Site surveying question for Ka/Ku

[Super G]

Well I just did my first Ka/Ku dish install for a customer (no problems). I now realize that I need to become more sophisticated with doing the site survey for future installs.

My question:

How does one determine the local azimuth and elevation for Satellites 99 and 119? I'm interested in learning how to determine it on my own so that I can calculate it for the specific zip codes I might be installing at in the future.

I am of course familiar with the info you get from inputing a zip code into a dtv rcvr. That info tells you the general direction to point your dish but it doesn't tell you AZ and EL for 99 and 119 so that you can be sure of clearing trees etc...

I am also familiar with the free program from this link:
http://www.arachnoid.com/satfinder/
but it was last updated in 2004 and doesn't have 99 listed.

Even if someone just posted a link to help me I would be appreciative.

 

[Doctor Bob]

Here is a complete listing for Parma ID 83660, from the Sat Finder program... If you scroll down, you will note that the 99 Satellite (Galaxy 4R) is also listed... While you are doing the Site Survey, just make sure you will be clear for a minimum of 10 degrees on both sides of your Azimuth Readings... That will resolve the question of if you have a CLOS....

Parma, ID 83660
Latitude 43° 47.376'N Longitude 116° 56.406'W

Sat Name Sat Lng Az(t) Az(m) El Skew
-------------------------------------------------------------
*** Of Particular Interest ***

EchoStar 3 61.5W 115.5 99.3 15.8 -40.7
EchoStar 6 110.0W 170.0 153.8 39.0 -7.2
EchoStar 8 110.0W 170.0 153.8 39.0 -7.2
EchoStar 7 119.0W 183.0 166.7 39.5 2.1
EchoStar 5 119.0W 183.0 166.7 39.5 2.1
EchoStar 9/Telstar 13 121.0W 185.9 169.6 39.3 4.2
EchoStar 1 148.0W 221.0 204.8 30.7 28.3
EchoStar 2 148.0W 221.0 204.8 30.7 28.3
EchoStar 4 157.0W 230.5 214.3 25.7 33.9

DirecTV 3 81.8W 134.5 118.3 28.5 -31.0
DirecTV 2 100.8W 157.3 141.1 37.0 -16.2
DirecTV 1R 100.8W 157.3 141.1 37.0 -16.2
DirecTV 1 101.0W 157.6 141.3 37.0 -16.0
DirecTV 4S 101.2W 157.8 141.6 37.1 -15.8
DirecTV 6 109.8W 169.7 153.5 39.0 -7.4
DirecTV 5 119.0W 183.0 166.7 39.5 2.1

