Hand Crank

[armadillo_115]

Even cheaper than using a trailer jack:
I would have looked for an old working actuator for free. (Might have to take a dish down to get it. )
Run 2 hot wires to the house. Use a 12 volt battery charger which most people already own. Adding a toggle switch would make it even easier.Sensor wires not needed.

Final cost: Price of the 2 hot wires.(Which I can get at the salvage yard for under $10) Price of a toggle switch.(Which I probably already have in my junk box) A little time spent finding a free dish and removing it.

If you just LOVE going out to the dish to position it,then drive the car out there and jump the actuator from the car battery.

But that's just me.

 

[RT-Cat]

That qualifies you as a peeping tom cat

If I lived in town where the houses are almost on top of each other, I sure would not pull that stunt. I am sure someone would call the cops. The last thing anyone would want is to end up on that "offender" list. Out here in the woods a large percentage of the houses are on at least 5 acres of woods. Mine is on 10 acres and it is almost impossible to see the houses on the East and West of me. Just about 1/2 mile to the next house South through the woods. I have to stand in the middle of my driveway to see the House North of me.
It is very safe for me to be peeking in my windows.......RT cat does not care.

 

[RT-Cat]

Even cheaper than using a trailer jack:
I would have looked for an old working actuator for free. (Might have to take a dish down to get it. )
Run 2 hot wires to the house.........

I do have an old Saginaw that needs some work. I may play with it this Winter and see if I can make it work. As for the wires, I have lots of wire around here. The problem is getting them to the house. I have a pipe under the driveway from the dishes but nothing to the house. I would have to dig up the front yard. Really don't want to. Around the end of the driveway to the garage, through the attic(s) would be a long run. May consider it some day.

 

[waylew]

Out here in the woods

Where I'd like to be,if you want to see the neighbors you have to go see em

 

[RT-Cat]

Even though I have a less than costly and another meter that does cost much more, I have still found taking the receiver and a TV out to the dish works best. So that is what I did today. With a little movement of the LNB I managed to pick up what I want on 97, 99, 101, 103, and 105. The trailer jack works good. With known measurements from a certain point to another, I can change to another satellite without any problem. But, as stated before, that will not happen very often.
Now if I could only get some intestinal fortitude(guts)and go up and fix my TV antenna, I would be all set for a Winter of TV.

 

[RT-Cat]

If sure can tick you off when you dream up something after the fact. I think it has been mentioned here in the past, but I did not remember it. I have a 16 camera security system at the house. Only 15 of them are in use. That leaves the 16th that could be set up with an extra camera pointed at the TV screen in the house and be seen out at the dish on my smart phone. Well it works very well. Can see the quality improve with a slight turn of the crank. I sure could have saved myself many trips back to the house this past week while setting this reinstall up. Bummer!