# Day Off, Installing a Satellite Dish

August 27, 2007

When you put all three together, you’ll find out why. 1) Today is a bank holiday in the UK. 2) We don’t have and we can’t have aerial TV coverage, we can’t have cable TV, and we can’t have Sky because I am not willing to pay anything beyond what we already pay in tax for TV; 3) They are playing the 2007 World Champs in Athletics that we really want to watch. So, I have been assigned a little project: get us the games on TV.

Based on the position of the trees and the house, I am going to try to hit two satellites: Astra 1E at 19.2E and Astra 2D at 28.2E. With Astra 1E I can get Digital+ (Spanish Sky equivalent, but some programmes are free-to-view) and Eurosport DE free. With Astra 2D I can get most of the UK free-to-air (plus Sky Digital). I am not sure Astra 2D will work given the azimuth and the trees ... but I'll try it first.

For my reference:

 Satellite at = 19.2 East orbit longitude (Astra 1E) Dish elevation= 28.6, Azimuth= 158.7 (magnetic compass), Polarisation= -14.8 Polar mounts only: Main angle= 51.9, Downward tilt= 6.7 

 Satellite at = 28.2 East orbit longitude (Astra 2D) Dish elevation= 25.68, Azimuth= 148.26 (magnetic compass), Polarisation= -20.76 Polar mounts only: Main angle= 51.9, Downward tilt= 6.7 

I'll be updating this blog entry throughout the day.

### Update (11.23AM)

Hmm, it's not going well. I can't find signal on either one, I wonder if the trees are blocking all the signal (that's what it looks from a visual, but I was hoping some signal to go through regardless). Anywa, the house has a flat roof, I have never been up there, but perhaps if I could set it up there ... Time to explore!

### Update (18.16PM)

Right, I figured out setting the dish on the roof was not an option, at least not for today since I need a very high ladder, which I don't have. I think I will try next week end to install it by the east side of the garden. That should help to reach elevation and go over the trees.

To be continued ...