Astra 2E: Western Europe Reports

Harvey2nd

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My Satellite Setup
Receiver: GigaBlue UHD Quad 4K
LNB: Dur-Line Wideband
Dish: Televes 120cm offset pointed to Astra1 and Astra2
My Location
47.7N, 10.3E, Kempten, S. Germany
A minor update:

Signal is still weak on ITV HD but managed to get rid of the pixel noise which also disturbed my reception on Astra1.

Being new to Unicable, turned out my satellite connection socket was wrong. Being an end socket it needs 8db attenuation (I learned) but I only had a standard socket with 1dB attenuation. After changing it plus adding another 20db attenuation I got rid of the noise and now have no problems receiving BBC HD 24/7. ITV HD is occasionally ok in the evening, but clearly I need a bigger dish.
 

the frenchman

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My Satellite Setup
Thomson HD
My Location
Spain
I'm getting the odd situation that for example I get Quest HD on 144 Sky in the morning but it has gone by late afternoon,but can't get Quest+1 in the morning but can once Quest HD has disappeared. Happens with a few other channels.102 BBC HD mornings only etc.
 

Nalleman

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Location
Motala Sweden
My Satellite Setup
1,8 Channel Master, Black Pro LNB with CM feedhorn for 28 E which is my main interest when watching TV. VU+ DUO 4K SE, VU+ DUO 2, Octagon SF8008 and Vantage 8000 S and TS receivers. Fixed dishes at: 42 E (0,75 m), 28,2/28,5 E (1,8 m), 19,2 E (1,5 m), 13 E (1,1 m), 9 E (0,7 m), 5 E (1,2 m) and 1 W (0,7 m).
My Location
Sweden
I'm getting the odd situation that for example I get Quest HD on 144 Sky in the morning but it has gone by late afternoon,but can't get Quest+1 in the morning but can once Quest HD has disappeared. Happens with a few other channels.102 BBC HD mornings only etc.
Quest HD and BBC HD are on 2E whilst Quest +1 is on 2F. Fringe reception = there is a difference in signal strength between these birds during the day.
 

mickwig

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My Satellite Setup
240cm Raven Offset, Invacomm Quad LNB;
120 cm Kathrein PF Polarmount, Kathrein Quattro LNB
90cm Astra1 dish;
Samsung LED TV with built-in DVB-S, Panasonic BlueRay Rec with Twin-Tuner, Panasonic BSkyB-Box 1.Generation; TBS5925 USB Card
My Location
49.77N;11.41E Pottenstein, Germany
Quest HD and BBC HD are on 2E whilst Quest +1 is on 2F. Fringe reception = there is a difference in signal strength between these birds during the day.
Your dish is aligned to 2e which is 0.3 deg further east than 2f.
 

the frenchman

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My Satellite Setup
Thomson HD
My Location
Spain
Quest HD and BBC HD are on 2E whilst Quest +1 is on 2F. Fringe reception = there is a difference in signal strength between these birds during the day.
Odd that I can get all the Quest channels at different times of the day when they are on 2F and 2E.
 

mickwig

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My Satellite Setup
240cm Raven Offset, Invacomm Quad LNB;
120 cm Kathrein PF Polarmount, Kathrein Quattro LNB
90cm Astra1 dish;
Samsung LED TV with built-in DVB-S, Panasonic BlueRay Rec with Twin-Tuner, Panasonic BSkyB-Box 1.Generation; TBS5925 USB Card
My Location
49.77N;11.41E Pottenstein, Germany
2f is a weird bird. Some channels are on GPS that have a corresponding frequency on the other plane. If that frequency is too strong it just masks the weaker tp.
 

satesco

Specialist Contributor
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My Satellite Setup
seven antennas,one toroidal with 16 lnbs,
6 satellite receivers,2 Meters,9 PC cards(tbs6983,6903,6590,6504,6522,6209,2603,6909X,6903X,6902se,skystar hd2),2 tuners usb-tbs5927 & tbs5925,Skystar HD.
Satellite reception between 100.5E-50.0W
My Location
Romania
If there are users in the south-eastern part of Europe interested in the European beam at 28.5E,this is what the signal looks like in my area:
 

Attachments

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  • 28.2E_Eur beam_2021-01-16_19-14-15.png
    28.2E_Eur beam_2021-01-16_19-14-15.png
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Nalleman

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Location
Motala Sweden
My Satellite Setup
1,8 Channel Master, Black Pro LNB with CM feedhorn for 28 E which is my main interest when watching TV. VU+ DUO 4K SE, VU+ DUO 2, Octagon SF8008 and Vantage 8000 S and TS receivers. Fixed dishes at: 42 E (0,75 m), 28,2/28,5 E (1,8 m), 19,2 E (1,5 m), 13 E (1,1 m), 9 E (0,7 m), 5 E (1,2 m) and 1 W (0,7 m).
My Location
Sweden
Mine come and go. Right now I have Quest HD but no SD.
As said before: Quest SD is on 2F (12 382 H) and HD is on 2E (11 426 V). I have problems with 12 382 but no problems with 11 426. My dish points at 28,35 E (between 28,2 where 2F and 2G are and 28.5 where 2E is) to be able to get all three birds. 2E is the strongest, 2F the weakest and 2G slightly weaker than 2E. This is regarding the UK beams.
When it comes to the European beams 2G is the almost incredably strong, 2E strong and 2F pretty strong.
 

