Set up the initial position
Dish alignment can be difficult especially if the required signal is weak. Follow these steps to set up initial position – azimuth and elevation, then use a meter to make fine adjustments to peak the signal
First check the dish size on the Footprint map for your satellite, which you can get from Lyngsat , in the imaginary example below I am installing at Windsor Castle, the satellite Astra 3 for Canal Digitaal (Netherlands) , which is 23.5°east
Here the signal strength of 53dBW indicates that a 50cm dish is ok for the installation area see Chart
Always add a little to give a margin for bad weather, so I will use a 65cm
Go to Dishpointer enter your Latitude, Longitude and Satellite to get the basic parameters for your location
- Latitude: 51.4832° Longitude: -0.6019° ( Windsor Castle )
- Elevation: 26.9°
- Azimuth (magn.): 150.9°
- LNB Skew -10.5° ( minus sign – skew to the East )
Dish Alignment – Azimuth (east-west setting)
If like the example above (Windsor Castle) you can line the dish up on a clearly visible target like the tree circled in red, then that is the easiest method, Otherwise get a compass and mark the direction on the ground under the dish
Dish Alignment – Elevation (angle above the horizon)
The dish alignment elevation scale is clearly set to 27 degrees.
Note: some dishes have both Elevation and Latitude scales, be sure to use the right one! If you have to convert it: Elevation = 90 – Latitude.
Dish Alignment – Skew
Loosen the lnb clamp.
The further away from south your satellite is ( our example is Astra 3 at 23.5 degrees east ) the more skewed the dish should be. In practice most dish reflectors are fixed, so the top of the lnb is turned towards the east until the meter indicates the best signal.
Note that with the Toroidal dishes and the Astra2connect ( dishes on shops selling Lottery tickets), the dish reflector does rotate.
The dishpointer skew guide on Dishpointer.com is 10.5 degrees, if the lnb clamp is graduated then you can initially set this figure, then peak with a meter.
Now peak the signal with fine adjustments
If you have followed these initial steps the final dish alignment should be easy even with the simplest meter.
With the best digital type meters more than one transponder can be tried and the dish peaked for the weakest signal
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