Quote:
quote:Originally posted by HamRad
Mark,
Tuning a satellite dish the first few times can be an exercise in futility.  Ask me how I know! To answer part of your question..... You must be VERY close to the 'bird' in order to get a signal. Then once you do get a signal you may find that you are on the wrong signal. We have DirecTV and the Dish satellite is very close to the one we use. You will get a signal but not a picture.
But we have found that if you have the tripod set up so that it is plumb and you have the dish co-ordinates close you can find the bird in a very short time. We either open a window and talk back and forth to each other or we use our phones. I usually sit inside watching the signal strength meter while Mary Kay manipulates the dish.
Problems that will drive you crazy are cables not tight enough. Or if using a barrel connector it goes bad. Or the cable that you've used forever goes bad. You work and work and one or more of these things will get you and you will be wandering around bumping off of things wondering which way is up!
But if all goes well you will set the dish up correctly and plunk it down and you are right on the satellite! We have done that almost as many times as we've had major problems. But it is part of the process and we have learned to go with the flow. Sometimes we simply give up and wait until the next day.
You will get the hang of it and all will be well. Just a little practice is all it takes. Good luck and let us know how it works out for you.
Dennis
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Dennis hit it on the head with the last two paragraphs.
I've gotten to our destination and with driving and setting up the trailer I go ahead and try to set up the dish but I'm so tired I get frustrated and quit. The next day I try setting up the dish and pick up the signal within 5 minutes. Another tip is if you do get a signal but no picture try hitting the reset button on the receiver,that's worked for me many times.
Jack