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3. Placing and Aiming
your Antenna (Satellite Dish)
a) You need two numbers
to properly aim your satellite dish: Azimuth and Elevation. Azimuth
numbers are drawn from a magnetic compass and will tell you how far
left or right to aim your dish. Elevation numbers describe the
angle up from the horizontal horizon that you must tilt your dish
(how far up, starting by aiming straight at the horizon, you must
turn your dish). You can find this information, along with the
appropriate satellite name, in the back of this guide starting on
page 16
b) Go outside to your
antenna site and hold your compass flat in your hand. Rotate the
compass to get the “N” (north) and pointer to align.
c) Locate the mark on
the compass that corresponds to the azimuth number for your
location. This azimuth is the left/right direction in which you
must place your antenna. Satellites are located above the Earth’s
equator, so you must generally aim toward the equator (in the
Northern Hemisphere, aim South, in the Southern Hemisphere, aim
North).
d) Point or aim your
antenna roughly in the direction of your azimuth setting. Do not
worry about exactly aligning your antenna, because that will come in
a later step.
Figure 7 Satellite Pointing Tools
e) Use your angle
locator to find the angle listed as the elevation for your
location. Some antennas have an elevation scale on the antenna
mount that will allow you to line up your dish without an angle
locator. If you don’t have an elevation scale and can’t locate an
angle finder at your local hardware store, you can make your own
using a common protractor. See Figure 2 below.
Figure 8 Angle Finder using Common Protractor
f) Raise your satellite
dish arm to approximately the elevation angle, using your angle
gauge for reference. This is the direction and elevation of your
antenna. Sight down your arm to ensure a
clear path. Trees or buildings should not block your antenna; otherwise your
site will not be a suitable location. Trees will block the signal so take into
consideration their future growth.
g) At this point exact
aiming is not important the dish is being pointed in a general direction to
allow for the installation of connection cables.
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