Where can I learn about satellite repair and installation?

Aidan_M_M

Howdy all , I fit a lot of satellite TV systems to motorhomes , and when they work they're great.. but when they don't it's a right ppain in the butt . Some are automaticly self seeking , some are fully manual , others still a combination . Where it goes pear shaped is when things go wrong , be it LNB's being faulty , Co-ax cables damaged , or improperly tuned . Where can I get more "tuned in" (bad pun , I know) on this stuff? I don't mind buying tools for the job .

Apogee

The installers on here will have their own suggestions but I would strongly recommend a good spectrum analyzer. When it comes to figuring out if there's a problem, they are streets ahead of everything else.

If money is no object, then the Promax line are the ones to go for. If that's out of your league, then the Emitor models are cheaper but a little heavy.

As a reference book, Baylin's "Digital Satellite TV" is the best imo. Could do with a bit of updating but still much better than Breed's book.
http://www.baylin.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=15&Itemid=26

The Cush

This recent publication Digital TV, Satellite and Multimedia by R.A. Calaz (previously posted) has three satellite related chapters (Ch. 7 Satellite TV Reception, Ch. 8 Satellite TV Distribution, Ch. 9 Test Equipment for TV and Satellite Reception), I purchased my copy recently from the seller on the amazon.co.uk marketplace. Online preview.

An Introduction to Domestic Radio TV and Satellite Reception by the same author may also be of interest.

Tony

John Breeds satellite books http://www.swiftpublications.com.

Aidan_M_M

Thanks . I get on fine with the installations of the hardware , I would actually be pretty nifty at hiding cables away neatly tbh , but when they start acting up I get lost . Like Yesterday I got it hard to pick up Astra2 with a semoi Auto system the signal was strong but the quality was fluctuating... I tried new cables , a new Free to Air box , a different LNB... and still had it intermittent .

And the other day I failed to get and signal , at all on another system . Bearing in mind I had a SAT finder , and I work out of the same yard all the time!

I mostly fit Oyster and Camos systems , btw .

Apogee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsWh6WOw4xU

The major advantage with a spectrum analyzer is you can see straight away what's up. So if you have a bad connection, the display will show a base line. If the LNBF isn't switching between H and V, you'll see the peaks remain the same. You get accustomed to recognising what the spectrum for a particular satellite looks like, so you can immediately tell if your aligned on the correct sat or not.

Here's a pic of one in use I came across on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDBl4zzCvs0

Aidan_M_M

Thanks.. so will that tell me whether the issue is in the Dish , LNB , cable or Receiver?
What do ye think of the ALdi/Lidl Free to air boxes?

Tony

Aidan_M_M wrote: »

What do ye think of the ALdi/Lidl Free to air boxes?

Not much

Aidan_M_M

haha man after my own heart... My customers are strange , they could shell out anything up to 2k on an installed fully auto system , but penny-pinch when it comes to getting a Receiver!

Tony

Yes I've come across that in houses too, multi million euro house and 15 year old tv.

Aidan_M_M wrote: »

haha man after my own heart... My customers are strange , they could shell out anything up to 2k on an installed fully auto system , but penny-pinch when it comes to getting a Receiver!

Apogee

Aidan_M_M wrote: »

Thanks.. so will that tell me whether the issue is in the Dish , LNB , cable or Receiver?

If you learn how to use it properly, then yes.

Aidan_M_M

Apogee wrote: »

If you learn how to use it properly, then yes.

Interesting . How hard , and how long to realistically learn how to use one ? I'm reasonably ok with electrics and problem diagnoses .