A beginners guide to finding the orbital slots.
(Updated 23rd June 2005 for satellite changes).
There are still well around 80 free tv channels currently being transmitted from the skies over Europe. Since I started satellite hunting in the winter of 2000, I have located 14 orbital positions that have been transmitting analogue PAL signals using my old satellite dish, However, with the rate of channel closures increasing, not all of these are still active. This section will give you simple instructions for locating each of the satellites. However if you havent used the equipment before then before you start, you will need to tune an unused channel on your tv into the rf output from the decoder box, or use the scart connectors if you so wish.
One tip. Being able to see the tv is very useful when you are satellite hunting without a motorised system. It is possible to find other satellites with a helper shouting "left a bit, back a bit" but it is *much* easier when you can see the signal for yourself. An old portable tv is ideal for this - something picked up for a few pounds from a second hand shop would be ideal. I use a 25 year old black and white 14" portable - its rugged and will stand a few knocks from occasional outside use. Its been thrown in the back of the car on several occasions when Ive been helping friends with installations around the Scottish Borders. For obvious reasons - DONT try operating mains powered elecrical equipment outside on wet days!
(1) Astra 1B, 1C, 1E, 1F, 1G, 1H, 2C (19.2 E)
This is one of the easiest satellite locations to find, since the Astra 1 satellites transmit some of the strongest signals across Europe. The front face of the dish needs to be more or less vertical to find the signals (19.2E means that the satellites are co-located 19.2 degrees east of south). To find south, use a compass, or if you dont have one available, it is useful to know that the sun is due south at midday GMT (UTC). If you are in the UK, look due south and imagine this is "12 o'clock".
The Astra 1 satellites will be found close to "11 o'clock".
In summer 2000, Sky announced the complete closure of all their analogue pay channels, as they decided to concentrate on digital transmissions. As the Sky pay channels closed down, some of the frequencies have been taken over by free German channels. 11 UK pay channels closed at the end of March 2001 and most of the rest went at the end of June 2001. Details of what closed when can be found on the channel graveyard page. The last 3 remaining Sky channels closed at the end of September 2001. Keep an eye on the Astra 1 birds, as they are filling up again with (mainly German) channels. Quite a few of the transponders have been lost to digital transmissions, but analogue will remain on these satellites for a few years yet. Currently, the main English language channels available from this location are CNBC, CNN, and Eurosport.
The signals are so strong from 19.2E that you can use just about any dish you have available to look for these signals. Even a Sky minidish will give you good signals from the stronger channels. Tune your satellite receiver to 10994H and have a look for the German service of Arte. This transmits off Astra 2C, which is the most powerful satellite at this location.
(2) Hotbirds 1 - 4 / 6 (13 E)
After you have found the Astra satellites, the next easiest cluster to find are the Eutelsat Hotbirds. With your satellite dish aimed at Astra 1, find the German channel MDR on 11112 H. Change the polarity to 11112V, and Bloomberg should disappear. Move the dish *slowly* to the right as viewed from behind the dish. (The end of the arm needs to move about a couple of inches or so. You will get a strong channel labelled BBC World. This is the international news service of the BBC. (You may need to lift the arm half an inch or so to get rid of the sparklies because the Hotbirds are at a slightly higher elevation than Astra). There are about 6 channels available on this one. To see all the channels you will need to retune some of your box settings (although just hopping up and down the settings for the preset Sky channels will show you a good few of them).
(3) Eutelsat W2 (16 E)
This one is a nice easy catch too. As this one is at
16E, you need to find the point between Astra and Hotbird. Tune your box to 10972V. Move the
dish back a bit from Hotbird towards Astra until a strong arabic station appears.
Congratulations you are now watching Moroccan TV!
The W2 signals are reasonably strong.
(4) Turksat 1C / Eurasiasat 1 (42 E)
This one is located a long way round at 42 E. As a result it is not easy to find despite the signals being fairly strong. The dish will have to be tilted forward to receive any signals, - this satellite is at a much lower elevation than the others as it is much further round the orbital arc. The front face of the dish will need to be tilted forward about ten degrees to get the satellite. Try 11006 V and a reasonably strong channel called Cine 5. Its encoded much of the day, so you need to look for an obviously scrambled signal.
(5) Sirius 2 & 3 / Astra 1A (5.2 E)
5E is currently only carrying D2Mac scrambled signals, so probably isnt much interest any longer.
(6) Atlantic Bird 3 (5 W)
Atlantic Bird 3 replaced Telecom 2C at this orbital location in September 2002. The signals are much stronger than those from the elderly Telecom 2C which was formerly here.
France 3 on 12732 V is a nice easy catch. The signals are SECAM encoded, so you may get some strange effects depending on how your equipment is wired up, and the age of your receiver. Most UK systems will give a black and white picture. If it turns up in colour, you are lucky enough to have SECAM compatable equipment :-)
(7) Atlantic Bird 2 (8 W)
Atlantic Bird 2 started transmitting a solitary analogue signal in July 2002. The signal is an easy catch due to the high transmission power of this satellite. Canal+ is the channel to look out for on 12606V. The signal is scrambled for some of the day in Nagravision, but is clear at times.
