Tuning TV

[rossko]

Have now been motorhoming for 3 years & still having problems with all the technology(Pensioners!!!) Can anyone give us any tips on the best process for tuning in their TV on site please. Firstly is there any gadget that will help us direct our aerial to the right direction. We usually try looking at other aerials on site but there is such a variety out there it is difficult to tell where they are pointing sometimes. We just have a triangular aerial that we push up when on site & can turn & tilt from inside the van. We know we have to retune on each new site. Also is there any way to find out if freeview is available on site so that when we don't pick anything up we know that is correct. Just one more!!!! When the site info says try channel 23 for BBC1 for example what does that mean. Husband is now thinking of splashing out on some sort of satellite system but I don't feel we are up to managing that either!!! Any thoughts welcomed

[andy mccord]

this gadget will help you locate a good signal, simple to use also

 

http://www.maxview.ltd.uk/products/INSTALLATION_ACCESSORIES.html

[rupert123]

When I had the same type of aerial as you I did as you are doing, just had a look at which way others are pointing. With a sat. system I still do this if their are any UK vans around but if not just point the sat dish south and turn slowly towards the west. I do have a sat finder but do not bother with it. Nothing at all technical about finding a sat signal usually within a minute sometimes longer for various reasons.

[747]

MMM magazine recently had an offer of a combined TV/Satellite signal finder at a reasonable price. I bought one but have not used it yet.

 

I am afraid Rupert has got his directions mixed up a bit. If you cannot copy another dish, point yours East and slowly bring it round to the South. The satellite is roughly just past South, South East (28 degrees East of South actually). There are a number of satellites bunched together and by starting in the East, you will come to the correct one first.

 

Sounds confusing but easy enough with practice. Remember you need to adjust 3 ways. The right compass bearing, the vertical alignment ie; tilting the dish up or down and finally turning the LNB clockwise or anti clockwise.

 

When setting up, the dish should look like it is pointing horizontally and you will not be far away.

 

My tip of the week :-D Switch the TV on and set up the dish outside of a window so you can see what is happening on the screen inside. It works when I set up my Sky dish. If you are using a Sky box, remember that there is a small delay after adjusting the dish.

[Rowan Lee]

This link tells you which area has gone Digital and when the others are due to go.

 

http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/when_do_i_switch

 

We have a gadget, but it doesn't seem to help much. We put the aerial up, autotune the TV, and hope for the best. If we get something, then we twiddle the aerial a bit if necessary. If we don't get digital, we try for analogue (in analogue areas of course). Who remembers Tony Hancock?

[rossko]

Thanks for the comments so far but at the risk of sounding totally thick - if we don't have a satellite dish (which we don't as yet) am I still pointing my aerial at the satellite or a transmitter??

[gdf]

Hi

 

We got the combined TV and satelite tuner from Fringe Electronics.

 

http://www.fringeelectronics.co.uk/Products_shop_tv_signal_finders.htm

 

It is absolutely fantastic and I can point the aerial in seconds.

 

Dave

[alf]

Sue try this link to Grade Uk this is the TV aeiral one they do a satalite or combined one

 

http://www.gradeuk.co.uk/store/product.asp?spc=09-6007&shelfid=108S109S1

 

Alf

[tonyg3nwl]

Hi, I fully sympathise with you having difficulties with dreaded tv set up.

 

I still have enough trouble myself even though I was an engineer working for ITV before retiring 20 years ago.

 

May be you should take the pills and retire early, and forget tv !!

 

seriously though, there is no simple solution to finding the relevant direction for Terrestial TV, but as you currently do, Have a good look around and try to spot where others point their aerials, Then check whether the elements of their aerial are horizontal or vertical. (Main stations use Horizontal polarisation, relay stations generally use vertical polarisation)

 

Point your terrestial aerial (Freeview )as close as possible in the same direction and then go through the set tuning procedure( generally this means pressing one of the remote control unit buttons and waiting for the set to "Scan" for a signal.) With digital, the result is all or nothing, there is no "noisy signal" option. If you cant see any other aerials, then start in one direction, scan, if nothing, rotate aerial 90 degrees, scan again, if still no luck rotate a further 90 degrees and try again, Keep repeating this for a full circle and hopefully you should find something. If not then get a good book and retire defeated.

