| Author |
Message |
Ross Carlisle (Ross) (216.107.197.130)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 10:11 pm: | |
I have a question on the exact placement of the crank-up dish. The directions make a big deal out of saying that it must be mounted level in the centerline of the roof. Is it really that big a deal? Will it not work unless it is dead level or would the digital elevation readout just be off a few degrees?
I'd like to mount it about 18" off centerline which would put it a couple of degrees off level relative to the floor. I don't want to use a wedge because that would make things difficult whan it comes to the ceiling.
Is anyone using a dish mounted off center? Does it work fine?
Thanks...Ross |
Greg Roberts (Gregeagle20) (172.174.2.55)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 10:51 pm: | |
Ross, The dish will perform just as good however you will have an exponentially more difficult time aligning the the satellite each time depending on how many degrees from level you install the unit. If you are no more than 1 or 2 degrees off your task will be fairly easy. much more and things become increasingly difficult. The alignment solution will be inconsistent each time you move the bus to a different direction. With some deduction and eventual experience you will be able to chase around and locate proper alignment. However, I would take the time to determine how to mount the dish level and in the location that you want. A little heart ache now will save much frustration from now on. Good luck!! |
Lin (65.184.0.189)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 11:17 pm: | |
You probably could mount it where you want it but find a way to do it level. Maybe a sheet metal box or collar that follows the roof line at its base and is level on top. |
Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat) (68.7.217.217)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 11:21 pm: | |
There's also a possible "polarization" problem if your dish isn't level; translated- the signal will get weaker as you rotate the dish away from "level" even if it is aimed directly at the satellite. It's probably not much to worry about but it is a factor that exists..
Cheers
Gary |
Jojo Colina (Du1jec) (68.8.172.117)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 11:42 pm: | |
If you are installing a Winegard crank up unit seriously consider installing the "Digital Magic" Digital Elevation Display. It reads accurate elevation even when the coach is not level. If you have this option aiming is a breeze.
Calibrating the Digital Magic though requires that the crank up unit be level to calibrate it.
You could level your bus so that the satellite dish is level even if the mounting surface is not completely level just to calibrate the "Digital Magic". After the calibration it will no longer care. It will produce accurate elevation readings even when the coach is not level.
Hope this helps,
Jojo |
Ross Carlisle (Ross) (207.88.97.90)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 - 12:52 pm: | |
Of course level is a relative term...Level relative to the bus, which unless I get real lucky, is not likely to happen. For the time being, I will not have a leveling system.
I like the "Digital Magic" idea. I just bought the dish a few weeks ago without the sensor. I see alot of retailers selling the sensors separately, but I also notice that some of them are still advertising the older RD series dishes. Mine is the newer RM series.
I'm going to try buying directly from Winegard.
Ross |
jmaxwell (66.42.92.78)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 27, 2002 - 12:32 am: | |
If not at least mounted level on the roof-top, you are going to have these skewing problems that are mentioned in the 1st 3 or 4 responses. Off center has no bearing, other than on a sloped roof, which apparently you have. My Grumman is flat. You will still encounter minor elevation setting problems, even if mounted level, without the digital elevation indicator. After five yrs. I have finally gotten use to checking elevation when I have tune-in problems. Also, from having travelled over 70k mi. around this great country, Canada, and Mexico with a roof mounted dish over the past 5 yrs., I have found that it is wise to carry a spare dish setup, a tripod to put it on, and 100 ft. of co-axial for those tucked in campsites, usually about 40-50% of the time. Of course, I prefer the shade of a tree over the convenience of the roof-top dish. |
Tom Connolly (64.58.193.169)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 27, 2002 - 9:56 pm: | |
Hi Ross,
I'm responsible for over 500 successful RM/RD Winegard installs and thousand of others. You have by blessing on mounting the assembly out of level ! Try too stay within .5 inch of level, As the DSS systems use circular polarization, Skewing the dish will not significantly diminish your signal up to about 2-3 inches out of level and that would only occur when you are parked with your coach facing at or opposite the satellites orbital position, roughly located due south of Texas and positioned over the equator.
To align the DM use a compass to determine the satellite location as indicated by following the Point Dish directions and the AZ that your receiver tells you is correct for the zip code you are in, park on a level parking lot with your coach pointing at a 90 deg angle to the satellite, following the directions supplied with the RM/RD-4600 locate the satellite. Then adjust the DM to display the EL that the receiver Point Dish screen said was correct for your zip code. Done! now go on to other things. The RM has the newer metal base RD is plastic. A clear line of sight to the satellite is needed so a 2nd dish on a tripod is needed if you want to park under trees in the shade! Should you need any further info on the subject email me at TomConnolly@Dishtv.net or Sales@BuyDishTv.com with little effort you can even find my phone number at either website that the emails go to!
With a little experience and the proper search technique locating the satellite takes less than 1 minute, Tri-Pod or roof mount.
Good Luck, Tom |
Roger PD4104-178 (64.12.104.59)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 29, 2002 - 5:31 pm: | |
Dish Net is using a dual pick-up head for their Dish 500 system. Having a level base is very important. |
Ross Carlisle (Ross) (216.107.195.158)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 29, 2002 - 9:39 pm: | |
I was just griping about the dish 500 programming to the local dealer today. The only reason I upgraded was to get Speedvision and Discovery Wings. Both channels keep replaying the same tapes over and over and.....
In another 5 months I'll be dropping all of the programming on the 2nd satelite...Back to a single LNB dish, which is what I just installed in the bus.
Ross |
Tom Connolly (64.58.193.120)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 30, 2002 - 12:09 am: | |
Dish500 is not a practical RV solution as a 3rd adjustment to the dish (skew angle) enters the equation and like EL & AZ the skew changes as you move to a new campsite.
With a Dish300 setup you can watch Top100 programming and most all of the movie channels. You have the additional benefit of only dealing with a single LNBF and the smaller 18" reflector requiring only AZ and EL adjustments for setup. This is the only way to go when using a roof mount and it is easier to setup on a tri-pod and stows in less space as well.
The next protest statement is likely to be: "But What about the locals? You can't get locals without a Dish500!"
So let me dispel the Myth.
You have several local choices, and the networks are available to you in east and west time zones with an "RV use declaration form".
Down load it now from my website at the link below.
http://www.dishtv.net/forms/RV.pdf
Or call Dish Network at 1-800-333-DISH and they will mail one to you.
Tom |
Ross Carlisle (Ross) (216.107.195.98)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 30, 2002 - 10:11 pm: | |
I knew about the RV form. Local channels can be tricky though. I get my network channels out of New York, but a friend 10 miles away can't get any network channels. They explained why, but it still didn't make sense.
Ross |