If Astra 2 carried analogue like Astra 1, possible pick-up of both using one LNB? - Sky

markelliott · 28-04-2006, 20:57

Aligning dishes for analogue reception on Astra 1 (Sky Analogue) was a case of pointing south and switching on. You'd get a fuzzy picture, then you'd move the dish until it became clear. I remember helping my dad setup ours when I was a kid back in 1992. We got a picture strait away!! I remember him going back-up on the chimney to align the dish whilst I told him whether the picture was getting better or worse until we had a perfect picture.

Setting up analogue satellite was easy, as you'd get some sort of a picture regardless of where abouts south it was pointing. This is not the case for digital satellite reception, as the alignment has to be dead on, and is all or nothing pretty much.

Astra 1 still carries analogue signals, and Astra 2 is just a a bit to the east of Astra 1. So basically, as analogue alignment doesn't matter so much, if Astra 2 carried analogue aswell, do you think you'd be able to pick them both up using the one LNB?

YorkshireTea · 28-04-2006, 21:01

theres a massive difference between 28e and 19e. Its possible between 19e and 16e I remember when the dish went out of alignment i could get mtv central on 19e and the top channel on 16e with 1 lnb but the signal wasnt great.

markelliott · 28-04-2006, 21:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by YorkshireTV on9

theres a massive difference between 28e and 19e.

Erm, not even if you aligned the dish half way in between?

Analoguesat · 28-04-2006, 22:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by markelliott

Erm, not even if you aligned the dish half way in between?

No - the angle of acceptance for your average dish is about 3 degrees. It cant be much more or you would get signal interference from adjoining satellites.

markelliott · 29-04-2006, 18:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Analoguesat

No - the angle of acceptance for your average dish is about 3 degrees. It cant be much more or you would get signal interference from adjoining satellites.

Thanks for that. So if it's three degrees out allowed, then like the other guy said, you wouldn't pick anything up. As if you were to align the dish half way between Astra 1 and 2 that would be about 4.5 degrees out either side.

When my dad originally installed our analogue satellite system many years ago, he had never put up a dish before, but we got a fuzzy picture of Astra 1 strait away, before even aligning the dish, guess it was just pot luck then?

KianD · 29-04-2006, 19:11

Yes, pot luck and/or copied the install alignment off another house nearby by eye

Astra 1 is ALWAYS the first satellite you get if randomly hunting, btw. I have no idea why, but it always work out as such for me or anyone else I've ever talked to about it... Possibly because you can get some of the strong transponders on a biscuit tin lid in most areas

KianD · 29-04-2006, 19:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Analoguesat

No - the angle of acceptance for your average dish is about 3 degrees. It cant be much more or you would get signal interference from adjoining satellites.

This has lead me to think of something...

If someone is getting Badr 2 and 3 on a big dish setup thats not aligned very well in the UK would they get leakage from 28E? The furthest out difference between them is Badr 2 to Eurobird 1 - 2.7 degrees, with Badr 3 2.2 degrees off the Astra craft...

Anyone here with a suitable large dish willing to try?

Analoguesat · 29-04-2006, 20:10

Probably - It should work even with a moderate size dish - In the past Ive had 16E and 19E when the wind has moved my 80cm 19E dish around a bit.

markelliott · 29-04-2006, 20:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Analoguesat

Probably - It should work even with a moderate size dish - In the past Ive had 16E and 19E when the wind has moved my 80cm 19E dish around a bit.

Why do you have an 80cm for 19.2E? The requirement was 60cm in the Sky Analogue days. Astra 1 coverage is very strong in the UK, as that's where Sky used to operate from. Even 43cm minidishes are aparently perfectly capable of doing the job of picking up Astra 1.

KianD · 29-04-2006, 20:35

It was 80 in the early days, it only dropped to 60 as LNB noise figures improved drastically in the early to mid 1990s

However, you'll still get better picture out of an 80 than a 60 on analogue that far oop norf. Which I think is AS's main concern

Analoguesat · 29-04-2006, 20:36

No - the rquirement was 60cm for the southern half of the uk and 80cm for the northern half. Doesnt really matter now the two lowest powered birds have been retired of course.

The main reason I use an 80 though is that it was free! (Along with most of my other dishes!)

wod1 · 29-04-2006, 20:46

i use 80cm as it give as better signal to be sure in bad weather . plus bigger is better as they say

ffej · 29-04-2006, 20:47

You will also find that adjacent satellites, as a rule, do not transmit on similar frequencies/polarities/SR's/FEC.