 

For satellite reception, (Freesat or Sky) you need a lot of patience and luck, and remember that the sky boxes are slow to respond after making an adjustment to the dish. Other boxes may respond far quicker. You also need a magnetic compass to determine the dish direction which should be pointing to a point corresponding to 28.2 degrees east of South and which is clear of trees or other obstructions when you look upwards at approximately 30 degrees

 

I use a small signal detection device which makes an annoying whistle when connected between the dish aerial and the sky box and adjusting the dish up/down by small amounts, and rotating it left or right causes the whistle to go higher in pitch as the aim of the dish becomes more accurate.

 

I remember from my schooldays, that the earth rotates once in 24 hours so the sun will appear in the sky at the same direction as the satellite at 8 minutes past 10 am each day in winter (approximately), that is the direction to point the dish, and then adjust the elevation for max signal. (assuming you can see the sun in winter anyway)

 

Your magnetic compass should aid you to point the dish in the right direction but as always, it is not an easy task, that is why specialist engineers are paid to set up dish aerials.

 

I wish I could suggest a simple solution, but perhaps if our paths should cross, I would happily demonstrate my way, as I have done on a number of occasions when seeing others fighting the dreaded dish settings.

Even now, there have been a few occasions when I have retired defeated.

 

ex ITA engineer tonyg3nwl

 

 

 

[747]

I have heard that ex BBC Engineers set up in seconds, 100% of the time. ;-)

[rossko]

Thanks again for all the input on this. Reassuring to know that we are not alone in our struggles & will source a tuning gadget before we set off again

[rupert123]

Opp's, 747 is correct of course but I always start south and move to east. Mine is a fixed dish on the roof and I cannot agree that it is difficult to get a signal unless you have an obstruction, just needs a little practice.

[DJP]

If you are trying to tune in a Freeview box then the memory may be full. My freeview box has a memory, each time I go to another part of the country I have to retune the box in. When the memory is full, which it does not tell you it is full, It will not receive any additional (local transmitted)stations.

So, my advice is. Each time you go to a new location, go into settings on the box and reset factory settings. It may ask for a password which is usually 0000. You may also need to reset country to UK and the time (if you want the time) plus GMT+or- stuff. I dont bother.

Set antenna power to ON (Staus aerial) Make sure Status booster is ON and HI is set. Then ask box to search. assuming the aerial is pointing in the right direction, it should work fine.

Remember to do this each time you move to a new location.

[Passera]

If you have a PC then go to this website

and download the software

 

http://www.smw.se/SMWLink.htm

 

The software looks daunting but click on the antenna alignment tab and enter your coordinates (available from campsite books and satnavs)

Also enter the position of the satellite you are trying to locate Astra2(28,2 etc)

 

The result is you will get azimuth angle (horizontal swing) and elevation angle(vertical tilt) also most important the LNB skew called polarization angle

 

Extremely accurate and no more guessing.

 

These sites also does same job but you need internet access on site to obtain info whereas smw you can use software on your laptop.

 

http://www.igp.net/Antenna_Alignment/Index.php

http://www.uksatellitehelp.co.uk/2007/08/01/alignment-calculator-for-sky-digital/

 

 

Don't forget in all cases your Motorhome or ground has to be entirely level.

 

[Rayjsj]

rossko - 2010-08-16 4:31 PM

 

Thanks for the comments so far but at the risk of sounding totally thick - if we don't have a satellite dish (which we don't as yet) am I still pointing my aerial at the satellite or a transmitter??

 

With your triangular aerial (terrestial TV) you will be pointing toward a transmitter(on the ground) the signal strength gadgets are very good, you just unplug the aerial lead from the back of the TV and plug it into the gadget, then move the aerial until you get the maximum amount of green lights on, when you have, replug the lead into the TV and set the 'Retune' on your TV searching. easy-peasy. I used to look to see which way the site wardens aerial was facing and copy that. The gadget is much more reliable.

Can't answer for satallite TV as not got one(and don't particularly want one). although you will need one if you want to watch telly whilst touring Europe. Ray :-D