Satellite reception assembly installation and maintenance

1. A method, comprising:

in a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) reception assembly:

receiving a desired satellite signal;

processing said desired satellite signal for output to a gateway;

receiving one or more undesired satellite signals;

determining a performance metric of said one or more undesired satellite signals; and

adjusting an elevation angle of said DBS reception assembly and/or azimuth angle of said DBS reception assembly based on said performance metric of said one or more undesired satellite signals.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said adjusting said elevation angle and/or said azimuth angle comprises electronically steering a directivity of a receive radiation pattern of said DBS reception assembly.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said DBS reception assembly comprises one or more electromechanical systems, and said adjusting performed mechanically via said one or more electromechanical systems.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said performance metric is received signal strength.

5. The method of claim 4 , comprising, during said adjusting, seeking a value of said azimuth angle and/or a value of said elevation angle that corresponds to a minimum of said received signal strength.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said performance metric is signal-to-noise ratio.

7. The method of claim 6 , comprising:

demodulating said one or more undesired signals via one or more demodulators of said DBS reception assembly, said demodulating resulting in one or more demodulated undesired signals; and

determining said signal-noise-ratio based on said one or more demodulated undesired signals.

8. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

determining a performance metric of said desired satellite signal; and

adjusting said elevation angle and/or said azimuth angle based on said signal strength of said desired signal.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

said desired satellite signal is in a first frequency band;

each of said one or more undesired signals is in a respective one of one or more second frequency bands;

said performance metric of said desired signal is signal-to-noise ratio; and

said determining said signal-to-noise ratio comprises:

digitizing a block of frequencies encompassing said first frequency band and said one or more second frequency bands;

performing a fast Fourier transform on said digitized block of frequencies; and

measuring signal strength in one or more guard bands between said first frequency band and said one or more second frequency bands.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said desired signal emanates from a first satellite in a first orbital slot, and said one or more undesired signals emanate from one or more second satellites in a corresponding one or more second orbital slots adjacent to said first orbital slot.

11. A system, comprising:

circuitry for use in a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) reception assembly, wherein said circuitry is operable to:

receive a desired satellite signal;

process said desired satellite signal for output to a gateway;

receive one or more undesired satellite signals;

determine a performance metric of said one or more undesired satellite signals; and

adjust an elevation angle of said DBS reception assembly and/or azimuth angle of said DBS reception assembly based on said performance metric of said one or more undesired satellite signals.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein said DBS reception assembly comprises circuitry and an array of antennas operable to adjust a directivity of a receive radiation pattern of said DBS reception assembly during reception of said desired signal and said one or more undesired signals.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein said DBS reception assembly comprises one or more electromechanical systems, and said adjustment is performed mechanically via said one or more electromechanical systems.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein said performance metric is received signal strength.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein said circuitry is operable to, during said adjustment, seek a value of said azimuth angle and/or a value of said elevation angle that corresponds to a minimum of said received signal strength.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein said performance metric is signal-to-noise ratio.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein said circuitry is operable to:

demodulate said one or more undesired signals via one or more demodulators of said DBS reception assembly, said demodulation resulting in one or more demodulated undesired signals; and

determine said signal-noise-ratio based on said one or more demodulated undesired signals.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein said circuitry is operable to:

determine a performance metric of said desired satellite signal; and

adjust said elevation angle and/or said azimuth angle based on said signal strength of said desired signal.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein:

said desired satellite signal is in a first frequency band;

each of said one or more undesired signals is in a respective one of one or more second frequency bands;

said performance metric of said desired signal is signal-to-noise ratio; and

said determination of said signal-to-noise ratio comprises:

digitization a block of frequencies encompassing said first frequency band and said one or more second frequency bands;

performing a fast Fourier transform on said digitized block of frequencies; and

measuring signal strength in one or more guard bands between said first frequency band and said one or more second frequency bands.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein said desired signal emanates from a first satellite in a first orbital slot, and said one or more undesired signals emanate from one or more second satellites in a corresponding one or more second orbital slots adjacent to said first orbital slot.