Time to tune your antennas

[Archived-1]

I have seen a blue tit on many of occasions Rimants giving the 1.2 dish a insect clean I have a picture somewhere.

 

[RimaNTSS]

I do not care about some spider, anyway, it is well known they like satellite dishes and make their nests in hidden places. Also wasps like to do the same, especially they like to make nests inside of C-band LNBs.

 

[Captain Jack]

Found a single spot on my property where I can get 68.5E...



I can also get it in the office/man-cave

 

[Captain Jack]

Unfortunately the same spot will not get me 62E.. and probably about 10 degrees beyond that because of the faraway tree.

 

[RimaNTSS]

Those spots seem to be made by trees. Do not forget that trees are growing and, might happen, that next year spots will not exist at all.

 

[Archived-1]

Unfortunately the same spot will not get me 62E.. and probably about 10 degrees beyond that because of the faraway tree.

View attachment 85865

Did you do any time lapse pictures Alex ?.

 

[Captain Jack]

Those spots seem to be made by trees. Do not forget that trees are growing and, might happen, that next year spots will not exist at all.

Indeed they are. Those trees are huge...



Did a site check for the 1.8m dish - looks like I can get to around 57E, but it's in the winter time only as it's passing through a tree.



You can see the shadows of those trees here.. but this is the best I can do for the 1.8m... other than lifting it up in the air, which might go against the council's wishes (if they approve the installation in the first place).

Did you do any time lapse pictures Alex ?.

Not this time. Don't really have a setup for that at the moment and house is still a massive mess after the move and the flooding...

 

[Archived-1]

Hi Alex, could you not use the apex on this / other side and clear them pal ?

 

[Captain Jack]

It would (probably) clear the trees there, but I ain't sticking a 1.8m up on there ! I am even scared of putting a 1m up that high up because I am totally exposed to the west and it gets a bit breezy on that side

 

[Archived-1]

It would (probably) clear the trees there, but I ain't sticking a 1.8m up on there ! I am even scared of putting a 1m up that high up because I am totally exposed to the west and it gets a bit breezy on that side

Lol Alex I wasn't talking putting the 1.8 there , what I did at my mums many years go was drilled through both walls into the loft and used threaded rod and a brace inside the loft, I am exposed to westerly winds with my dishes at high level, the 1.8 has not been tested yet but I am sure it will be fine.

 

[Captain Jack]

I will see how much I am actually missing with the dish at ground level. For the time being, I will probably only put a 1.2m Fibo up in the garden - I don't feel like doing the 1.8m install in the middle of winter, which still needs some planning in my head.

 

[RimaNTSS]

Reminder again: Next week outage starts, so time to tune antennas

 

[RimaNTSS]

Even it is 6 days till maximum sun outage for my location, it is also possible to observe this effect today. OK, at maximum interference time sun is about 2,2* lower than arc, but anyway. On this picture antenna is pointed towards 11*W and shadow of the LNB is little bit too hing, but at least it is in the middle of the dish. And there is no shadow from balcony rail, means - clear LOS.

 

[TJExcalibur]

Even it is 6 days till maximum sun outage for my location, it is also possible to observe this effect today. OK, at maximum interference time sun is about 2,2* lower than arc, but anyway. On this picture antenna is pointed towards 11*W and shadow of the LNB is little bit too hing, but at least it is in the middle of the dish. And there is no shadow from balcony rail, means - clear LOS.

So when is the next sun outage after this one. Bit cold to climb on the roof just now. Can you arrange for an outage in the summer months?

 

[Captain Jack]

Here you go, Sun Outage / Sun Interference Prediction for Geostationary Orbit Satellites - Jens T. Sætre - http://www.satellite-calculations.com - give you all the details. Best day is around 2nd March but can be checked a few days before and after. You need sunshine on those days! Unlikely here...

 

[RimaNTSS]

Yep, exactly the same site as in the first post of this thread ;) More south you go, later day for maximum outage you get. For London area March 1st is maximum, timing on the screenshot is for 11*W

 

[4wd]

9e (only) suddenly dead!?? Receiver gone wrong? diseqc gone, or sat settings wiped. No help rebooting... damn, the switch has failed! Or the crows have eaten the lnb and rats cut the cable.

Then remembered reading these posts. Around 12:35, exactly as stated when looking up Sun Outage / Sun Interference Prediction for Geostationary Orbit Satellites - Jens T. Sætre - http://www.satellite-calculations.com (great work this guy has done)

Will check 5w from 13.30

 

[RimaNTSS]

It is still 2 days till maximum outage at my place. Tuned antenna to Astra4 and turned on signal-monitoring script. Results are in the screenshot and also picture of shadow LNB makes.

 

[dxhound2003]

Signals way down on 1 West. I lost the signal on the Irish Election feeds. Sky News down to 8 dB, creeping back up now 15dB, max is around 17 dB.

 

[4wd]

5w :O)