How to set up a satellite dish tuner yourself? Tips & Tricks

Instructions for self-installation - setting up a satellite television system will come in handy when there is no physical or material opportunity to contact professionals. After reviewing it, you can be sure that this procedure is not difficult.

This process can be divided into 3 stages:

1. Assembling parts of a plate.
2. Installation and configuration of a satellite dish. A search for a suitable mounting location and satellite is carried out independently, taking into account possible interference, as well as mounting the plates to the supporting structure.
3. Connecting a satellite tuner to the TV and antenna, tuning to the search channel and fine-tuning the dish based on signal strength.

It is not recommended to install the antenna on the roof, if absolutely necessary. If it is impossible to do without this, then before installation, you should consult a specialist.

All systems must be properly grounded. Improper grounding can result in equipment damage and serious injury. Both the plate itself and the coaxial cable connecting the converter to the receiver inside the building can be grounded.

Setting up a satellite dish yourself: preparation and procedure

Installation will require:

• use of tools;
• determining the presence of water pipes, electrical wiring or gas lines near the installation site;
• use of a compass, protractor and building level;
• laying coaxial cable through walls and under the floor;
• use of stairs;
• knowledge of local grounding standards.

In the absence of experience in performing such tasks, installation and configuration of a satellite dish cannot be carried out independently - you should seek the help of people who have such experience.

You will also need such tools:

• Phillips and slotted screwdrivers ;
• Allen key
• electric drill and drill;
• building level;
• compass;
• protractor.

Consumables required:

• screws for attaching the antenna stand;
• coaxial cable;
• ground block and ground wire;
• cable mount;
• antenna socket;
• silicone for sealing cable entry holes and plate mounting holes.

Useful Tips

• The key points that accompany the installation and configuration of a satellite dish: do not drill any holes on your own until the best place to place the dish is determined.
• Before setting up the satellite dish tuner yourself, you need to make sure that the installation of the dish complies with local electrical and building codes and other laws and regulations. If there is no certainty, you should seek help from the architectural and construction inspection and energy supervision.
• To facilitate periodic snow removal, it is necessary to choose an easily accessible installation location.
• Make sure that there are no obstacles between the satellite dish and the line of sight of the satellite. It must be remembered that trees grow and may block the signal in the future.
• The maximum permissible length of the RG-6 cable connecting the receiver to the plate is 45 m.
• Using a cable of a lower class (e.g. RG-59) may result in excessive signal loss and poor reception. The brand of cable is indicated on its sheath.

Place of installation

The antenna must be mounted on a solid base. So that the dish does not change its position in windy weather, before you tune the satellite dish tuner yourself, you need to choose a place where it can be firmly fixed. The surface of the mount must be hard and hard.

Important: the offset plate can be rotated within 70 °. If the antenna is mounted on a wall, it must be checked whether it can be deployed assembled in the desired direction. Otherwise, the installation location must be changed.

It is not recommended to install the antenna:

• on the railing or fence;
• on aluminum or vinyl siding;
• on the roof unless absolutely necessary.

Satellite dish assembly

Assemble the antenna parts according to the operating instructions. As a result, the fastening to the supporting structure, the reflector holder and the mirror itself with a bracket for mounting the converter or multi-feed should be ready.

Satellite Search: DIY antenna and tuner tuning

It is necessary to determine the direction of orientation of the plate. For example, if you plan to receive a signal from the Hot Bird satellite located at 13.0E, Astra 4A 4.9E and Amos 4.0W, then the antenna should be directed to all three positions of the geostationary orbit.

For each satellite, it is necessary to determine the azimuth, elevation, or elevation of the satellite, and the angle of rotation of the converter with linear polarization.

Signal reception in areas with an elevation of less than 12 ° may not be possible. If you have access to a computer, the exact antenna settings can be obtained at www.dishpointer.com. You must enter the name of your locality and select the satellite or multi-feed on which the dish is configured.

For Moscow, the data is as follows:

Standing in place of the future installation of the antenna, and holding the compass evenly, slowly turn it, aligning the arrow with the direction to the north. The mark on the edge of the device, corresponding to the azimuth of the satellite, determined earlier, and will indicate the desired direction.

For compass data to be accurate, large metal objects must be avoided. The accuracy of the measurements can be checked by conducting a control measurement a few meters from the previous one.

The satellite tilt angle can be determined using a protractor. You must also make sure that there are no obstacles. If there is no direct line of sight of the satellite, you need to choose another place for the antenna. It will not be superfluous to verify the absence of plants, which in the future can close a direct review.

Plate mounting

Before drilling the mounting holes using the building level, before adjusting the satellite antenna tuner yourself, the vertical orientation of the bracket is checked. If the bracket is installed obliquely, then further actions lose their meaning.

