The signals used for satellite TV are transmitted wirelessly from a base station to TV satellites that orbit the earth. These TV satellites also known as artificial satellites,  stay in an orbit sometimes referred to as the  Clarke Belt, which means they all stay in their specific areas in space relative to the Earth.

When you subscribe for a satellite TV, channel signals will be re-transmitted by the artificial satellites back to the Earth. Your satellite dish (or antenna) captures these signals, while a satellite receiver decodes and processes the signal to send it to your television.

Understanding Signals, The Dish And Satellite Receivers

Satellite signals are just like radio waves in that they allow transmission of various analog or digital signals or channels. These waves are then reflected to the satellite dish to capture concentrated signals, sending them off to your receiver via your satellite cable network. The main job of your satellite receiver is to convert these signals (of hundreds of different frequencies) into viewable satellite TV channels.

A satellite dish comes in two forms – oval or parabolic. While you may choose a dish based on its appearance, be aware that each type of dish receives different amounts of signals. Oval dishes can unite signals to multiple areas in the sky, which enables them to receive satellite TV channels from numerous satellites. On the other hand, a parabolic dish can only collect signals from one source in the sky, making it receive channels from only one satellite at a time. If your dish is provided by your satellite provider it will already be matched for their system.