*** All Satellites 61W - 160W ***

EchoStar 3 61.5W 115.5 99.3 15.8 -40.7
Rainbow 1 61.5W 115.5 99.3 15.8 -40.7
Brasilsat A2 (incl. 5.8 deg) 63.0W 116.7 100.5 16.8 -40.1
Brasilsat B2 65.0W 118.4 102.2 18.2 -39.4
Brasilsat B1 70.0W 122.9 106.7 21.4 -37.3
Nahuel 1 71.8W 124.6 108.3 22.6 -36.5
AMC 6 72.0W 124.7 108.5 22.7 -36.4
Galaxy 12 74.0W 126.6 110.4 24.0 -35.4
SBS 6 74.0W 126.6 110.4 24.0 -35.4
GOES 12 75.0W 127.6 111.4 24.6 -34.9
AMC 5 79.0W 131.6 115.4 27.0 -32.7
DirecTV 3 81.8W 134.5 118.3 28.5 -31.0
Nimiq 2 82.0W 134.7 118.5 28.7 -30.9
Brasilsat B3 84.0W 136.9 120.6 29.7 -29.6
XM Roll 85.0W 138.0 121.7 30.3 -28.9
AMC 9 85.0W 138.0 121.7 30.3 -28.9
AMC 3 87.0W 140.2 124.0 31.3 -27.5
Galaxy 11 91.0W 144.9 128.7 33.2 -24.5
Nimiq 1 91.0W 144.9 128.7 33.2 -24.5
Brasilsat B4 92.0W 146.1 129.9 33.7 -23.7
Telstar 6 93.0W 147.3 131.1 34.1 -22.9
Galaxy 8I (incl. 1.0 deg) 95.0W 149.8 133.6 34.9 -21.3
Galaxy 3C 95.0W 149.8 133.6 34.9 -21.3
Telstar 5 97.0W 152.3 136.1 35.7 -19.6
Inmarsat 2 f2 (incl. 1.7 deg) 98.0W 153.6 137.4 36.0 -18.7
Galaxy 4R 99.0W 154.9 138.7 36.4 -17.8
DirecTV 2 100.8W 157.3 141.1 37.0 -16.2
DirecTV 1R 100.8W 157.3 141.1 37.0 -16.2
AMC 4 101.0W 157.6 141.3 37.0 -16.0
DirecTV 1 101.0W 157.6 141.3 37.0 -16.0
AMSC 1 101.1W 157.7 141.5 37.1 -15.9
DirecTV 4S 101.2W 157.8 141.6 37.1 -15.8
AMC 1 103.0W 160.3 144.0 37.6 -14.1
Solidaridad 1 (incl. 2.8 deg) 103.5W 160.9 144.7 37.7 -13.6
AMC 2 105.0W 163.0 146.8 38.1 -12.2
G-Star 3 (incl. 11.5 deg) 105.0W 163.0 146.8 38.1 -12.2
G-Star 1 (incl. 6.0 deg) 105.0W 163.0 146.8 38.1 -12.2
MSAT 1 106.5W 165.1 148.9 38.4 -10.7
Anik F1 107.3W 166.2 150.0 38.6 -9.9
Anik E1 109.2W 168.9 152.7 38.9 -8.0
DirecTV 6 109.8W 169.7 153.5 39.0 -7.4
EchoStar 6 110.0W 170.0 153.8 39.0 -7.2
EchoStar 8 110.0W 170.0 153.8 39.0 -7.2
Anik E2R 111.1W 171.6 155.4 39.2 -6.1
Solidaridad 2 113.0W 174.3 158.1 39.4 -4.1
Morelos 2 (incl. 4.4 deg) 114.9W 177.1 160.8 39.5 -2.1
XM Rock 115.0W 177.2 161.0 39.5 -2.0
SatMex 5 116.8W 179.8 163.6 39.5 -0.1
Anik E2 118.7W 182.5 166.3 39.5 1.8
DirecTV 5 119.0W 183.0 166.7 39.5 2.1
EchoStar 7 119.0W 183.0 166.7 39.5 2.1
EchoStar 5 119.0W 183.0 166.7 39.5 2.1
EchoStar 9/Telstar 13 121.0W 185.9 169.6 39.3 4.2
Galaxy 10R 123.0W 188.7 172.5 39.1 6.3
Galaxy 5 125.0W 191.6 175.3 38.9 8.3
Galaxy 9 127.0W 194.4 178.1 38.5 10.3
Telstar 7 129.0W 197.2 180.9 38.1 12.3
Satcom C3 131.0W 199.9 183.7 37.6 14.2
Galaxy 1R 133.0W 202.6 186.4 37.0 16.1
Satcom C4 135.0W 205.2 189.0 36.3 17.9
GOES 10 135.5W 205.9 189.6 36.2 18.4
AMC 7 137.0W 207.8 191.6 35.6 19.7
AMC 8 139.0W 210.4 194.1 34.9 21.4
Inmarsat 2 f3 (incl. 1.9 deg) 142.0W 214.0 197.8 33.6 23.8
EchoStar 1 148.0W 221.0 204.8 30.7 28.3
EchoStar 2 148.0W 221.0 204.8 30.7 28.3
TDRS 9 (incl. 7.4 deg) 151.0W 224.3 208.1 29.1 30.3
TDRS 10 (incl. 6.2 deg) 151.0W 224.3 208.1 29.1 30.3
EchoStar 4 157.0W 230.5 214.3 25.7 33.9

Satellite Finder is (c) Copyright 2004, P. Lutus

 

[Super G]

Doctor Bob,

Thank you. I guess I had what I needed all along and didn't realize it.

I agree about the safety margin of 10 degrees left and right. Murphy's law always seems to put me at a customer's house where it's hard to get line of site at all and still end up with a cosmetically acceptable dish location.

Gary