Satellite TV • Satellite Antenna Alignment

Satellite Antenna Alignment

The latest version 3.5.0 has been released on 10 January, 2018
The program "Satellite Antenna Alignment" is used to calculate the angles necessary for installing satellite dishes. The main difference from similar software is the possibility to calculate the position for all satellites at once. Thus, you get a clear picture about what satellites can be physically visible from the location where the dish will be installed. It should be kept in mind that the program makes a purely theoretical calculation according to formulas and in real circumstances a lot of additional factors should be taken into account when a satellite dish is installed. These factors include various obstacles (buildings, trees), the landscape, the altitude, transponder orientation, polarization, etc. Nevertheless, this program will allow you to evaluate the position quite precisely. The calculation can be saved to a text file, copied to the Windows clipboard or printed out at once. It is possible to save the list of locations for which the calculation is done. Later on, you will not have to enter the coordinates of these locations again. Just select them from the table.
You should start working with the program from entering the geographical coordinates of the location where you are going to install the satellite dish. Enter your coordinates in the "Site location" box. The high latitude is specified with the "N" char, the low latitude is specified with the the "S" char. Similarly, the eastern longitude is with the "E" char, while the western longitude is with the "W" char. After all the coordinates are entered, you will see the calculation for all satellites at once in the table to the left. Their azimuth and elevation are calculated. Azimuth is the direction to the satellite in degrees from the clockwise direction to the north. Elevation is an angle (measured in degrees) between the direction of the signal from the satellite and a tangential plane to the Earth surface in the location. If the elevation is negative, the satellite is below the horizon and it is impossible to receive signals from it in principle. Thus, the satellites whose elevation is a positive value are theoretically visible from your location. If you know the azimuth, you can quickly find the direction to the satellite and see what obstacles (neighboring houses, trees) there are in the way of the signal from the satellite to your dish.

As it was mentioned above, the program uses absolute values and calculates everything according to formulas. Thus, the calculated azimuth is an angle from the true north and not from what your compass may show because a compass is a really unstable thing, especially in a city. It is better to orient it by the sun )

Satellite TV • Satellite Antenna Alignment