average frequency in the region of about 10 GHz. But do not try to "catch" the frequency of the satellite - not the 20s in the yard, and not even the 60s.
- Signal polarization planes. At the same frequency, two signals with mutually perpendicularly directed electromagnetic field vectors can be transmitted without mutual interference. The direction of polarization is considered the direction of the electric vector. Polarization can be horizontal "H" or vertical "V".
- Data rates. Satellite broadcasting is digital, using SR (Single Root) technology. An example of a speed designation: 27,500 SR or simply 27,500. The numbers mean how many frames (packets) per second pass through the communication channel. Just do not confuse it with a TV frame: here a frame is a data packet organized in a certain way.
- Converter local oscillator frequencies for selected satellites. They lie in the same Q-band, but differ from the carrier by the value of the intermediate frequency that will go to the receiver. For example, with a carrier of 11.766 GHz and a local oscillator frequency of 10,750 kHz (10.750 GHz), the receiving frequency of the receiver will be 1016 kHz (1.016 GHz). That is why the frequencies do not "catch" as radio amateurs used to catch: the closer we get to the TV, the more the frequency setting error affects.
Antenna selection
The choice of the antenna itself is reduced to determining its diameter. For home reception in the southern regions, a “plate” with a diameter of 60 cm is enough; in places from St. Petersburg and to the north, for stable reception, you need an antenna mirror with a diameter of 1.2 m.
Many people think that it is easier to “catch” a satellite with a large “dish”. Just the opposite. A large mirror provides a signal of a higher level and quality, but this is achieved by narrowing the radiation pattern, so it is just more difficult to “catch” a satellite with a large “dish”. Large aperture antennas are most commonly used as signal sources for terrestrial broadcast systems and other applications where further transmission is required.
If you are going to receive several satellites, then you need to purchase a multifit along with the antenna - a mounting plate for installing several converters with the ability to adjust their position separately. As a rule, sellers immediately ask: “One nest or multifit?”. In any case, you can put one converter in the multifit, and then add another one; the multifit is cheap. So it’s better to immediately buy a “plate” equipped with a multifit.
Converter selection
The next step is choosing a converter. The converter is the very “head” that converts the signal from the satellite, which “penetrates” the atmosphere well, into a signal for the receiver, which conventional electronics can process without much difficulty.
There are three types of converters: circular polarization, switchable H-V and fixed. The former are the least sensitive, but can receive any signal. The latter are the most sensitive, but to receive signals with different polarizations, they must be rotated 90 degrees. Under normal reception conditions, it is better to use a circular or switchable converter.
Sensitivity, intrinsic noise level and local oscillator frequency stability (on which the level and quality of the signal significantly depend), as well as the protection of the converter from weather influences (it is outside) vary greatly from model to model and from manufacturer to manufacturer. It is better to choose a specific model that is suitable for the price according to the recommendations of the antenna seller and the reviews of experienced subscribers.
Receiver and equipment
But the quality and signal level almost do not depend on the receiver model in domestic conditions. Here you need to focus on service functions and price. There is only one condition: if you are going to watch digital TV with HD quality, the receiver must have an Ethernet output (computer network connector). You don't have to worry about the compatibility of standards: all modern network devices "understand" all commonly used data exchange protocols without additional explanations.
Of the additional equipment, you need to purchase DiSEqC - a converter power switch. A household receiver (by the way, in Russian a receiver is a receiver; tracing paper is made from English so as not to be confused with radio receivers) provides power to one converter; to switch from satellite to satellite, you need to switch the power to the corresponding “head”.
Antenna Installation
What should be the correct installation of a satellite dish, can be seen in the figure. An important circumstance: the mounting part ("neck") of the pipe rack (highlighted in green) must be strictly vertical in two planes. Otherwise, the alignment of the antenna will turn into a long painful work.
The place to install the antenna must be chosen carefully. In the alignment of the mirror should not be anything, not even window glass. The mirror section does not coincide with its geometrical axis: oblique incidence mirrors are used for satellite reception. Where the mirror sash actually “looks” is also seen in the figure. The fact that the southern part of the sky should be visible from the antenna installation site does not require explanation.
