Satellite Dishes Are Pointing Toward the South: Why Is That?

Installing a satellite dish can help you enjoy better TV services, like a clearer image or a wider spectrum of services. However, if you want to maximise the use of your satellite dish, you will have to find a good spot for it. This spot means to also determine what’s the best direction for the satellite dish. As you are about to find out, it’s recommended to position a satellite dish toward the south, so that it receives signals coming from that direction. Why is this happening? You’ll find out all about it in the coming lines.

The Equator represents the orbit for most satellites

No matter how useful this article will be for most readers, those living in New Zealand, Australia and other countries around the southern hemisphere may find this content confusing. Because you already live near the Equator, the direction for your satellite dishes is not south. For the rest of us, who live in the northern hemisphere, the satellites we need to enjoy TV services will revolve around the Equator. These satellites orbit around the Equator and have the same rotation speed as the Earth, which is extremely useful for us. This way, we can constantly track the satellites, without having to use special devices.
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So, no matter what kind of TV services you want to enjoy, if you live in the northern hemisphere, you will have to make your satellite dish point toward the south. This will ensure the best signals from satellites, which translates into great TV services. What you need to adjust is the elevation and azimuth, based on the kind of services you want to enjoy. Also, you may have to pay attention to the size of the satellite dish you are looking to use. Depending on the TV services you want to have on the TV, choose a satellite dish of adequate size, capable of receiving a signal from the desired satellite and TV transmitter.

How are things in the southern hemisphere

So far, we talked about the northern hemisphere and how satellite dishes have to be positioned over here. But what about the southern hemisphere? How should satellite dishes be positioned in this part of the globe? Considering that satellites orbit around the Equator and you are located south of this invisible line, satellite dishes will have to point north in this case.

​However, if you live very close to the Equator, then the dish will have to simply point toward the sky, being positioned in an upward manner. So, instead of mounting the satellite dish on your house’s wall, it would be best, in this case, to mount it on the top of your house.

How to select the best location for your satellite dish

Let’s say you have a satellite dish and you’re looking for the best place to mouth it. While placing it on the outside, where the signal is the strongest, is the best way to go, you should also find a location that will ensure a maximum-strength signal. As mentioned earlier, making your satellite dish point toward the south is how you can make this happen. So, it is recommended to install the dish on a wall facing the south. Determine the cardinal points in the case of your house and see which of its walls is facing the south. This will be the best position for installing your satellite dish.

If you select a south-facing wall, you should not encounter any troubles when installing the dish. The most problematic part of the process may be the installation of the coaxial cable. But, apart from this, everything should run smoothly. What are the problems that may appear during the installation process of the satellite dish? Well, for example, the south wall, where the dish should be mounted, is on the opposite part of the house from where you want to install the receiver. What does this mean?

It means that the living room of your house, where the satellite receiver should go, is located in the north part of the house. In this case, you will have to figure a way to have cables going from the receiver to the satellite dish. These cables should go around the house, through the loft, or anywhere else you consider suitable.
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However, mounting a satellite dish on the south wall is not always the best option. For instance, if there are large trees blocking the signal in that part of the house, you will have to find a better location for the dish. Do your best to have the dish pointing toward the south, while avoiding the blockages created by the nearby trees.

What if the north wall is the best option?

There are situations in which the options for mounting a satellite dish are rather limited. This happens in the case of those living in the city, where signal problems may appear from all over, due to large buildings and other impediments. So, what if you need to install your satellite dish on the north wall? Is this even possible? The answer is yes, you can make this happen, but with a few things in mind. Considering that you will mount the dish on the opposite direction of the azimuth, you will have to make the dish go over the building. This means that you will need to install proper brackets that will help the dish go over the building, capturing signal coming from the right direction.

To do this right, it’s recommended to use “K” and “T” wall brackets. Also, get a pole that has a diameter of 2 inches, which is sturdy enough to prevent the dish from wobbling. This can lead to poor signal, so it is worth making the dish as stable as possible. How to tell what’s the best height for the pole that will hold the dish? You will have to consider a few things before deciding upon this aspect. First, you will need to determine the height required to pass the object you want to clear and find out the height, on the sky, of the satellite you want to get signal from. Use these two pieces of information to determine the best height for your satellite dish.
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Don’t install the satellite dish at a height that is more than you need. The higher the dish will stand, the higher is the risk for it to move under the action of the wind. If this happens, you will experience a bad signal on days with bad weather, which is undesirable. So, take the roof of the house, steep of the wall, existent trees in the proximity of the dish, and other possible obstructions into account. For example, a roof that is rather short will not require a tall mast. In this case, get a mast that is sufficient to raise the dish above the roof, considering there aren’t any other obstacles in its way. Maintain the height to a minimum for as much as it is possible and there won’t be any issues. Also, it is worth will working out the route in for the twin coax cable.

A proper satellite dish installation will mean a long-time use of the equipment

Although it may seem like a simple process, paying attention to each of the steps required to install a satellite dish can make a huge difference. From getting a high-quality signal to keeping the dish safe against damages and bad weather, the installation process can have an impact on all of these. Don’t consider sufficient to simply mount a satellite dish on top of the house, pointing toward the sky. If you do so, you’ll realise that your TV shows no image or the image is poor and unstable.

Positioning the satellite dish in the right direction will allow you to enjoy top quality TV services for very many years to come. So, it may be worth taking the time to determine the best location for your satellite dish. Also, make sure it is mounted correctly and all screws are tightly fixed. Pay extra attention to cables as well, as they are most prone to a variety of damages. If you don’t think you can handle this part on your own, it is always worth calling in an expert.

​You will pay some money on the installation process, but at least you will know that it is done right. There are more than enough cases in which satellite dishes or aerials fell from their position, which means that installation was not done right. The biggest risk, in this case, is significant damage to the dish, which may put you in the situation of having to buy another dish.