How to Use a Dish HDTV Antenna
A high-definition television antenna receives free digital signals from broadcast towers maintained by the local TV network affiliates. A HDTV dish-mounted antenna receives a digital signal from a tower that is farther away because the parabolic nature of the dish which increases the antenna's receptive capabilities. The HDTV antenna must be pointed in the direction of the towers, necessitating knowing their location relative to your dish.
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Things You'll Need
- PC
- Internet connection
- Web browser
- Paper
- Pencil
- Phillips screwdriver
- Compass
Instructions
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1
Go to the FCC's TVQ TV Database Query website. Enter the "Call Sign" (lettered name) of the TV channel whose TV tower you would like to be able to access in the "Call Sign" text field. Select your State from the "State" drop down menu above the text field.
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2
Select "All Channels" from the "Upper Channel/Lower Channel" drop down menu. Select "All services" from the "Service" drop down menu below Upper Channel/Lower Channel." Press "Enter." Click once on the link appearing next to the name of the TV station you entered into the text field earlier.
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3
Click on the link labeled "ASRNs within 0.5km radius" that appears on a new web page. Scroll down to where the longitude and latitude for the station is listed. Write this information down on a piece of paper.
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4
Go to a TV station location information website, for example the "TVFool" website. Enter your address in the "Address" text field on the web page. Press the "Enter" key.
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5
Scroll down the list on the pop-up window that appears until you come to the name of the TV station whose tower you are trying to access. Write down the tower's longitude and latitude information on a piece of paper.
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6
Go to the Google Map website. Enter the latitude information written down into the "Search" text field on the web page, followed by a comma and then the longitude information. Press "Search Maps." Look at the map and discern the direction of the tower relative to your location, i.e., whether the tower is North or North by Northeast of you.
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7
Go to the HDTV dish antenna. Loosen the screws on the top of the bracket that the HDTV dish is seated in -- use a Phillips screwdriver. Rotate the dish in the direction that has it facing the TV tower -- use a compass to aid in doing this. Tighten the screws on the top of the bracket.
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8
Loosen the knobs on the side of the bracket holding the dish that control the elevation and azimuth settings. Raise and lower the dish while checking the elevation noted on the scale at the side of the bracket. Lock down the dish when the scale reads the same as the longitude written down. Repeat this procedure, only moving the dish from side to side while viewing the scale in order to set the latitude for the dish.
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