Community Forums

Don McCord · 10-16-2012, 05:29 PM

Recently purchased a Direct TV portable satellite system, can anyone tell me the best satellite signal meter for direct tv, Have a signal meter from Radio Shack and the needle pegs out because of the power and is unusable.
I went on Amazon and they range from $7.80 to $1,200.00

1mtnman · 10-16-2012, 05:52 PM

I have this one and it has worked for several years. Satellite Signal Meter - product summary - Bing Shopping

450Donn · 10-16-2012, 05:55 PM

Birdog is suppose to be one of the best. I am looking at SatHero SH500g

Don McCord · 10-16-2012, 06:05 PM

do you have dish or direct tv

-LB- · 10-16-2012, 06:16 PM

May I suggest before buying a signal meter, check into the smartphone apps....they use virtual reality which means when you launch the app, it shows the satellite locations through the camera like they are painted on the sky...I use it to sight thru trees and really helps with finding a good location for the satellite...it's neat technology and gets me a signal and then DW opens the window and we dial it in via the on screen signal meter...been using Hidden Sky for my iPhone over a year and has been working well for me...

footdoc · 10-16-2012, 06:54 PM

I have an Accutrac III and can set up IN THE DARK with >90 signal in just a few minutes...One meter screen shows both the 101 and 99 birds at the same time....if you tune to get max signal on both of those, 103 will be ready to go too...paid about $70 used and love it

Wayne M · 10-17-2012, 10:40 AM

I have seen the Birdog in operation and it was very good. A bit pricey for just finding a signal, but you just put in the satellite number you want and it finds it.

As for the common ones we find in camping stores and electronics stores, they cannot tell from one satellite to another, so when that needle swings it could be on any satellite, and not the one you want. So you still need to know the general azimuth, elevation, and skew (if applicable) to be in the ball park.

It is just as easy to have an inexpensive hand held TV fed from the receiver and watch the set up guide, swing the antenna until you have the strong signal. Of purchase one of the automatic antennas.

As others have stated there are some APPs for smart phones but I have never seen any of them in operation.

Good luck.

Don McCord · 10-17-2012, 07:16 PM

direct

TechWriter · 10-17-2012, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don McCord

Recently purchased a Direct TV portable satellite system, can anyone tell me the best satellite signal meter for direct tv, Have a signal meter from Radio Shack and the needle pegs out because of the power and is unusable.
I went on Amazon and they range from $7.80 to $1,200.00

AIM Advanced Installation Signal Meter for DIRECTV Satellite Dishes (AIM) from Solid Signal

jlfbatonrg · 10-17-2012, 08:09 PM

Camping world sell one that works very well for us. we have DISH, but i don't think the meter can ll the difference between DIRECT and DISH.

Bbspinstl · 10-18-2012, 11:01 AM

I have used an iPhone app called "Dish Align". It's a free app and gives you the general direction to point the dish.

sundancer87 · 10-18-2012, 11:17 AM

The signal meter should have a gain control knob on it, crank it back and the needle shouldn't peg.
As for needing one, why spend the time and bother hooking it up when you can use the satellite tuning GUI in the receiver?

450Donn · 10-19-2012, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sundancer87

The signal meter should have a gain control knob on it, crank it back and the needle shouldn't peg.
As for needing one, why spend the time and bother hooking it up when you can use the satellite tuning GUI in the receiver?

Lag time and the inability to actually see it when trying to align the dish are two reasons. The lag time alone can be a killer. Not to mention that method requires two people and a lot of yelling back and forth. Lag time can be a couple of seconds, meaning you can swear clear part a bird and not even know it.