6 Preparing for Installation
General Site Survey
90°
0°
30°
60°
NO
60° 30°
MAYBE
60° 30°
YES!
60° 30°
Where Is The Satellite, Anyway?
The satellite is always located south of Texas. That means if you live
in Miami, you must have a clear line of sight to the southwest; if you
live in San Francisco, you must have a clear line to the southeast.
How High Up in the Sky is the Satellite?
Depending on where you live, the satellite will be at an elevation
angle between 30 and 60 degrees. Southern states point more toward
60 degrees; northern states point more toward 30 degrees.
N
S
EW
N
S
EW
N
S
EW
San Francisco, CA
look southeast
Miami, FL
look southwest
Indianapolis, IN
look southwest
Satellite is here
Finding a Clear Line of Sight
1. Go outside and locate at least one site on your property that
has a clear view to the satellite. You should be reasonably
certain you are pointing toward Texas (unless you’re in
Texas, in which case you should be looking due south). You
may want to use a map.
2. Imagine an arc ranging from 30 to 60 degrees above
the horizon.
3. Do you have at least one clear view to the satellite?
Remember, no trees, leaves, buildings, or windows can be
between the dish and the satellite.
If the answer is NO, your site may be unsuitable for
installing the satellite system.
If the answer is MAYBE, you may want to contact a your
local digital satellite dealer for information about having a
professional installer conduct a thorough site survey.
If the answer is YES, your site should be suitable for
installing the system. Go ahead to the next section in this
manual.