TurboHD Dish - 211 Receiver - Help with Best Practice for tailgating setup

[gilmoreisu]

First off, thanks for any help you all can provide. We had our first tailgate last weekend (Go Iowa State!) and are preparing for one of the biggest of the year against rival Iowa. We’ll probably spring for the 211k and the Tailgater next year, but since we’d only have it for 4 games, figure it isn’t worth it this year.
Here are my components: TurboHD Dish – 211 HD Receiver (not 211K) – 50 ft Coax – Tripod
My Location: Ames, Iowa 50010

Last week, I wasn't able to get all satellites and was missing a few channels as a result. What I'm looking for his help or best practices for:
1. When running the dish pointer, which dish do I select, options are Dish 300, 500, or Super Dish (I used 500)

2. Which satellites should I point at based on my area to acquire the right channels (i.e. 61.5, 110, 119, 128 etc)? Eastern Arc?

3. Do you use the elevation/skew given in the onscreen guide or utilize a website, which site?
4. When do you run check switch? Do we need to run it each time?
5. Any other thoughts/best practices you may have for me.
We usually luck out and get a few channels that we need, but I think for this week’s game, we need to get those elusive channels.
THANKS!!

 

[Indy]

You may want to take a look at the new Dish Tailgater automatic dish setup designed just for your application. I am considering the same option. Setting up a turbo dish in the field for a weekend game is really time consuming and tedious. Just a thought.

I found a video link for you. Check this out, you will be impressed.

http://www.esquire.com/blogs/food-for-men/dish-network-tailgater-6354558

 

[gilmoreisu]

Thanks Indy. I have my eye on the Tailgater. But, by the time we got it back, we'd only have 4 home games left to use it. So, I think we'll probably just order it next year.

 

[MattG@DISH]

We’ll probably spring for the 211k and the Tailgater next year, but since we’d only have it for 4 games, figure it isn’t worth it this year.
Here are my components: TurboHD Dish – 211 HD Receiver (not 211K) – 50 ft Coax – Tripod
My Location: Ames, Iowa 50010

Last week, I wasn't able to get all satellites and was missing a few channels as a result. What I'm looking for his help or best practices for:
1. When running the dish pointer, which dish do I select, options are Dish 300, 500, or Super Dish (I used 500)

2. Which satellites should I point at based on my area to acquire the right channels (i.e. 61.5, 110, 119, 128 etc)? Eastern Arc?

3. Do you use the elevation/skew given in the onscreen guide or utilize a website, which site?
4. When do you run check switch? Do we need to run it each time?
5. Any other thoughts/best practices you may have for me.
We usually luck out and get a few channels that we need, but I think for this week’s game, we need to get those elusive channels.
THANKS!!

With your zip code, I show Des Moines, IA locals. These are broadcast on either arc, so a 1000.2 (western arc) would work fine to get all the channels you need.

1) Unless you plan on using a dish 500 (which only picks up 119/110, and only SD channels), the angles in the point dish screen will not be correct for the 1000.X dishes (they don't have the software. Use dishpointer.com to get the proper angles for your dish, and area. If you do NOT need HD channels, a dish 500 will suit your needs, and you can use the angles in the point dish screen (which admittedly, are sometimes a little off)

2) A 1000.2 will be fine. This gets you your HD locals, along with all the national HD channels (a 1000.2 picks up 119/110/129)

3) dishpointer.com

4. Once you have the dish pointed, run the check switch test. When it's done, it will show you what satellites you are receiving. If you're missing any, chances are the dish is still misaligned.

5. I'll leave for the veterans to answer

Hope this helps you, good luck!

 

[gilmoreisu]

Thanks for the input MattG. You make Speedy Gonzalez look like Regular Gonzalez.

I'll take any tips anyone else has. Thanks!