Satellite dish aiming

Our tripod and dish are similar to the 1st photo. Our backing arm is in the 2nd photo (bracket on the right isn't used). Adjusting elevation and azimuth requires loosening the bolts and re-tightening when aimed as accurately as possible at the satellite. If I loosen the bolts even slightly too much, the dish can suddenly slip too much. If slightly too tight, it's really hard to move the dish.

Finding the right HD satellite initially isn't the hard part, it's the fine tuning to get the strongest signal that I'm finding isn't easy and fiddling with the bolts is a pain.

The 3rd photo is one adjustable bracket on ebay but it doesn't have 4-bolt mounting to match our dish. Something like this would work and maybe I could make an adapter if I can't find a similar to fit our dish.

Only have one LNB for one satellite and don't need to set the skew. Am using the Winegard signal finder which takes time to adjust, move the dish a little, and readjust until you have a good signal. The Birdog meter looks nice but at a few hundred $$ isn't cheap.

Align a site has a bracket you mount permantly to the dish and then just slide the sighting tool into the bracket after you have set the angles for your zip. Works easily.

cpaulsen wrote:
I mounted little bubble levels on my fold-up tripod so when I place it on the ground......I make sure it is level first. Then put the dish on the tri-pod....set my settings but leave the the mount to the tri-pod a little loose to be able to swing it. I then hook up my Birddog meter...and move th dish where the signal is the best....tighten up the nuts and am done. It has taken me as little as 2 minutes and up to 5 minutes to set it up....but I get everything including HD. Have set up a dish with tripod for years but the Birddog meter made life so much easier.

I was going to buy a Birddog meter a few years back, but got a no longer used wireless baby monitor from my daughter. Aim the camera to the signal strength screen from my DirecTV receiver and take the remote outside with me. Works like a champ and is a lot cheaper than a Birddog or other meter.

I use the TV4RV tripod system and a lot of the time I have a signal on initial set without any tweaking. A few seconds tweaking for max signal and I'm done.

As was said above, making sure the mount is perfectly vertical is "Major Critical". I use a simple bubble level as well, just be precise. I have never found the HD Slimline dish to be any harder to aim than a SD dish.

I mounted little bubble levels on my fold-up tripod so when I place it on the ground......I make sure it is level first. Then put the dish on the tri-pod....set my settings but leave the the mount to the tri-pod a little loose to be able to swing it. I then hook up my Birddog meter...and move th dish where the signal is the best....tighten up the nuts and am done. It has taken me as little as 2 minutes and up to 5 minutes to set it up....but I get everything including HD. Have set up a dish with tripod for years but the Birddog meter made life so much easier.

I made my own azimuth and elevation adjusters using hinges and all-thread. Works very well.

I use a Bird Dog.

Yep, its called an automatic, aims the dish all by itself :W
I got an automatic dome when one windy day my picture blocked out, and I saw my tripod dish blowing across the parking lot:M

The Satellite Dish Conversion Kit from tv4rv may be helpful. I have not used it, but it appears to make elevation adjustment much easier. Look here:
Satellite Dish Conversion Kit

Fred

I'm not sure what a 20" dish is, but my DTV HD Slimline needs a sturdy level tripod. Once that foundation is laid, then it's relatively easy. Since you mentioned patience, I assume this is HD, and a 'typical folding tripod' would not be my choice for the job. I'm not sure what kind of loosening and tightening you're talking about.

SD was a piece of cake compared to HD.

I've been setting up HD with DTV and now DISH for 15 years. What made it easy for me was getting a surveyors tripod and getting it level.

I made my own mount but the one setup from RVTV ? is fine.

Lookup your settings via the sat box and adjust the dish per your zip.

I have a bubble level on my mount and level the dish.

This is very important.

I use Dishpointer AR on my iPhone to find the SATS in the sky.

I put one leg of the tripod toward the SATS so I can tweak angle later.

With the beeper or a phone connection to someone inside, I start scanning the general direction until I peak the signal on the sat box.

I raise and lower the leg toward the SATS to peak he signal.

5-10 minutes.

Longer if I have to find a hole in trees.