Portable antenna question

[jpmarto]

This is a follow-up question to clarify some issues I'm considering. I'm pretty sure the neat little winegard 1 satellite at a time solution would not work for me, and the auto-aiming dishes are a bit beyond my budget. For the guys who RV and do portable operation in the western arc regions, your experience and opinions please:

Is it worth it to use a 3-LNB antenna (110-119-129) over a Dish 500 110-119 antenna? What I'm wondering is if the the additional complexity (at least in my experience) in aiming a 1000.2 vs a DP Pro 500) is worth getting the extra channels on 129. What works for you?

 

[harshness]

Do you want HD or not?

Pointing a DISH 1000.2 is not difficult at all as long as you do your homework.

http://www.dishpointer.com

 

[jpmarto]

So I'm told, maybe I'll get better at it. Even with a perfectly level pole I recently had issues getting a 1000.2 lined up on 129. At this point HD is not a major big issue as the TV in the (small) trailer is only 16" and wouldn't be replaced with anything larger than 24".

 

[Brussam]

If your mast is vertical and you set the Skew for where you are at, aiming a DPP1000.2 is no different than a DPP500. You are aiming the 119 LNBF and if you get that on target, then the other LNBF/s will be on target.

With the third LNBF you will need a bigger hole to the sky.

One thing, the DPP500 basically only uses voltage switch to attach a coax to a LNBF while the CPP1000.2 uses a 22KHz tome or DSEQ commands. The issue if you hang a dumb meter on a coax cable, you cannot be sure to which LNBF the meter is attached to.

You can use the receiver to force the LNBF selection. I use a meter that has the capability to generate a 22KHz tone to insure I am aiming with the 119 LNBF. A smart meter makes it a lot easier if you every have to setup the dish 150-200' feet away.

 

[harshness]

If your mast is vertical and you set the Skew for where you are at, aiming a DPP1000.2 is no different than a DPP500.

Other than the fact that it uses an entirely different set of Az-El parameters that aren't resident in the receiver firmware (and there's no simple formula to derive one from the other).

I have a DISH 1000 that I use as a portable and I have it mounted on a three-legged chunk of plywood (it needs to be close to the ground to be protected from the wind). It takes me about 3-5 minutes to get it set up because I've already dialed in the elevation and skew (according to DishPointer, of course) before I place it outside.

 

[jpmarto]

Thanks Brossam: I have been using a "dumb meter". I'll buy one of the newer smart ones. Sounds like that's been the biggest part of my problem: not knowing what LNBF/Tuner I'm dealing with. I've tried the aluminum foil trick, but alignment always seems harder to do when you're outside in the cold & rain this time of year. I think my aiming skills peaked at my old 622 & DP500, the "new-fangled" technology has left me in the dust.

Thanks harshness: I was going to use a plywood base with "C" clamps to mount it to a table, your idea sounds much better.

Great forum, thanks all!

 

[Brussam]

The problem with the aluminum foil is thta the default dumb meter to LNBF connection is the 110 LNBF. So now you covered the LNBF connected to the meter. Now you know why that doesn't work.

 

[hudgreen]

Another option may be to see if you can find an "original" dish 1000

Its much like the d-500 you are use to with the added third lnbf for the 129 "hd" sat

 

[Butcha]

I use a 1000.2 in my RV and have no problem at all. Also I have a compass app on my phone which helps a lot.

Butch

 

[fredbon]

I have been using portable dish's for over 6yrs, both 500(dual LNB) and 1000, so I could use my 722DVR. The past year I used the Carryout (211receiver) didn't worry about the DVR, much less hassle and learned to take full advantage of AAD East and West feeds.

Fred