When installing satellite TV in your home, mounting and aiming the satellite dish antenna is very important. If you aim the satellite incorrectly, you may get poor reception on your TV or maybe none at all. The two main factors in aiming the satellite dish are the direction it faces and the angle it points, which vary according to your geographic location. You only need to deal with these issues if you are installing the dish yourself, which usually isn't necessary since most satellite providers offer free professional installation with their service.
Direction
An unobstructed view of the southern sky is mandatory for any satellite dish; however, this is only true for homes in Earth's northern hemisphere. Satellite dishes in the southern hemisphere need to face north. Whichever direction it needs to face, make sure no large tree branches, poles or other objects are blocking this direction. The southern sky doesn't have to be completely empty; just make sure nothing directly blocks the dish's direct line of sight, taking the angle you aim the dish at into account.
Angle
The angle of the dish is key to getting the best reception. The dish's angle must be between 30 and 60 degrees. For North American locations, the best angle is closer to 30 degrees in northern cities and closer to 60 degrees in the south. Your satellite provider can give you the exact elevation (vertical angle) and azimuth (horizontal angle) for your location if you hooked up your receiver/descrambler box. Turn on the TV and access the on-screen menu with the receiver's remote control to get the precise coordinates.
Other
You should consider other factors in aiming the satellite, in particular the exact location on your roof or wall. It's best to find a location where you can easily access the dish at any time. This is in case the dish's alignment is lost and you need to re-adjust it, or if you need to clean snow or other debris off of it. Also, make sure there are no power lines near your mounting location, as they can interfere with the signal. You also might want a spot that requires the least amount of cable distance between the dish and the TV set.
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