If you live in a private house, do not be too lazy to raise the antenna higher. Raising the antenna by 10 m reduces the dustiness of the air around it by half, which greatly affects the reception quality.
First, only one pipe rack is mounted. A set of a mirror, its adjustable mount, bracket and converter is assembled at home - it is more convenient to first of all check the verticality of the pipe rack.
Fastening a satellite dish to a wall cannot be done with self-tapping screws in plastic dowels - the antenna will “leave” over time. It is necessary to use collet studs with a length of at least 200 mm and a diameter of at least 8 mm, they are put on a base plate and secured with nuts and lock nuts.
Video: plate mounting example
Satellite dish alignment
Engineering compass
It makes it very easy to align a satellite dish even for a beginner with an engineering compass. How it looks can be seen in the figure. The price is low. Its advantages:
- You can take the azimuth with one glance, without moving the compass.
- By rotating the limb with a risk, one can take into account the magnetic declination of the place in advance; it must be obtained from the local weather station before adjustment. There is no reference data, because magnetic declination varies from year to year.
- The compass is equipped with a deflector, which significantly reduces the deviation.
Skillfully using an engineering compass, a competent and accurate person, who for the first time in his life took up the adjustment of the “dish”, accurately “catches” the satellite within half an hour. If you use the usual Andrianov compass or tourist compass, you can not think about the magnetic declination: the error in setting the azimuth will be greater.
Note: magnetic declination at mid-latitudes does not change much from place to place. It is enough to find out what it is like in the regional city.
Adjustment procedure
Immediately you need to take into account the magnetic declination. If it is east, it must be subtracted from the longitude of the place; if Western - add to it. At first glance, it may seem that you need to do the opposite, but keep in mind that the satellites are in the south; magnetic declination is given for the north end of the compass needle.
Next, we calculate the true azimuth of the average of the received satellites, as described at the beginning of the article. Then, turning by an angle corresponding to the longitude of the place, the layout of the satellites (we believe that our latitude is not very different from Greenwich), we approximately determine its elevation angle.
Then, aiming at the converter bracket, as if at the barrel of a gun without a front sight, using an engineering compass, adjusted for magnetic declination, we set the antenna to the desired azimuth. Roughly, by eye, we set the antenna target in elevation.
To align the antenna, we take the TV with the receiver outside closer to it; powered through an extension cord. We do not connect the power switch yet: the initial adjustment is done using the middle converter. Then:
- We connect the TV and the converter to the receiver, turn on the equipment, set the necessary signal parameters in the receiver's menu ("Antenna installation" -> "Manual search"), according to the instructions for it.
- Turn on the signal search mode.
- Carefully and smoothly swing the antenna up and down until the receiver "grabs" the satellite. With a 60 cm dish and if all corrections are correctly accounted for, no azimuth correction is required.
- If “not caught”, we check the azimuth again and, changing it in steps of 3 degrees to the right and left, repeat the “swing” procedure. For a 1.2 m mirror, the step is 2 degrees.
- When the signal is caught, very carefully, "without breathing", slightly turning and shaking the antenna, we achieve the best quality and signal level. Priority is for quality. At 60% level and 80% quality, reception stability will be twice as high as vice versa.
- Carefully, in a diagonal pattern, in several stages, tightly tighten the antenna mounting nuts. In this case, you need to constantly monitor the signal. If, when tightening some nut, the signal “floated”, it is left for the time being, and the diagonal one is tightened.
- From the main menu of the receiver, we check whether the satellite is caught. If all parameters were set manually, failures, as a rule, do not happen. But if "suddenly" - weaken the plate, and - start over.
- We turn on “Level - quality” again and, carefully moving back and forth and slightly turning the converter in the socket, we achieve even better, as far as possible.
Satellite television does not lose its relevance even with the ubiquity of digital terrestrial broadcasting, which offers similar opportunities in many respects. Reception of a picture from a satellite is interesting, first of all, with a huge variety of TV channels broadcast with sound in almost all languages of the world. In addition, many channels are completely free of charge.
