Satellite TV database

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BrianT - 25 Nov 2005 18:07 GMT

I'm looking for a database that if I enter the latitude and longitude it
will tell me the info needed to aim my dish network dish?

Is there such a database?

Thanks
Brian

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Frank Tabor - 25 Nov 2005 18:56 GMT

>I'm looking for a database that if I enter the latitude and longitude it
>will tell me the info needed to aim my dish network dish?
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>Thanks
>Brian

Yep, right on your dish receiver. Explore the setup menus.

Signature

Frank Tabor

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BrianT - 26 Nov 2005 02:47 GMT

If there's such a tool in the receiver I can't find it. can you give me a
hint where it is?
the only one I know about is for zip codes not lat and longitudes.

>>I'm looking for a database that if I enter the latitude and longitude it
>>will tell me the info needed to aim my dish network dish?
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> Yep, right on your dish receiver. Explore the setup menus.

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Newt - 26 Nov 2005 06:53 GMT

> If there's such a tool in the receiver I can't find it. can you give me a
> hint where it is?
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>>
>>Yep, right on your dish receiver. Explore the setup menus.

I have 2 directv receivers and you have the option of zip codes or
Long/Lat coronets.

Newt

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Peter Pan - 26 Nov 2005 08:10 GMT

>> If there's such a tool in the receiver I can't find it. can you give
>> me a hint where it is?
>> the only one I know about is for zip codes not lat and longitudes.

Dish has a zip code/aiming table built in, but ONLY for numeric/US zip
codes.

DirecTV has *BOTH* a zip code (numeric only) *AND* a Lattitude/Longitude.

Why worry about it? I found several reasons.. When traveling in the RV I
like to fire up the gen, nuke lunch at a rest area, read the lat/long off an
atlas or GPS, pop up the dish and watch a movie while eating. I very rarely
(if ever) even knew the local zip code when traveling.
When I went to Alaska thru Canada, the zip codes in canada are 6 characters
long and have BOTH letters and numbers.. That (letters) can't be used with
the numerics only.
With Dish, you MUST have a zip code, and if you are outside of the US, you
are sort of screwed (it only takes 5 numeric digits).

Only time you may want a Lat/Long/Table would be if you have dish and plan
to travel outside the US (Canada for sure, don't know about Mexico).

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Skyhooks - 26 Nov 2005 08:44 GMT

Here's the link for DishTV's "aiming" specs. Go to
<http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/customerCare/helpcenter/index.shtml>,
then look at the bottom far-left side-bar for "DISH Pointing Angles" -
then right-click on that link to "save to file" or "save as". One can
click on this link, but for me, it was easier to right-click on that
link and save the .pdf file to my hard disk, then open the .pdf file
off-line directly through Acrobat's Reader. (Hey, I'm still stuck with
a 48k dialup internet connection <groan>!) HTH.

Skyhooks
h m a r d i s ""aahhtt" u i u c ""ddaauugghhtt" e d u

> >> If there's such a tool in the receiver I can't find it. can you give
> >> me a hint where it is?
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> Only time you may want a Lat/Long/Table would be if you have dish and plan
> to travel outside the US (Canada for sure, don't know about Mexico).

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BrianT - 26 Nov 2005 14:44 GMT

Thanks but that data only contains zip codes, the receiver has that info
built in.

> Here's the link for DishTV's "aiming" specs. Go to
> <http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/customerCare/helpcenter/index.shtml>,
[quoted text clipped - 35 lines]
>> plan
>> to travel outside the US (Canada for sure, don't know about Mexico).

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Ichabod - 25 Nov 2005 20:48 GMT

> I'm looking for a database that if I enter the latitude and longitude it
> will tell me the info needed to aim my dish network dish?
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> Thanks
> Brian

Do a Google search on ("look angle" satellite) and you'll find several.

If you want something to install on your own computer, there is a calculator
program available for download here:
http://www.copperhead.cc/satsoft.htm
but you need to be a registered user to get the download.

I have the program and will email it to you if you find the registration a
problem. It is about 128 KB and is an .exe file so you gotta have faith that
I'm not a "virus monger". email me off-list - remove punctuation marks from
this address: ichabod_one*nine=six%six+at&hotmail$dot#com

That having been said, I've worked out well just entering a ZIP code into my
satellite receiver.

Ichabod from New Hampsha

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Don Bradner - 28 Nov 2005 21:57 GMT

>If you want something to install on your own computer, there is a calculator
>program available for download here:
>http://www.copperhead.cc/satsoft.htm
>but you need to be a registered user to get the download.

That one is mine (Copperhead has a number of my programs with
permission) and as others have noted it can be downloaded directly
from me at www.datastormusers.com/lookangle.cfm

In case it wasn't clear from the other posts, it is free. Can be used
with zip codes (need to download a separate zipcode database from the
same web page) or with Lat/Long entry.

I've stopped adding new satellites to it, but it covers most current
common ones including combos like Dish 500. For future satellites I
added a "add your own" option.

Only particular restriction is that it is western/northern hemisphere
only. Is that a Quatrisphere? Not sure.

Signature

Don Bradner
donb at arcatapet dot com
www.arcatapet.net

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Terry Parsons - 25 Nov 2005 20:51 GMT

> I'm looking for a database that if I enter the latitude and longitude it
> will tell me the info needed to aim my dish network dish?
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> Thanks
> Brian

I downloaded it from somewhere several years ago. Can't remember from
where, but here is the contents of the 'Read Me' file.

