A satellite finder is a satellite signal meter. This is essential for pointing satellite dishes accurately at communications satellites in the geostationary orbit. Thus it becomes an important part of installing a dish for satellite television viewing.

The pointing of the dish towards the satellite becomes of utmost importance to view satellite cable programs. While pointing the dish towards the satellite, the satellite finder is necessary. Before aligning the dish you should turn the gain knob up sufficient so that the needle and the tone are activated. You should get a good azimuth reading on the compass. The dish is made of metal. If the reading on the compass is taken near it, it will be incorrect. You should stand back a few feet and look at a tree top or a house at a distance. Then you should set the elevation setting on the scale on the dish mount. The dish should be placed in such a way that it is loose enough to move side to side and up and down. It should be firmly placed. To know the azimuth and the elevation in your area, you should check the install screen in the receiver menu and enter in your zip code.

You should attach one end of the jumper cable to the output on the LNB and the other end to the Satellite Finder LNB input. The other meter output should be attached to the receiver. If the meter output comes with a battery attached, then you should attach it to that.

Then you should position the dish. Turn it slowly by quarter to half an inch at a time. By this the needle will go up to 10. You should then turn it down to 5. Do not turn it down completely. As the dish is moved, it will again go up to 10. After a few trials, the needle will not be able to get the needle to read to 10. At this point, the reading will fall down with each and every movement of the dish - whether it is side to side or up and down.  When such a situation occurs then you will know that you have found the maximum signal position for the dish. After this is done, you should snug down the dish. Then you should check if the signal is locked. This you can do by checking the dish aiming screen on the television. If the signal is not locked then it means that you have peak the dish on the wrong satellite. You will now realize the importance of the azimuth and compass readings which help to position the dish. Even a movement of ten degrees will make peak on the wrong satellite.

Thus, a satellite finder is a very important part of installing a dish to receive signals when connecting to a television and viewing programs of your choice. Alignment, azimuth and compass reading also play an important part in getting the satellite finder to fix on the right satellite for viewing. All types of cable networks and dish antennas require that it faces a satellite to get show the programs. So, the work of a satellite finder is of utmost importance in installing a dish antenna. With more and more  channels coming up and more and more satellites beaming the programs, the work  of a satellite finder has to be taken into account while installing a dish for  television viewing.