portable Satellite pointing

texasgeorge · 11-23-2010, 10:50 PM

I would like to know if there is an easy way to aim/pint a satellite dish. I have bought a finder from radio shack but it takes to long. what can I do to find and piont is faster or am I just asking for to much. I would hate to pay for a high dollar finder.

ravenmike · 11-24-2010, 05:31 AM

Throw out the little sat finder and go out and buy the
King Dome VuQube Portable RV Satellite Vu Qube Dish Automatic VQ200

It will safe hours of frustration, We use to have problems finding a signal. We bought this unit and had no problems since.

Adony · 11-24-2010, 11:22 AM

I have a portable Winegard in a suitcase dish and always had problems getting it aimed at the satellite (good signal) UNTIL I started making sure the it was as level as possible before aligning it... Now I make sure it is LEVEL first, then finding a signal is a snap and takes less than 5 minutes using a signal meter. The Vuqube 2000 is a great option and in my future plans BUT for now LEVEL, LEVEL, LEVEL....

dd5087 · 11-24-2010, 12:02 PM

Leveling the dish and stand is most important. If it's not level, I find it almost impossible to get it aligned.

Hipshot · 11-24-2010, 02:31 PM

I have a Direct TV receiver with a HD dish. The procedure I use is level the dish then set the elevation, azimuth, and tilt. Dishpointer.com is a good site to find out what the elevation, azimuth, and tilt (skew). I use a cheap radio shack sat finder to locate the sat. You will need to move the dish in azimuth a little left and right to get a strong signal. If you get regular TV but not HD I have found the problem is usualy elevation. I can hit the sat in about 5 minutes and be watching HD TV in less than 10. My setup was $50 on ebay.

Buckeyecmpr · 11-24-2010, 02:35 PM

texasgeorge...

Curious what kind of setup you're using. I also have the Winegard Carryout portable (dealer threw it in with my Roo purchase). I use it with one of my DirecTV standard receivers from home. I will ditto the other comments of "LEVEL". The Carryout has a compass built in and elevation degree markings on the unit. Not level...elevation is shot. Due to the size of the dish, it doesn't take much to throw it off. I just turn up the signal meter audio from the receiver so I can tune in the sat...no finders. So ditto again..LEVEL LEVEL LEVEL. Good luck!

wayne1 · 11-26-2010, 08:43 AM

What company are you with? Does your dish pick up one or three sats at one time?

rockwood06 · 11-26-2010, 09:00 AM

I use nothing, i look to see where everyone else is pointing, but i do pick those who have the same dish (Direct-TV) standard, not HD.

I think the most important thing is that the angle of the dish. My dish stand was out a 1/8 of a bubble and was receiveing and 89% signal.

ken0042 · 11-30-2010, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adony

LEVEL, LEVEL, LEVEL....

Agreed- and the second point is patience. Move the dish 1/10 of an inch, wait 15 seconds. Move it another 1/10- wait another 15 seconds. In 5 minutes you will have moved the dish 2 inches (which is a huge range)- so you should have it locked before that.

I see so many people trying to "sweep" and never give the receiver a chance to lock on.

slpybeartx · 11-30-2010, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ravenmike

Throw out the little sat finder and go out and buy the
King Dome VuQube Portable RV Satellite Vu Qube Dish Automatic VQ200

It will safe hours of frustration, We use to have problems finding a signal. We bought this unit and had no problems since.

Huge +1 from here... We love it!

JohnandPandra · 11-30-2010, 09:03 PM

I agree with buying the VuCube. I also bought the 100' coaxial cable to move in & out of the trees. I had a satellite dish, but wasted so much time setting it up, & then not getting the signal. The VuCube doesn't need to be level. Just look for the open-southern sky & point the handle north. With Directv, you are searching for 1 satellite, Dish Network has 2, and you split the difference between satellites. I do not have the automatic, but can set up in just a few minutes. I don't go camping to watch tv, but sometimes its nice to have the options if there is bad weather outside & dont have to worry about the wind blowing it over.

diamondjindustries · 02-05-2011, 03:56 PM

Does the VuCube receive DirectTV HD?

Grounded · 02-06-2011, 11:42 PM

Not trying to hijack the thread but, for those of you with Directv HD, how hard is it to point the dish? Do you need two or more coax cables running to the reciever? If so, how did you do that? I currently am using a single LNB dish and only have one sat in on the back of the trailer. Can you use the TV IN and SAT IN connections to do that?

Hipshot · 02-07-2011, 08:40 AM

I use The same type of Direct TV HD dish that is on my house it is a 5 LNB SLM (Single Line Module). The older HD dishes had three or 4 coaxes coming out ot the dish. These went to a splitter/combiner. From the splitter/combiner there was 1 coax going to each receiver. In the newer SLM dish the splitter/combiner is built into the LNB arm with 1 coax coming out. This single coax goes to a small splitter and from there 1 coax goes to each receiver. For the TT use I run the single coax from the SLM dish to the SAT port on the side of the TT, I do not use the splitter. The SLM dish does require a power supply that was included with the dish. The power is sent to the dish via the coax. My power supply is mounted in the entertainment cabinet close to the receiver. The SLM dish can be purched on ebay. But be careful if it doesn't state 5 LNB SLM, it isn't. Hope this helps.

Hipshot · 02-07-2011, 08:43 AM

Sorry, I missed your question about pointing. It takes me less than 10 minutes to hit the Sat.

Hipshot · 02-07-2011, 08:57 AM

According to SolidSignal website the Vu Cubes are not designed to to receive Direct TV HD. I have read on other forums that they will receive Dish Network HD.

slpybeartx · 02-07-2011, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hipshot

According to SolidSignal website the Vu Cubes are not designed to to receive Direct TV HD. I have read on other forums that they will receive Dish Network HD.

Yes, that is correct.

We own the 1000 model and use it for Standard definition DirectTV. Once all the wires are plugged in, it takes us less than a minute to find a signal... less than 30 seconds most times.

Huge +1. We have three kids and it is a real life saver.

diamondjindustries · 02-07-2011, 10:53 AM

Thanks Hipshot that's what I had heard.

jimh · 02-07-2011, 11:31 AM

I usually do the sweep methoid. Don't sort abt level. Turn the gain up and go till u get something, then zero that in. Check the rec to see if ur on the correct sat. If not, try again. I usually look for 119. (I have dish). It would usually take 10 minutes. The times I fought it was usually when there was an obstruction.
now I have the Winegard automatic and it takes abt 5 minutes to find and lock on 110, 119, and 129. U will have to have it stable. Now I get all my programming. Wanting the HD. Channels made me part with the money.
It has to be supplied with 12volts seperately. I installed a cigarette lighter type plug on my RV battery fused for 5amp to plug into. Lots of money.
I used a setup like u have for 17 yes. Sweep, elevate slightly, repeat zero in then tighten bolts.

colorado4me · 02-07-2011, 03:12 PM

The VuQube is the way to go. I have VQ1000. It's not the auto model but set up only takes a few minutes using Direct Tv. Like other satellite dishes you need clear view of southern sky. Just set it down on level ground pointing south input the elevation in the wireless remote and start adjusting the remote to find the strong signal. This unit gets it's power from the receiver. It is a little pricey but as slpybeartx it takes out a lot of frustration. It makes for a happy marriage.

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