The camper in the next site asked for some help in getting his dish aligned for Direct TV. He said he has aligned it before without issue using compass etc. But where we are now it is heavily treed and knows he can't just place the dish out, he has to find an open area first. Now he mentioned that once he had seen a person out with a smart phone walking around and the fellow mentioned he was using an app to find a good spot to place the dish before doing the adjustment. Now I have an Android smart phone and could probably help him in getting the app but I don't have clue what to look for in the App store.Does anyone know of one that we could use to help find a place under the tree canopy to place his dish?I know nothing about Direct TV sat and how it works.ThanksRon W.

Google is your friend. This turned up in a search for "android app satellite finder": http://appcrawlr.com/android-apps/best-apps-sat-finder

The dish has to be out of the tree canopy so it can 'see' the southern sky

I once had to point through very narrow break in some trees. I had to set the dish about 80 feet from my RV to get the right shot.Also he needs to make sure his mounting system is plumb and level before he attaches the dish set to the correct azimuth & skew. Most of the time when I have trouble getting a signal, if I go back and plumb everything up I'm able to get the signal. Just like a house you need a good level foundation.

Campfire Time wrote:Google is your friend. This turned up in a search for "android app satellite finder": http://appcrawlr.com/android-apps/best-apps-sat-finderI have one on my I phone called Satellite Dish Finder. Great and easy to work with.Don

It looks like Satellite Direct Pro will work great but we need to the name of the satellite Direct TV uses in order to a help us aim it.Anyone know the name or names of those satellites that DTV uses. ThanksRon W.

Camper in next campsite needs help in sat alignment

CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Mar 15, 2015
Bucky Badger wrote:
Bill.Satellite wrote:
Find DishPointer (pro) by augmented reality. It's the best program available.

Does it need data to work?
Yes it needs location services to be active or I believe you can enter your location but so much easier to have the phone determine the location. It has to know the location to determine where the sats are located.
LarryJM
Explorer II
Mar 14, 2015
rjsurfer wrote:
The camper in the next site asked for some help in getting his dish aligned for Direct TV. He said he has aligned it before without issue using compass etc. But where we are now it is heavily treed and knows he can't just place the dish out, he has to find an open area first.

Now he mentioned that once he had seen a person out with a smart phone walking around and the fellow mentioned he was using an app to find a good spot to place the dish before doing the adjustment. Now I have an Android smart phone and could probably help him in getting the app but I don't have clue what to look for in the App store.

Does anyone know of one that we could use to help find a place under the tree canopy to place his dish?

I know nothing about Direct TV sat and how it works.

Thanks

Ron W.

Doesn't help you, but the Align-a-site works great, especially sitiing the dish with heavy tree cover since you can point the dish accurately in breaks in the tree cover. It also doesn't require the dish to be completely accurately plumbed in one plane.

Larry
labmansid
Explorer
Mar 14, 2015
You didn't mention it, but does your friend have a signal meter besides what is on the receiver? With my DISH and tripod package I got from Amazon, I also got a separate signal meter to use at the dish as it is being aligned. Mine is very similar to this one. Comes in very handy while at the dish. It goes on the cable between the receiver and the dish, since it gets power from the receiver. Pretty basic, but gets the job done.
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Mar 13, 2015
Bill.Satellite wrote:
Find DishPointer (pro) by augmented reality. It's the best program available.
Agree but proceed with caution before purchase.

Alan the owner hasn't updated it in about 3 years and there are lots of new phones that it may/may not work on and three years ago Android support seemed questionable from the posts. And at $20 it's an expensive app.

Search DP Pro and it does use augmented reality.
WyoTraveler
Explorer
Mar 13, 2015
Where are you camping? Near sea level? Many people have problems with sea level locations. Raising the elevation more then they recommend helps. Although I have a smart phone nothing really beats a compass and signal strength meter. I use the compass on my smart phone because it isn't metal sensitive. My DW mixes drinks while I set up the manual dish. She beats me but not by much. Takes all of 5 minutes.
Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Mar 13, 2015
Find DishPointer (pro) by augmented reality. It's the best program available.
2oldman
Explorer II
Mar 13, 2015
He needs to shoot the 'Directv 101'. I use SatelliteAR, but I manually input my location.

The app search engine should find many 'aim directv dish' apps.

Has this person just assumed he can't aim it? It's surprising how high the signal actually comes in from. I can have a MH parked next to me in the way and still get the signal.
RoyB
Explorer II
Mar 13, 2015
Pass along the local NATL TV signals from the local towns might be his last resort if he can't find a hole in the trees for SAT TV. You get full screen HDTV digital signals from the local towns using the crank up BATWING OTA Antenna...

Roy Ken
Ivylog
Explorer III
Mar 13, 2015
"SAToolz" for DirecTV 99, 101, 103 with 101 being the most important... no names.
rjsurfer
Explorer
Mar 13, 2015
It looks like Satellite Direct Pro will work great but we need to the name of the satellite Direct TV uses in order to a help us aim it.

Anyone know the name or names of those satellites that DTV uses.

Thanks

Ron W.