Thread: Need help to Line up Dish on pole..Thanks.

Hi Folks:
I've had problems in the last few months with my ku dish/pole holding steady and keeping a signal..I wonder if anyone in Northeast Ohio, that has a signal meter, particularly in the Akron-Canton area, might be willing to come down and help me get it back on line..I am hoping to upgrade my receiver to a Openbox S9 with my Income tax this year..As noted in the pictures below, which were just taken today..The Dish and Motor are already on the pole..With a meter it should only take a few minutes to line up..I'd be willing to give someone gas money and a little extra for their time..I am on vacation now till January 30..Let me know if you can here or message me..Thanks..

Have you tried having someone in the house watch your quality meter while you are on a channel that is breaking up on you, while you adjust your aim a little?

Don't loosen any bolts, just force (slight movement) the dish up (then down, left and right, if necessary) and have your "watcher" holler at you if the signal changes. Then, once you know what direction the dish needs to move you can loosen your bolts and move it in the correct direction.

If you are close enough that you are getting signal, just not enough to keep it steady, then your dish is VERY close, probably just needs a minor azimuth or elevation adjustment.

The dish looks pretty close to the house. On a sunny day, get a long extension cord and take your receiver / small TV out by the dish. Your receiver is a good signal meter since you know exactly which transponder you're receiving.

Originally Posted by cyberham

The dish looks pretty close to the house. On a sunny day, get a long extension cord and take your receiver / small TV out by the dish. Your receiver is a good signal meter since you know exactly which transponder you're receiving.

This method works great for me. Not as handy or portable as a signal finder device, but a lot cheaper.

I would typically do the same (take receiver and tv out to the dish), but if his setup is so close that it is receiving some channels with breakup that indicates that it is just a hair off, and the old "move the dish and holler method" takes less 5 minutes typically, unless......

Tim, I didn't even look at your pics before I made my first reply, now that I have I need to ask, is your pole plumb and stable? If it is not no tuning method is going to work. You can get by with an out-of-plumb pole with a fixed dish, but even then it has to be stable and non-moving.

With a motorized setup it all starts with a plumb, solid mounting pole, you are wasting your time if you don't have that.

Those poles look about as level as the mailbox!! lol
Seriously,I'd double check the poles.
Too bad you can't get some high out of that dish.
A roof mount would be great,but probably your most dangerous option.
If those poles in the ground are not stable,it would only take a wisk of wind to push it somewhat.
Living in a hurricane zone,I've got all my dishes attached to a stucture.
Good luck

Thanks for the responses guys..I might not have been clear. but the pole is the problem..I have done the reciever to the dish thing several times but I keep forgetting which cables to put in which connections on the LNBF, receiver, etc..we're supposed to get some pretty bad weather in the next day or two..Once that clears up, i'll try it again..

Edit:I just realized the thread title is very misleading,,Should have said, "need help with pole leveling" Sorry for any confusion

Originally Posted by TimLones111

Thanks for the responses guys..I might not have been clear. but the pole is the problem..I have done the reciever to the dish thing several times but I keep forgetting which cables to put in which connections on the LNBF, receiver, etc..we're supposed to get some pretty bad weather in the next day or two..Once that clears up, i'll try it again..

Edit:I just realized the thread title is very misleading,,Should have said, "need help with pole leveling" Sorry for any confusion

Since it's the pole then your best bet is to just buy another longer and larger diameter pole and install it deeper next to the other one and also use some concrete mixed for winter time. That's a large dish for the size of pipe that your using and add some wind and water and it'll move. Your chance of getting the other one to stay put is almost impossible unless you can drive it deeper, but that would lower the dish, so I wouldn't even waste your time. As far as the cables go just put some electrical tape around one of the cables on both ends and the tape does come in different colors.

Once the weather clears,I would remove those poles.
Dig a new hole several feet from the existing one using a post hole digger.It will give you a nice shaped hole.I'd make the hole were you have about 6 inches of space on all sides of the pole.
You probably need to go down close to 36 inches.Make sure your pole has some sort of pretude ,angle iron,or just a nice long bolt on it to keep it from moving in the hole once the concrete sets.
If you don't understand that part,just run a 8-10" bolt through around the bottom.This will help stablize your poole from rolling in the hole.2 bolts would be best,about 6" apart.
Once you got your hole dug,pole ready,then get some concrete mixed-set your pole in the hole(maybe putting a tad of gravel at the base for draiange)and then put your pole in the hole,pour concrete and plum your pole.
Make sure your pole is perfect level at top,plum on ALL sides.Check this during your drying time .Once your concrete has set,let cure at least over night,even if it's quick set,I'd let it set.
Then,before remounting the dish,make sure your level and plum.Wa Bam.That's it.
Good luck