It was real easy for us as well after I found out you have to have the account number handy as well as the ACCESS CARD number. I put all of that info in an envelope and taped it to the rcvr...
My older SAT RCVR would lose its setting every time I unplugged it. I had to go on-line everytime we setup... Once you get the acct number they know who you are and it was just a couple of clicks to bring it back up again...
This was when we was bringing one of our SAT RCVRS from the house on the RV TRIPs. I know your situation is bit different but this is how it worked for us a few years back when we was using a separate dish with one of our spare SAT RCVRS...
When the NATL BROADCAST went to their new digital mode local transmissions we kinda stopped bringing along the SAT DISH and spare SAT RCVR with us. The local CLEAR TV stations from the local towns was all in high def mode and actually alot better reception than on the SAT. Of course this is only for Natl Broadcast channels using the batwing OTA antenna... No CNN haha...
Roy Ken