Nalleman

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Messages
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Location
Motala Sweden
My Satellite Setup
1,8 Channel Master, Black Pro LNB with CM feedhorn for 28 E which is my main interest when watching TV. VU+ DUO 4K SE, VU+ DUO 2, Octagon SF8008 and Vantage 8000 S and TS receivers. Fixed dishes at: 42 E (0,75 m), 28,2/28,5 E (1,8 m), 19,2 E (1,5 m), 13 E (1,1 m), 9 E (0,7 m), 5 E (1,2 m) and 1 W (0,7 m).
My Location
Sweden
Odd that I can get all the Quest channels at different times of the day when they are on 2F and 2E.
The strength varies during the day which is far more noticeable with fringe reception.
 

Alistair_

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My Satellite Setup
Gibertini 1.5mt
Inverto Ultra
Amstrad DRX895
Pace2600
My Location
N. Italy, 40km E. Milan
Signal gone, for months now. I have never seen such a prolonged low signal since I set up the dish some 15 years ago, every year around Spring it decreases but this time looks like thye've lowered it for good.
 

Huevos

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My Satellite Setup
57E to 58W, C-band and Ku, DVB-S2, 4:2:2 and blindscan.
My Location
38.5ºN, 0.5ºW
Signal gone, for months now. I have never seen such a prolonged low signal since I set up the dish some 15 years ago, every year around Spring it decreases but this time looks like thye've lowered it for good.
What location?
 

PaulR

Dazed and Confused Admin
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My Satellite Setup
-----------See sig-----------
My Location
Wirral, NW UK and Vaucluse, France.
According to his profile, N. Italy, 40km E. Milan
 

Huevos

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My Satellite Setup
57E to 58W, C-band and Ku, DVB-S2, 4:2:2 and blindscan.
My Location
38.5ºN, 0.5ºW
1.5m looks small for that location.
 

Alistair_

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My Satellite Setup
Gibertini 1.5mt
Inverto Ultra
Amstrad DRX895
Pace2600
My Location
N. Italy, 40km E. Milan
1.5m looks small for that location.
I have watched all UK channels without issues for the past 15 or so with the 1.5mt dish, even the HDs. Only suffered lower signal around the spring equinox. This year it's different.
 

mickwig

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My Satellite Setup
240cm Raven Offset, Invacomm Quad LNB;
120 cm Kathrein PF Polarmount, Kathrein Quattro LNB
90cm Astra1 dish;
Samsung LED TV with built-in DVB-S, Panasonic BlueRay Rec with Twin-Tuner, Panasonic BSkyB-Box 1.Generation; TBS5925 USB Card
My Location
49.77N;11.41E Pottenstein, Germany
I have watched all UK channels without issues for the past 15 or so with the 1.5mt dish, even the HDs. Only suffered lower signal around the spring equinox. This year it's different.
My location is the south east of Germany (Northern Bavaria). Every year starting with the spring sun outage the signal degrades slowly until summer solistice and then picks up again to be strongest around XMas. No differece this year except theres a lot a thick cloud around this year.
 

7mdish

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My Satellite Setup
CM 2.4m motorised offset dish, Viking Ku-band 2-ports motorised feed, 2 SMW LNBs, RC2000A, Dreambox DM920.
My Location
Milan, Italy
My location is the south east of Germany (Northern Bavaria). Every year starting with the spring sun outage the signal degrades slowly until summer solistice and then picks up again to be strongest around XMas. No differece this year except theres a lot a thick cloud around this year.
Can anyone explain such behavior? Satellite is the same, transponder is the same, dishes are the same..... how can the same signal change so much between different seasons? We know that RF propagation is always involved in radio broadcasting, but I do not believe this occurs at so high frequencies. So, in such occasion we have perfectly lockable signal, in other none.... some dBs of difference. Could you please explain how this happens? Thanks.
 

dmaavrigdo

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My Satellite Setup
1.2m Laminas OFC1200 dish
Inverto Quad Black Ultra IDLT-QDL412-ULTRA-OPN
Octagon SF8008 twin
Yamaha HTR-2067
My Location
Vansbro Sweden
Can anyone explain such behavior? Satellite is the same, transponder is the same, dishes are the same..... how can the same signal change so much between different seasons? We know that RF propagation is always involved in radio broadcasting, but I do not believe this occurs at so high frequencies. So, in such occasion we have perfectly lockable signal, in other none.... some dBs of difference. Could you please explain how this happens? Thanks.
It's complicated.
 

7mdish

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My Satellite Setup
CM 2.4m motorised offset dish, Viking Ku-band 2-ports motorised feed, 2 SMW LNBs, RC2000A, Dreambox DM920.
My Location
Milan, Italy
Yes, but sporadic E is working mainly in HF or VHF bands, not in microwave I assume.
I used Sporadic E many times in the past for my QSO in 2 metres (144 MHz), and sometimes this propagation layer creates very short path (around 300-400 kilometers) in high HF bands (10 or 12 metres), and in 6 metres band too. Fantastic.
But all this has no relationship with satellite reception in Ku band I assume.
Back to my previous question, I do not understand why the same signal is stronger in a season (some months, not just one hour or two when Sporadic E is opened), and lower in a different season.
Also, there is no QSB (fading) as in the Sporadic E periods, so I do not believe it is the same situation. What do you think? Thanks.
 
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