(8) Hispasat 1C / 1D (30 W)
Canal+ transmits a solitary signal on 12591 H. The signal comes from the new Hispasat 1D, and is nice and strong. Its way round at 30W and can be a sod to find. As there is nothing close to start from, you will just have to slowly swing the dish backwards and forwards to find this one! Signal scrambled for part of the day.
The quick way to find the signal is to wait for a nice sunny day, and aim you your dish at the sun at 1400GMT. The sun will be at 30W at this exact time, so move the dish so that the sun is reflected off the dish onto the LNB. The direction will now be correct, but the elevation of the dish / LNB will need tweaking. In the winter, the sun will be BELOW the satellites. In the summer, the sun will be ABOVE the satellites. It works - honest!
The next 9 orbital locations are not radiating fta analogue signals at the moment.
Thor 2 & 3 / Intelsat 707 (0.8 W)
This slot is one of the Nordic locations. 0.8W is almost due south in the UK. TV4 Sweden was to be found with a strong signal on 11389 H, and was an easy catch. However, it closed at the end of March 2004..
Astra 1D (now at 23 E)
Astra 1D is the troubleshooter of the fleet and wanders back and forth around the orbital arc to where ever extra capacity is needed. This one started life at the original home of all the series 1 birds - 19.2E. However 1D was moved round to 28 E for a few months to transmit the Sky Digital service until 2D was launched. After 2D entered service, 1D was moved west again, and now normally transmits a test card from 24.2 E However, this is sometimes switched off for a couple of weeks at a time. When its radiating, the signal is very strong, and you can't miss it. The test card was removed from 1D at the end of June 2003, and at the end of 2003, it was moved round to 23E. Its currently only radiating digital signals
Eutelsat 2F3 (21.5 E)
This one radiated a single part time Albanian channel. This one is close to Astra 1, and was difficult to see because its signals got swamped by Astra. Its an elderly satellite, and lower powered than many. 2F3 is also operating in a heavily inclined orbit, so it wanders up and down off the main orbital arc over a few hours.
TV Shqiptar closed its analogue service mid April 2002, and went digital on W2.
Eutelsat 2F3 was sent to the junk orbit January 2005.
Anatolia 1 (whilst at 50 E)
This one was way, way round at 50 E. This was last seen transmitting a colour bar test card on 11650 V in Spring 2001. This one was a reasonably strong signal, and easily located. I found this one on 2nd March 2001, whilst enjoying some extra holiday caused by heavy snowfalls here in the Scottish Borders. The dish was propped up on top of a snowdrift in the garden to see this satellite! A picture of this can be seen here. In summer 2002, it was announced that the Turkish lease on the satellite was not going to be renewed. The satellite has been leased to Pakistan, and is now carrying C-band transmissions at 38E.
Eurobird 1 (28.5 E)
This one only radiated analogue for a couple of weeks whilst it was testing after launch. I found 11242V active, but only showing a black screen, and the transmissions were intermittent. Its now in full service as a digital bird, and its safe to say that analogue is finished on this satellite.
Astra 2C (whilst testing at 32 E)
This was the 14th orbital location I found radiating analogue signals. This one was testing at 32.5E and was reported to be radiating blank screens on several frequencies. However, I only ever found 10714 H and 10818 V active. First noted here in the Scottish Borders thanks to info off the Lyngsat web site. This satellite is now geostationary and in full digital and analogue service at 19.2E, so 32 E has now fallen silent again.
Astra 3A (whilst testing at 24.2 E)
This one was co-located with Astra 1D during it's testing phase, before deploying at 23.5E. Various transponders were reported as active, but I only found 11475 V active. As usual, the test channels (blank screens) were intermittent, and the analogue transmissions disappeared as soon as the satellite went into full service at 23.5E.
Arabsat 3 (26 E)
This one was a difficult one. The Arabsat 3 signals were *very* weak after the Dec 2001 electronics failure, and you could only get a poor signal no matter how hard you tried to aiming the dish.. It was a very difficult one to find, (it took me about 20 minutes of slowly swinging the dish back and forwards).
Arabsat 3A finally fell off the list of analogue transmission satellites at the end of March 2003. Towards the end, Algeria 3, and Abu Dhabi TV were the final transmissions.
Eutelsat W1
(10 E)
The final part time channel radiating off Eutelsat W1 ceased mid June 2004. The only
notable thing about W1 was that it was the home for numerous part time channels..
Some safety points for moving satellite dishes.
Happy hunting, but be careful. Remember these common sense safety points:
1 Dont ever, ever attempt to move your dish unless you have completely safe access to it.
2 Dishes are remarkably heavy when not supported by the wall fixings.
3 The wind loading on dishes that arent bolted down tightly. The dishes in my garden have been blown over several times, and a loose dish could do a lot of damage to you or your property. I wouldnt recommend trying any adjustments unless its a calm day. The consequences of strong winds and an insecure dish can be seen here.
4 Dont undo any bolts that are screwed into the wall to alter the position of the dish! Only partially undo the bolts that actually hold the dish itself in place. You need the bolts loose enough to be able to move the dish, but tight enough so it doesnt slip round its pole of its own accord.
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