Finally, there are regions where, due to the huge distances between settlements, it is simply technically impossible to organize continuous coverage. Many residents of cities are also switching to the satellite, in which, either because of the difficult terrain, or because of dense and high-rise buildings, it is not possible to receive a signal of acceptable quality. And it is not so difficult to install and configure a satellite dish, as well as the receiver itself, with your own hands, saving a lot of money on this.
First you will need to find out the exact coordinates of the place, where will you install the antenna. This can be done either from any geographical directory, or using an Internet search.
Then you need information about data transmission parameters from the selected satellite. The following will be of interest here:
- Satellite position on the horizon;
- The frequency of the transponder (transmitter on the satellite);
- Symbol rate, expressed in Kb / s and meaning the maximum speed of information transfer;
- Signal polarization;
- FEC, in other words, error correction. This parameter is optional for some receiver models, as it can be set automatically.
Information about the transponder it is also easiest to find out through search engines, simply scoring the name of the satellite there.
- Ask people who are already receiving a signal from the satellite of interest and have made the settings with their own hands.
- Calculate manually. However, this method requires quite serious knowledge and therefore is not always possible.
- Take advantage of special programs.
You can find and download them all also on the network. Regardless of the developer, all of them will require the input of the geographic coordinates of the antenna location, as well as the position or name of the satellite. An additional plus in this case will be that such programs also present the result of calculations in graphical form. And this greatly simplifies the understanding of how exactly the antenna should stand in space in order to gain access to the satellite of interest.
How to set up a satellite dish tuner yourself
All settings are made through the menu. After pressing the corresponding key, you will need to sequentially go to the "Receive Settings" section. It is possible that the title of this section will be different, but the meaning should remain approximately the same. You will have to work with the following positions.
The section may contain several more items. For example, it may be possible to change the way the transponder searches for new channels, or separate the search for radio and TV channels separately, or display them all together. These items are not of fundamental importance for the initial setup.
Most importantly, after entering the type of polarization, the indicators of quality and signal strength will become important. In most receiver models, they are present in the same window where the transponder was tuned.
Indicators are presented in the form of two strips, next to which there are numbers. The color of the indicator strips can be any, even changing depending on the displayed values. Therefore, it is better to focus on the degree of their completion, as well as on the percentage figures.
The upper band, which can be signed as "Signal strength", "Level", "L" or the like, symbolizes the quality of the signal coming from the converter. If it is less than 10% or even equal to zero, then this may mean that the settings described above are made incorrectly.
The lower band is the quality of the signal ("Signal", "Quality", "Quality" or "Q"). The readings of this indicator will be the most important when fine-tuning the satellite dish, as it displays the accuracy of pointing to the satellite. Its normal values are from 70% and above.
Do-it-yourself antenna tuning
All the work that needs to be done to fine-tune the satellite dish and get the best possible picture quality can be divided into three components.
Training
Since it is assumed that the antenna mount is already installed in the optimal location, attention should be paid to careful preparation for tuning. Without this, the risk of getting into a situation where the equipment is already put out on the street is extremely high, and a shortage of some critical little thing is revealed. Therefore, you need to take care of the following in advance:
- Wrenches and screwdrivers of all sizes that were used when mounting the suspension and will be needed to mount the mirror itself;
- Compact TV, tuner and a complete set of connecting cables;
- Extension cord of sufficient length and at least a pair of sockets for power supply;
- compass;
- Protractor.
In some cases, it may not be physically possible to place the tuner with the TV in such a way that it remains possible to look at the screen during operation. Then you will also need an assistant who could control the readings of the tuner indicators and promptly report their changes.
First of all, you should install the antenna in its place and fix it not too tight so that you can still change the position of the mirror with a little effort. Since the data on the required tilt and rotation angles have already been obtained, you can begin to orient the antenna:
- With the help of a compass, any landmark located on the desired azimuth is searched on the horizon. To do this, the azimuth is set on the compass and the direction is searched with the help of the sight. An object that has fallen into the slot of the sight will just become a guide;
- The angle of vertical inclination is first taken very roughly. You can refine it if you look at the cut of the antenna mirror through the protractor from the side. It is desirable that the antenna be tilted a little more than required.
