Question for experienced FTA'ers - how long does it take you to get signal?

[stogie5150]

Exactly. I can spend more than 15 min tweaking and re-tweaking the LNBF trying to get both, the way I want it and the maximum signal. May have it on the first try, but the tinkering part of me want to try to get it better.
Also, sometimes you get it in your mind that the signal should be in a place where it isn't because you have misread or have inacurate markings on your dish.

Best thing a newbie can do is IGNORE elevation maks on dishes, IMO. Only scale I pay any attention to is the latitude scale on my motor brackets. I think that was a major help to me that I started with homebrew dishes and mounts in that there ARE no markings. I HAD to learn how to aim by SIGNAL, not by some marking that may or may not be right.

 

[Tron]

So here's the question for the old hands here - when you're setting up a new dish on a new mast in a place where you've never put a dish before, how long on average does it take you to lock? 5 minutes? 15? 30? an hour?

Under a minute, assuming of course that I remember to correctly SKEW the dish (or feedhorn/LNB) like I FORGOT to do last night

 

[updatelee]

Best thing a newbie can do is IGNORE elevation maks on dishes, IMO. Only scale I pay any attention to is the latitude scale on my motor brackets. I think that was a major help to me that I started with homebrew dishes and mounts in that there ARE no markings. I HAD to learn how to aim by SIGNAL, not by some marking that may or may not be right.

I agree that on some cheaper dish's (and once in awhile on quality dishs) the elevation markers are incorrect. if you want to be accurate use one of those magnetic angle finders that attach to the lnb arm, those will be 100% and cost less then $10