Satellite Antenna Pointing Aid Equipment

Angle measuring equipment:

Inclinometer:  If your elevation bracket does not have a scale then an inclinometer is useful. Try to get one that has a readout to 1 deg accuracy. You can make one yourself by following instructions here: how to make an inclinometer  You can also use the inclinometer sideways across the LNB or BUC to set the polarisation.
Another method is a plumb bob (nut on string) plus a measuring rule and a set of tan/cos/sin tables (or use Start, All programs, Accessories, Calculator, Scientific mode)

Magnetic compass:  Accuracy is not normally important, unless you are aiming to just miss the side of building, for example. See:How to use a compass If the sun is out you may be able to judge the bearing adequately without using a compass.

Satellite signal measurement:  

All VSAT modems incorporate a receiver which will display noise and signals from the LNB.  If corrrectly configured, the modem will show a green RX LED when the wanted signal is detected and a readout via a PC screen to tell you the signal quality (e.g. Eb/No or BER).  You need to peak up exactly.  Turn the adjuster in 1/6th turn steps and record. Then adjust to the exact centre.  Or, find two exactly equal low quality measurements either side and then move the dish to the centre.  The disadvantage is that you need the modem / PC temporarily at the antenna.

Simple power meters.  Costing under $50 these in-line "crystal sets" measure noise and will detect noise from the warm ground, the sun and satellites.  You can peak up on anything - but there is no certainty that you are on any particular wanted satellite. Advantages: cheap, portable, powered via the modem LNB DC supply, no misunderstanding of what it means.

Satellite TV detectors.  There are more expensive meters that incorporate a simplified digital satellite TV receiver.  These need pre-programming to correspond to known operating DVB-S carriers on particular satellites, on particular bands (C, Ku low, Ku high) and particular polarisations and with particular LNB local oscillator frequencies.  If correctly programmed and you have the matching LNB and polarisation set then they are excellent.  Ideal is you are regularly setting up the same system. If you deal with a variety of satellites you must be very organised about preparing the programming and finding out what DVB-S carriers are actually active (if any) on what satellites, polarisation, frequency and LNB LO freq.  Fortunately such meters also operate in "simple power meter" mode if they don't recognise a satellite.  Advantage: Portable and include battery power.  Disadvantage: Possible to get you frustrated/confused/angry !. See examples: https://sadoun.com/Sat/Order/Signal-Meters.htm

Spectrum analysers are similar to simple power meters but show the noise level spectrum on a screen display. See my on-line satellite spectrum analyser for spectrums of satellites either side of Europe. If you have known reference spectrum plots you can identify satellites.  Good for resolving side-lobe, interference and cross-pol problems.  Disadvantage: Expensive ($1000 - $25000), heavy.  Be careful not to get DC applied to the input of sensitive analysers.  A DC block is a useful gadget for the spectrum analyser input socket.

An L band splitter with DC block on the measurement path is a useful aid.


The input signals to the signal measuring device are from the LNB output and are in L band, typically 950-1450 MHz or 950-2150 MHz.

Best regards, Eric.

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That is quite true.  There may be no suitable DVB-S carrier in the beam/satellite that you are looking for or the information you are told about a DVB-S carrier, its polarisation or frequency band may be wrong.

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Beacons are low power.  To receive a beacon you really should use PLL type LNB and narrow band filtering which implies an expensive, high stability, spectrum analyser.

If you want to receive and make measurements of a modulated carrier then use the intended receiver.  If you are installing iDirect then maybe take your own iDirect modem which you take with you and use at the antenna, with a laptop. Alternatively, a 30m length of ethernet cable from the customer modem back out to your laptop at the antenna would work.

Best regards, Eric.

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For unsophisticated modems and common receivers, an inexpensive L-band signal strength meter may be all you need. See https://www.google.com/products?q=satellite+signal+meter&scoring=p

//greg//

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Been there, done that. With megawatt transmitters no less !! Beacon tracking information get automatically compared with the ships gyro outputs, resulting in real time correction voltages being sent to the antenna pointing servos. Hopefully they're gimballed now, cable wrap was an ongoing issue during my tenure.

//greg//

Cheap satellite meters are like crystal sets with a DC meter on the output. They are simple power meters and measure the composite noise power across the entire L band range 950-2150 MHz (and more!).

If you point the antenna at a satellite with many large high power carriers you will get a big reading.  If you aim the antenna up at the cold clear sky you will get the lowest reading.  Satellites with few small carriers will give a small reading.  A satellite with beacon only active will not be detectable.

If you are looking for a satellite which as beacon only and no transponder traffic active and pointed down at you, you need a PLL type LNB and spectrum analyser with very narrow resolution bandwidth.

A simple meter will allow you to peak up on all active satellites but will not tell you which satellite is which.  You may find that detecting and peaking up on satellites with only low power carriers is difficult.  The meter needle movement may need a magnifing glass to detect. Considerable skill is needed but it is possible.  Note that simple meters may also detect noise from the sun, ground or your hand.

Best regards, Eric.