Manually aiming a Direct TV dish

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MikeyInNY

Well-known member
Joined
May 13, 2010
Posts
92
Location
Colonie, NY (Near Albany)
I acquired a Direct TV dish.  I have Direct TV at home, so I can take my receiver with me.  What is the easiest way to manually aim the dish?  I will get a tripod that lets me adjust the dish in any direction.
 
We use a simple inline audio signal indicator like this for 8-15 dollars connected out at the dish and my wife stays in the m/h watching the signal on the Direct setup screen. When I hear a signal outside she confirms yes/no that is the 101 Sat. For more bucks you can buy one that shows you which sat you are on.

Try setting the elevation to the approximate setting and slowly move dish left and right. If you do not fond the correct sat change elevation one or two degrees.
 
get an inline satellite signal sensor and a compass. 

depending on your location... the DTV 101deg satellite is the one you want to find for most of the channels.  Google "satellite finder" software for your laptop.  That's one way to find out the magnetic bearing of the satellite at your location, usually input your zip code to get started.

point the dish at the magnetic heading then rotate it up until you get a signal, then adjust in very small increments until you max out the signal on the little inline sensor.

DTV receivers also offer instructions thru the menu button on the remote.  Some receivers will allow you to input your zip and get the satellite bearing and elevation angles.  the DTV display will beep quickly when you get the dish oriented correctly.

Look at the other RV's and notice where their antennas are pointed...

You can get more detailed tips online...

 
I took the TV and Receiver out to the Tahoe and put it in the hatch back so I could SEE IT as I worked. Turned it on and pulled up the Setup menu.
From there select System Set Up and then View Satelite Strength.
You will get a screen full of numbers for the different transponders.
Start at about 190 degrees azimuth, and 54 degrees elevation.
As you rotate the dish continue to push the yellow Select button as it will refresh the transponder numbers.
Tiny moves, when you hit on a signal stop, wait for the rest of the transponders to show numbers.
Then make tiny adjustments for azimuth and elevation. Once you are showing 90-92+ on most transponders, you are there.

Directv has a satelite locator by zip code but it just didn't pan out for me. The manual way above took about 10 minutes from start to finish!

Good Luck!
Cody
 
I never found an easy way to aim my DirecTV antenna.

I also use a satellite finder as others have described.  A satellite finder will help find the DirecTV satellite and it will find a lot of other satellite signals that are not DirecTV.

So I also do the following.

Start by pressing the "MENU" button on your remote. 
Select "Parental, Fav's & Setup". 
Select "System Setup". 
Select "Satellite". 
Select "Repeat Satellite Setup".
Enter a - (dash, lower most, left most key on your DirecTV remote).
Wait per instructions.
Make sure the DirecTV antenna you are using is listed in the three boxes on the left side of your screen.
Tab over to and select "Dish Pointing".
Enter the Zip code of your current location.
A block box will pop up with an azimuth and elevation for pointing your antenna.
Write down or remember  the azimuth and elevation.
Here I select "Signal Strength".
You will get a number that shows the strength of your signal.  At this point all numbers will be zero.

When pointing my antenna I select "Signal Meters".  Signal Meters will give a visual display of your signal strength and an audio output of your signal strength.  If you are lucky enough to be able to see you TV while aiming your antenna you can use this display.  If not you can listen for the signal while you are aiming your antenna or have someone watch for you.

Go outside and aim you antenna.  I use a compass for the azimuth.  I tried a gauge for the elevation but it did not work for me.  For me, this was trial and error.  Sometimes I could find the satellite in 10 minutes and at other times it could take 30 minutes or more.

If nothing works for you call DirecTV and they will talk you through antenna aiming.


I now have a Winegard Carryout antenna that finds the satellite for me.

Good luck.
 

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