Newbie looking for info AND 28e

[TimJay]

Hi

I'm just a newbie and I've learnt a lot over the last few days trying to set up a Fortec Passion+ for freesat bought on the cheap (I think!) as a kit from Maplins. As much as anything else it is to learn what it's all about(plus HD) before going further.

So I have a couple of questions:

I'm having trouble getting a decent signal (max 73% so far) from Astra 2 which may well be to do with positioning as getting a clear view looks ok but I am depending on the 26 degrees to get me over a single story extension. I've used dishpointer and a satellite finder. I've found other sats without too much trouble. It's a 60cm dish. That should be big enough shouldn't it? (I live in mid-Kent). I do get a few channels from Astra 2 (according to the box) but not the FTA. I had imagined that if you got one channel you should get them all which leads on to my last question.

Whilst techwatch has been really usefull and I will be coming here a lot can anyone point me at a site (or even recommend a book!) that will give me more detailed info on how the satellites broadcast and what's out there technically etc. I'm expecially interested in the possibilities of the Dream box which I've gathered is a Linux based box which implies that it's programmable.

Most importantly it will save me wasting your time with more dumb questions!

[Robbo]

Yes 60cm is more than enough for all of 28E in Kent.

You have not explained very well what the 26 degrees is all about, but be sure that the dish is high enough to overcome any obstacles.

The angle from the bottom of the dish to the top of any obstacles, in the direction of the satellite must be less than the elevation angle given by dishpointer.com.

[TimJay]

Sorry, I should have been more explicit, dishpointer suggests that the elevation should be 26 degrees.(in fact 25.5)

I'm sure you are right and that I should re-site the dish. As a matter of interest is it possible to put a dish in a loft? I did see a Sky mini dish actually on the outside of a building and pointing back through a tile roof! Mine is slate. I seem to notice dish installations a lot at the moment!

Thanks for coming back

[Robbo]

No, it is not possible to put a dish in a loft. It won't work through roof tiles.

The dish may need moving higher up, it depends, just make sure that the angle to the top of the obstruction is less than 25.5 degrees and it will be fine.

Yeah, I know what you mean, looking at other dishes LOL. I did the same thing.