Please Explain Satellite Bearings (& Bearings in General)

Tesla · 26 Nov 2006 at 12:45

Embarrassingly I don't really understand how bearings work, espescially when relating to geostationary Sat's.

Let's use 28.2E (Astra 2 cluster) as an example. That's where all your Sky dishes will be pointing.

What does this actually mean, 28.2 degrees PAST East? Therefore 90+28.2=118.2degrees?

If a satellite is at 5W does that mean 5degrees past W? 275degrees?

What if a satellite is dead on smack North, how is it then expressed?

Also, with regards to geostationary satellites how come Astra 2D is always at 28.2E? If I move east across the continent surely this should decrease? How come over in Greece it's still 28.2E?

I understand why the angle of elevation of the dish changes as you move closer/further from the actual sat.

I hope someone here will be able to enlighten me!

norm · 26 Nov 2006 at 13:15

Satellite positions are relative to the prime meridean, being 0 degrees.

Further east/west you are of 0 you take that into account when aiming I presume.

Scream · 26 Nov 2006 at 13:36

If you wanted to point your dish at Hotbird you would take into account your longitude of your location.

For example if your lived in Macclesfield, your longitude would be 2.117° W. You would add that to the longitude of the satellite.

Hotbird at 13E would actually be 15.117° E from you.

Don't quote me on that though. I am still missing an odd satellite on my receiver which I can't find.

Rotty · 26 Nov 2006 at 13:57

28.2E is 28.2 degrees east of due south at zero meridien

Tesla · 26 Nov 2006 at 21:06

Rotty said:
28.2E is 28.2 degrees east of due south at zero meridien

So 5W is 5 degrees west of due south at zero?

If so does 180E = 180W?

Rotty · 26 Nov 2006 at 21:13

Tesla said:
So 5W is 5 degrees west of due south at zero?

If so does 180E = 180W?

yes and re 180 , they don't go that high

Tesla · 26 Nov 2006 at 21:44

Rotty said:
yes and re 180 , they don't go that high

Ahh yes, they go to 160, why not all the way to 180?

norm · 27 Nov 2006 at 05:15

You wouldn't be able to see a satellite that's 180 degrees from you due to the curvature of the earth.

Same applies to locations that are too far north/south.