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Maplins Satellite Kit & Motor

  • 27-11-2006 11:34AM
    #1
    MaceFace
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,697 ✭✭✭


    Hi Guys,

    I got the Maplins dish and receiver set and got the whole thing set up over the weekend, except for some big issues.

    The receiver I got has some Satellites already loaded, so it is just a case of selecting the satellite from the menu and moving the dish through the motor to try and find it. I have managed to find the Hotbird satellite, and maybe 1 other (don't remember which). I tried to pick up the Astra2 satellite, but when I move the dish to the direction of it, while the receiver has this as the satellite it is looking for, my signal strength never goes above 25% (I have a Sky dish working fine, and it looks as though they are pointing in the same direction, but the Sky dish is on a pole at roof height whereas the FTA dish is at the back of the garden.

    Now, I am wondering if the elevation on the dish is not quiet right, but if it wasn't I would presume I could not find the Hotbird, as they should be all the same. Right?
    Even when I scan the satellite, I have only managed to load about 50 channels, 5 of which are FTA. Can't seem to get Italian or French Channels. They all appear to be middle eastern.

    Aside from this, I think it is just messing around with it to try and find it, I have a bigger question about the receivers. As I said, the one from Maplins have a list of about 20 or 30 satellites ready to choose and then it is a matter of moving the dish to pick the one up that is selected in the receiver menu.
    How do I get the details for adding more?
    I know how about the Freq (such as 10714 etc), but when I add a satellite, I also need to add a transponder which asks for a Mhz number. What is this?

    Is anyone aware of any guides for doing this for the first time, specifically with the maplins kit?

    Any help mucho appreciated as I don't want this turning out to be an expensive mistake.


Comments

  • #2
    Tony
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,346 ✭✭✭✭Tony


    what you need to do first is centre the dish on the franch satellite at 5w. Your motor elevation should be set to 36 degrees and you then adjust the dish elevation to get the strongest signal from this satellite.

    https://satellite.ie/



  • #3
    WUSBDesign
    Closed Accounts Posts: 549 ✭✭✭WUSBDesign


    I received a few hints re reception - see this thread: http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055013462 . The currently prevailing strong winds may be a good test for your dish setup!


  • #4
    MaceFace
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,697 ✭✭✭MaceFace


    I think I got the idea.......

    You guys should have just replied by telling me to read read read.

    Tony, as you made out, I need to center the dish at 5W as this is the highest angle, and what I never copped was that a motor on a dish will not simply move it from side to side, but will move it at a curve to change the elevation to match the relevant satellites.
    Therefore, where I was going wrong, was I believe I centered it on Hotbird, and when I moved the dish, the elevation was all wrong.

    It certainly isn't something you could guess with, but I reckon thanks to the good old internet, I should be able to get this sorted this weekend (when there is daylight to get the work done).

    FYI for anyone going to set up their own dish from maplins - the instructions are terrible and very difficult to follow. I think it could be because they are badly translated from a different language (maybe it is in the original language - satellitish).

    Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!


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