Satellite finder meter and directions?

[curtishd]

So I might be installing a directv dish a my inlaws cabin for them but I will need to climb a tree to get this thing up high out of the wilderness to get a signal but I have a few questions.
What is a good cheap satellite finder/ meter that I can use to locate a signal? Any batty powered ones?
How do I know that the sat I find with a meter is a directv one and which directv one is it?

 

[jdspencer]

What dish are you planning to install?

The very first thing to do is enter the address in httP://dishpointer.com and select which set of DirecTV sats you need to see. This will get you the alignment parameters.

If it's only for 101, you could use a receiver to zero in on it.

I'll let others speak to which meter to use.

 

[Matt9876]

A battery powered meter will cost from $400 - $700 "Birdog-SuperBuddy"

a Digistat receiver powered meter cost around $40-$90.

a second person with a two way radio or cell phone is the least expensive way to go and have them read off the signal numbers for the 101 satellite or you could temporarily set up the receiver/TV outside to see and hear the signal meter.

if you are in the middle of the US the birds are located at 201 on a magnetic compass and 40 degrees elevation.

Note: Mounting a dish to a live tree insures realignment issues will pop up at least once or twice per year,Also it is inherently dangerous to do a high tree mount in the first place!