Astra 2E: Central & East Europe Reports

[Richard Hunt]

Hi Everyone. I'ma very happy person tonight because a Prague based techie guy has restored me perfect quality BBC TV ,including HD, plus ITV, and C4, and all radio. Obviously he's a pro, and I'm a non techie, but I was very surprised given what I'd read here. He did three things; two were cone ted with what he said was bad set up of my 2.1m dish in the first place
- he moved the dish away from interference from a fence and lamppost
- he adjust the position of the three struts on the out-facing side of the dish (he said its really important to get their position exactly right, and mine were not
- he replaced the LNB.

he says that the footprint (sidelobe?) seems to extend about 80kms west of Prague and about 50kms east with a 2.1m dish properly set up.

if anyone wants his contact, let me know. Very reasonable prices, speaks excellent English. Also does security cameras and telco related stuff.

By the way I also posted this on Digital Spy, where in the past I got lots of helpful advice. I got a mail back saying I'd been banned for day because my post was deemed "advertising". I wrote back and pointed out that advertising usually requires the name of the product or service to be prominent... seems like that forum is dead since The Hearst Corporation took over. Anyway hope I didn't offend anyone here. I posted because it seemed like in this location we had lost FTA BBC even with a big dish, but it seems not. Just needs some precision, hope I've described it, without having the faintest idea what I'm talking about :-)

 

[timo_w2s]

By the way I also posted this on Digital Spy, where in the past I got lots of helpful advice. I got a mail back saying I'd been banned for day because my post was deemed "advertising". I wrote back and pointed out that advertising usually requires the name of the product or service to be prominent... seems like that forum is dead since The Hearst Corporation took over. Anyway hope I didn't offend anyone here. I posted because it seemed like in this location we had lost FTA BBC even with a big dish, but it seems not. Just needs some precision, hope I've described it, without having the faintest idea what I'm talking about :-)

I very rarely bother with Digital Spy these days... it used to be a good place for info but these days I hear too many stories similar to yours.

Your posts are appreciated here and I'm glad you managed to get the UK spot back. Always good to hear of positive results and if you can help someone else out in your area by supplying details of a good installer then even better as far as I'm concerned.

 

[PaulR]

This forum is run by enthusiasts for enthusiasts (and the man-in-the-street with a problem). We don't have any commercial owner to worry about and we rely upon common sense to moderate the forum.

 

[Eusebius Punz]

I´m in the eastern part of Austria and get the uk-spotbeam with the folowing values: Equipment: GFK 2,4 m PFA, Octagon Twin PLL LNB.
10729: 7,3 10847: 7,5 10906: 7,9 2G: 10964: 7,4 11023: 6,9. Measurement taken with Rover ST 2 +, around 20 m cable. I´m located between Vienna and Linz on 48,06 and 15,21.

 

[krivo123456789]

Hi,
I gave 28.2 a try on my 16 year old 80cm telesystem sat dish with a inverto ultra black single lnb.
I am located in Milan Italy

Out of all the 28.2 east satellites 2E is the best performing for me. The only transponder on the 2E UK beam that I don't receive 24 hours a day is 10714H (watchable until 7 in the evening), and I find 10773H to be relatively weak and at the limit but still completely watchable.

Unfortunately 2F and 2G are a little bit more problematic - I receive 11306 h/v, 11344 h/v 24 hours a day while I receive 10964 and 11126 until 7 in the evening. Which means I don't have ITV HD and can see the channel 5 bouquet until seven o'clock in the evening.

I guess if I installed a bigger dish (100cm ?) I could receive all the channels 24 hours a day, but I am really impressed that I have so much with an 80cm dish.

 

[4wd]

^^^ This is great result with an 80. Proves it's worth (some investment + time) to pursue a very good reception at your location.

Impression it's the same conditions as I have when in France (north of Nice), initially tested with a 90 cm which gave somewhat similar results as you got, with 2E the easy one. Went for a 125cm (real reception size), which was more or less the minimum needed to cope with signal variations (time of day, time of year), and give a little bad weather margin for the weaker 2G & 2F.
Needed millimeter adjustments to get the most out of it.

You may find something useful here > 1st dish in France

 

[Pietclock]

The FEC change means, reception has become impossible during the evening hours in South East Germany. It is still a bit easier to get the 2E BBC HD transponder than the ITV HD transponders on 2G, however those 1.4 dB you need more to get a stable signal with FEC 3/4 really mean either even bigger dish or no reception 8pm-11pm .... during summers, HD will be often unavailable anyway.
No content will be missed however, because the SD signal strength hasnt changed at all and reception is possible 24 hours.

 

[Satfaca]

Astra 2E can well be received in Slovenia with a fine-tunned 2.4 antenna.
SD transponders (10.70-10.95 GHz) absolutely no problem, HD transponders need some effort, however clear reception in the afternoon/evening, night.

 

[rodscha]

ok ,so Slovenia it is!!

 

[Satfaca]

Just established that 12.129 V also is on Astra 2E! I haven't been able to lock this tp so far because "searching" for it at 28.2E. Now all clear.