satellite aiming question

reubenray wrote:
I had plans on using the Dishpointer App while at Buffalo Point Campground in Arkansas. Guess what - it does not work if you cannot get wireless service.

Not true .It works fine without wifi.

I have been using the Slimline 3 since it came out and before that, the Phase III dish. The Phase III was the hardest because you were hitting three satellites spread across the sky from longitude 101 to 119.

The current Slimline 3 is exactly like aiming the 18" SD dish with a small exception. It is that you need to set the tilt/skew according to specification for your location before you start. After that, all you do is find the 101, just like you would with the 18" round dish.

The three satellites, 99/101/103 are in such a tight cluster that the tilt/skew is not very critical. You can be off a good bit and still get a usable signal. If you feel that you must use a Slimline 5, then the tilt/skew becomes much more critical because of the spread of your targets. Even if you reside in a location where DTV installs the SL5 you really don't need one unless you have some local SD channels you want to see. Even those signals are, for the most part, repeated in HD from the 99 or 103 satellites making the SL5 unnecessary for most everyone.

For clarification DirecTV calls it tilt (not to be confused with "elevation")and DISH calls it skew. Skew makes more sense to me.

I had plans on using the Dishpointer App while at Buffalo Point Campground in Arkansas. Guess what - it does not work if you cannot get wireless service.

The Dish Pointer app by Augmented Reality came in very handy today. A neighbor was hoping to setup a DirecTV dish in the very tree covered park we are current staying at. We walked around his trailer and I said "put the post here, the satellite is there between those trees". He did all the setup work (I made sure he got it plumb and level) and I went over and turned the antenna less than 10 degrees before we had a 90 signal. Nice!

YC 1 wrote:
Dish pointer app takes any doubt about a clear view. A rver next to me fussed with his dish for a couple of hours and gave up. I asked if I could help and it took ten seconds for me to suggest moving the dish. It looked ok but the app showed some branches clearly in the path. Moving the dish 6 feet and it was receiving signal immediately.

We have used Direct TV for years. We full time, and I have to set up a portable 18 inch dish to get to satellite 101. We use the standard dish (SD), not the high defination dish and system. SD works just fine, and You only have to siged in one satellite (101).

I have gotten pretty good at getting a satellite signal through the trees. I don't have one, but the best tool is the satellite finder on the app on smartphones. However, I am not smart enough for a smart phone, and don't know any 10 year old kids. That app is just amazing!!!

Dish pointer app takes any doubt about a clear view. A rver next to me fussed with his dish for a couple of hours and gave up. I asked if I could help and it took ten seconds for me to suggest moving the dish. It looked ok but the app showed some branches clearly in the path. Moving the dish 6 feet and it was receiving signal immediately.

btd35 wrote:

donn0128 wrote:
The correct alignment tool makes a world of difference in how easy or difficult it is. With a Birdog alignment for an HD system takes about five minutes. Go HD and buy the right tools the first time.

Yeah if you want to spend a ton of money for one. As said, you get better at it. Get a signal meter cheap, a good compass, I've even used the one on my iphone, and a level.

Set the tilt, and angle, level the unit, then set it straight with a compass,in that order. You should be close enough to catch a signal. After that it's just fine tuning.

As said, you zoom in on the 101 satelite, get it full signal, and as long as you set the tilt right, the others just come in with it, so it's really not harder at all.

No need to spend a ton of money. But the correct tools do make the job easier and a whole lot simpler. For instance, Align-A-Site once properly installed eliminates the need to attempt to level tye tri pod. A Birdog allows you to setup and lock onto the correct bird the first time without the hassles of connecting to the receiver until you are all finished. Yes, the proper tools may not be cheap, but what is your time and aggrivation worth? For me it is priceless. Especially if I can be done and move onto other things within a few minutes.

I aim a HD dish 20 times a year and it isn't any harder.

As stated, get the tilt and skew from the box, peak the 101 and the others fall into place.

I agree the sat app is invaluable, esp with trees.

Another device that makes it much easier is a good tripod. I use a surveyors tripod with adjustable legs and it is easy to level and very stable. Light, too.

For apps I use Satellite AR and Satellite Director. Sat AR will give you a visual on the sat and azimuth. Sat Director works well on setting the skew. I set it up in that order and it comes right in. It takes longer getting it set up than it does getting it aligned. However, I'm on Dish 500.

Note: Have a good real compass with you as well because sometimes things around you will affect the virtual app compass used to set skew.

Instead of an expensive meter, I use the built in signal strength meter on my DirecTV receiver that I watch from outside using a baby monitor. The baby monitor is much cheaper than any good meter and my daughter gave it to me after she didn't need it any longer.