Anyone tried this? Supposed to simplify antenna pointing

[RedneckExpress]

Hey All, saw this this morning in my inbox, rather interesting little tool.

King Controls SureLock Digital TV Antenna Signal Finder

Supposed to hook up to your regular cable outlet inside so that you can pivot the antenna around and find the best signal strength before bother to do the channel scan.

Anyone tried one of these?

[BigSkyBob]

I purchased a different model of satellite signal locator off of Ebay for 10 bucks. It works very well for the 101 satellite I use. Not sure of the make but the model is SF-95c+. It has a lighted meter and an audio tone. The input frequency is 950- - 2150 Mhz and the input level is 25 dbm - 75 dbm. Plus it's made in the good ole USA.

[FlyingDiver]

That's not a satellite signal finder. It's an over the air ATSC (digital) signal meter.

joe

[RedneckExpress]

Aye, hence why I asked. I don't deal with satellite, but I do use my antenna, which is located outside. If this worked decently, I was debating getting one and hooking it up in the fridge compartment where the main split from the antenna occurs so I could aim the thing and then do my channel scan.

[JC2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedneckExpress Hey All, saw this this morning in my inbox, rather interesting little tool. King Controls SureLock Digital TV Antenna Signal Finder Supposed to hook up to your regular cable outlet inside so that you can pivot the antenna around and find the best signal strength before bother to do the channel scan. Anyone tried one of these?

I will go on the assumption that you have a portable sat dish. We had DirecTV and what we used to do was go to their website pryor to leaving and enter the various zipcodes to where we would be traveling/camping. The website would provide the elevation and azimuth for each location. Upon arrival, I would use this digital compass from CW, Search - digital compass - Camping World
for the azimuth and then set the elevation. Took all of 5 minutes providing there was not a canopy of trees. If you have Dish, don't know if they have similiar website info but they should.

[RedneckExpress]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC2 I will go on the assumption that you have a portable sat dish. We had DirecTV and what we used to do was go to their website pryor to leaving and enter the various zipcodes to where we would be traveling/camping. The website would provide the elevation and azimuth for each location. Upon arrival, I would use this digital compass from CW, Search - digital compass - Camping World for the azimuth and then set the elevation. Took all of 5 minutes providing there was not a canopy of trees. If you have Dish, don't know if they have similiar website info but they should.

Answered in the 3rd and 4th posts:

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyingDiver That's not a satellite signal finder. It's an over the air ATSC (digital) signal meter. joe

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedneckExpress Aye, hence why I asked. I don't deal with satellite, but I do use my antenna, which is located outside. If this worked decently, I was debating getting one and hooking it up in the fridge compartment where the main split from the antenna occurs so I could aim the thing and then do my channel scan.

This is an Over-The-Air/Broadcast Signal Meter. Satellite is overpriced, so I don't use it, if there's cable hookups at a park, I use that, otherwise, I try and find broadcast with my antenna.

Since my antenna is external, I have to go outside and aim it then come back in to do a channel scan. However, the primary junction for all the cable lines is right below the antenna in the fridge compartment. So, if the meter worked decently, I could hook it up to the junction there and aim the antenna till I got good signal, then go in and do the scan.

[paz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedneckExpress Hey All, saw this this morning in my inbox, rather interesting little tool. King Controls SureLock Digital TV Antenna Signal Finder Supposed to hook up to your regular cable outlet inside so that you can pivot the antenna around and find the best signal strength before bother to do the channel scan. Anyone tried one of these?

If you use the antenna pointing aid (second sticky down at the top of this forum), you can get the antenna close to the station(s) you are trying to get before doing a channel scan. You could save some money and buy an inexpensive compass at Walmart instead of the signal finder.

[RedneckExpress]

That works, if you have internet available. If you're pulling into some place at night and don't have web access, it doesn't work quite as well, unless you pre-planned it out (I tend to make my stop plans as I go). I've been using that tool for a while now for In-City finding, but I go out into some of the more rural areas where internets not available and I've got no clue where the repeaters might be located.

[paz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedneckExpress That works, if you have internet available...

Good point.

And now that I think about it, the signal finder, if it works, would be very convenient even with internet access. In some areas, stations are so marginal that a few degrees off with a compass may get nothing. The signal finder is positive feedback.