Have you noticed that you have lost the signal and do not know how to orient the Sky dish without tools ? Here is a guide on how to find the Sky satellite on your own.
After a long and stressful day at work, you are finally back home and are about to see your favorite team’s match, but there is a problem! Your TV suddenly no longer receives any channels and the motivation is often much simpler than you might think, in most cases there has been only a shift of the antenna which, even if minimal, can cause this kind of unexpected.
You are certainly free to contact the satellite technician of your choice and wait until he arrives. But why wait and incur expenses, among other things, when you can solve this problem in perfect autonomy and in a very short time?
Now we will explain to you in detail how to do it.
Index
- How to orient the Sky dish without tools
- What is the Sat Finder
- Find the satellite with Sat Finder and compass
- Orient the parable
- Troubleshooting
How to orient the Sky dish without tools
How to orient the Sky dish without tools is certainly one of those eventualities that you may have had to face at least once in your long career as a viewer, do not think that it is such a rare problem, indeed.
Weather , animals , or sudden movements are all variables that stand between you and a relaxing and well-deserved view.
First of all, know that you won’t need any sophisticated or advanced equipment at all, the only things you really need are two: a compass and a Sat Finder .
These are instruments that you may already own, otherwise you can easily buy them at a retailer specializing in electronics or on the most common e-commerce sites , for example on Amazon .
I assure you that these two objects will be your faithful companions always ready for the eventuality when the occasion requires it.
Perhaps most importantly, you don’t need to have certain electronic or electrical skills or knowledge at all. It is a simple matter of calibration .
Curious about how they work and how you can use them? We will explain it to you immediately.
Read also: Sky decoder error code 35ab: how to fix
What is the Sat Finder
The Sat Finder is an instrument, also known more commonly as the field meter, the inseparable companion of any self-respecting technician.
Despite its small size, in fact, the functions it manages to express are truly remarkable and include, for example, a precise measurement of the wave emission or it is also used to get a general idea of the state of maintenance of the existing systems. . Surprising, right?
The Sat Finder today is available on the market in different versions, from the most classic to the most innovative , but the basic operation has certainly remained the same.
It is a precious tool that should never be missing in every home, because if used fully exploiting all its potential, it will prove to be the definitive tool to be able to manage your system independently.
There are several on the market, here are some:
CSL SAT-Finder – Satellite signal detector – LCD display – Meter with acoustic signal – High quality meter for optimal positioning
Buy on Amazon
Satlink Sat Finder DVB-S2 / S Digital FTA Satellite Signal Detector Dish, satellite TV Signal finder, with Compass and Flashlight Function [2.1 ” LCD Display] – WS-6933
55,90 EUR
Buy on Amazon
Find the satellite with Sat Finder and compass
Now that you finally have everything you need in your hands, you can move on to the actual operational phase.
First you will need to evaluate the extent of the shift your parabola has undergone. If it has moved a few millimeters, just use your Sat Finder to be able to enjoy the same reception quality you had previously.
If, on the other hand, the shift has been more consistent, you will need more help and this help comes right from the compass. You must know, in fact, that all the parables are generally oriented towards the South and using the compass you will be able to direct yours accurately.
For Android smartphones you can download the Compass app from Play Store , while for iPhones , the Compass app from the App Store .
Of course, you can always rely on your eyesight and, in the very likely case that your neighbors also have a satellite dish, point yours in the same direction.
However, we recommend that you still use both the compass and the Sat Finder , as they are able to release much more accurate and precise values and, as you have noticed, often a few millimeters literally make the difference between a clear view and a complete non-reception.
Orient the parable
To orient the Sky dish without tools but simply using a compass and Sat Finder you will have to follow in detail the various steps that we will now show you.
First of all, remember to keep the decoder switched on and to leave all the satellite cables in place. Do not touch any of these, even if they are not currently functional and the signal does not actually arrive, they will be useful as general indicators of recovery as well as serving as voltage sources for the Sat Finder.
