With the pathfinder you can skip the tripod. I think they make a platform you can use.
Question: Do you have a SMART PHONE?
There are several Sat-Finder apps. Including one, which I think is called Sat-Finder, many are free.. Most of these apps have the ability to use the phone's rear facing camera (The one you'd use to "Shoot" the video of the dude in the suit getting paintballed in the commercial) to look at the sky and they overlay the sat position on it.. I kind of wonder if the DISH app (I believe Dish has an app but not sure if free) can lay all 3 on the screen.
If you look at the cross-hair and see tree.. MOVE.. If you see open sky. SUCCESS, Note that you do need to look while lying down for best results but it should not take you more than a couple minutes to figure out the height difference less you are in a well treed site.
