# Have you had problems with satellite TV? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 8, 2007, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-had-problems-with-satellite-tv/410991 "2007-07-08T21:12:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2007, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-had-problems-with-satellite-tv/410991/21 "2007-07-10T17:05:39Z")
[QUOTE=Sofaspud] Well, one thing to keep in mind is that, given the distances involved, a centimeter or two off on this end means you’re pointing at, say, the Dog Star [/QUOTE] Exactly. Use [www.lyngsat.com](http://www.lyngsat.com) to get the angles, a compass allowing for magnetic deviation-a whopping two degress in Arkansas-and like the man said, a protractor with a plumb bob. There is a lot of stuff up there that the signal strength detector will see. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2007, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-had-problems-with-satellite-tv/410991/22 "2007-07-10T17:09:40Z")
Here’s an aiming utility to help your Dad out: > **[Satellite finder, how to point dish, magnetic north az el calculator](https://www.satsig.net//ssazelm.htm)** > > Satellite dish pointing aiming calculator, elevation, azimuth (true and magnetic), polarisation angles plus polar mount. Find satellites worldwide. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2007, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-had-problems-with-satellite-tv/410991/23 "2007-07-10T18:06:53Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] Pushkin, I didn’t realize you were in Ireland; you have different satellites than I see in North America. [/QUOTE] You mean the Western Hemisphere? ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2007, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-had-problems-with-satellite-tv/410991/24 "2007-07-10T18:11:04Z")
[QUOTE=Sofaspud] A bit of math and a protractor will get you in the right ballpark and from there you can tune the signal in, but just “pointing the dish where everyone else seems to be” isn’t going to get you squat. 🙂 [/QUOTE] Indeed, Dad actually did dig out my old protractor and his scouting compass (a proper one with floating innards) and the bearing and angle the dish manufacturer gave but to no avail. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2007, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-had-problems-with-satellite-tv/410991/25 "2007-07-10T18:24:47Z")
“Plate NetworK”. Hee. Anyhoo, I have them thanks to an extra hookup in my apartment (landlord in the main house has it and the apartment is between them and the dish). I do get outages when it rains hard but not every time. I haven’t had any issues with it in the five years I’ve been there, except for adding channels for some upgrade or other. I only use it for TV and pay-per-view, no phone or Internet stuff if that is available. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2007, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-had-problems-with-satellite-tv/410991/26 "2007-07-10T19:00:04Z")
[QUOTE=Pygmy Rugger] You mean the Western Hemisphere? [/QUOTE] While the satellites are in orbit about the equator and visible indeed from the Western Hemisphere, the transponders may or may not be. [Galaxy 25](http://www.lyngsat-maps.com/maps/galaxy25_c.html) , once known as [T5](http://www.lyngsat.com/galaxy25.html) , has programming that as I have been given to understand can be received only in North America. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2007, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-had-problems-with-satellite-tv/410991/27 "2007-07-10T19:11:09Z")
Here is a better link of [satellite footprints.](http://www.geo-orbit.org/sizepgs/sizemainp.html) Reception is of course dependent upon the size of the receiving dish and longitude. Galaxy 25, for example is below the horizon in Europe. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2007, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-had-problems-with-satellite-tv/410991/28 "2007-07-10T19:23:38Z")
I’ve got satellite TV. It’s nice. There are sometimes some brief outages, but I’m not so married and dependent on the TV that it really matters. The outages are pretty few and far between. I’d say 4 a year. I’d also say that the outages last anywhere from 3 seconds to a minute. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-had-problems-with-satellite-tv/410991.md?page=1)