BuRR

Is there anyone in the Wakefield area (or anyone know anyone who can) who is able to offer assistance in realigning my Sky+ minidish?

I've been up the ladders, and wiggled it a bit, but to no avail.

Thanks.

OllyK

Very technical!!

You need to get vertical and horizontal alignment correct!! Preferably with the aid of a signal meter (but have seen people up ladders holding small portables before )

A quick Google should give you the required e/w direction which you can then set with the aid of a compass. Vertical may require a protractor, but I thought the mini-dishes had a little in built spirit level to help you get the vertical correct?

gsm1

If you don't have a signal meter then have someone indoors monitoring the sky box signal. Hit 'services' then 'system setup' then 'signal test' in the menu to view it. Move it only by a few mm everytime.

You sure it needs realigning, maybe the LNB is knackered?

pbee

buy yourself a sat meter, (or make one), you can get anice one for between £30 -£50 cheaper than someone coming round to do it for you.

Leslie

The alignment is so critical that you do need a meter to do it. I watched the guy doing mine and he had to offset it slightly so that when he tightened the brackets up the signal strength improved. Needs to be protected from strong winds too or that will also affect the signal.

Les

BuRR

I think I'll phone Sky

Thanks to all anyway

dean harris

If it helps,Sky digital uses the Astra 2 and Eurobird satellites positioned @ 28.2 degrees East.It is one of the strongest signals available,so using a portable is a good method of tuning in (I used that method to set up a multi-sat dish).
Hopefully this will save you some money,rather than calling Sky out!
"Raincoat mode off"
Dean

dsmith

No you dont. I take a dish to le mans every year and dont use a meter and (with some practice) can get in aligned in within just a couple of mins - in fact this year - I made a new stand, prealigned it in the back garden - set it up in France pointed it roughly in the right direction (using crappy old compass) made sure the stand was level and with a slight adjustment for being further south had it all working in under 1 minute.

You do need to to be able to see the TV. Set Sky to show signal strength as described above. You have to remember its digital so after each adjustment wait for the screen to update 2/3 secs than adjust again.

Start to one side and above where you think it was - move across in small adjustments (about 1 degree or "a small nudge" ) then nudge it down and go back the other way. Pausing after each and every nudge. With patience you will pick up the signal - then its a case of slowly improving it both vertically and horizontally.

Easier with a meter ? - Of course. Impossible without - No.
Of course if you have a dead lnb you may be there a while

Deano

Leslie

I thought 028.2 degrees was quite critical! Of course if you can see the TV while you do it, thats about the same as having a meter.

Les

916Duke

I agree with the above it could be a dead LNB. If its just realignment then I've done this quite a few times before with no problems. Just move the dish around slowly; you'll pick up a picture quite easily, then fine tune it to get maximum signal strength. It won't work if you're waving it around all over the place. SLY will charge you a min of £60 and will take weeks to get out to you.

DazV

I just paid the gits £60 to come and re-align mine.

Signal strength / Quality went from 40% to I'd say 60 - 70%

Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

I alligned mine myself by wiggleing it after initially seting up with a compass, my mate watched the signal meter on the tv and hey presto no probs, these signal meters are not necersary. I had one and it was more trouble than it is worth IMHO.

The only problem I had was 28.2 is not 28.2 when you're in Stuttgart

Cider boy

Just done this for a mate and was amazed at how in-accurate I was able to be, moving the dish 3 or 4 degrees didn't really affect the signal much! I didn't use a meter, just looked at where the other dishes in the street pointed and started from there.

The only problem I did have was that although the signal strength was near full the box wouldn't lock onto a picture - then pulled the mains out and plugged back in and it was fine

Don't know if this is a std thing or just particular to this model of de-coder

Matt