Satellite Finder Meter
- Thread starter RDP
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Karl
Moderator Emeritus
Which one do you have? There are a few different ones, and work similarly but differently. A picture would be helpful.
John From Detroit
Well-known member
Can you post the make of that meter (I kind of wonder if it's a Bird Dog, I think that is what they use)
Normally I tell people that in my not so humble opinion Sat-Finder meters are junk and you shoud toss them. The BirdDog however is an exception. it is a very fine device and I truly wish I had one. but at the moment I only have about 400 reasons for not having one.. This will change as finances improve.
Normally I tell people that in my not so humble opinion Sat-Finder meters are junk and you shoud toss them. The BirdDog however is an exception. it is a very fine device and I truly wish I had one. but at the moment I only have about 400 reasons for not having one.. This will change as finances improve.
Bob Buchanan
Well-known member
John In Detroit said:
John, a Birdog is not powered by two 9 volts . . .
Ron
Moderator Emeritus
John In Detroit said:
First the Birdog does not use two 9 volt batteries. Second I think getting a birdog for setting up a TV dish is overkill. While I have used my Birdog to help others set up TV dishes the only reason was I had one already and it was easier than dealing with with setting up a TV dish with no sat finder. There are or where some Sat finders that had two 9 volt batteries to provide the 18 volts the TV LNB requires so the dish could be set up before even connecting the cable. These can also be made using two 9 volt batteries and a regualr satellite finder.
Karl
Moderator Emeritus
I'll take a leap here and assume that you have a portable dish that you want to set up on the ground, and that your meter is one of the small (about 2"x3" boxes with an LNB input, Receiver output, a meter, and a sensitivity knob.
1. Insert it inline with one of the LNB cables - doesn't matter which one.
2. Turn on your receiver. Go to the guided setup and enter your current zipcode when prompted. it will then show you the approximate azimuth (compass direction) and elevation for your particular satellite.
3. Aim the dish in the proper direction (use a compass) and approximate elevation.
4. Turn the sensitivity knob up until the speaker squeals and the meter needle is deflected to the right; then back it off a bit until it stops squealing and the meter drops back.
5. Now swing the dish slowly from side to side, staying within about 15 degrees on either side of the original compass direction, until the speaker and meter again begin to show signs of life. If this doesn't happen, raise (or lower) the elevation of the dish slightly and try again.
6. Do this until you've found the signal, then repeat steps 4 and 5 until you get the strongest signal, backing off the sensitivity knob as you go.
That's all there is to it. If you've peaked the signal but the receiver won't load the programming data or show a picture, chances are you're not on the right satellite - recheck your compass heading and elevation. Some people will contend that the antenna mast must be perfectly vertical, but that just isn't the case. Get it close and you'll be just fine.
1. Insert it inline with one of the LNB cables - doesn't matter which one.
2. Turn on your receiver. Go to the guided setup and enter your current zipcode when prompted. it will then show you the approximate azimuth (compass direction) and elevation for your particular satellite.
3. Aim the dish in the proper direction (use a compass) and approximate elevation.
4. Turn the sensitivity knob up until the speaker squeals and the meter needle is deflected to the right; then back it off a bit until it stops squealing and the meter drops back.
5. Now swing the dish slowly from side to side, staying within about 15 degrees on either side of the original compass direction, until the speaker and meter again begin to show signs of life. If this doesn't happen, raise (or lower) the elevation of the dish slightly and try again.
6. Do this until you've found the signal, then repeat steps 4 and 5 until you get the strongest signal, backing off the sensitivity knob as you go.
That's all there is to it. If you've peaked the signal but the receiver won't load the programming data or show a picture, chances are you're not on the right satellite - recheck your compass heading and elevation. Some people will contend that the antenna mast must be perfectly vertical, but that just isn't the case. Get it close and you'll be just fine.
Ron
Moderator Emeritus
RDP said:
With you type sat finder you do not need to connect the cable from the receiver untill you have the dish aimed. You do need to do as Karl mentioned and use the receiver to determine the parameters Azmuth/elevation for your location and ami dish as Karl has instructed. After dish is aimed and peaked for strongest signal you disconnect the sat finder and connect the cable from the receiver.
Karl
Moderator Emeritus
Thanks Ron,
Forgot to mention removing it from the circuit :
Forgot to mention removing it from the circuit :
John From Detroit
Well-known member
Yup, Thanks Bob and Ron, and I knew that too, it has a rechargeable battery pack built in
I still like Dish's MENU 6-1-1 best, it is as good (if not better) than Hughes DW-7000 pointing software.
Only thing I've seen as good is my Coolsat-5000's antenna pointing tools, (Which are a lot like Dish's)
I just use a portable TV to read the screen at the antenna site... Or rather I used to and will again with the Coolsat
I still like Dish's MENU 6-1-1 best, it is as good (if not better) than Hughes DW-7000 pointing software.
Only thing I've seen as good is my Coolsat-5000's antenna pointing tools, (Which are a lot like Dish's)
I just use a portable TV to read the screen at the antenna site... Or rather I used to and will again with the Coolsat