Now you need to turn on the TV and receiver. On the screen, the signal quality indicator bar is of particular interest.
Next, the antenna must be tilted to the left by a few degrees. Now slowly, constantly monitoring the indicator readings, the antenna must be turned to the left. If during this action there was no increase in the indication of the quality signal indicator, then the antenna mirror must be lowered quite a bit and the procedure repeated in the opposite direction.
Such a snake movement will eventually allow you to find that point in space when the signal quality level exceeds the desired 70-75%. At this level, it will already be possible to ensure reliable signal reception.
When looking for an accurate direction to a satellite, it is important to remember:
- You can turn the antenna either from the side or from the back, because. the human body is an insurmountable barrier to such a weak radio signal;
- The movement of the antenna mirror must be extremely slow. This is due to the peculiarities of streaming digital data transmission: the receiver must have a margin of time to recognize the moment when a high-quality signal appears;
- Having achieved a high-quality signal, it can be further improved by slightly rotating the converter.
After the direction to the satellite is found, an automatic channel search should be performed. In different models of receivers, the sequence of actions may differ, but in general terms they do not differ from searching for channels on a regular TV.
After completing the adjustment, it is necessary to tighten all the fixing and adjusting screws as tightly as possible. Because Since the antenna has a huge windage, the wind can quickly knock down the tuning if the screws are loosely tightened.
The last step is to securely fasten the cable. It is best to fix it on the converter stand and suspension elements using disposable plastic clamps.
Self-configuring a satellite dish is not so much a difficult event as it requires care, accuracy and slowness. Careful preparation will help to simplify the work, during which it is necessary to understand in advance the entire sequence of your actions, as well as the required position of the antenna in space. The result will be many years of satellite dish service without any repair or maintenance.
Setting up and installing a satellite dish and tuner yourself in the video
In the video, the whole process is described in simple words and shown immediately on the example of installation in a village house. Take a look and then installation will be even easier.
Instructions in 5 tips: setting up a satellite dish yourself
First of all, before starting the process, you should choose the right place for installing a satellite dish Given how digital broadcasting is spreading today (and it goes by leaps and bounds), it is not necessary to say that satellite television has become obsolete. Receiving a picture from a satellite is interesting in that you have the ability to turn on a huge number of channels. And many satellite channels are freely available. And there are also such regions where a continuous coverage of digital broadcasting is physically impossible. Therefore, installing an antenna is the only possible solution. Do not be afraid of such words as "install a parabolic antenna" or "satellite", "polarization", "head position". Perhaps, in your not the most difficult task, these indications will not be useful. And, if necessary, it will not be difficult to see the position of the head and decide on the turning part.
Preparing to tune the antenna
Let's say the antenna has already been suspended. That is, the installation of the antenna in the optimal place, which still needs to be found, is completed. Then you should carefully prepare yourself for the setup. Otherwise, it happens that the antenna is already on the street, the location has been chosen and it's time to set it up, but some annoying little thing is missing.
Do-it-yourself installation can save you a lot of money
The installer must prepare:
- Wrenches and screwdrivers of different sizes, those that involved both mounting the suspension and fastening the mirror itself;
- TV, tuner, connecting cable;
- Extension cord with a pair of sockets;
- Protractor;
- Compass.
Sometimes, fine tuning cannot go without an assistant. For example, if the connection cannot be made with control. That is, it does not work out in any way to place the tuner with the TV so that you can correctly control the indicator readings and set the channels. Then the antenna adjustment is carried out by two people.
Rough satellite TV setup
Suppose you decide to make a rough adjustment with your own hands. Then you need to install the antenna in the right place, and then fix it not very tight. Why not tight? This is done to preserve the ability to change the position of the mirror. And when there is data on the required tilt angles, you can take on the orientation of the antenna.
The antenna must be installed in the line of sight of the desired direction
How to orient the antenna:
- With a compass, you need to catch a landmark on the horizon, which is located at the desired azimuth. This means that you need to select and set the azimuth on the compass, and look for the direction with the sight. The object that fell into the slot of the reticle is the reference point.
