How to Aim a DIRECTV Dish

You have climbed up on your ladder, installed your DIRECTV dish, run the cable to your satellite receiver and connected your TV, but now you've arrived at the point of installation where you must go back up that ladder to aim your dish at the satellite. This is the most crucial part of your installation, as the satellite is at a very specific location in the sky and, without aiming properly, you will experience a less-than-enjoyable viewing experience, if you even have a picture at all.

Things You'll Need

• Satellite dish owner's manual
• Screwdriver set
• Open-ended wrench set
• Partner
• Pair of walkie-talkie or FRS (Family Radio Service) radios
• Computer with internet

Instructions

1. Obtain your home's elevation and azimuth grid coordinates in relation to the satellite by visiting DIRECTV company's finder page (see References). Enter your ZIP code and then click on the "Check" button, writing the coordinates down on a piece of paper.

2. Provide a walkie-talkie or an FRS radio transceiver to your partner and one for yourself. Set both transceivers to the same frequency and test to see if you are both able to hear one another.

3. Turn on your satellite receiver and your TV so the welcome screen appears on your TV set. Look in your particular dish owner's manual for menu instructions and, using that information, activate the menu item that displays the signal strength display bar onto your TV screen.

4. Have your partner sit in front of the TV to watch the bar and return to your satellite dish, taking your radio, coordinates and an appropriate screwdriver or open-ended wrench along with you.

5. Loosen the up-and-down elevation friction screw and slowly move the dish until the alignment mark is lined up with the elevation number you retrieved from DIRECTV's website. Tighten the friction screw tightly.

6. Loosen the azimuth setting friction screw and move the dish slowly left and right, having your partner read you the signal strength over the radio as it changes. When you have found the azimuth setting where it provides you with the greatest signal strength, tighten the friction screw or nut.

7. Loosen the elevation screw or nut one more time and slowly move the dish up and down while your partner continues to read you the signal strength numbers. Once you have aimed the dish elevation setting to obtain the highest signal strength reading, tighten the friction screw or nut. Your dish is now aimed for the maximum obtainable signal strength.

Tips & Warnings

• If you prefer, download and use Google Earth on your computer. Zoom in to your precise location until you are able to see the satellite view of your property and then touch your mouse pointer over the top of your house. Your elevation and azimuth coordinates are displayed in the lower-left portion of the Google Earth screen.

• Do not over-tighten the friction setting screws on the back of your dish, as the screw threads can be easily stripped.

References

• DirecTV Online Dish Pointer Utility (Coordinates by Zip Code)
• DirecTV Self-Installation Guide Online (PDF)