• In the design on which the antenna is mounted, it is necessary to drill holes corresponding to the holes for mounting the bracket. Secure the bracket with anchor bolts. Check connection for mobility.
• Attach the plate mirror mount by loosening the azimuth bolt and elevation bolt. Tighten the angle adjustment bolt so that the mount can be held on the bracket.
• Loosen the elevation bolt 1/3 turn. It is necessary to adjust the angle of inclination of the mount in accordance with the satellite data and tighten the bolt.
• Install the converter bracket and securely fasten it.
• Using a compass, point the LNB in ​​the direction corresponding to the azimuth of the satellite. Draw a vertical mark on the antenna mount and bracket. It will indicate the approximate direction to the satellite during tuning.
• Loosen the LNB angle adjustment bolt. Tilt the mirror plate to the desired angle and securely fasten it. In the future, no corrections to this parameter are needed.

Receiver connection

In order to be able to observe the signal level to increase it to its maximum value, one of the converters and a TV must be connected to the receiver. Preparation of the receiver ’s satellite tuner for connection is carried out in accordance with its instructions.

Connect the RG-6 coaxial cable to one of the LNB outputs. Connect the other end of the coaxial cable to the input jack of the receiver. In order to make it easier to set up the dish, it is recommended that you temporarily connect the receiver and TV near its installation site. If it is not possible to observe the signal level on the TV screen from there, then you cannot configure and install the satellite antenna and tuner yourself. To do this, you need an assistant who will monitor the readings on the TV.

To receive a signal, you need to configure the receiver's satellite tuner to a channel that works in the public domain. For example, for receiving from Astra 5E satellite (former Sirius), you should choose the transponder 11766H, 12073H or 12245V, Hot Bird 13E - 10971H, 11766H or 12207H, Amos 4W - 10722H, 10759H. For information on how to add the desired channel on the satellite tuner, refer to the user manual of the specific receiver model.

Launch the signal settings menu in the receiver. The program window will display its current level on a scale graded from its absence to the highest value. The goal is to maximize the signal.

Check for a connection between the satellite receiver and the LNB. The display method depends on the satellite receiver. Some devices indicate the presence of communication in green, and the absence of red.

Setting the cymbal to the signal

Satellite television is tuned independently with direct visibility of the TV screen, and with an assistant monitoring the signal strength, in the absence of the ability to connect equipment near the antenna. If you are using a search device, you should go to the appropriate section.

You will need data on the azimuth, elevation and tilt of the convector, as defined earlier.

• Make sure that the plate settings match the calculated data.
• Put an identification mark on the junction of the bracket and the antenna mount before making any adjustments.
• Standing behind the plate, take it with both hands on both sides and turn as far as possible to the west. Then slowly move the antenna east while the assistant watches the tuner setup screen on the TV.
• When a signal appears, put a second mark.
• If the maximum power point is passed, then rotate the antenna in the opposite direction until the maximum signal is reached.
• Tighten plate mounting screws.
• Now, to further improve the signal power, the satellite's tilt angle should be adjusted. After that, all bolts can be tightened securely.

Alternative setup method

• You can determine the location of satellites using a special device - an antenna signal indicator.
• To do this, connect a short coaxial cable from the converter to the LNB-connector of the indicator, and a cable from the receiver to its second connector.
• Tune in to the satellite’s working channel.
• Orient the antenna in azimuth and elevation angle calculated earlier.
• Move the plate to the right of the reference mark.
• Slowly rotating the mirror back to the mark, listen to the change in the pitch of the indicator sound. If the pitch is set correctly, pitch changes will be heard. A faint sound may indicate another satellite signal. It is necessary to find the position of the maximum indicator reading.
• Repeat the procedure by changing the elevation angle.
• After completing the settings, turn off the search indicator and connect the tuner directly to the converter. Check signal strength with receiver firmware.

Coaxial cable grounding

Self-installation kit includes a unit and a ground wire.

Before tuning the satellite antenna tuner, the external cable, which can be subjected to static discharges or contact with the wiring, is independently grounded. For this, a special block is used, placed as close to the entry point as possible.

Attach the ground block to the wall near the antenna. Connect the cable from the dish and the receiver to it.

Connect the wire to the block connector. Tighten the screw. Connect the wire to the building ground loop or other suitable point.

Troubleshooting

If you have problems finding a satellite signal, you should take the following actions:

• make sure that the cable is connected to the SAT IN port of the satellite TV receiver;
• make sure the channel settings are correct. If everything is correct, then enter the data of another transponder;
• make sure the cable is connected securely and re-confirm the bearing, elevation and tilt of the converter for your location. Check straight section of bracket for plumb;
• Repeat the satellite search, decreasing or increasing the elevation angle by 1 ° from the initial setting.

DiSEqC connection and channel scan

If the number of converters is more than one, then after setting up the satellites, DiSEqC should be connected. For example, input A is Hot Bird 13E, input B is Astra 5E, input C is Amos 4W.

The switch is installed near the antenna and placed in a waterproof container, in the bottom of which ventilation holes should be made.

Inputs for connecting heads are marked on it. It is necessary to record their correspondence to each converter, so that in the tuner menu for each satellite head, in accordance with the connection, set DiSEqC. Moreover, the sequence does not matter. Enough matching the specific connection to the installation of the receiver. If the DiSEqC position is selected correctly, a signal should appear.

This completes the installation and configuration of the satellite dish.