How to Set Up a Bell Satellite Dish

Techwalla may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here.
You can set up your own Bell satellite dish.

Setting up a Bell satellite dish is not a process that requires professional knowledge or specific expertise. A satellite technician is not required to install a Bell satellite dish, but the process does require the use of the Bell satellite receiver and a wrench -- and preferably the aid of a friend. With a little patience and some precise elevation and azimuth adjustments, your Bell satellite dish can be set up in short order.

Advertisement

Step 1

Check the mounting area for the Bell satellite dish and ensure it is free of any debris. Also, check the sky above and around the Bell satellite dish and make sure there are no obstacles, such as trees or power lines, that could impair satellite signal reception. Make sure the satellite dish is flush to the mounting area.

Advertisement

Video of the Day

Step 2

Point the Bell satellite dish to the general southern sky. This is a crude adjustment and need not be precise, as precise adjustments are made later.

Step 3

Hook up the Bell satellite dish's receiver to your TV. Locate the standard A/V cables that come with the receiver. Each set of cables has a red, yellow and white plug. Note also that there are color-corresponding red, white and yellow connectors for these plugs on the back of your TV and the back of the satellite receiver. Plug your A/V cables into these connectors, matching the colors as you do so.

Advertisement

Step 4

Connect the coaxial cable that runs from the Bell satellite dish to the back of your receiver. Take note of the "ANT IN" port on the back of the receiver and plug the coaxial cable in here. Then, power on the TV and the satellite receiver and wait for the menu to appear. Select the "signal meter screen" option from this menu and then return to the Bell satellite dish outside, leaving a friend to monitor the signal meter screen inside.

Advertisement

Step 5

Adjust the elevation of the Bell satellite dish. Do this by loosening the nuts on the elevation bolts on the dish's mast with a wrench. (Your satellite manual will also provide a handy visual diagram of these nuts/bolts.) With the nuts loosened, make incremental up/down adjustments to the dish. After each adjustment, wait for a response back from your friend at the signal meter screen, who will alert you as to how close you are to the provided coordinates and if further adjustments are necessary.

Advertisement

Step 6

Adjust the azimuth of the Bell satellite dish. Do this by loosening the LNB dish arm nuts with your wrench and then making incremental left/right adjustments to the dish. Again wait for coordinate reports back from the signal meter screen. When the coordinates are achieved and an overall reading of 70 to 80 is reached, your Bell satellite dish is correctly set up.

Video of the Day

Advertisement

Advertisement

references

Report an Issue

screenshot of the current page

Screenshot loading...