Satellite AZ/EL Calculator Copyright 1997,1998 by, Tom Hyatt
--------------------------

* The file SATLIST.TXT may be edited but columns 1-6 are reserved for
the satellite longitude (in decimal degrees).

* Column 8 must be either W or E for west or east longitude.

* The file Z1.SRT is based on a file downloaded from the Census Bureau
and is current to 1990 only.

* Zip Codes not found in Z1.SRT will produce "not valid floating point"
error messages...this may also be true when any required field is missing
or contains invalid data.

* This program was sourced and compiled under Borland's Delphi 1.0

* This version has corrected a problem in which site latitudes entered as
negative numbers produced an azimuth that was off by 180 degrees.

* Please email me at tomhyatt@castles.com with any comments

Sorry I can't be of more help at this time.

Terry Parsons

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Tom J - 25 Nov 2005 22:22 GMT

> I'm looking for a database that if I enter the latitude and
> longitude it will tell me the info needed to aim my dish network
> dish?
>
> Is there such a database?

Why do you need 1 besides the 1 you already have built into your
receiver?

Tom J

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BrianT - 26 Nov 2005 02:48 GMT

Where is this one that's built in?

>> I'm looking for a database that if I enter the latitude and longitude it
>> will tell me the info needed to aim my dish network dish?
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> Tom J

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RVer Don - 26 Nov 2005 06:38 GMT

> Where is this one that's built in?

If you have DirecTV go to set up menu. You can enter either zip code or lat
& long.

Don in Tracy, Calif.

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BrianT - 26 Nov 2005 14:45 GMT

I have Dish Network

>> Where is this one that's built in?
>>
> If you have DirecTV go to set up menu. You can enter either zip code or
> lat & long.
>
> Don in Tracy, Calif.

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Unk - 26 Nov 2005 19:48 GMT

>I have Dish Network

I set up my SIL's DIsh receiver last night and it is in the setup menu
section somewhere. Of course, each receiver is different. I use
DirectTV and have tree different receivers. Each has its own setup
menu. But the ZIP table is in there.

Dean

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BrianT - 26 Nov 2005 22:24 GMT

I have a Dish Network 508 receiver and there is only a place to enter a zip
code. There is no place to enter a latitude or longitude.

>>I have Dish Network
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> Dean

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Skyhooks - 26 Nov 2005 07:43 GMT

> I'm looking for a database that if I enter the latitude and longitude it
> will tell me the info needed to aim my dish network dish?
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> Thanks
> Brian

If anyone uses DishTV, here's a link to a "pdf" file that provides the
dish aiming information requested
<http://www.dishnetwork.com/downloads/pdf/getdish/what_is/DISH_Pointing_Angles.pdf>.
I found it a lot easier to right-click on the link and save, instead of
trying to open the file in a web browser. HTH.

Skyhooks
h m a r d i s ""aahhtt" u i u c ""ddaauugghhtt" e d u

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Skyhooks - 26 Nov 2005 07:48 GMT

Er, first go to
<http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/customerCare/helpcenter/index.shtml>,
then look at the far bottom left side for "DISH Pointing Angles" - then
right-click on that link to "save to file" or "save as". Sorry about
that slight misdirection on my part. The link I provided below is the
direct one to the .pdf file that didn't work for me (hence the
right-click|save-as that did work for me).

Sky

Snip

> If anyone uses DishTV, here's a link to a "pdf" file that provides the
> dish aiming information requested
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> Skyhooks
> h m a r d i s ""aahhtt" u i u c ""ddaauugghhtt" e d u

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Bob Hatch - 26 Nov 2005 14:25 GMT

> I'm looking for a database that if I enter the latitude and longitude
> it will tell me the info needed to aim my dish network dish?
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> Thanks
> Brian

Not really a database, but a calculation program. Works for any satellite,
including dish.

http://www.datastormusers.com/lookangle.cfm

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"Free enterprise has done more to reduce poverty than
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BrianT - 26 Nov 2005 15:20 GMT

I think this is what I'm looking for.
Thanks

>> I'm looking for a database that if I enter the latitude and longitude
>> it will tell me the info needed to aim my dish network dish?
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> http://www.datastormusers.com/lookangle.cfm

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Jon Griffin - 26 Nov 2005 15:43 GMT

>I'm looking for a database that if I enter the latitude and longitude it
>will tell me the info needed to aim my dish network dish?
>
>Is there such a database?

There is a program (DS Lookup) written by Don Bradner that does just
exactly this. Altho it is written for the Internet Satellite guys it
works just great for the TV.

It should be found at www.datastormusers.com/lookangle.cfm .

Jon

====================================================
Jon Griffin
SKP 75680 FMCA F257439
Pahrump, NV Sundre, AB
apply ROT13 to my address
Vnz@eniatvqvbgf.arg
====================================================

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MoParMaN - 27 Nov 2005 15:57 GMT

> I'm looking for a database that if I enter the latitude and longitude it
> will tell me the info needed to aim my dish network dish?
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> Thanks
> Brian

No, you'll just have to find out the zip code your near. It doesn't take a
rocket scientist to aim a dish either. I spent 15.00 at radio shaq and got a
meter. It takes me about 2 minutes to align mine. I just laugh at other
spending the whole weekend trying to make theirs work.

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