Searching for 30W Hispast 1C, 1D, 1D

[avenger]

Took another reading with the compass and used the "Site Check Tool..Satellite Elevation Finder" found on the last page of the mcroHD Owners Manual. Relocated/moved the dish and tripod to a hopefully better location of the yard......Tried to locate the satellite for about an hour with no luck.

Those branches from the neighbor's tree still look very unfriendly, maybe there is no hope for me on catching and viewing the 30W satellite...Will try again tomorrow, and maybe I get lucky.

 

[jorgek]

Have you tried the Dishpointer site. With the overhead view of my house it sure helped me place my dish between 2 houses to get at 30W.

 

[avenger]

I just came to the conclusion that after moving the tripod and dish all over the yard, and after taken a good close look to the Dishpointer site, and now looking at that tree from ovehead, according to Dishpointer the tree is located at a distance of 163.8 ft and it at a height of 51.6 ft.....The elevation called out for the satellite is 17.5 degrees, with the naked eye it does not look too bad...I tried again today to see if I could catch it, but could not do it as os yet.

Maybe some other day.

 

[FaT Air]

according to Dishpointer the tree is located at a distance of 163.8 ft and it at a height of 51.6 ft

Not really. Dishpointer says IF the tree is 51.6 ft, it will be in LOS. Is it REALLY 51+ ft tall?? [around here, that's a tall tree]

 

[gremlin411]

avenger can you get the dish off the ground. the hole tripod? even three more feet can make a difference when their are tree's close.

 

[phlatwound]

If you are in doubt about your LOS at that elevation angle you might make you a soda straw inclinometer and give that a look.

Or if you have one, just attach your existing inclinometer/digital level to a piece of pipe.

 

[primestar31]

Not really. Dishpointer says IF the tree is 51.6 ft, it will be in LOS. Is it REALLY 51+ ft tall?? [around here, that's a tall tree]

51ft is tall!

That's called a BUSH around here!

I'm surrounded with a tree line all around at 85 ~ 90ft...

 

[avenger]

Fat Air, this tree is one of the survivor from Hurricane Katrina so it just keeps on growing and growing.

gremblin411, the pole in the tripod is 6.5' tall, and the dish is about 2.5' off the ground.

phlatwound, I did make a soda straw inclinometer, the one that is found at the back of the microHD owners manual (compliment of Brian)

primestar31, you might have some taller trees, but I bet that you yard/land is BIG, and that you have no restricted LOS to the satellites.

I have not given up yet, just taking a small break and contemplating my next move.

 

[primestar31]

I'm completely surrounded by 85' or slightly taller trees, with a small cleared area for the house. I know they are that tall as after I cut down some, I measured them. I have trimmed out a few and have my dishes all in a very small area in the farthest North-East corner of the cleared part of my yard where the house is for best line of sight. I can get sats from around 63w to 121w, and that's it. All the rest are obstructed by trees, and aren't worth my clearing more trees to get.

I did a very careful site-survey years ago to decide where to place dishes to get the best line of sight to what sats I wanted, and I maintain that line of sight. I'm glad I'm able to get what I can.

 

[Kraven]

51ft is tall!

That's called a BUSH around here!

I'm surrounded with a tree line all around at 85 ~ 90ft...

I hear ya, I got a 95ft spruce 15 feet in front of the house. I tend to get worried during high winds and thunderstorms.

Cheers, K

 

[avenger]

It seems that the Dishpointer's picture and reference to the next door neighbor's "bushes " was take about five years ago at that time I only had the small Ku dish that I bought from Satellite AV and that is the only dish showing on the Dispointer satellite page, I now have two dishes planted the original Ku and the $69.99 bargain dish....so the described tree height that is shown is shorter than the present tree height.

Planted a new pole and filled it with concrete close to the other side neighbor, cut some branche and limbs from one of my own yard's Chinese Plum Tree to give me a window to hopefully view and capture the 30W satellite. The search still ON!!.

 

[Conky]

May20 5:44pm Hispasat eclipses moon at your location

 

[Tron]

Thanks for that info, Conky. Now I'll be able to see exactly where Hispasat is (provided there are no clouds that day). I'll take a picture. You should too, Avenger...

 

[Corrado]

Even with the leaves coming on the trees, I gave it a try. I tried an old Primestar dish that I've used in the past at my test location for 30W and got the signal in about 30 seconds. Then once I knew it was possible I cycled through the ridiculously undersized dishes to see what was possible to rig up. Even a frankendish500 gave a watchable picture with fluctuating 30ish quality. The Primestar was around 80Q.

 

[SatelliteAV]

Good catch!

I remember when VW Beetles were shipped with those suction cup solar panels. Picked up several hundred for free from the local dealer who didn't know what to do with them after the prep team removed.

I use mine for charging a motorcycle battery in the storage shed "off grid" light system.

How many of the panels did you score?

 

[Conky]

If anyone wants to use a freeware program to see where the arc is in comparison to the sun/moon/planets/stars for your location I wrote a tutorial here
It's a year old but the instructions should still work

 

[Corrado]

Good catch!

I remember when VW Beetles were shipped with those suction cup solar panels. Picked up several hundred for free from the local dealer who didn't know what to do with them after the prep team removed.

I use mine for charging a motorcycle battery in the storage shed "off grid" light system.

How many of the panels did you score?

I have a few of those VW solar panels. My 03 GTI, 03 Jetta and 05 GTI came with them. Starting in 06 most of the cars didn't come with them anymore. I use them to maintain the tractor batteries and the shed has an inverter and car battery setup for a sound system when working on projects and a some lighting.