Aiming satelite dish

[nigelcaruthers]

Relocated "again" and forgot.
Should I use "true" or "magnetic " north to hit the satellites?
I know this is a beginner question but again, "I forget".

Cheers
nigel

 

[Jimbo]

Relocated "again" and forgot.
Should I use "true" or "magnetic " north to hit the satellites?
I know this is a beginner question but again, "I forget".

Cheers
nigel

Not a beginner question ...
I believe I use the Magnetic, but I also think it has to do with where you are located, from what I remember someone stating previously.

 

[spongella]

Nigelcaruthers,

Well, it depends, some satellite lookup tables show both magnetic and true azimuth. I prefer magnetic since I can use the compass as my guide and not worry about correcting for declination angle.

 

[raoul5788]

The website lookups like dishpointer.com have both. The aps are all magnetic I think.

 

[nigelcaruthers]

I use Satellitefinder.com and they give both.
I'm in N/W Palm Beach this time and when I was here before I was in Lake Worth about 23 mi.ESE and once I got close it was easy to get 95 % or better on all signals.

Cheers
nigel

 

[schneid]

Short answer is usually Magnetic. Not a lot of True compasses out there. And then there is always Deviation trying to rain on your parade. I guess a phone could easily do True. They have both a compass and GPS so they should be able to do True in a snap.

First one listed in the PlayStore does it:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pro.app.compass

 

[mr_tv]

Installer here. Magnetic.

 

[nigelcaruthers]

Thanks guys, i'll give it a go and hopefully I can find the signal.

Cheers
nigel

 

[Jimbo]

Thanks guys, i'll give it a go and hopefully I can find the signal.

Cheers
nigel

Slow and easy .... no quick movements.

 

[spongella]

Not too much caffeine either, unsteadies the nerves

 

[Claude Greiner]

Wherever is on a basic compass. Get your elevation and skew set and go from there

 

[spongella]

Make one of these for yourself out of a fence picket. First draw a line exactly in the middle of the piece of wood lengthwise. Then get a compass and glue it so that magnetic South is aligned with the pointy end. It's better than working with a tiny round compass.

I call it "The Bird Hunter."

Works equally well with other color paints

Not geographically accurate for finding Santa Claus though.

Sponge