Hi guys, i need some help. i want to set up a satellite dish in Shepparton for my grandfather (2 hours north of Melbourne) but im not sure what to do. I have done research on the internet and have some idea how to do it. My main goal is to get RAI International on AsiaSat2 but i would also like to get as many other channels on as many satellites as i can. Here is the system that i plan on getting:<br />Dish: STI Mesh Prime Focus - STI H/Duty, 2.3mtr(7'), Mesh, 4 Piece, Polar Mt, 76 Pole ($243.75)<br />LNBF: C-Band, 5150GHz LO - MTI - Dual Pol 5.15GhzLO, 3.4-4.2Ghz LNBF& Scalar ($45)<br />Receiver: Digital, Satellite FTA with Common Interface - R-TF3000CiP/Pro Topfield TF-3000CiP/Pro with In-built Positioner ($412.50)<br />Actuator: ACT024L Geotrack TD Series 24" Regular Actuator ($86.63)<br />Cable: Rg6 Black Quad Shield Coaxial Cable ($??)<br />Connectors: F Type Rg6 QUAD 0.36 Hex Crimp Connectors ($??)<br /><br />Total Price around $800 ($787.88)<br /><br />All parts are sourced from Melbourne Satellites (http://www.melbournesatellites.com.au/ms1/files/plist/RRP_Oct_04.pdf)<br /><br />I only want it for free to air (FTA) channels so i dont need Irdeto or CI slot.<br /><br />Will this system give me what i want? Is there anything missing that i need?<br />Do i need a bigger/different dish?<br />Which satellites will i be able to pick up with this dish? Thaicom3 78.5ºE to Intel701 180.0ºE?<br />Are Topfield good receivers? or should i go with the cheap STGold ST2000F ($191) + Moteck V-BoxII Positioner ($110) - save $111.5<br />How do i know which actuator to get? 12" 18" 24" Regular/Heavy Duty?<br />Do i need special cables to connect the positioner to the actuator?<br />Do i need a reed sensor?<br />Are Melbourne Satellites cheap or is there somewhere else i can go for a better price. I live in Melbourne so i can go pick up the parts. Im not sure how much it would cost to get them delivered.<br /><br />Any help would be much appreciated.<br />Thanks alot<br /><br />Chris.

Chris<br /><br />This is very hard to explain via a post or an email and because there are very few people you can talk to face to face, it makes it even harder. If you were next door to me, I could explain the basics reasonably quickly, but like most of us including me, we all had to find out the hard way. Mainly by reading and more reading. As there are very few people willing to help. <br /><br />As for your dish, you would like to look at the European bouquet, where RAI is, your equipment will be ok, but there are too many variables for a novice and its not easy to find a satellite with no experience. You must have the correct elevation and azimuth (up, down, east and west) to be on Asiasat 2 to find RAI and at the same time you have the problem to use your receiver to find that satellite. What I recommend is if you know anyone with a dish on Asiasat 2 or can steer one to Asiasat 2, take your receiver over there and fully program it with all the channels on Asiasat 2, also, take your C-Band LNBF over there and test it to make sure the skew is noted (the skew is the positioning of the LNB relevant to Asiasat 2), in other words, it has to be a little bit turned to the left or right to be in the right position. Now, if you know the position of where the LNBF is going and your receiver is fully programmed and it has a reasonable signal meter then the last thing you have to do is find the satellite.<br /><br />If I was you, I would get help for the first time. Look what he is doing and learn as I will say it again, there are too many variables that will not give you a picture.<br /><br />Phil

Thanks for your feedback Phil.<br />What about if I buy a satellite finder:<br />SatfinSF95 Satellite Finder SF-95 with 3Ft Fly Lead, 22Khz Indicator $49.00<br />Is that enough to find the satellite by adjusting the Az/El and LNBF Tilt while checking the signal on the satellite finder?<br />I know someone who has the RAI channel but i'd rather not go to his house and mess with his equipment (he had his professionally installed so he doesnt know anything about satellite equipnent).<br />Is it possible for me to find the satellite using a satellite finder and a compas?<br />Thanks.<br /><br />Chris.

get ID DIGITAL receiver from melbourne satellites and 24 inch actuator(if you are going to move the dish contantly get the heavy duty one) and READ READ you will find all the answers here or google. SatFinder will help.