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Free to Air/Freesat Installation Guide

Index

  • How to Assemble a Zone 2 Satellite Dish
  • How to Mount a Zone 2 Satellite Dish
  • How to Align a Zone 2 Satellite Dish
  • Running Cables & Attaching Connectors
  • Installing Your Satellite Receiver

1. How to Assemble a Zone 2 Satellite Dish

List of satellite dish components

  • 60cm Satellite Dish
  • Wall Bracket
  • Wall Tube (Arm)
  • Elevation Bracket
  • Dish Bracket
  • Fixing Kit
  • Feed Arm

Tools Needed to Assemble Satellite Dish

  • 10mm, 13mm socket and ratchet
  • Philips screwdriver

Steps to Assemble Satellite Dish

  • Open fixing kit and select U-bolts (qty: 2), nuts (qty: 4)
  • Insert the U bolts through the wall bracket
  • Thread on the nuts
  • Insert the arm and tighten the nuts using 10mm socket and ratchet
  • The wall bracket & arm assembly is complete
  • Next insert U-bolts (qty: 2) through the elevation bracket
  • Loosely tighten nuts
  • Attach the elevation bracket to the dish bracket
  • Using bolts and washers (qty: 4), tighten with 13mm socket and ratchet
  • Use the bolts and nuts (qty:4) and the Philips screwdriver to attach the dish bracket to the dish
  • Use the long threaded bolt and small nut to attach the feed arm to the back base of the dish bracket so the arm protrudes in front of the dish
  • Finally insert the LNB (and plastic insert) into the end of the arm and secure with a tie wrap

2. How to Mount a Satellite Dish

Equipment needed to mount a satellite dish on a wall

  • Zone 2 satellite dish, complete with wall bracket and arm
  • Coach bolt M8 x 50mm & 10mm plastic plugs (qty: 4)

Tools needed to mount on a wall

  • Cordless drill - ideally a 24-36v SDS Drill
  • 8mm, 10mm drill bits
  • 10mm, 13mm socket and ratchet
  • Satellite meter

Criteria on where to mount the satellite dish?

  • Dish must face South East (141 degrees i.e. direction of sun 11am BST)
  • Wall must be a solid surface capable of carrying weight of satellite dish
  • Signal must not be blocked by houses or trees (signal is coming in at 21 degrees to the horizontal)
  • Place at back or gable end of house to minimise visual intrusion
  • Place as close at possible to TV room to which the satellite cables are to connected so as to minimise cable run

Steps

  • Place the wall bracket and arm in the correct location
  • Use the cordless drill and 8mm drill bit to drill 4 guide holes
  • Use 10mm drill bit to drill holes to a depth of 60mm
  • Insert the 4 plastic plugs in the holes and mount the wall bracket using the 4 coach bolts
  • Tighten the coach bolts using the 13mm socket and ratchet
  • Attach the satellite dish to the arm of the wall plate
  • Use 10mm socket to lightly tighten the dish 'U'-bolts so they are fixed to arm but the dish can still be rotated
  • Follow steps in the how to align a satellite dish guide

3. How to Align a Zone 2 Satellite Dish

  • Having already mounted the satellite dish on your wall
  • Attach your satellite meter to the dish LNB
  • Align the dish so that it is (1) perfectly vertical, (2) pointing south east (141 degrees).
  • Rotate the dish slowly over and back
  • Repeat adjusting the tilt angle by 1 or 2 degrees to until a signal is found
  • Tighten the U-bolts and side bolts using the 10mm & 13mm sockets
  • Disconnect the satellite meter
  • Connect a cable with an 'F-type' connector from the dish to the satellite box
  • Check that the signal is working

4. How to Run Cables & Attach Connectors

The next step is to run satellite cable to the satellite receiver

Tools needed

  • Hammer
  • Snips
  • Drill
  • SDS Drill Bit 10X450

Equipment

  • Satellite Installation Kit

Prior to beginning you must decide

  • Decide how to run cable
    • Connect into existing cables in the attic
      • Normally neater but requires additional connectors
      • May need a multi-meter to be able to identify the correct cable
      • May result in longer cable runs
    • Run a cable directly from the satellite dish to the satellite receiver
      • Fastest and easiest way to run a cable
      • Cable runs are normally shorter
      • Requires the drill of a hole through a wall

STEPS

  • If the satellite receiver is to be located next to the external wall of a room
    • Use a drill and an SDS Drill Bit 10x450 to drill a hole through the wall
    • Ensuring to drill from the inside out
  • To conceal broken plaster use either
    • Hole tidy (insert inside and out before the cable is run)
    • Cable cover nailed onto the outside wall after the cable has been run
  • Feed the end of the satellite cable through the wall leaving enough cable to reach the front of the satellite box
  • Now start tacking the cable using 7mm clips and a hammer
  • Ensuring that the cable runs down from the hole that been drilled in the wall
  • This will stop water following the cable into the house
  • Continue tacking the cable
    • Run cable vertically or horizontally but NEVER diagonally
    • If possible hide cable under the plinth or behind drain pipes (using 300mm cable ties)
  • Cut the cable leaving enough length to reach the LNB of the dish
  • Put on an F connector on the each end of the satellite cable
  • Screw the F connector on to the LNB
  • Seal the connection using Insulation tape or ideally waterproof self amalgamating tape
  • Secure the cable to the dish feed arm using either 300mm cable ties or Insulation tape
  • Final step is to put on an F connector on the satellite cable next to the satellite receiver

How to Put on F-Type Connectors

5. How to Install Your Satellite Receiver

  • Unpack the box
    • Satellite receiver
    • Remote control
  • Screw the lead from the satellite dish into the LNB in connection
  • Connect a scart or HDMI cable from your TV to the box
  • Plug in the power lead
  • Turn on the power switch on the back on the box
  • After 5-6 seconds the box will come on and should automatically switch TV to AV channel
  • You may need to switch AV channel on TV if it does not automatically switch over