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How to use Dish Pointer

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Ok so I got the coordinates from Dishpointer, but I am unsure how to use the results.

I punched in the DirecTV 5 LNB (99, 101, 103, 110, 119W) at my Latitude: 43.6423° and Longitude: -71.5266°.

It came out with the following results:
Elevation: 31.7°
Azimuth (true): 219.3°
Azimuth (magn.): 234.7°
LNB Skew: 27.3° Dish Skew: 62.7°

This gave me the following results.

101W
d=163.5 ft
h=100.8 ft

What do I need to do know to find out if I can clear the trees for line of sight? Do I use a compass measuring tape, etc?
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First, you'll need to manually select all 5 of the satellite locations (99W-119W) individually so that you can see what the line-of-site is to each one, to make sure that you'll be clear. DishPointer can only show information for a single sat at a time, and the 5-LNB dish is centered on 101, but needs to pick up the entire range from 99 to 119.

Second, using the magnetic azimuth listed (234.7 for 101 in your case) with a compass, you can see what the line-of-site is to each satellite from your proposed sat location. Ideally, you'd also have an inclinometer and verify the elevation as well, but if you use a ruler and protractor, you can do a rough guess.

Keep in mind that you can drag the pointer around and place it exactly where you are looking to install the dish, and that, using the line it draws, should give you some idea before you even go outside.
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Rocko62580 said:
Ok so I got the coordinates from Dishpointer, but I am unsure how to use the results.

I punched in the DirecTV 5 LNB (99, 101, 103, 110, 119W) at my Latitude: 43.6423° and Longitude: -71.5266°.

It came out with the following results:
Elevation: 31.7°
Azimuth (true): 219.3°
Azimuth (magn.): 234.7°
LNB Skew: 27.3° Dish Skew: 62.7°

This gave me the following results.

101W
d=163.5 ft
h=100.8 ft

What do I need to do know to find out if I can clear the trees for line of sight? Do I use a compass measuring tape, etc?
It says that at 163 and a half feet from your proposed spot there is an obstruction that is about 10 stories high. Given that you will have trouble.

See if you can find a better spot
jwd45244 said:
It says that at 163 and a half feet from your proposed spot there is an obstruction that is about 10 stories high. Given that you will have trouble.

See if you can find a better spot
I tried to move the pointer to a different location as you suggested, but it stays the 163 feet number stays the same for any loction within my town. Are you sure that these numbers mean that there is an obstruction, or do they mean that an obstacle can be 100 feet high at a maximum, and a mimimum of 163 and a half feet away from my dish to get line of sight?
The website lists the definitions as this.

d = the distance to the obstacle (e.g. a tree).
h = the maximum height of obstacle measured from the base of the dish.
Rocko62580 said:
I tried to move the pointer to a different location as you suggested, but it stays the 163 feet number stays the same for any loction within my town. Are you sure that these numbers mean that there is an obstruction, or do they mean that an obstacle can be 100 feet high at a maximum, and a mimimum of 163 and a half feet away from my dish to get line of sight?
The website lists the definitions as this.

d = the distance to the obstacle (e.g. a tree).
h = the maximum height of obstacle measured from the base of the dish.
Looks like your interpretation is the better one.
We were just "talking" about this the other day. The distance / height function of dishpointer is it's shortcoming. Unfortunately, google map does not provide a very good satellite photo for the coordinates you gave. It looks like those coordinates are an apartment building ...perhaps? Can't really tell. If you look at the azimuth for 99 the building (?) to the left is 36.2 feet away from the coordinates you gave and you'll need it to be 23.2 feet or less to still have a view of the sat.

Where the google imagery isn't the best it can be there's no better way to check than that suggested by IIP, a good compass and an inclinometer. Or..... maybe you can borrow one of those overpriced handheld dish sighting tools.

Good luck.


edit: Wait! ..... maybe it does recognize height of dish location. I'm still messing with it.

edit#2: I deleted my stupidity. As near as I can tell (dishpointer, which is now refusing to load - maybe I broke it) in my "tests" I think it did recognize the dish location height. I'll have to try it again later.

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