Help With Calculating Angle

[keenite]

Hi all,
Am helping a friend install a flat sat dish and would appreciate some help with the following:
-location: Berlin Germany
-satellite: Thor/Intelsat 0.8°W
-dish: Selfsat H30 (or equivalent)

My specific question:
What is the approximate angle to the sky required to receive this satellite? If we define the dish in a perpendicular position as 0°, how many degrees would the dish need to be tilted upward to receive the signal from Thor?
The reason I'm asking is that there is a relatively tall tree located about 80-100 feet from the house, and would like to figure out beforehand, whether or not the signal would clear the tip of the tree.
Thanks in advance for your help.
K

 

[Lazarus]

Lots of tools available for this sort of thing:

Satlex Calculator

Satsig Calculator

Plenty of others, too.

**Actually Dish Pointer would be best in this instance, as it enables you to take obstructions into account.

These give you the true Elevation , but you then need to subtract any Dish Offset angle. For "normal" dishes, the Offset is generally around 25 deg, but I've no idea about the SelfSat. Can't be difficult to find out though, either via the Destruction Manual or on the Interweb (A cursory check just now suggests it's Zero).

Failing that, no doubt someone will pop up here with the answer!

 

[keenite]

Thanks, so is it the "elevation angle" I'm looking for?

 

[Lazarus]

Yes.

But regardless of the type of dish or any offset, Dishpointer will enable you create a line in the correct azimuth and elevation imposed over a Google Map showing the offending Trees.

Just have a play with it.

 

[keenite]

Great program, looks like the beam will just barely 'fit' through the trees. Will report back as soon as we've given it a go.
BTW, the bigger problem may be the landlord, and whether or not the dish will be allowed at all.

 

[Lazarus]

I thought the USP of the Selfsat was its discreteness? Does the Landlord really have to know?

 

[keenite]

Indeed, but the only way to access this satellite seems to be from the railing of a balcony that is situated in a relatively conspicuous place. I haven't looked at the actual place where it will be mounted yet, but hopefully there will be a way of either camouflaging it or keeping it discreet enough that the powers that be will not get upset.

 

[sonnetpete]

I seem to remember you could get a printable cover for these so you could take a photo of the background and apply it to the cover.

 

[keenite]

Or alternatively a coat of invisible paint...

 

[sonnetpete]

Was thinking of something along these lines.....