- First, the angle of vertical inclination is taken roughly. But if you search, you can refine it by looking at the cut of the antenna mirror through a protractor. In this case, the slope of the equipment will be slightly more than required.
Fine tune the satellite dish
The next step is to turn on the TV and receiver. For you, the signal quality indicator bar should cause interest on the screen. Quality and signal are the keywords. Tilt the antenna to the left a few degrees. Then slowly, looking at the indicator readings, turn the antenna to the left. If there is no increase in readings, lower the antenna mirror a little, repeat the procedure in the opposite direction.
To receive a radio signal from a satellite, it must fall on the receiving mirror and nothing should interfere with it
So you can say that at home you make movements like a snake - and you will find that one point in space at which the signal quality level will be above 75%. This test will give reliable signal reception.
Remember that you need to turn the antenna from behind or from the side, because the human body is a big obstacle to finding a signal. The movement of the antenna mirror must be very slow. The receiver must have a margin of time to recognize the signal. When you have already achieved a high-quality signal, it can be further improved if the convector is rotated a little.
Completing the process: how to set up a satellite dish yourself
When you find the direction to the satellite, an automatic channel search is performed. Usually, the way you search for a channel on a TV is exactly the same way that you search for cymbal channels. And after completing the settings, you need to tighten all the adjusting and fixing screws tightly. Still, the antenna has a huge windage, and the wind can knock down the tuning if the screws are loosely tightened.
Many people think that setting up a satellite dish is a difficult process, in fact it is not.
And then you need to securely fasten the cable. It is easier and more correct to fix it on the convector stand and suspension using plastic disposable clamps. If you yourself are not sure that you can do all this, you need to assemble a small team of already experienced tuners. Sometimes two pairs of hands are not enough, only three.
Scheme: how to connect a satellite dish to a TV
The instruction will be large only if everything is done from scratch. If it’s only a matter of “reconfiguring”, as well as removing unnecessary channels and finding the missing ones, the process will go faster. This instruction is universal - suitable for those who install the antenna in Belarus, Kazakhstan, Karaganda, for example, Kharkov (Ukraine here). Even Yamal can be included in this scheme.
The installation of a satellite dish must be done higher, in most cases - on the roof
Antenna connection instructions:
- Choose the desired antenna installation location (if you live in the northern hemisphere, then the satellites are located in the southern);
- Check whether the place is convenient, whether it is difficult to maintain;
- Connect the antenna according to the attached instructions;
- Install it in the chosen location so that it is ready for adjustment;
- Prepare the cable;
- Connect the converter and the receiver with a cable, connect the receiver to the TV;
- Connect electricity to the antenna site;
- Connect the receiver and TV to the power supply;
- Install the antenna in the same direction, at the same angle as the neighbors;
- Enter the menu and follow the instructions;
- Change the vertical tilt angle;
- Give the antenna the desired tilt;
- Rotate the antenna in a horizontal plane in order to achieve the highest possible signal level;
- Tighten all mounting bolts;
- OK - in the settings menu;
- Look at the channel names, making sure you get that satellite.
The antenna can always be reconfigured. Why do you need Chinese channels if you are not interested? Why do you need channels about Sirius and Venus if you are sports-oriented, for example? In a word, install what you really need without loading the list with too much.
How to set up a satellite dish yourself (video)
You can do a lot yourself, including installing an antenna. If a satellite dish is the only way to enjoy watching a large number of channels, then you can get by with the connection on your own.
Setting up a satellite dish yourself.
Nowadays, satellite technology has come to almost everyone in the house. And many people think that setting up a satellite dish is a difficult process. In fact, this is not so, and if you understand everything, then everything is very simple.
Today we’ll talk about self-assembly, installation and configuration of a satellite dish, or, in other words, -0 dishes.
Setting up a satellite dish for dummies
Today, the most affordable set for satellite TV can be purchased for $50-80. So it's time to switch to digital technologies in television broadcasting.
The kit includes:
– The receiver (tuner, receiver) is the most expensive piece of equipment. It should be chosen carefully, since the channel is broadcast in mpeg 2 and mpeg4 (better) formats.
