Using a small dish.. Why does it need reposition for different channels?

martyc5674

Hi there
Am on holidays in France and we always bring a camping dish and a receiver with us.
This is just a question really.
If I tune into bbc 1 say and lock up the dish if I change channel the signal may be poor on another channel.
Are there more than one transmitter on each satellite that a smaller dish can't focus on all of at the same time?
Is there a known channel for example that's good to tune into that gives a good compromise?
It's no problem really... (Dish is 30cm and picks up everything).. Takes 30 seconds to rectify and not exactly stuck in front of it with the great weather
Cheers
Marty.

Provenzal

Smaller dish actually has a wider beamwidth than larger dish, so wouldn't be any way handicapped WRT the latter from the POV of getting all signals from an orbital position. (Currently 3 satellites at 28 degrees east?)

Gain is poorer with the smaller dish though, so it's possible overall low signal level is exaggerating how channels on different frequencies & polarities react to little 'quirks' of your dish.

You'd be best off getting a bigger dish. And when aligning your dish, don't forget 'polarisation offset', AKA 'LNB skew'.

martyc5674

Chees for detailed reply
Something I've never done tuning a dish is played with the skew of the lnb.
Is there a certain position it's to be in or is it relative to where on the globe your dish is located?
From what your saying so if I tune in a strong signal on any channel it should be good for the rest.
Marty.

STB

Certain channels (on channel blocks called transponders) will be stronger than others. Eg BBC1/Ch4/Ch5 are the strongest on 28.2 whilst the ITV+1s etc will be weaker. Weaker again will be Sky News and CBS channels.

The solution to quick tweaking is to put it on a channel that is breaking up/or has low signal strength and skewing or slightly adjusting the dish. If the satellite box has an onscreeen signal meter, you could do this fairly quickly.

Also, Certain channels on freesat no longer have a pan european sat pattern so will be weak or unobtainable. The smaller the dish will also mean that chances diminish of receiving weaker channels. I honestly dont why they sell them!

pocuinn

I reset my alma 2300 receiver by accident. I have since reset it correctly but now it is telling me no signal for the british channels although another receiver is working perfectly off the same dish

same ol sh1te

pocuinn wrote: »

I reset my alma 2300 receiver by accident. I have since reset it correctly but now it is telling me no signal for the british channels although another receiver is working perfectly off the same dish

Do a scan, factory resetting is most likely using old frequencies for channels that have since changed

pocuinn

No I reset it off a friends dish and it was working ok When I plugged in my own dish it says no signal even though it is listing channels.