Satellite TV - Which dish works?

[RKassl]

My satellite system is based on the Dish Network. I use the Dish 500 and a sat mount that I made out of PVC pipe. I am able to lock on two the satellite at 119 and 121 degrees. I have the network feeds on the the 119 satellite. The set up usually takes less than 10 minutes when I use the satellite finder. I have the satellite receiver box in the Monty and pay Dish 4.95 per month for the extra receiver. No way am I going to rip the home system out every time we roll out the driveway.

[Montana_1240]

RKassl,

I forgot…Some people do have homes they want to leave their receivers in.

(Like us. This is our home, and I sure wouldn't want to move the TIVO anywhere!)

As I've become familiar with setting this dish up, it's gotten easier all the time. In fact, the past two times, I've gotten over 80% Signal Strength, the first shot!

I do notice that there's about a 5 degree difference of Azimuth settings, between the DirecTV website, and the receiver's information. I found the receiver to be more correct, as I used to have to almost always move the dish further west than the website had said.

I'm guessing that relying upon the receiver's info is the big reason I've gotten so much better at it.

But back to the original question...It seems to me that all dishes are just fine for reception on at least DirecTV. (I'm guessing that some alteration would be needed for low-end after-market dishes to account for DISH Network's skew. But that is just a guess.)

If one is expecting the DirecTV's free dish, and one doesn't feel compelled to build one into their rig, that one is great to start with. Besides, with the entertainment center in my slide-out, I wouldn't want to have to have exposed coax that some installer would run through the ceiling and drop out next to the slide to be connected to my receiver, that way. (Having relied upon Circuit City to install my XM Radio, I'm leery of having installers try to do anything "on-the-cheap" like they did with that antenna!)

Steve

[ols1932]

We have DirecTV and I have the dish mounted on a 2x8 which I line up with the satellite signal using a satellite finder (it's a signal sensitivity meter), then nailing the 2x8 down with tent pegs. Works very well, and is simple to set up.

Orv

[gojodo]

Thanks to all for sharing your experiences. Sometimes it seems we are all alone trying to find our way through this new world of RV life, but then we get this kind of support and realize we are truely a community supporting each other. Thank you.

[Montana_1240]

Gojodo,

I do hope that you post something to let us know what dish you’ve settled on. I’m sure that any of them will work fine with DirecTV. It stands to reason, since the free one they gave us works great.

And if you feel compelled to go with the Satellite Meter, I’ll let mine go for $15 and postal charges. It’s only been attempted to be used twice. (I think maybe it needs an attenuator, or something. Saw that in some info on line about using them.)

Steve

[richfaa]

Gyro..try this next time with your signal meter. Turn the control knob all the way off (counterclockwise)the trun it up till you just get a reading .That signal is always there and is coming from the sat receiver.Leaving it at that point start looking for a increase in signal, if you get a increase that pegs the meter or goes very high , turn the knob a bit counterclockwise again,try to keep the signal in the center of the meter dial.The sig meter should work very well.We use it all the time...

[snowbunny]

Anyone using Bell Expressvu? If so where do you get the right altitude and azimuth angles when in the USA?

[OntMont]

If you go to the Telesat Canada website, there is a tool there that lets you input Lat and Lon and it will return the coordinates for each of their satellites. ExpressVu uses the Nimiq satellite at 91 degrees.

Here is the link: https://support.telesat.ca/LookAngle/

[OntMont]

quote:Originally posted by Gyro
I do notice that there's about a 5 degree difference of Azimuth settings, between the DirecTV website, and the receiver's information. I found the receiver to be more correct, as I used to have to almost always move the dish further west than the website had said.

Don't forget that the website is probably giving you true compass readings, you have to correct that for the local variation which changes with geographic location. You can find maps showing Magnetic Variation values on the internet.

[eztraveler2000]

I just set my Direct TV dish today at the seasonal site that I have, on top of a hill with no trees to interfere. Wind is an issue here and keeping the small tripod that CW sells is difficult to keep upright. The ground has a lot of rocks in it and is difficult to drive anything in the ground here. I had an idea to take an old umbrella base for an outdoor table that you add water to, about 4 to 5 gallons that I wasn't using and mounted the short mast and dish from that set up I had on the tripod into the the center hole that holds the umbrella. I checked for level, used some small slivers of wood for shims around the mast and center hole. We will see how it works when in gets windy here and it is windy here quite often. We may have to make adjustments if the wind moves the dish sideways but it won't fall over. Looks like it may be a cheap solution for my problem, will report back on my progress. Just thought that I would pass this on. Possibly any large container that will hold sand or water like the large containers for collecting used motor oil would work.