# An Inexpensive Digital Laser Pointer Clinometer for LOS Surveys.



## Mike500 (May 10, 2002)

Does anyone have the Craftsman Digital Torpedo Level?

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00948295000P?keyword=laser+level&mv=tr

...or the 10 in. Digital LaserTrac® Level?

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00948292000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2

I have the Craftsman 10 in. Digital LaserTrac® Level and find it very handy in finding solid obstructions and determining LOS issues in apartment balcony installs. It has a laser pointer attached to a digital clinometer.

All you need to do is to tilt the digital clinometer on the easy to read screen to the elevation adjustment of the satellite that you want to determine for LOS and move it around the balcony. If the laser pointer hits any obstruction, you will know that that is the boundary of the obstruction. *The distance is short, so the laser dot can easily be seen during the day.*

At night, this instrument can be very very useful for seing how a particular location is treed out. This has become very useful eapecially when you have a map on dishpointer.com.

For a particular location, I'd point the red laser dot to the ground and tilt the clinometer up the leaves in the tree until I clear the top of the tree. That's when the laser dot can no longer be seen. If the angle seen on the clinometer screen is within a few degrees of the desired elevation, it will likely be treed out sometime in the future.

If you haven't used one of these, you'd be surprised on how easy it is to use and how well it works.

And, it's a good demo tool for customers, who can actually see if they have a good LOS.

It's worth a try. If you don't like it, you can always take it back to Sears and get a full refund.


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## wallfishman (Dec 31, 2008)

i use the dishpointer iphone app all day long. Its great for showing customers. its pretty accurate


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Just don't point it to satellites, you could damage some equipment up there .


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## liquidctv (Oct 14, 2010)

Very nice bro. Will check it out. 

>And, it's a good demo tool for customers, who can actually see if they have a good LOS.

Good point!


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## tkrandall (Oct 3, 2003)

Very cool! Definitely something new on my want list. I also like the ability to mount on a tripod.

I have tried boards cut into triangles at the correct inclination angle, but trying to hold the base of the triangle levels while holding a laser pointer on the ramp, or using the eye toi look up the ramp, while also pointing to the right azimuth is, well, a bit difficult.

I just loaded the Dishpointer iphone app on my wife's new 3Gs, but it seem to place the Clarke belt low int the sky. It has the clarke belt in the trees where I currently get signal for the last 8 years. I need to get up on the porch roof by the dish and check for sure.


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