moving dish from 2nd floor to ground

[rjousuf]

Currently my dish is at 2nd floor balcony using a 3 leg tripod. It is 500 plus and all it has is 118 LNB to see international channels. I am moving to house and plan to put the dish in backyard on the ground and secure it. If i just pick up the dish with the tripod and move it without moving the az/el angles up down, can i just put the dish on ground and get the signal of 118 easily, or do i have to move it up and down since now its gonna be on the ground compering to on the 2nd floor 15 feet high? I was hoping to just put it on the ground and move it right and left and get the signal. I have clear view of south skies.

thanks

 

[sam_gordon]

Unless you're moving drastically (100mi+) north or south, you shouldn't need to change your elevation. You WILL have to change your azimuth (left & right).

 

[TheKrell]

If it's a nearby move, e.g. across town, then you shouldn't need to change your elevation or azimuth angle. Moving a dish vertically 20' (or even more!) will not bother the alignment since the satellite is so very far away.

That said, your Dish 500+ is a pretty large dish and 118 needs more careful alignment than other Dish satellites. I doubt you can move it at all without realigning it. You can do this yourself, or else if you can't "hit" 118, you may need to hire a satellite company to come out and realign it for you.

 

[Sadoun]

The alignment will also depend on the pole angle.

If you set it up again with exactly the same pole angle as you had it before (which I doubt), then you will be fine.

Otherwise, once you secure the pole (tripod) on the ground and set it plump, then place the dish on the mast. Start with the azimuth angle and point the dish in the proper azimuth direction. Watch the signal strength. If you get a lock, you will know. If you don't get a lock, then you will need to raise or lower the dish one degree at a time and do the azimuth sweep agin. Slowly to allow the receiver time to react.