GL: Direct TV

[Larry]

 We have been traveling in our RV for 5+ years with a Direct TV rig and 
have found that under most circumstances the antenna can be aimed  in a 
minute or less. The newer triple  feed dishes are necessary to receive 
"local" channels but are heavy and include an additional axis to be 
concerned with. Also larger and heavier.  We use an the older style 
round sing feed dish which is lighter and stow quickly. We found that 
moving around the New York network channels are adequate and can be 
augmented by a station or two in the local area picked up on a simple Tv 
antenna.

Others have mentioned the in line meter and I recommend it highly. 
Second, get a good hand bearing compass and sight a tree or distinct 
object on the horizon at least 100yards or more on the magnetic bear"set 
up".Third, purchase a round dial plastic angle measuring gauge, a few 
bucks at Home Depot or Lowe's. These have a dial with a weighted needle 
and a magnetic base.  About 4" in diameter and will stick on the center 
or feed horn arm of a steel dish. Stick it on and find the satellite. 
Record the angle on the gauge and compare it to the "Set up " elevation. 
The depending on which quadrant  or the guage that you  use you may   be 
better to add or subtract but  that the result is a constant that can be 
applied to all "set up" elevations. Armed with this, I first point the 
dish in the general satellite direction and set the computed elevation 
on the angle gauge. I then stand behind the dish and do my best to point 
the dish to the selected reference on the horizon. More often than not 
that finds the signal and then a little fine tuning on in line meter can 
be done. The important elements are a distant target and the angle gauge.

Good luck

Larry Ropka
Ft Walton Bch Fl