Tree growing

[Fastom]

I have dish 500 that's mounted on a live tree, it's worked fine for 3 years, is at a summer house, when I tried to get a signal this spring it show about a 50-69 but will not lock on. Assuming thatbthe tree has grown does it make a difference thatbthe dish is 3 or 4 inches higher but still the same elevation and heading?

 

[KAB]

Sure, a 3-4" change in height will affect alignment. Trees also shrink and swell, so it's likely a little twisted one way or the other. Trunks grow out. Also, falling branches are a problem. You should put it on a metal pole.

 

[boba]

The satellites are 22,300 miles out from the Equater will 3-4" affect the aim of the dish?

 

[KAB]

The satellites are 22,300 miles out from the Equater will 3-4" affect the aim of the dish?

Trees don't necessarily grow STRAIGHT up.

 

[GaryPen]

The satellites are 22,300 miles out from the Equater will 3-4" affect the aim of the dish?

3-4" is HUGE. Have you ever aligned a dish?

 

[3HaloODST]

3-4" is a big difference. 4 inches is a third of a foot. 3 inches is a quarter. Perhaps boba was being sarcastic?

 

[boba]

3-4" is HUGE. Have you ever aligned a dish?

That was a rhetorical question, I started installing in 1979.

 

[dishcomm]

The satellites are 22,300 miles out from the Equater will 3-4" affect the aim of the dish?

Hell a sixteenth is some cases can cause signal degradation. 1/4 of an inch can cause signal loss.

 

[dishcomm]

I have dish 500 that's mounted on a live tree, it's worked fine for 3 years, is at a summer house, when I tried to get a signal this spring it show about a 50-69 but will not lock on. Assuming thatbthe tree has grown does it make a difference thatbthe dish is 3 or 4 inches higher but still the same elevation and heading?

Get the dish off the tree!
Now!

 

[dishcomm]

That was a rhetorical question, I started installing in 1979.

Aww shoot. Ya got me....LOL...Did not see the sarcasm....

 

[downriver]

Rule 1: Mount your dish on a plumb surface, if it is wood it must be well seasoned...as in siding. If pole mounting, use a 1-3/8" metal chain link fencepost

 

[Joe Satellite Fan]

Just my 2 cents: Trees generally don't grow "up", they just get bigger around and change in shape generally. In other words, the dish probably didn't get any higher, but for sure as the tree grew, it changed the aim.

I agree with the other posters, put it on a pole or attach it to your house. Fixing it now by re-aiming is only going to be followed by another fix before long.

 

[hdflsts2002]

3-4" is HUGE. Have you ever aligned a dish?

I believe he was implying that if the growth were straight up at a distance of 22K miles this would be a non issue. The problem arises in that trees do not grow straight up. The lean, they twist and branches grow out blocking LOS. While 3 to 4 inches of elevation would change the focal point were the signal coming from the sat a pinpoint beam that's not the case here. As other posters have stated here, get the dish on a pole and get it clear of all current and future limb growth.