Need to get approximate azimuth for DirecTV dish used with Genie for northern KY

[TominKY]

I have an appointment to have DTV come out and set me up with the Genie system this Saturday. I have DISH currently, and their satellite dish is located up on my chimney on top of the roof. With the recent snowfall in our area, it is doubtful that a tech will be able to get up there to install the dish used by DirecTV. I am considering having him install it on an arbor above our deck, as this will be an inconspicuous location and it is a very sturdy 6x6 post - plus it is down lower where I can more easily access it for snow clearing, etc. I need to know the approximate azimuth and elevation so I can check myself to see if there will be any issues with trees blocking the signal in this location. I know there are some online tools for this, but they seem to list several different models of dish, and I'm not real sure which ones to use. If someone wants to point me to a good site for this, I am all ears. I'm trying to save the technician from making a trip for nothing if he has to mount it on the chimney and there is no way to get up there. For reference, my zip code is 40031.

Thanks for the help!

 

[sodly]

Options

show obstacle (line of sight checker)

Your Location	Satellite Data	Dish Setup Data
Latitude:38.4166° Longitude:-85.4169°	Name: DirecTV 5 LNB (99, 101, 103, 110, 119W) Distance: 37588km	Elevation: 42.6° Azimuth (true): 204.1° Azimuth (magn.): 209.0° Dish Skew [?]: 71.3°

 

[TominKY]

So I should be able to get a ball park on my line-of-sight by using my contractor's protractor and a digital compass, right? That's all I really want to do - try to find an ideal location ahead of time, instead of having to scramble when the tech shows up. Thanks!

 

[raoul5788]

If you have a smart phone, download the Satellite AR app. It's free and will closely locate the satellites for you.

 

[TominKY]

If you have a smart phone, download the Satellite AR app. It's free and will closely locate the satellites for you.

Cool! Neat little app. So based on this, it looks like some of the Echostar birds are very close to the DirecTV ones.

 

[raoul5788]

Yes they are. Directv uses 99, 101, 103, 110, and 119. Dish uses 110, 119, and 129, plus 61.5 and 148, IIRC.

 

[Joe Diamond]

Cool! Neat little app. So based on this, it looks like some of the Echostar birds are very close to the DirecTV ones.

Yes,
If you think of those numbers as parking lots it will be easier. They are called launch positions and the higher ones are nine degrees apart so you get 101.....110.....119 etc (West longitude). DirecTV was able to use the lower power & I think lower orbit 99 & 103 for their HD system. So in their case you get 99....101...103....and then the rest again. I think there was even a time when DirecTV was leasing transponders from an Echostar bird.
There are some DISH sats in the same positions as the DirecTV sats.....esp 110 I think.

Also,......if you can get your dish mounted anywhere but on a chimney go for it. IF there is a chimney strap there might not be damage. IF the existing dish was spiked into mortar or bricks you want to continue to maintain the caulk that keeps water out of the holes in the masonry. Freezing & thawing water in those holes will eventually damage your chimney.

The other consideration is that you will have to deal with getting up on that roof & chimney each time your dish needs service (rare),including removing snow, ice & frozen rain (not so rare)......or read a book. Encourage the tech to find a location you can reach easily.

IF you have an old Studerbaker you can mount the dish on that.........it worked for Chip.:clap

Joe

 

[TominKY]

Yes,
If you think of those numbers as parking lots it will be easier. They are called launch positions and the higher ones are nine degrees apart so you get 101.....110.....119 etc (West longitude). DirecTV was able to use the lower power & I think lower orbit 99 & 103 for their HD system. So in their case you get 99....101...103....and then the rest again. I think there was even a time when DirecTV was leasing transponders from an Echostar bird.
There are some DISH sats in the same positions as the DirecTV sats.....esp 110 I think.

Also,......if you can get your dish mounted anywhere but on a chimney go for it. IF there is a chimney strap there might not be damage. IF the existing dish was spiked into mortar or bricks you want to continue to maintain the caulk that keeps water out of the holes in the masonry. Freezing & thawing water in those holes will eventually damage your chimney.

The other consideration is that you will have to deal with getting up on that roof & chimney each time your dish needs service (rare),including removing snow, ice & frozen rain (not so rare)......or read a book. Encourage the tech to find a location you can reach easily.

IF you have an old Studerbaker you can mount the dish on that.........it worked for Chip.:clap

Joe

Thanks Joe. No worries about mortar because it is not a brick chimney. I moved the dish up there several years ago when I had a new roof installed. The DISH tech was a rather lazy fellow, and he chose to just lag bolt it through my shingles for me - after first attempting to screw it into my vinyl siding and leaving 4 holes for me. I went out of my way to make sure it was mounted securely. However, I do know what you mean about having it accessible when we get snow or rain. Not much you can do about the rain fade, but for the relatively rare times that we get heavy snow, I have had some issues with it building up on the dish, and it would be nice to be able to clean it off without taking a Nantucket sleigh ride off the house.

