As part of these changes BBC News, BBC Alba and BBC Parliament have moved to other BBC frequencies.

This should not have affected Sky box or Freesat box users, as the channel information on their Electronic programme guide (EPG) should have automatically updated to the new frequencies.

However, if you are using another type of digital satellite receiver, then you wil have to manually add the channels to your channel list. If you do not do this then the receivers will still be looking at the old frequency and will be unable to receive those three BBC channels.

As there are so many different receivers around, it is impossible to mention how to add the channels on their new frequencies to each receiver.

However, in general, you have to go to the main menu, and the installation menu, and scan the relevant frequency / transponder.

BBC News transponder 47 10.80275 GHz horizontal 22000 5/6)
BBC Parliament transponder 46 (10.78800 GHz Vertical 22000 5/6)
BBC ALBA transponder 48 (10.81750 GHz vertical 22000 5/6)

Another impact of this change of BBC frequencies could affect motorhome users who have a self seeking satellite dish system. These systems automatically move the dish looking for one frequency to lock onto. I have been hearing that since these BBC TV frequency changes some systems have been having difficulties in locking onto the UK Astra 2 group of satellites, as it can no longer find the frequency it has been programmed to find. This mabe be resolved by getting the system to look for another frequency instead…there are plenty of frequencies to choose from!

It will join the existing Astra 2 satellites (Astra 2a, Astra 2b, Astra 2D) and Eurobird 1 at the 28 degrees east location.

SES Astra say that Astra 1N will be providing “additional” and “temporary” capacity at that location – presumably as the current satellites are close to capacity, and with more and more High Definition channels coming online, there is a need for more satellite capacity. It may also mrean that some UK satellite TV channels that are currently “free to view”, may become “free to air”, meaning chanels like Five* and Five USA may join Freesat shortly.

Astra 1N will also be there to assist with frequency changes when the three Astra satellites are due for replacement – from late 2012 to 2114.

When Astra 1N reaches its destination, you will not have to realign your satellite dish to continue reception of UK satellite TV. Any changes in frequencies to channels if and when they move or are added to Astra 1N will be made automatically to Sky boxes and Freesat boxes.

As you may gather from the designation, Astra 1N is not due to be at 28 degrees east permanently. The Astra 1 designation satellites are deployed at 19 east. And so when its mission at 28 east has been completed, Astra 1N will move to its correct location in the sky, at 19 east.

For expats living in fringe reception areas, until the Astra 1N satellites starts to function, it is guess works as to its reception in such areas like Spain or Greece or Italy.

This skew is the rotation angle of the LNB. And is very critical, and can be the difference between receiving channels or not. In some fringe reception areas, like Spain, and southern France, this LNB skew is very critical, and even the smallest amount of change in skew can make channel reception better.

The skew will be determined by a variety of factors, such as which satellite you want to receiver, are they “east” or “west” satellites, your location. The farther away the satellites are from “due south” the greater the LNB skew will be.

Many Sky TV satellite dishes and LNBs used in the UK come with the LNB skews set at the correct angle already.

But other dishes, or caravan or motorhome users, may have to set theirs manually. There are some channels, such as Sky Sports News, that are very LNB skew sensitive, so you can use the reception of this channel as a guide to the best skew angle.

The http://www.dishpointer.com tool helps give an LNB skew angle, although very small adjustments to this angle will be required.

Basically they collect the signals and send them to the satellite receivers via the satellite coax cable.

More complex, they actually convert the relatively high frequencies received by the satellite dish into similar signals carried at a much lower frequency, with less attenuation, so that there is more signal available for use by satellite receivers.

There are various types of LNB, which are determined by the satellite dish you have and the type of signals that you want to receive.

A single output LNB has one cable feed, for use with one satellite tuner.
A twin output LNB has two cable feeds, for use with two satellite tuners.
A quad output LNB has four cable feeds, for use with four satellite tuner.
An octo output LNB has eight cable feeds, for use with eight satellite tuner.

However, do not confuse a QUAD LNB with a QUATRO LNB.

