Which Azimuth setting is correct?

9601 Views 7 Replies 3 Participants Last post by mraroid, Dec 24, 2006

mraroid

Discussion Starter · Dec 19, 2006

I have some dish aiming issue questions:

Looking at the documentation that came with the D1000, I see that I can look up my Zip code to find the correct settings. When the DN information tells me what azimuth setting to use, are they talking magnetic azimuth or true azimuth?

When I compare the setting in the Zip code list that came with the D1000 (for 119), and a DN on line list for the same 119 satellite settings in the D500, they are different. The AZ if off by about 7 degrees, the EL if off by one degree, and the SK if off by 5 degrees. Why is this?

I found a free stand alone program called SatFinder:

http://www.arachnoid.com/satfinder/index.html

SatFinder is not a Dish network program. It is a program for correctly pointing a dish to different satellites. It gives me yet other settings for the 119 satellite. Why are the settings given by this program different that the above two sources?

Soon, I will be moving my 129 LNBF from my D1000, to a D500. The 129 LNBF will be the only LNBF on the D500. What source should I use to find the correct settings for this dish/LNBF combo?

Thanks in advance.

mraroid

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CABill

· #2 · Dec 19, 2006

The Azimuth that gives you the highest signal strength is correct.

http://www.dbsforums.com/azel.html will give you True north headings for aiming at a SINGLE sat location. Use Telstar 7 under Other for 129. It has links to convert zipcode to Long/Lat and a map of declination around the US to adjust True to Magnetic.

With a Dish 500 or 1000 aiming to multiple sat locations, you end up aiming for the average of Azimuth and Elevation and change the skew to account for the Elevation difference between locations. To get 129 on the Dish 500, use no skew and select the Az & El values for a Dish 300.

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Shellback X 23

· #3 · Dec 19, 2006

CABill said:
The Azimuth that gives you the highest signal strength is correct.

http://www.dbsforums.com/azel.html will give you True north headings for aiming at a SINGLE sat location. Use Telstar 7 under Other for 129. It has links to convert zipcode to Long/Lat and a map of declination around the US to adjust True to Magnetic.

With a Dish 500 or 1000 aiming to multiple sat locations, you end up aiming for the average of Azimuth and Elevation and change the skew to account for the Elevation difference between locations. To get 129 on the Dish 500, use no skew and select the Az & El values for a Dish 300.

The AZ given by Check Angles using a Zip code are magnetic.

I find that the best way to aim is with a signal strength meter and setting the EL as exact as possible then sweep left to right for the best signal then tweak the EL as necessary. Sweeping L to R with the proper EL puts all the other satellites (101, 110, 119 & 121) above your EL the the first one you find should be 129.

I do this every few weeks when I move to another campground.

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CABill

· #4 · Dec 20, 2006

I'd guess you don't venture much to campgrounds closer to the west coast.

Receivers display Magnetic, but they don't display Az & El values for 129º. The SatFinder that mraroid referenced is True north and for a San Francisco zipcode shows:
129.0W 190.7 175.2 45.7
119.0W 174.4 158.9 46.1
110.0W 160.2 144.7 44.3
101.2W 147.6 132.1 40.9

Making 119º the highest elevation and 101º the lowest elevation.

In some place like SLC, the difference between 110 and 119 elevation is only half a degree making it pretty tough to set "exactly" and then scan.

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mraroid

Discussion Starter · #5 · Dec 21, 2006

Thanks everyone for the help. One item....

Is the AZ setting, that is printed in the Zip code list enclosed in the D1000 manual, true, or magnetic?

Thanks

mraroid

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mraroid

Discussion Starter · #6 · Dec 21, 2006

Hi...

I have a D1000 and a D500. I am going to install the 129 LNBF on the D500, and leave the Dish Plus LNBF (for 119 & 110) on the D1000.

I removed the double LNBF holder from the D500, and moved that to the D1000. I found a single LNBF holder, and installed that on the D500 and installed the single 129 LNBF.

Will doing this screw up any of my AZ, El, or SK settings? Shall I adjust the D1000 so that I get the strongest gain by moving back and forth between the 119 & the 110 satellite?

Thanks

mraroid

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CABill

· #7 · Dec 22, 2006

My money would be on the zip code list being magnetic, not true north. Here out west, it would be pretty easy to spot the huge difference. The 1000 is aiming at 110, 119, and 129 and essentially points the arm at 119 in the midpoint of the three. If the zip code list shows the same Azimuth as what the receiver displays for the 119 sat with a Dish 300 (selecting 500 gives you the average of 110 and 119 Az), you know the list is magnetic. You would add 18º-19º to a magnetic Az to get True up there, so it should be easy to tell which it is.

I'm lost on your LNB holder changes though. I would have just moved the 129 LNB to whatever holder you already had in the 500 to start with. Maybe if I'd ever seen a 1000, it would be clearer to me.

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mraroid

Discussion Starter · #8 · Dec 24, 2006

Thanks all for the all the good into. I will be up on the roof as soon as the rain stops (April??), and give your tips a try.

mraroid

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