Oh yeah, no Studebakers for mounting purposes in my yard, but I might have an old Camaro or two sitting around.

 

[raoul5788]

Oh yeah, no Studebakers for mounting purposes in my yeard, but I might have an old Camaro or two sitting around.

It's actually a 1957 Packard, but made by Studebaker. Good eye!

 

[TominKY]

It's actually a 1957 Packard, but made by Studebaker. Good eye!

Sweet car! Friend of mine has (I think) an old Studebaker street rod of late 40's vintage. The dad of one of my HS buddies used to have the antique Packards. Absolutely huge and impressive automobiles!

 

[TominKY]

I checked my LOS using the phone app today. The ones labeled DirecTV4S, 5, 8, 9S, 10, 11 & 12 all seemed to be a pretty clear shot, but the one labeled DirecTV7S looked like it would be blocked by a tree when it has leaves on it in the summer. Is 7S going to be one of the ones needed with the Genie?

 

[Joe Diamond]

I checked my LOS using the phone app today. The ones labeled DirecTV4S, 5, 8, 9S, 10, 11 & 12 all seemed to be a pretty clear shot, but the one labeled DirecTV7S looked like it would be blocked by a tree when it has leaves on it in the summer. Is 7S going to be one of the ones needed with the Genie?

You want to think of that tree as one that will be without some limbs.Why.........wait for it!............it will be missing some limbs because you saw it! (them). Prune now!

Not sure which sat that is....never used that app.

Joe

 

[raoul5788]

7s is 119. TominKY, what is your zip code? 119 carries some local sd channels.
Edit: Never mind, I see you already gave us your zip code.
Okay, your local sd channels do come from the 119 satellite. That could be an issue, as Directv requires reception from 119 if your local sd channels are there. You may need to get an independent company to do the install. They can give you the right equipment to get it done.

 

[TominKY]

Well crap - I guess I will need that one because not all my sets in the household are HD. I was going to mirror a few of the HD units to SD ones.

Joe, the offending tree is a mature white ash with an 18 inch trunk. Probably looking at $600 plus to take it out (if the emerald ash borers don't do it for me). Really didn't want to fool with that. This is the downside to having trees - shade and satellite don't always play well together. Guess I'll need to go back to my chimney location.

 

[raoul5788]

Your other sets can get hd locals and display them on sd sets, but like I said, Directv requires reception from 119 if your local sd channels are there. Independent installers don't have that restriction, and can install equipment that doesn't get 110 and 119.

 

[TominKY]

Your other sets can get hd locals and display them on sd sets, but like I said, Directv requires reception from 119 if your local sd channels are there. Independent installers don't have that restriction, and can install equipment that doesn't get 110 and 119.

Chip, so in other words you are saying that the DirecTV guy who comes out will only have one type of dish on his truck that will have to pull in 119 - correct? I wouldn't even know where to start on finding an independent installer around here. If I recall correctly, DISH actually farmed out their installs to a third party installer. Sounds like DirecTV might do it differently. I guess I'll just have to see what the guy says when he comes out tomorrow morning. Thanks for the help!

 

[raoul5788]

Since your area has sd locals on 119, it's possible the Directv installer doesn't even carry the sl3 lnb, only the sl5. Any of you installers have an answer that work in an area that gets sd locals from 119? Also, it's possible he can find a better place to install the dish where you can get 119.

 

[TominKY]

I guess I'll just have to wait and see what he says. It's supposed to snow again tonight, so it's doubtful that anyone will be able to make it to the top of the roof. Don't know why we never think about upgrading satellite service during the summer - probably because there are no ball games on and we are outside rather than in the house watching TV!

 

[Joe Diamond]

Since your area has sd locals on 119, it's possible the Directv installer doesn't even carry the sl3 lnb, only the sl5. Any of you installers have an answer that work in an area that gets sd locals from 119? Also, it's possible he can find a better place to install the dish where you can get 119.

Chip,
It is possible to set up an array of round dishes, each pointed at a different sat and combined in a multiswitch....That is what multiswitches do. But that is way beyond the pay grade of most in house DirecTV techs. The other possibility is spiking the SL5 to the tree on the opposite side from the building & clear of the obstruction. Both of these solutions would be "not supported."

So I see a ladder or a chain saw in the future for brother Tom.

Joe

 

[raoul5788]

I'd be looking for an alternate location for the dish before paying the big bucks for a custom install. A chain saw is a good solution, and fun, too!