For those of you that manually set up a satellite dish

[johnboytoo]

This seems like a big sale (if the item will work for you)

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...vey-tool/56739

One time amazon can be beat ($162 there!)

Merry Christmas

[trfield58]

I wonder if this really helps. I have the Trav'ler but also have tripod/Dish for times when I don't have a good view. Can never seem to get the manual tripod setup correctly without spending about 4 hours messing with it. By that time, I'm ready to throw the dish and all the TVs in the trash....

[rob_fla]

Since we stay where there are trees quite often, we have been using a manual tripod dish for years, takes about 10 min to setup and get working.

[Ian Smith]

I use a free app on my smartphone called SatFinder Lite....Ian

[lwg]

I use two apps, "Dish Align" and "DP AR". The latter has a camera app where you point it in the direction of the satellites and they show up. It allows you to perfectly view the area where you'll be pointing the dish to ensure it's a clear path. Dish Align gives me the technical details for setting up the tripod for the Dish. Once it's all dialed in I hook up the Dish sound-o-meter and slowly turn the dish until I hear three tones, the middle is usually the loudest (I use Dish 110, 119, 129). Then go inside fire up the Hopper and see if I got it right.

If things go well I can do it in about 10 mins, if not it can take me 30 mins.

[rob_fla]

I use the Dish Pointer App and a Accu Tek III meter to tune all 3 satellites.
The Accu Tek III shows signal strength for each the satellites allowing me to quickly peak the signal.

[johnboytoo]

You guys obviously know what you are doing and so it SEEMS easy.

It's somewhat like riding a bike...at first you fall a lot and then it's easy...

I never got past the falling stage with the satellite's manual setup and after kicking it in frustration, it may not work now so we opted for the roof mounted winegard !

[atom ant]

Ya, no divorce dish for me anymore. Visions of it raining outside with the window open and the wife yelling at me with that stupid signal strength tone in the background turned up so I can hear it.

[brenkco]

I have gone full circle. Recently, I had trouble getting HD signals the farther north I went using my Dish tailgater. I have gone back to my regular dish and my tripod.


I use 2 tools. I use DishPointer AR Pro app on my IPhone to find the satellites and make sure I have no tree issues.


Second, I use SatLookLite meter. Although it's a bit pricey, $250.00, it finds each satellite by using only the meter. This gives you the signal strength and locks each satellite, avoiding Brad's colorful (an accurate) description.


http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=satlooklite




I camp in several spots where trees can be an issue, so this works for me.


Ken

[coloradolivin]

We use the "tripod with the dish that is too heavy for the tripod and the sat finder and the run to the coach to see if you have signal and run back since we only have the two satellites and then after two drinks asks if it is ok to just put a few 12ga shells into it" program

[0nTheRoad]

I use the Trav'ler, go in and power it up then go have a beverage and watch TV.

[atom ant]

Two things that fascinate me and I enjoy watching with a beverage -

Redwood leveling

Traveler finding

[rob_fla]

Originally Posted by 0nTheRoad

I use the Trav'ler, go in and power it up then go have a beverage and watch TV.

In many of the places we stay in the Southeast there is no clear view of the Southern Sky from our camp site but with the Tripod I usually can move around and find a opening to get a good / strong signal.

[mesg]

i have this.. works great every time i need to use the carry out dish.. http://firststrikemeters.com/ the auto find feature elimantes all the guess work.. and fine tuning is 100% accurate!!!!

[0nTheRoad]

Originally Posted by rob_fla

In many of the places we stay in the Southeast there is no clear view of the Southern Sky from our camp site but with the Tripod I usually can move around and find a opening to get a good / strong signal.

Rob,

For those times where I can't get through the trees with the Trav'lver I break out the Pathway X2 and go searching for a beak in the canopy...then have a beverage while it looks for the sats!!

I tried the tripod thing and got so fed up with it I put it back in the box and traded it for the Pathway.