Analog Satellite Signal Finder Strength Meter with LNB to REC Connector and dB Level Control

I was looking for a way to setup my RV satellite dish for my Dish Hopper, this dish setup picks up 3 different satellites so it can be a bit challenging to setup. I bought this finder and it has a nice tone and adjustable range so locating a satellite is pretty easy, my first attempt was very successful although it is sometimes difficult to determine if you are pointed at the correct of 3 satellites so I use an Android app called Satellite Finder to give me the approximate locations and determine if obstructing trees are in the way and setup the dish to get a clear view. I level the dish tripod and setup the angles for the location I am in and then power up the dish with this meter in the line to my "Solo node" box that is mounted on the dish itself. I can immediately locate the satellite with this meter, peaking the angles for highest sound (adjusting the knob to lower the level if too high) until I am satisfied, then I use the Dish receiver locater to tweak for best signal on all three satellites. I doubt that any of the meters like this work any better, so this is perfect and inexpensive, so buy it!

A couple of years back Dish Network sent a tech to convert my HD two dish system to a one dish system. The installer mounted the dish on the old second dish pole which was just beside and behind a Bradford Pear tree. Fast forward two years and the tree has grown out so much that it had begun to shadow the dish and I start getting rain fade in a sprinkle. So I decide to move the dish to a mount on the side of the house. Worked OK but still not good and still with easy rain fade.Rather than pay the $15.00 fee to have a technician re-aim my dish (and possibly get charged the full fee for having moved it myself) I decide to buy this meter. The meter arrived today and in 30 minutes I had the dish aligned and working perfectly again (azimuth and elevation were both off). The meter is easy to use and the tone is loud enough to hear outside some distance away. I highly recommend this product to all the other DIYers.

Update: I had some time to play with this meter and finally figured out how to use it. Once you've got it hooked up to your receiver and lnb, you turn the attenuation knob till the meter starts "squeezing". Keep adjusting the knob until it reads 5 or a bit more. Then aim your antenna until the reading jumps. You should be pretty close.You really need to have your antenna pre set to the elevation and skew angle (assuming multiple lnbs) and have the pole the antenna is mounted on as close to vertical as possible.Bought this to help align my Dish system while on the road with my RV. Could never find a satillite with it. I ended up guessing and running in and out of the camper until I got a decent signal on two birds. Hooked meter back in and it still did not do anything even when the dish was aligned and I was receiving programming.This is my third one of these cheapo meters that were completely useless. From now on I'm bringing my receiver our with an extension cord and a 5" HDMI monitor. I'll point the dish with the receiver.WHen I look at some of the "higher end" satilite finders ($100 and up), virtually all the reviews say "Does not work in North America"

I found a good suggestion on the web to cover the two outer LNBs with tin foil when aiming a dish 1000 with the meter as the dish can easily be centered on the wrong satellite. After pre-setting the skew and elevation for my zip code according to installation instructions, I covered the two outer LNBs with foil and swung the dish slowly and found all three satellites. I chose the center one and uncovered the LNBs, ran a set switch on the receiver and I had all three satellites indicated as ok. I then peaked the dish on 119 in my case using the receiver point dish screen and I was good to go. Dishpointer.com is a great visual aid to find a good spot to plant your dish. I did not want it mounted on the roof and a backyard fence worked as a good mounting location.

So let me tell you what this thing is/does. It is powered by you receiver. You hook it up between the LNB on the the dish and you receiver, you'll need a small piece of coax to do this. I used a 3' piece of RG-59 - no problem. The device has a back-lit meter, a buzzer and a knob. The knob adjusts the sensitivity of the device. Here are my instructions because the ones provided are only good for comedic relief.Turn the knob full clock-wise and hook it up. Set the dish to your best guess. If you are close at all it will start to buzz and peg the needle on 10. Turn down the sensitivity (counter-clockwise) until you get to about 5 on the meter. now move the dish on one axis to improve the meter reading. As you get closer you will peg the meter again, just turn the sensitivity down again until you get back to 5. Keep repeating util you can't peg the needle and get the biggest reading you can. Now lock down the dish in the axis and repeat with the other axis. Took me about 20 minutes.Do this on a clear day if you can, clouds will move the meter and make it hard to tell if you are moving in the right direction or that cloud just passed. I only gave this a 4 out of 5 because the meter doesn't work well below a five reading. If you adjust below five often the signal would disappear. This means you can only use it between five and ten which makes for more adjusting.

I do order this product Amazon redirect by ANTonline a month ago. The 1st one I order it was never work, so I return it to ANTonline and got only 50% refund(Not much, but better than nothing). Since I'm try to do some work during the Christmas time, I order another one again. I do the same procedure and finially hook up. The light is "ON"(Look ok) When I try to search satellite, I can't even get any signal at all in any direction. So I feel like I'm getting the fail product again.....very very disappointed. This time, I'm not going to return it since I won't get a full refund plus I have to pay the shipping fee by myself. So it going to end up I only have $5 back to my account. IT IS NOT WORTH TO RETURN IT.....SO I DECIDED TO EAT IT AND NOT GOING TO ORDER IT AGAIN....