When I adjusted my motorized dish, I was lucky in that I had a satellite for my location which was due south. I found this by clicking on different satellites in the dish pointing calculator (link below) and finding one which had a heading for my location of 180 degrees or due south (actual not magnetic).
So I first set my dish to that satellite... I moved the dish using the motor so it would be straight up and down or in the "0" position. Using the dish pointing calculator, I got the elevation amount for the satellite which was due south and set my dish to that elevation.
Note: If you have a small "offset" dish where the LNBF is mounted toward the bottom of the dish, the dish elevation amount in the dish pointing calculator needs to be adjusted by an offset amount. For example my 35" hotdish has a 15 degree offset when using the bar on the back of the dish for elevation adjustments. Some offset dishes have up to a 22 degree offset. This is because the dish is not pointing where it seems to be pointing. Pretend the dish is a mirror. The LNBF would not see itself in the mirror, the reflection would go upwards. The amount the reflection goes upwards is the offset. The offset amount for your offset dish can be obtained from the dish manufacturer. (usually) If you have a "prime focus" dish or a dish where the LNB/feed horn is in the center of the dish, you would use the actual elevation amount as the dish is pointing where it seems to be pointing.If you have an offset dish, enter the dish offset amount in "Antenna Offset angle" on the calculator below. Then use the "Offset antenna" Elevation" amount for setting your dish elevation.
Next I used a handheld GPS to find 180 degrees or due south. Next I moved the "entire dish" rotating on the pole to point to that direction. Then I used a signal meter and moved the dish (on pole) slightly east/west until I got a satellite signal. Then I adjusted the elevation and rotated the dish so moving it up/down - east/west would not get a better signal. So basically it was right on for that due south satellite.
Next I entered the frequencies for that satellite from lyngsat.com in my receiver and searched for channels. This was to verify that I was pointing at the correct satellite. (There are a lot of satellites up there.)
After I verified it was the correct satellite, I tightened the bolts on the mounting to the pole. Doing this of course messed up the elevation setting, so I corrected that.
Then I used the signal meter and used a battery or the receiver to move the dish east and west to set the arc adjustment. I would move it a little east, get a few satellites, then no more. Same for the opposite direction. Then I moved to the last satellite I could get. I pressed on the dish with my hand to move it up/down to see which direction I needed to adjust my dish to better receive that satellite.
Then I adjusted the arc adjustment slightly that direction, then set the arc adjustment back to where it was. Then I moved back to "0" position, moved the arc adjustment in the direction it needed to go, then re-adjusted the elevation adjustment so it would be right on the due south satellite.
Note: On an HH mount positioner, the arc adjustment is the dish elevation adjustment and the elevation adjustment is the adjustment on the positioner! (Sort of backwards.) My small dish only had bolts to tighten or un-tighten, then you would move the dish up down to make adjustments. This did not work for Ku which needs tiny adjustments to get a perfect signal. So I basically adjusted to dish and positioner to get the arc of all the satellites, then drilled holes and added a turnbuckle (from hardware store) so I could make "tiny" adjustments. When I installed the turnbuckle, I first put it in the "half-way" point of travel.
Next I used the battery/receiver to again move the dish east/west. This time I got more satellites further east and west because my arc was set closer to what it should be. If you get fewer satellites, then you set the arc the wrong direction.
I always made my arc and elevation adjustments (go hand in hand) while pointing at the due south satellite. This is because you will lose the satellite when making the arc adjustment, then you can re-find the satellite with the elevation adjustment.
Now just keep doing this for several days, be patient, take breaks, etc. and eventually you will be able to move the dish east and west for the entire arc and see the signal meter detect satellites for the full range.
After you get your arc basically adjusted, you may need to rotate the whole dish on the pole so the whole arc is pointed a tad more east or west. You can tell if this needs to be done because pressing up on the dish for a far west satellite gets a better signal and pressing the *opposite* direction for a far east satellite gets a better signal. (If the arc was off, you would need to press up on both extremes to get a better signal or down on both extremes.)
Now after moving the entire arc a bit east or west, you may be able to get the arc adjustment to be a little better. You will know when you are done because pressing up/down on the dish for any satellite in the arc will not get a better signal. Then you can go play...
Dish pointing calculator...
http://home.online.no/~jensts/Satellite/lookangles.htm
Degrees and minutes to decimal converter...
http://vancouver-webpages.com/META/DMS.1.html
Convert from feet to meters...
http://www.qsl.net/w4sat/metconv.htm
Linear Mode
