Satellite dish

A satellite dish is a type of parabolic antenna designed with the specific purpose of transmitting signals to and/or receiving from satellites. A satellite dish is a particular type of microwave antenna. Satellite dishes come in varying sizes and designs, and are most commonly used to receive satellite television.

Related Topics:
Parabolic antenna - Satellite - Microwave antenna - Satellite television

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Modern dishes intended for home television use are generally 45.72 cm (18") to 80 cm (31") in diameter, and are fixed in one position. This type of system is referred to as direct broadcast satellite or DBS. Systems commonly used with communications satellites for Ku-Band free-to-air and ethnic broadcast reception use a slightly larger antenna, typically about one metre in size. Older types of home satellite dishes, called television receive-only or TVRO, were several metres/feet in diameter and had motors which could position the dish to receive signals from several different satellites (polar mount).

Related Topics:
Cm - " - Diameter - Direct broadcast satellite - Communications satellite - Ku-Band - Free-to-air - Ethnic - Broadcast - Television receive-only - Polar mount

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A common misconception is that the LNBF (Low-Noise Block/Feedhorn), the device at the front of the dish, receives the signal directly from the atmosphere. See, for instance, this BBC News 24 countdown http://bnb.bpweb.net/N24/news24.htm that shows a "red data stream" being received by the LNBF directly instead of being beamed to the dish, which because of its parabolic shape will collect the signal into a smaller area and deliver it to the LNBF.

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