pointing D300 at 61.5

[mattb]

It's been a few years since I have pointed a dish at 61.5

The dish has the "lines" on the side to adjust the elevation... My area is 39 which is between 38 and 40. I am having problems getting 61.5 ( I got it once but in an effort to lock the dish into place i lost it and tried for about 45 mins to get it again but could not find it. (I have a clear view)

How accurate does the 39 have to be on the side of the dish, I noticed that since there is no mark on the D300 to techincally do a 39 but I tried to ball it as accurately as I could.

 

[Mark_AR]

39 is a correct reference. (38.7 actually)

Unfortunately pointing isn't as cut and dried as setting a line on a number mark and tightening the bolts. You are pointing your dish at something that is roughly 23,000 miles away that is the size of a car. If your mounting pipe isn't perfectly plumb and level, it may throw your 39 off a notch or two.

Skew Adjust:

Looking at the round scale in the back, you should twist the dish to -24 (skew setting)

Another way to look at skew is is from the front of the dish with the LNB pointing at you. If you look at the dish as a clock face, then twist the top of the dish to about the 4 minute mark. (6 degrees per minute mark)

Pointing:

If you adjust your up angle near the 39 and move the dish to point to compass heading of about 142 degrees, you should be real close. Then move it a *small* nudge at a time left or right until you get a signal. If you don't get anything, bump your 39 to 38 or 40 and move it left and right a little at a time again.

With a systematic plan, pointing can be successful. Good Luck!

 

[styxfix]

Skew Adjust:

Looking at the round scale in the back, you should twist the dish to -24 (skew setting)

Another way to look at skew is is from the front of the dish with the LNB pointing at you. If you look at the dish as a clock face, then twist the top of the dish to about the 4 minute mark. (6 degrees per minute mark)

There's no skew setting on a regular 18" dish (D300) and even if did have a skew setting like on a 20" dish (D500) it would be set to 50 for aimming at single sat. location.

 

[mattb]

I went out in daylight and I was able to get a 100% Signal out of 125% on E*'s 61.5

How long does it take for a receiver to pull a download, I was able to get an international preview channel but my reciver does need to update firmware... I turned it off and set it to "take without my premission" anything else or should it attempt to download at some point.

 

[mattb]

Never mind, I turned it off and waited about 10 mins and it took the update.. Amazing for a box not in the stream since 2001 (when my grandad died and I lost the ablilty to put up a satellite dish)

I now have the options for 105 and 121

 

[Mark_AR]

There's no skew setting on a regular 18" dish (D300) and even if did have a skew setting like on a 20" dish (D500) it would be set to 50 for aimming at single sat. location.

Sorry bout that, I was thinking about the 500 and DirecPC with skew settings. Plus I've been messing with FTA as of late and even more skew...

I downloaded the ZIP CODE pointer program from dish:

http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/products/installation/azimuth/index.shtml

It states that Columbus OH (43227 east side/43229 North side- I know those zips cuz I lived in both.) should point at 153 degrees instead of the 142.

I don't know if the dish calculator takes into account magnetic deviation or not. It states it does.

So I hope I didn't confuse Matt too much.

 

[mattb]

Im fairly close to 43229 =) But yeah, I figured it out. I was just a lil to much to the left and I was a little too impatient with the receiver "resyncing" to find the signal when I moved the dish.. I got it right on 100-115% on most Xponders on 61.5 without much effort.

I do notice a few of the xponders on 61.5 get about 75% etc but thats not much a big deal to me as I dont sub to internationals and there are no locals on 61.5 .. I just want 61.5 for Skyangel.

And its amazing, my old 4900 dinosour that I bought in 2001 for skyangel lifetime and E* was able to pull the new firmware so I am techincally "SuperDish Ready" if I ever decide to go that route for locals here in Columbus.

 

[Mark_AR]

Congrats! Matt.

Off topic: I lived in in Karl Village (Schrock Rd & Karl RD) about a stones throw from the Busch brewery and the Continent. Then I lived off of Livingston and James Rd for a while.

On Topic: The good thing about pointing at 61.5 is that if you ever decide to go to High Definition, you may be able to get CBS-HD off that bird. Does 10TV broadcast in HD locally over the air? If so, you may not qualify.

Anyhow, glad you finally got it dialed in.

 

[mattb]

Congrats! Matt.

Off topic: I lived in in Karl Village (Schrock Rd & Karl RD) about a stones throw from the Busch brewery and the Continent. Then I lived off of Livingston and James Rd for a while.

On Topic: The good thing about pointing at 61.5 is that if you ever decide to go to High Definition, you may be able to get CBS-HD off that bird. Does 10TV broadcast in HD locally over the air? If so, you may not qualify.

Anyhow, glad you finally got it dialed in.

yes WBNS was the first to go HDTV in this town and in fact, one of the first in the nation.

They do not grant wavers for anyone (one of their staffers hangs out over in HDColmbus forums) and they flat out say "no wavers for CBS Network or HDTV" you must use an antenna and pick us up or if you want SD you can put up a SD or get Direct TV.

luckly they have a fairly strong OTA signal, I assume their HD signal is fairly strong too. (I have mixed Analog OTA reception up here with a pair of rabbit ears, some stations come in better than others... Ch10 comes in fairly clear but I dont watch CBS ( only usually watch NBC which has an ok signal)

Thanks again for your advice

 

[mkm4]

I went out in daylight and I was able to get a 100% Signal out of 125% on E*'s 61.5
.

Nitpick: The signal strength numbers aren't a percentage.