- Antenna (mirror) - 0.7 -1.2 m. Designed to form a receiving beam into focus, where the signal itself is received.
– Converter (head). One or several, three mostly in our area. One per satellite. Universal with linear polarization.
- Multifeeds (converter mounts). 2 pieces
– Disek – switch between converters. Since the tuner can simultaneously receive a signal from only one converter, it is definitely needed when receiving two or more satellites.
- Coaxial (television) cable with a resistance of 75 ohms. It is desirable to take with a margin of 3-5 meters.
– F connectors (connection plugs). For three satellites 8 pieces.
- Bracket for fastening and dowel or anchor under it.
Before moving on to satellite channel settings. You need to set up a satellite dish.
How to set up a satellite dish yourself?
For satellite dish settings such tools are needed.
- Extension cord for three outlets.
– Drill or puncher with a drill of the required diameter for attaching the bracket with anchors or dowels.
- Wrenches 13mm. and 10mm. (preferably two)
- Phillips screwdriver.
- A hammer.
- Electrical tape or plastic ties.
- We assemble the antenna, carefully tighten the bolts, do not forget the washers and engravers.
- We fasten two multifeeds to the converter holder (one to the right, the second to the left of the center of the antenna) together with three converters. We don't tighten it too much. We also do not tighten the antenna mount too much.
- We fasten the bracket to the wall and hang the antenna so that it looks south, southeast, you can peep from a neighbor.
- We extend the extension cord and take the TV and tuner with us. We connect the TV, the receiver and the antenna central converter (one, directly to the receiver). Even on the ground, you can try to catch the desired satellite if you are in doubt about reception (since there may be an obstacle, a tree, etc. in the direction of reception).
Now sold tuners are sold with already flashed channels and there is no need to scan and sort them, but it’s easier for us to set up. To do this, turn on the TV and satellite receiver, turn on the desired channel (for example, 2 + 2) on the aster (former Sirius), since we will tune this satellite in the focus (center) of the antenna. We press the button info on the remote, after inserting batteries into it, we see two scales. (For beginners - the most difficult process). If there are no necessary channels on the satellite, but we have certain frequencies. We drive them in, if they are not already registered, and right in editing the transponder frequencies we look at the desired signal strength and quality scales.
First of all, before starting the process, you should choose the right place to install the satellite dish. We need to take into account several factors. To receive a radio signal, the signal from the satellite must fall on the receiving mirror and nothing should interfere with it.
In the above example, trees and a neighboring house will interfere with reception on the lower floors. Therefore, the installation of a satellite dish must be done higher, in most cases it is easiest on the roof.
It is very important to clean the cable well and unmistakably. Whatever the short circuit of the braid and the central core would not beat, otherwise you can ruin the receiver.
We start the installation by connecting the cable to the converter in focus (in the center) and the satellite receiver.
It is important to connect the cable to the desired LNB_IN output in the satellite receiver.
Sometimes there are mistakes.
You can connect the entire assembly and configure disk ports, but it will be more difficult. After connecting all the wires, we connect the 220 volt power supply and proceed to the process of setting up the satellite.
Gently tilt the antenna up - down, right - left, in the direction - like a neighbor's (approximately south). The desired channel should get into the reception - there will be sound and image, but this is not the main thing. The scales will light up, and we will navigate by them.
We achieve maximum performance, give preference to the signal quality scale. You can twist the converter in the mount for and counterclockwise, as well as forward and backward. When the result satisfies us, press exit and switch to other channels of this satellite, check their reception level ( info ). If everything is normal, then you can tighten the antenna mounting bolts, and then the converter. It is advisable to adjust the converter by scrolling it left and right, as well as moving it back and forth in the mount - multifeed.
It should be noted that when tightening the bolts, the signal may go away. Therefore, we twist evenly but strongly so that the antenna does not oscillate from the wind.
Now the antenna is set up and all that remains is to set up the converters in the multifeeds. To do this, disconnect the cable from the central converter and connect it in turn to the desired heads in multifeeds. On the tuner, turn on the channels from the satellite that needs to be configured and press info. We also move the not strongly attached converter up - down, right - left until the desired result is achieved and tighten the bolts.