After positioning yourself near the Sky dish, proceed by connecting your Sat Finder to the dish and to the cable of the decoder , specifically the input of the first will be called To LNB , the second instead To REC .
At this point you may begin to feel annoying interference, but fear not, it’s all perfectly normal.
Now turn on the Sat Finder and activate the Buzzer mode . In the meantime, you have surely noticed the presence of a special knob, turn it until the interference is completely gone.
Now begins the delicate part, the one that includes the actual movement of the dish.
Move the dish with extreme caution with movements from right to left and continue until you see the Sat Finder register a surge in signal. It usually hovers around an average percentile of 50% .
At this point you should hear a noticeably more intense and defined kind of whistle than the previous interference. Otherwise, continue to move the dish delicately until you find the exact position where the noise is most ringing and clear .
That will be exactly the area that will guarantee you full coverage and optimal reception in any environmental condition.
The bulk of the work is now practically completed, there are some last details that however you would do well not to overlook because returning to the starting situation is relatively easy if you do not proceed with meticulousness and precision.
Now you will have to secure your dish with greater stability , aided by using screwdrivers or special Allen screws .
Remember that in order for a parable to perfectly fulfill the purpose for which it is made, it is absolutely essential that it remains as firm and stable as possible .
By ensuring it well, you will also prevent similar problems from recurring in the future.
It is time to thank the Sat Finder for all the help it has lent you. Unplug it as well and obviously remember to connect the decoder cable directly to the dish .
If you have made it this far and carefully followed all of our advice, there is nothing left for you to do but make sure yourself that everything went according to plan.
Collect all the tools you used and go home, turn on the TV and connect to the channel you want .
If the vision is clear, the voice comes strong and decisive and there is no interference, it means that you have done everything in a workmanlike manner. Given the simplicity of the procedure, you could also start a new career as a specialist technician.
Troubleshooting
Have you followed our procedure in detail and despite this you still can’t see any channels?
Do not despair, it does not necessarily mean that your new electrical skills are to be reviewed or that you need to turn to a paid service. Often the cause is another and its resolution is even simpler than the one just illustrated.
In fact, it may happen that despite all the precautions put into practice, the satellite is unable to correctly pick up the HOT BIRD 13E signal .
The cause of this mishap is usually to be found in the inclination of the dish which must be re-calibrated .
To calculate this coordinate you can contact specific apps. The good news is that your compass is more than enough for the purpose.
After all, orienting the Sky dish without tools at your disposal is something that is certainly one of the things to know if you want to be a satisfied viewer and that does not let itself be discouraged by simple problems that you can solve by doing it yourself.
The value that you will have to identify is called Azimuth and, most likely, it is something you have already heard of on several occasions.
Of course azimuth and inclination are not arbitrary values that you can establish based on your whim, you will need to know these variables coordinated with the satellite of your interest and to do this there are special online services , such as the DishPointer site that will allow you to obtain them with simplicity.
After connecting to the service, enter the home address in Your location eg street, (lat, lon), select, in the All satellites drop-down menu , 13E EUTELSAT 9A | EUTELSAT HOT BIRD 13B | EUTELSAT HOT BIRD 13C and press the Search button ! to obtain the map with the indications on the positioning of the dish to be used with a pointing in green and where you will also see indicated the azimuth and the inclination .
Once identified, with the help of the compass, all you have to do is adapt your parabola to the new coordinates acquired . Then, moving it with extreme caution, make sure which position guarantees you the best quality in terms of reception.
Once you have traced the optimal area, exactly as you did previously, you just need to firmly secure the dish, making sure that the screws and bolts are tightened with extreme firmness. Doing so will prevent even a light wind from precipitating the situation again.
That’s all, once you have completed this last step, go back home and enjoy watching your TV which, by virtue of the work done in complete and total autonomy, will almost seem more beautiful and performing!