A QUATRO LNB is a special type of LNB, with four individual outputs for the four “groups” of signals used in satellite TV. These signal groups are the four types of signal polarisations used – vertical high, vertical low, horizontal high, horizontal low.

The main use of QUATRO LNBs is to feed a multiswitching unit. These are generally used where more than 4 or 8 feeds are required, such as in community systems. The QUATRO LNB feeds the four polarisations groups to the multiswitching unit.

The multiswitching unit can have a large number of outputs and can be “daisy chained” together allowing more satellite tuners / receivers can be fed from a single dish with a normal single, twin, quad, or octo LNB.

Firstly, ensure that the plastic cover is still intact. If it is not, then an water, like rain, can enter the LNB and cause a short in the system. It can also allow insects and debris to enter the LNB, again not a good idea.

Secondly, also ensure that the connection between the LNB and the cabling is also protected. Many times I have been to satellite dishes to see this connection left exposed to the elements. I even heard an installer from a rival company saying they do this as they know they can charge for a callout to repair the damaged LNB!

Many LNBs come with rubber “boots” to cover the connection; some LNBs have a small plastic pull down cover, all to protect that cable connection.

Many of them will take a small satellite dish with them, like a 60cm or 80cm dish, and spend a fair number of hours with their beeper unit and adjusting the satellite and trying to find the UK TV satellites, Astra 2a, Astra 2b, Astra 2d, and Eurobird 1.

Well the further south you go in Europe reception of some channels will get harder and require a bigger dish, but many people just want a bit of news, just to keep them in touch with the world.

As many campsites have WiFI available, then using a satellite location tool like Dishpointer will certainly help in locating the correct satellites quickly.

Not only is there this version but you can also get a version for your phone – an iPhone App or Android version.

This tool has been very useful, and is well known by many caravanners and motorhomers, but can also be used for the DIY enthusiast also who wants to install his own satellite dish.

“I put my post code in and the result was almost instant.” – motorhomefun.co.uk

These channels include True Movies and Chart Show TV. In fact these channels actually run “infomercials” about these problems.

It is usually caused by a “wireless” DECT phone, you know the ones with a base unit and a “walkabout” phone. Well it is the frequency that the base unit uses to talk to the handset that causes interference.

The solution is simple. Move the base unit further away from the satellite receiver and cabling.
I have also noticed this happening on some wireless internet routers also.

As long as the dish is installed correctly, and the users longitude and latitudes are input into the receiver, then the receiver does all the work and makes moving the satellite dish / motor to the desired satellite simple.

I personally still like to manually move the satellite dish, as I sometimes find USALS does not always locate the exact direction, meaning it does not always locate the strongest signal, and the dish just needs a nudge to the left or right for the best signal. This may just be the receivers I am using, but sometimes it is just a bit more of a challenge to be able to locate a satellites best signal on your own, looking for channels, rather than leave it to the receiver.

However, when installing a satellite dish on a motor it is sometimes best to do things a bit differently.

You have to make sure that your motor is set up correctly to move the satellite dish along the satellite arc.

For most of the UK, you can use the satellites closest to your due south to help install the motorised satellite dish.

The satellite to align to are the Thor 2 & 3 satellites at 0.8 degrees West. These satellites are near the top of the satellite arc.

By setting up your motorised satellite dish to these satellites, then only small adjustments should be required to ensure the movement of the dish tracks the other satellites in the satellite arc.

This is especially important if you are want to have a motorised dish system.

For motorised dish systems, a 100% vertical pole is essential so the movement of the dish by the motor is accurate when tracking the satellites. If the support is not vertical then not only does it make it harder to align the dish in the first place, but when the dish moves you will not get the full range of satellites from the dish due to the movement of the dish not being in sync with the “satellite arc” or “Clarkes belt” where the main TV satellites are located.

And also be aware of any obstacles in the area that may affect the signal reaching the dish, or that the dish can hit when it is in motion. I have been to one installation where the dish was installed but when moving the dish, the edge of the dish scraped against a wall!