Your satellite dish must have the proper horizontal dish alignment, also known as an azimuth position, in order to receive a clear, uninterrupted signal.
The horizontal alignment describes the position of the signal-emitting satellite. As a result, your dish must face either east or west, depending on which direction you want to receive the signal.
Your azimuth alignment will be determined by where you are. Finding the perfect horizontal alignment for your satellite dish is always recommended first since it makes finding the correct elevation alignment for your satellite dish much easier.
To orient your satellite dish horizontally, please follow our step-by-step instructions:
- Determine the azimuth setting your satellite dish requires. This information is freely accessible online or on the Astra website.
- Using an adjustable wrench, loosen the nuts on the mounting collar of the dish once it has been installed at the desired location.
- Stand behind the dish and rotate the magnetic compass horizontally until the needle aligns with the north and south dial readings.
- When using your magnetic compass, be mindful that metal buildings can cause interference with your readings.
- Rotate the satellite dish in the direction indicated by the degrees on the compass – for inspiration, look at the location of your neighbor’s dish.
- With the wrench, tighten the nuts on the mounting collar after the dish is in the proper place.
Without a meter, how can I align my dish satellite?
The NFL season openers and salted caramel popcorn beckoned, and I had already stocked the minibar with beer.
Rain and snow are the typical suspects, but the beautiful sky that evening allowed me to practically see the stars.
To get the signal back on my TV, they rotated the dish a degree to the left and another upwards!
The problem could have been fixed with no fancy meters or tools, yet they charged me for the whole cost of diagnosing and repair, which took less than ten minutes.
As a result, I learned more about dish alignment and signal strength so that if calamity strikes again, I won’t waste time or money hiring professionals.
I aspired to be a first responder, and this post provides all I’ve learned about determining signal strength without using a satellite meter.
To locate a satellite signal without using a meter, rotate your dish for horizontal adjustment, then vertical adjustment for elevation. Work with a partner who can keep an eye on the television’s signal strength.
What is the best way to orient a satellite dish?
You must maximize the signal on three plains to get a satellite dish oriented correctly. This is the adjustment for left and right, or east and west (azimuth). The skewadjustment, which is the angle at which the LNB is mounted into the LNB holder, and the elevation angle, which is up and down.
Azimuth (East & West) adjustment
Your satellite dish must be aligned to the correct position for the satellite TV services you want to receive, which is measured in degrees off due south rather than magnetic south as provided by compasses. The Astra 2 satellites at 28.2E and Eurobird at 28.5E are the most prevalent in the UK, allowing you to receive either Sky subscription-based services or Freesat, which is a non-subscription service.
Other common satellites used in the UK include the Astra1 satellites at 19.2E, which give TV from France, Germany, and other nations in that region, and the Hotbird satellites at 13E, which provide satellite TV from Poland, Italy, and other European and North African countries.
The azimuth is the most crucial alignment of them all since once you’ve adjusted it, all you have to do now is establish the elevation before you can start looking for the satellite. If you don’t alter the azimuth, you could waste hours looking for the wrong satellites (there are a lot), therefore you’ll need to perform some research on the satellite orientations you want to employ.
Elevation Adjustment
After you’ve got the azimuth right, you’ll need to get the elevation angle right before you can find the satellite. This is presented as an angle, but the exact angle will depend on where you are on the planet. Because telecommunication satellites orbit around the equator, the Astra 2 satellites are in a geo-stationary orbit over the Democratic Republic of Congo. For example, the closer you are to the equator, the higher the satellites will appear in the sky. Until you reach the equator, where the satellites will literally be straight above you, the other extreme will be in countries like Iceland, where the satellites will seem very low on the horizon, making line of sight much more difficult owing to local impediments such as trees and nearby buildings.
It’s worth mentioning that all satellite dishes in the Northern Hemisphere, such as Europe, the United States, and North America, will be facing south towards the equator, whilst satellite dishes in the Southern Hemisphere will be looking north. So, keep in mind that satellite dish alignments in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa are pointing in the opposite direction, so certain parts of this text may need to be adjusted because it was written from a UK perspective.
The reason I claim the elevation isn’t as critical as the azimuth alignment, when it’s actually just as crucial, is because it’s considerably easier to get the azimuth right once you’ve got the azimuth fixed, rather than the other way around. Most satellite dishes feature an elevation angle option that will assist you in selecting the appropriate region for the elevation angle setting. Keep in mind that this angle on the dish assumes that it has been set on a perfectly level, vertical surface, which is unusual. Many satellite dishes, such as the UK-style Sky satellite dishes, have a spirit level built in to help you with this, but be aware that these aren’t always the finest and can be an impediment to you.
Skew Adjustment/ LNB setting
The skewadjustment on the LNB must be set as the final alignment. The angle at which the LNB rests within the LNB holder is this. Most people believe that these should be perfectly straight; I’ve even had a customer tell me that the LNB wasn’t installed straight, but most people believe that not installing your LNB with a zero-degree angle on the skewadjustment is incorrect and will seriously affect satellite signal reliability. You’ll need to compensate for the LNB skew unless the satellites you want to align your dish with are absolutely due south (or north down under!).
The reason for this is that satellite signals are broadcast in both horizontal and vertical polarisations, and if the skew isn’t set correctly, the LNB and satellite dish won’t be able to tell the difference between them, and they’ll interfere with one another, resulting in an unreliable signal, pixilation, and even complete signal loss.
If you can visualize looking south towards the satellites around the equator, that will help you understand the skew adjustment. Because the earth is round (no flat earth theories here because they won’t help you align your satellite dish), the further east or west you deviate from due south, the lower the satellite will be in the sky, so the satellite is effectively beaming the signals at an angle that you must work with to get the best signal.
What is the procedure for adjusting the angle on my dish television?
To determine azimuth, follow these steps:
- Find the correct angle with a compass and adjust the plumb mast (the pole on which the dish is attached) until the dish is pointing at that angle.
- Check the strength of your signal: anything above 40 is considered good.
- All hardware should be tightened.
Where should I point my Freesat satellite dish?
If your television receives subscription-based services such as Freesat or Sky, you should point your satellite dish toward the Astra 2 satellites or the Eurobird. The satellite alignment for Astra 2 satellites should be at 28.2E, whereas for Eurobird, shifting the dish to 28.5E should suffice.
How do I check the strength of my satellite signal?
How to Check the Strength of a Satellite TV Signal
- Ascertain that the satellite dish is connected to the satellite receiving box that comes with the package.
- Connect your television to the satellite receiver box.
- Make that the satellite receiver and the television are both turned on.
- From the receiver’s menu, choose “Signal Meter Screen.”
Why isn’t my satellite dish transmitting a signal?
This problem is frequently caused by a slightly off-kilter satellite dish, broken or malfunctioning equipment, bad weather, or something blocking the dish’s view of the sky. Your signal strength may limit the delivery of live programs, but you can still watch recorded content if you have a DVR.
What is the best direction for a directv dish?
Prior to testing, start with a southern-pointing direction. When directed in that direction, the Dish satellites are aligned to the south and will calibrate more readily.
How do you position an LNB?
How to Adjust a Satellite Dish’s LNB
- Go to the setup menu on your satellite box.
- Transponders 1 and 2 should be checked.
- Disconnect the bolts that are holding your dish in place.
- Experiment with moving the dish from side to side and up and down in little increments, no more than 1/2 inch at a time.
- Reattach the bolts to the dish as securely as possible.