If my elevation is 40 but there is an obstacle with an elevation of say 38 in the way, is that enough clearance? (Its a dish 500) Same thing with azimuth, how much obstacle clearance from the peak angle settings do you need to ensure a good signal ?
Degrees is a variable amount of separation depending on distance. For a typical LOS check, carload's post is basically correct. However ...
I've got a Dish 300 that's pointing through a hole between 2 trees and over another one. The trees are 80 feet from the dish and the hole has about 5 feet of clearance on each side. That's enough room for the trees to move in the wind and not block it.