Battery Operated Televisions

How do I use a satellite finder with a portable satellite dish?

I am trying to set up a portable satellite dish for use with a TV and receiver in my RV. I was trying to make it work at home so I know what to do when I get to the campsite. I followed the directions that came with the satellite finder and the portable satellite dish. I powered up the receiver which gave me the azmuth and elevation for the satellite dish, but I cannot get the satellite finder to work. It is brand new - a Winegard SF-1000. I attached the coax which I attached to the TV port (I don't know what to call this, but it is where I attach a coax when the camp ground furnishes satellite or cable TV and all I have to do is turn on the TV and it works) on the outside of the RV to the TO RCVR side of the satellite finder, so the satellite finder is between the dish and the receiver. The receiver has power, but the satellite finder doesn't. Am I doing something wrong? This is the portable satellite dish I am using: http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm?skunum=12618&ta

Public Comments

1. Hi! You have it almost right, you're close. First you connect a cable from the dish to the "LNBF IN" port of the satellite finder. Then you connect another wire from the satellite finder to your satellite receiver's "TO DISH" or "LNBF IN" or "SAT IN" port. Then hook your television to the "TV OUT" or "VIDEO OUT" of the satellite receiver. Turn everything on. Put the satellite receiver into the "Point Dish" screen. Take the satellite FINDER and put it on its highest sensitivity setting. Move the dish around (up/down/left/right) until the finder starts beeping. When the satellite finder starts beeping turn its sensitivity down slowly until the beeping just stops. Move the satellite dish around (up/down/left/right) until it starts beeping again. Repeat the process until the television screen gets a good signal. The trick to using these finders is to set them to a lower sensitivity whenever they start beeping, that's called "peaking the signal." Remember also that your dish is actually "looking" about 30-degrees HIGHER up than it is pointing, so a tree right in front of you should not be a big problem.