Fine tune the satellite dish
So we already have a signal from the satellite, the channels are scanned, but some are missing, they throw a picture or do not show at all. In this case, we have a weak signal or no signal at all from certain transponders. In order for everything to work perfectly, you need to fine-tune the satellite.
To do this, switch the receiver to a weak or non-working frequency (transponder, channel) so that the signal indicators are visible. Next, we adjust the converter. We move it in the holder back and forth and turn it left and right clockwise until the signal performance improves. We switch to other frequencies of this satellite and achieve the optimal result. We direct all efforts to receive the maximum number of received TV channels from a specific satellite.
Important. Remember that Amos is to the right of center when looking at the antenna from the front, and Hotbird is to the left.
Now the antenna is fully tuned to three satellites and it remains only to connect it correctly.
To do this, cut off three pieces of cable of the required length (about 1.5 m.) And attach them to the converters. You can connect to the disk as it will, but I prefer the order
– Amos – 1 LNB
– Astra (Sirius) – 2 LNB
– Hotbird – 3 LNB
– Receiver
We attach all cables with electrical tape or ties, and hide the disk from moisture in a plastic box (optional).
We stretch the cable into the room to the tuner connected to the TV and turn everything on the network to configure the disk ports in the receiver. Select the desired satellite (menu - installation) disks with 1.0 and the desired port. Press the menu and see the entry about saving the settings
After the procedure for the desired satellites, the antenna tuning can be considered completed.
When setting up an antenna with a disk connected, be sure to specify the disk port for the satellite.
If there are no scanned channels, then you should select the desired frequency for tuning (you can take it on the lingsat on the Internet).
Setting up a direct focus satellite dish
Video instruction for installing and configuring a satellite dish
Download instructions for installing a satellite dish
Probably every person wants to watch a lot of television channels from a satellite dish, while the cost of materials, equipment and installation should be minimal. All these conditions are met by satellite television from 3 satellites: Hot Bird 13°e, Astra (Sirius) 5°e, Amos 4°w- this is a suitable option for watching most free Russian-language channels (about 90), as well as foreign (about 2000). At the same time, the set of equipment for installation consists of a satellite dish, 2 additional plastic mounts (called multifeeds) of side converters, 3 converters (heads) for the Ku-band, supports or masts for fixed fixation of the antenna, DiSEqC (Disek)-switch heads, RF cable 75 Ohm and F-connectors.
Preparatory work:
- Before installing the antenna, it must be assembled and equipped with additional mounts and convectors. First, we fasten the arc to the mirror, while observing all the geometric dimensions - we tighten the bolts, then we install the fasteners to the bracket and the fasteners (multifeeds) of the convectors. First we install the mount for the Hot Bird 13E convector - this mount will be closer to the antenna mirror, the second we install the mount for the Amos 4W head and put the third Astra 5E convector on the central axis, bait them with the appropriate fasteners.
- We cut 3 pieces of a meter-long RF cable (less as possible), put F-connectors on the ends of the cable and isolate the metal part, then screw these 3 pieces of cable to the DiSEqC switch, in our case we use a 4-port drive (DiSEqC 1.0). Since we will connect the cables last, after setting up the antenna, at this stage of preparation it is advisable to sign or mark them according to the following recommendation: connect 1 DiSEqC input with a cable to the Sirius 5E head, 2 connect the input to the Amos 4W convector and 3 connect the input to the head tuned to the Hot Bird 13E satellite. As a result, we will get: 
Choosing a place to install the antenna:
The area where our antenna will be installed should be free in the south-west direction (South-West) from trees, houses, blocking structures that may interfere with the signal from the satellite to the receiving dish. Such a place can be a wall of a building, a roof of a building, a mast or tower. If we install on the wall of a building (this is the preferred option), then first you need to fix the bracket with anchor bolts or dowels of a suitable size. We put a previously prepared satellite dish on the bracket, but so far without a disc. Setting up a satellite dish:
First of all, you need to adjust the dish to the central satellite Astra (Sirius), after that we compress the bolts of the angle of rotation and the angle of inclination of the dish, since they do not participate in setting up the antenna for the Amos and Hotbird satellites. Using a piece of cable, we connect the receiver to the Astra (Sirius) central convector, and set our dish to the Astra (Sirius) satellite. For tuning, it is most convenient to prepare equipment for tuning satellite dishes in advance: it can be either a special SatFinder device or a satellite receiver (for example, Openbox X-800) with prepared transponder frequencies and a portable TV connected.