I can get 28*east whilst located at 26*east by inputting a $ly transponder into my receiver. The signal is of course weaker as the pick up is way down on the main lobe of the dish or even on the first side lobe.

It's all down to basic antenna design and receiver front end sensivity.

Jeff

PS. Just realised, I'm posting on the $ly forum . I will now write out 100 times, "Keep away from this forum as it is for Uncle Rupert fans ".

Jeff

28-04-2006, 20:57	#1
markelliott Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Services: Freeview, Sky FTA/V, Sky TV 6 Mix + 10Mb Broadband & Talk, Vodafone. Posts: 3,192	If Astra 2 carried analogue like Astra 1, possible pick-up of both using one LNB? Aligning dishes for analogue reception on Astra 1 (Sky Analogue) was a case of pointing south and switching on. You'd get a fuzzy picture, then you'd move the dish until it became clear. I remember helping my dad setup ours when I was a kid back in 1992. We got a picture strait away!! I remember him going back-up on the chimney to align the dish whilst I told him whether the picture was getting better or worse until we had a perfect picture. Setting up analogue satellite was easy, as you'd get some sort of a picture regardless of where abouts south it was pointing. This is not the case for digital satellite reception, as the alignment has to be dead on, and is all or nothing pretty much. Astra 1 still carries analogue signals, and Astra 2 is just a a bit to the east of Astra 1. So basically, as analogue alignment doesn't matter so much, if Astra 2 carried analogue aswell, do you think you'd be able to pick them both up using the one LNB?

28-04-2006, 21:01	#2
YorkshireTea Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Harrogate, Yorkshire Posts: 837	theres a massive difference between 28e and 19e. Its possible between 19e and 16e I remember when the dish went out of alignment i could get mtv central on 19e and the top channel on 16e with 1 lnb but the signal wasnt great.

29-04-2006, 19:11	#6
KianD Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Dublin Services: Irish DTT & DAB, motorised 1M, Technomate + other decoders, Sky+ Posts: 4,741	Yes, pot luck and/or copied the install alignment off another house nearby by eye Astra 1 is ALWAYS the first satellite you get if randomly hunting, btw. I have no idea why, but it always work out as such for me or anyone else I've ever talked to about it... Possibly because you can get some of the strong transponders on a biscuit tin lid in most areas

29-04-2006, 20:10	#8
Analoguesat Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Scottish Borders Services: Sky Digital, and fta from /5E/7E/9E/10E/13E/ 16E/19E/23E/28E Posts: 17,549	Probably - It should work even with a moderate size dish - In the past Ive had 16E and 19E when the wind has moved my 80cm 19E dish around a bit.

29-04-2006, 20:35	#10
KianD Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Dublin Services: Irish DTT & DAB, motorised 1M, Technomate + other decoders, Sky+ Posts: 4,741	It was 80 in the early days, it only dropped to 60 as LNB noise figures improved drastically in the early to mid 1990s However, you'll still get better picture out of an 80 than a 60 on analogue that far oop norf. Which I think is AS's main concern

29-04-2006, 20:36	#11
Analoguesat Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Scottish Borders Services: Sky Digital, and fta from /5E/7E/9E/10E/13E/ 16E/19E/23E/28E Posts: 17,549	No - the rquirement was 60cm for the southern half of the uk and 80cm for the northern half. Doesnt really matter now the two lowest powered birds have been retired of course. The main reason I use an 80 though is that it was free! (Along with most of my other dishes!)

29-04-2006, 20:46	#12
wod1 Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: west yorkshire Services: Be, motorised satellite Posts: 5,246	i use 80cm as it give as better signal to be sure in bad weather . plus bigger is better as they say

29-04-2006, 20:47	#13
ffej Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 225	You will also find that adjacent satellites, as a rule, do not transmit on similar frequencies/polarities/SR's/FEC. I can get 28east whilst located at 26east by inputting a $ly transponder into my receiver. The signal is of course weaker as the pick up is way down on the main lobe of the dish or even on the first side lobe. It's all down to basic antenna design and receiver front end sensivity. Jeff PS. Just realised, I'm posting on the $ly forum . I will now write out 100 times, "Keep away from this forum as it is for Uncle Rupert fans ". Jeff