Query re. Evening Courses in Satellite Insallation

Ozzie

I'm intrigued by satellite tv, and by what is actually available here if you have the right equipment and know-how. Unfortunately I know nothing about intallation, etc. Is there anywhere offering evening classes in satellite installation that could get me going?

kramlq

Unless you are hoping to do it professionally, you dont need any classes.
Buy a receiver, dish+bracket, lnb, cable and a cheap satellite meter.

There are several good installation/setup tutorials on the net. The one for caravan owners by Dave O'Sullivan (or something like that??) is very good.

Connect everything and go outside and try to find astra2 (for bbc) with the meter (follow the tutorial above). Later, move the dish to the left to try and find astra1 (german channels). Then move it a bit more right and try to find hotbird. Then move it back and try to find astra2 again. With a little practice you will get good at alignment, and can then try for more obscure satellites if you want to.

Then when you are sick of moving the dish every time you will probably want a diseqc motor. Once you are good at installing a fixed dish, a diseqc motor should not take you long to set up either.

Zaphod

A few years back Athlone RTC were offering some sort of course in satellite communications. Don't know if it's still available or not

I'd recommend that you buy a copy of this:
http://www.baylin.com/books_large/dig_sat_large.html

Zaphod

Nope, not Athlone, Letterkenny.

http://www.lyit.ie/courses/computing/Bsc_Computing_network_satellite.htm

Capt'n Midnight

You would need a couple of grand up front just to cover the insurance, and IIRC that covers thier roof , not you.