Satellite pointing

[corpus aggie]

I would like to know if there is an easier and fast way to aim and point a dish. I bought a satellite finder at radio shack and it doen't seem to work. I am tring to avoid buying and paying for a high dollar finder. I have direct tv but have trouble getting the signal fast and easy.

[kjburns]

What are you doing? What kind of equipment are you using? If you're setting up for DirecTV SD, then it's pretty simple. Look up the elevation and azimuth. Set the elevation on the dish, then turn toward the azimuth. You should have it within a few seconds.

With the typical meter, you turn up the gain to 5. Then when it starts making noise and the meter comes up, turn it down to 5 again and dial it in.

If you're using a multi-LNB dish and HD, you'll need to set the skew.

[Rocky Larson]

I only need one point in the sky for Direct SD. After a few minutes of looking for a signal the box lets me enter our current zip or long/lat which I get off our WM atlas. The roof dish controls get me close to elevation and direction provided by the box. More than 1/2 the time it only requires tweaking for a stronger signal. The rest of the time it may require a few minutes of back/forth and up/down to get on. I gave away my inline signal finder device long ago.

Using the direction information and a compass for knowing which way is north it takes only slightly longer to point my portable dish. I turn up the volume on the television to hear the signal strength beeper and wave the dish in the general direction of the bird in the sky. Once I hear the beep I close in on the direction, set the dish and do the minor adjustments to maximize the signal. I can do it alone but in a noisy setting it can help to have someone inside to listen or watch the signal on the TV and relay the information.
Hope this helps. Good Luck.

[MICHIGAN CAMPER]

corpus aggie, Hope the previous advice works for you.
In that vain, I have a question about aiming a "DIRECTV' dish. When you don't have HD and are out of range for your locals, (traveling) is ONE bird all you need?
Larry K. (aka: michigancamper)

[Don/Lou]

Yes -all SD is on 101 sat for direct tv

[MICHIGAN CAMPER]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don/Lou Yes -all SD is on 101 sat for direct tv

Thanks Don,
I'm new at using sat TV while camping and traveling. This helps end some of the confusing and questions I had.
Larry K. (aka: michigancamper)

[hamguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by corpus aggie I would like to know if there is an easier and fast way to aim and point a dish. I bought a satellite finder at radio shack and it doen't seem to work. I am tring to avoid buying and paying for a high dollar finder. I have direct tv but have trouble getting the signal fast and easy.

I am on Direct with the RS finder and have had little trouble with it. I can "usually" have a sat sig in < 3 minutes. The trick is knowing what you are aiming at. Get the Azimuth/Elevation from the built in computer in the receiver.

GL

[Don/Lou]

I use this to find my settings
Satellite Finder / Dish Pointing Calculator with Google Maps | DishPointer.com
Hope this helps
Don

[StStg1]

Like others have said, use the reciever to get azmith and elevation for the zip code you are in. then point the dish accordlingly. One caution, be sure there are no trees or other barriers in the line of sight for the dish. If you are beyond your locals' range, you will not be able to get them, but the other programing will be there.

[nalcon]

I can tell you all this sounds simple. I can get my dish aligned in less time than it takes for the receiver to warm up. HOWEVER, it wasn't always that way. I spent many hours practicing in my driveway until I figured it out. On my first trip I never could get a signal until I realized I had selected the wrong satelitte on my receiver.

My advice is: Set the portable dish in the driveway with a tv and receiver and practice. Make sure you know the elevation and alzumith. A signal strength >=80 is sufficient.

[jackrobinryan]

A couple of things I do to easily get my manual crankup dish to find DirecTV.

1) make sure the MH is level first, front to back and side to side. (out of level can impact the elevation meter value on my dish)

2) I use a hand held compass, outside and away from my MH to get a good reading on where North really is. (doing a compass read from inside the MH can be off 5 to 10 degrees depending on where inside one stands) I usually get a bearing read down the side of the MH, ie centerline of the MH, and set the dial inside accordingly.

3) the sat box has a built in signal level meter that beeps when you get closer and gives a % value of the signal. Use that for fine tuning.

Once I have the correct az and el for the zip code I am in, the coach leveled and North determined, it is no trouble to get to the sat.

Unless I need to trim some tree branches above

[bill carle]

i just let my DW set it up

[sdf2000]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bill carle i just let my DW set it up

COOL!

[bachler]

I was Fighting the mounted dish then I bought A stand free dish ,, I was thying to get it set; A man from the coach next to me came over, He had been watching and grinning At me. He had a small leavel 12" long;; and a engineers Compus It took him about 1 minute to get a fine picture and about 30 minutes telling me what i was doing wrong;; Number 1 The base must be leval,.; He said something to the effect If tha angle or asm. is off 1 degree here on earth it is off the satelight by 20 miles. So the numbers have to be SPOT on; Since then the finders have been replaced with the best leval, and compess money can buy; And I've had no more problem. I've had levals and compess that never read the same reading when reversed;;