Signal angle

[demisod]

I have an installation scheduled for next week to upgrade my round D* dish to the oval triple LNB. I am a little nervous about whether the current dish location will work. The current elevation for the dish is listed at 42.4 (although the scale on the dish would indicate it's pointing more at 45 degrees, but maybe that is inaccurate). I get a good signal in the 80s. The elevation for the oval dish is lower, listed at 37.5 for my zip code. This worries me because there is a line of tall trees about 90 to 100 feet from the dish. I'm worried the trees will block the signal at the lower elevation. Does the actual signal from the satellite come in at a steeper angle than the dish elevation, or do I really need to clear the trees at the 37.5 angle? Thanks

[greywolf]

Much steeper. My dish is mounted on the lower back side of a nearly 45 degree roof for example. The Sat B(119) position will be lowest in the sky for you.

[demisod]

Ummmm. But isn't the reason the signal is steeper is because the dish manufacturers figure in the LNB offset? For example, my dish elevation is 42 degrees, but the dish isn't tilted that much. The scale on the dish figures in the 22?? degree offset of the LNB so that the dish itself is tilted 20 degrees. So the signal does come in steeper than the dish, but still at 42 degrees. At least I think that's how it works. So that would still leave me with needing a clear line of sight to the sky at 31 degrees for the lowest satellite, wouldn't it?

[greywolf]

Okay. I was thinking you were looking at the reflector angle. The oval dish has a tilt involved too. A guide to help determine line of sight is available here. (http://www.orbitroninc.com/DBS%20Manuals/English%20REV%20C%20(Press%20Op).pdf#search='direc tv%20determine%20line%20of%20sight')

The difference between the round dish and the oval dish is the other two birds will be lower in the sky from your location. All are the same altitude but the curvature of the system causes eastern locations to look lower because the 110 and 119 locations are farther west. The published elevation is lower because the center of the dish is really pointing at the 110 bird. The really bad news is the 119 bird is even lower. It would seem you understand that pretty well.

If you follow the directions in the link, you may get a more accurate look at your situation but it would seem you have the idea already. Good luck. The installer should have better instruments but they have a reputation for nixing a site where an installation will actually work. They don't want to spend the time if they are afraid it won't work and they won't get paid by DirecTV.