How accurate is dishpointer

[Archived-1]

Hi, its quite critical were I place my new install, does anyone no how accurate dish pointer is please, as you can see in the picture below, this is were the dish needs to go,

Are is there something I could lock at 72.1E on a 1mtr dish ? to make sure, before I start fixing a ton of concrete in the ground.

 

[BlindFaith]

..quite accurate I believe. 1,1° elevation -> forget it

 

[Archived-1]

Thanks BF, you do stand more of a chance if you can see it , reason for my post many thanks.

 

[Archived-1]

http://www.satellites.co.uk/forums/threads/intelsat-22-72-1e.156179/

 

[Archived-1]

Looking at the above post CJ elevation is 0.6 , I best make sure I can see 74E you never know your luck

 

[Captain Jack]

Hi Martin,

I find DP relatively accurate. In fact, it's a very good guide for dish sites when looking for a new place to live. It's probably more accurate than any imperfections you will get while actually installing the dish. If you have an Android or iOS type phone/tablet, then you can try installing Dish Pointer on there for site survey but I find that it's only useful as a rough guide... albeit still a good one.

Don't underestimate 1.1 degree elevation - it's very low. I was quite lucky at my old place that I was on a balcony of a top floor flat had an open field in front of it. Here's the eastern view I had:



Right now I am also lucky in that my 90cm Fibo can theoretically see the eastern horizon but the signals from 68.5E are much weaker than they were at my flat on a smaller dish and I haven't seen any sort of signal beyond that, even though I should be able to get something from 70.5E. With the elevation that low, you also have much thicker air between you and the satellite as well as ground noise (I believe this is why I have weaker signals now - the dish is just about 4m off the ground with the horizon skimming the tops of houses), so you will get very variable signals anyway. I could have 8dB signal one second and absolutely nothing in 10 seconds... But, it's all fun nevertheless.

Back to your question... yes, I think DP is accurate enough for dish siting purposes but don't be disheartened if you don't find anything from that far east. If you get it on your phone as well, it might give you a more accurate picture.

Cheers
Alex

 

[hairybadger]

1.1° is to all intents and purposes horizontal. How high is the pole going to be?

 

[Captain Jack]

1.1° is to all intents and purposes horizontal.

Good point. Get a ruler with a spirit level and set it horizontal towards 70 degrees-ish and see if you can "see" into the abyss/horizon when viewing along its edge.

Also, don't forget that you would be measuring from where the bottom of the dish would be. Since there's a 2m difference in your case, it's likely that the top of dish might be OK but the bottom would be shadowed. Still, with only half of the dish illuminated, it would be equivalent to a 1m dish!

 

[Archived-1]

Many thanks for the detailed explanation Alex, if I removed this house in the picture below and one more house at the other side of the road there is nothing in my way I over look Lincoln pointing this way I am 423.968 feet above sea level, so I cant see 1.1 being a problem ?.

I've done what you are saying with a laser pen at night if I move the dish away from the house it opens things up but I want to keep it as close to the house as I can.

How high is the pole going to be?

18 FT if I need it but I think 8ft to the bottom of the dish will do it ?

 

[Captain Jack]

Yes, elevation above sea level does make a difference and I don't think DP takes that into account.

In that picture above, it says that the height of the house can be 60cm higher than the dish at its site before it starts blocking signal, so if you move the dish further back along the house wall, you will have slightly more clearance.

Is your dish going on the shed or the house? I remember you saying the house but if you put on the shed, there would be no danger of running into walls and also more room for the jack arm to swing out behind the dish.

 

[sonnetpete]

if I removed this house in the picture below and one more house at the other side of the road there is nothing in my way

Starting a demolition firm Martin??

 

[wod]

Wow you are wanting a very wide arc with your 1.8m dish martin.

I fixed my setup to only get 46e to 58west as I wasn't sure I could get anything past 46e but those channels rebroadcasting footy has got me interested.

Can't you temp mount the 1.2 in the place where you think the dish is going to go and try it out?

 

[Archived-1]

Hi Alex a picture tells a thousand words, the dish is going to be fitted on a pole, what is concerning me is the house to the left shading the left hand side of the dish when facing at 72E,

This would be the view from the bottom of my dish, I have two options but I would prefer option one, but going out and taking pictures option two looks the best, but I would appreciate your view on option one, option one is the same view from dishpointer ALEX.

OK option the same view as dishpointer, view from the bottom of the dish.




Option two I know this is better all round but I need to check my planning my friend works in the office so it wont be a problem, but I would like to use option one but if the house is gong to shade my signal this has to be the way to go

 

[Archived-1]

Wow you are wanting a very wide arc with your 1.8m dish martin.

I fixed my setup to only get 46e to 58west as I wasn't sure I could get anything past 46e but those channels rebroadcasting footy has got me interested.

Can't you temp mount the 1.2 in the place where you think the dish is going to go and try it out?

No wod I've done test my dish need to go higher I wish I could put it a ground level

 

[Captain Jack]

Hm, that house directly in front is annoying - like a sore thumb! It's quite tricky and with such tight clearances, I think empirical evidence would be the answer. Could you do what Wod suggested of putting a smaller dish there temporarily to see what you can get? Your old 1m dish will be plenty to test 68.5E.

There are some very strong signals at 62E and weak-ish ones (but doable on 1m) from 66E.

 

[Archived-1]

Hi Alex the house in front will not be a problem if my maths are correct ?. its the house to the left shading the dish that concerns me most,

Ok who's good with maths please,

A I degree slope at 30 mtrs would give you a height of ?
also bearing this in mind that's from ground level my dish will be from the ground,

This would be the view From the top of the dish,

 

[wod]

No wod I've done test my dish need to go higher I wish I could put it a ground level

Yeah ground is ideal but I can't do that either. Mine is a foot or two above the guttering on house.

Need a tree to die so I can have it on a flat roof lower down out of way of winds.

Looks like the house maybe in way as you know the dish will be tilted down quite a lot at the extreme positions of the polar mount.

 

[Archived-1]

Yeah ground is ideal but I can't do that either. Mine is a foot or two above the guttering on house.

Need a tree to die so I can have it on a flat roof lower down out of way of winds.

Looks like the house maybe in way as you know the dish will be tilted down quite a lot at the extreme positions of the polar mount.

Get the chainsaw out wod

No the house is not in the way do the maths , any how my Question has been answered DP is quit accurate many thanks for your time I know were she has to go from taking the few pics, thanks guys .

 

[Captain Jack]

Don't forget to make a pictionary of your progress!

 

[Archived-1]

Don't forget to make a pictionary of your progress!

I will do Alex, you know me and pictures thanks again pal