Tab. No. 1. Parameters for setting up the Satellite Dish:
| Satellite | Transponder | Channel for visual inspection |
| Astra 4A (4.8E) | 11766H27500 | 1+1, TET, 2+2 |
| Astra 4A (4.8E) | 12073H27500 | News One, Glas, Business |
| Astra 4A (4.8E) | 12399 V 27500 | Inter, NTN, Mega |
| Hotbird 13B/13C/13E (13E) | 10815H27500 | Russian Music Box, TBN Russia |
| Hotbird 13B/13C/13E (13E) | 11034 V 27500 | RTR Planeta, Shanson TV |
| Hotbird 13B/13C/13E (13E) | 12597 V 27500 | EuroNews, Perviykanal Romania |
| Amos 2/3 (4W) | 11139H30000 | 112 Ukraine, Tonis, Inter |
| Amos 2/3 (4W) | 11175H 30000 | Telekanal STB, M1, Novy Kanal |
| Amos 2/3 (4W) | 10842H 30000 | UA TV, Boutique TV |
We select the "Antenna installation" mode in the receiver's menu, in the "Manual search" we set the frequency for the Astra 4.8E satellite - 11.766 GHz, H - horizontal polarization, 27500 - flow rate, error correction - auto, these data are shown in the table. The search for a satellite must be performed using the strongest transponder, and only then fine-tuning should be carried out using transponders with a weak signal, while achieving the maximum signal strength.
- We orient the antenna to the expected location of the satellite, it can be determined by the compass (complex method) or by neighboring antennas (simple method). This is a very important stage of tuning, and if you do not choose the right direction, you can spend a long and painful time with tuning the antenna without getting the desired result.
- After you have made sure that the direction is chosen correctly and the angle of inclination is in the middle position, you need to smoothly and slowly rotate the antenna in the horizontal direction, controlling the presence of the signal on the QUALITY scale, in one direction, and if the scale does not respond, then in the other . After the first pass, it is necessary to slightly change the angle of inclination from top to bottom, start moving again in the horizontal plane and thus several times until a signal appears. When you manage to catch at least some kind of signal, you need to stop and with slight slight movements up and down, left and right to achieve the maximum signal level on the scale. After that, we firmly fix the bolts for fastening the angle of inclination and the angle of rotation of the plate. Next, we proceed to fine-tune the convector, for this we rotate it a little in the holder, you can also move it a little along the holder back and forth, while achieving maximum readings on the QUALITY scale. 
We need to make sure that the antenna is tuned exactly to the satellite to which we tuned it, and not to some other one. To do this, scan the transponders from table 1 and turn on some channel from the table. If the channels are not scanned or do not show, then the antenna is tuned to another satellite, and the setting should be repeated. When everything is done, it is necessary to tighten all the adjusting screws. The approximate signal level for Astra 4.8E is shown in the picture below. However, for each satellite, transponder, receiver, antenna diameter, and installation location, the signals will be different. 
- Setting up the other 2 satellites (Amos and Hotbird) is to find the position of the converter relative to the central one. It should be moved in all planes relative to the focus of the plate: up, down, left, right, forward, backward. To configure the Hot Bird satellite, you need to connect the cable to the Hot Bird convector, and in the receiver's menu, you need to set the satellite and signal parameters from the table. We do the same with the Amos convector. After all the manipulations, you need to once again make sure that all the satellites are configured correctly, once again check the tightness of all antenna elements. Now it is possible to connect DiSEqC (Disek) with the help of prepared and marked cable sections to the corresponding convector. Do not forget to set the port numbers for each satellite in the receiver. In our example: 1 port - Astra (Sirius 5E), 2 port - Amos 4W, 3 port - Hot Bird 13E, 4 port - free.
