I got brave.

Bruce,

Thanks for all for the help, I finally got it to setup properly,

High winds came up during the night 30+mph and tipped the tripod over and moved it from where I had orginialy set it up at.

Reset it up for level, square etc, different area and put the dish on the center post and viola, I had a picure, not perfect but at least I am in the right area, too start tweaking.

Tweaked it and the rating went to 85%+, I have to tweak the skew some more, I think.

My readings are off about 13* from what you noted, Both the compass and GPS do not have the declination set in them and I believe this is part/most of the problems.

Plus I had a BIG RR Tie (used for the 4 strand barbed wire fence building) that was blocking 90% of the view area, I thought the dish was shooting over the top, but found out it wasn't.

Questions, How much does the skew change within 300-500 miles from here?

What program did you use to find the locations etc?

For more training, I am going to set the tripod up in several locations, AWAY from the RR tie, and get it dialed in.

THANKS AGAIN,
Don

Did you ever get it figured out?

Bruce

If you want to make it really easy, go to www.tv4rv.com and buy their deluxe tripod kit. That's what I use and I can get on the satellites without even checking a meter or screen most of the time. It may seem expensive at first, but you will be glad you spent the money once you see how easy it makes setup.

Bruce

To use the numbers I just gave you, your mast must be dead plumb. If you are putting your compass right up to your dish to set it, your needle is not pointing in the correct direction -- your dish and probably your tripod are made of steel and they are rendering your compass inaccurate.

Bruce

nvreloader wrote:
Nomad297,

It's 89419, Lovelock, NV.

Thanks,
Don

nomad297 wrote:

nvreloader wrote:


What are the Direct TV Sat numbers for Western NV?

What is the zip code?

Your azimuth is 140.8 degrees magnetic
Your elevation is 40.2 degrees
Your skew is -19.2 degrees

That's what it is. No doubt about it.

Bruce

Where is the receiver while you're doing this? Is it inside the stick house? Do you have someone watching it while you're setting up the dish on the tripod?

Try here Dish Pointer

I attain settings from Directv receiver for zipcode I'm in and set the dish accordingly. I can be up and running in 10 minutes as long as I have a clear shot, with trees it takes a bit longer to shoot the gap. I locate sat 101 using receiver signal strength meter and a compass, then tweak homemade satellite stand (not dish) to gain 90%+ signal. Once done all the other satellites come right in and we now have all the same channels (HD & SD) we have at home including locals if we are still within NM.

I've have experienced bad coax, loose connections, faulty b-band converters as culprits to accessing a sat signal although lnbs can malfunction as well. We've only been camping in the four corner states over the last year and haven't changed our dish settings, still able to lock on Directv satellites without much issue using our Slimline 5 (SL5) dish. We used the 18" dish for years and acquired a used HD dish from Ebay several years back, heard and read they we're difficult to point, but I found them to be just as easy once you get the hang of it. Here's hoping you get it figured out, although we don't watch much TV when RVing, if we wanted to watch the big game or a particular show we have access to it and that makes DW happy.

Wa8yxm,
Just how do you find the angles from the reciever, all I get from the setup section is a beeping noise, when I am on target.

The tripod is set up in a CLEAR and OPEN area that has NO obstructions for 90* on the left and right sides AND 90* from ground level to over head, a big FLAT OPEN field, except a 4 strand barbed wire fence a couple feet away.
I can't get any better view.........

Second guess,
I take this Direct TV dish off of it's attachment place on the stick built house and set it on a tripod that is about 25+' from it's attachment spot on the house, (there is about 30' extra cable to use).

I get a PERFECT SIGNAL when the dish is mounted on the house, but NOT on the tripod. I return the dish BACK to the house mounted spot and the signal works every time.

I don't understand all the rest of your info.

I am attempting to LEARN HOW to set up this dish setup at home before I take in into the pucker brush where we camp, etc.

I don't know of any way than this to do it, Do you?

Tia,
Don

wa8yxm wrote:
Your Receiver will give you the angles (Just go to antenna pointing)

What are you doing wrong.... In talking about roof mounted Antennas on RV's I often make reference to "The Evil Signal Eating Tree".

First guess is you do not have a clear view of the sky.

Second guess is you are trying this on an UN-modified RV by using the park cable inlet which is NOT compatible with Sat TV. The solution is to run the cable direct to the receiver for now.. IF that works there are two ways to fix it.

MY suggestion is to install a SAT-inlet on the RV.. There is another way, ask if you need it.

Gary,

I think, I have it setup as close as possible using a 6" level on 2 sides, 90* apart.

Tia,
Don

GaryGus wrote:
I assume your tripod is absolutely level horizontally and vertically. If not, the aim will be off.