optical sat finder

[handyman 44]

hi got a sat video several years ago and this man had a optical sat finder which u look throght from the position from where u want to mount the dish .and as u look through it u can all so see the elevation and degrees .i dont know the name of this piece of equipment but if any one know where i could get one and price that would be helpfull.and are they any good.cheers

 

[rolfw]

I saw one a while ago on an American site, don't think it was cheap though.

 

[celspid]

Hi handyman 44. I have two optical instruments. Both from the States.

One is called an align-a-site, which you can see at h**p://www.alignasite.com Have a look very useful tool. I didn't buy it direct off them, they pointed me to another site called h**p://www.campingworld.com Costs curently $160 plus shipping.

Also the excellent Sat Site from Gourmet....Entertaining h**p://www.gourmet-ent.com
Mine shows me all satellites from 72 east to 61 west, can't get them all though due to obstacles. Costs about $143

But the decision is yours.

cheers,
celspid

 

[handyman 44]

thanks for the reply thats the sort of thing i wanted more for doing site surveys not cliping to dish .although i think that one can be used that way as well .it just looked a bit mickey mouse no offence .hoping to get something with digital read out .so i can see the elevation and degree and where its pointing all through one view finder.i think the one in the video you set the sight elevation scoope and it had a tone when u were holding it vertical .and it had a digital compass which was viewed through the scoope.what do sky installers use for dish surveys.

 

[celspid]

handyman 44. I'm only a hobbyist, not a professional, so not sure where you can obtain the digital one that you're after. I guess the video you're talking about is from satellitesuperstore. Correct? If so ask them, I'm sure they'll tell ;)

Yes you are correct the align-a-site doesn't have to be clipped to a dish.

Not sure what sky installers use, the monkeys that did mine many years ago simply looked at other dishes and copied.

cheers,
celspid

 

[rolfw]

For small to medium sized dishes, I really can't see any advantage in using optical alignment, as opposed to a signal strength meter or Spectrum analyser.

There is nothing wrong with looking at other dishes for basic positioning, but the Sky installers will have used some kind of signal strength meter to align and fine tune the dish.

 

[wod]

sounds interesting not heard of this before

i only thought Spectrum analysers on meters where the best to use

 

[celspid]

rolfw....I don't think he's after one of these gadgets to help with alignment of a dish, purely for site surveys only. For example say customer wants 53 east satellite, the Sat Site gadget will tell you if your location can see it with no obstacles. Or 30 west from a ground mount, this'll help you find best location for dish and again make sure no obstacles. Then the customer will hopefully proceed with an installation at the chosen location with clear line of sight to satellite.

cheers,
celspid

 

[rolfw]

Yes, that's what I'm saying, for anything other than very large dish installation, my meter with a test dish, will give me the definitive answer on whther I can see the satellite or not, even if it is testing the gaps between trees. This was one of the reasons I went for a meter with a spectrum display and NIT readout, no possibility of error.

 

[celspid]

rolfw...I see what you mean, though carrying one of these around is much easier than taking a dish and test meter everywhere.

cheers,
celspid

 

[rolfw]

Not for me, just sits in the van. ;)

 

[handyman 44]

i tend to agree with u celspid i have a meter and a spare dish but im a bit wobbly on the ladder one hand the dish the other the meter .yes it was that video .but no longer have it.im all so a bit resticted on space in my truck.so i will keep looking.thanks for looking

 

[celspid]

Handyman 44.....By the way I'd imagine these to be awkward tools up a ladder too, so if you did go for one, be just as careful as if you had a dish and meter up there. I'm very wobbly on a ladder too!

There is another useful tool, which I don't own, good for site surveys apparently. The AimFast. See h**p://www.aimfast.com I did think about getting this one, but I'm happy with my other two, the Sat Site and the align-a-site, so why fork out extra money for yet another gadget?!!
Not sure of the one in the satellitesuperstore video, but like I say you could ask them, looked pretty good from what I remember.

cheers,
celspid

 

[handyman 44]

thanks for u help if i find what im looking for i let u know and post a pic.