A method and a device are disclosed for establishing actual changes and intended changes of the spatial angle of a main axis (e) of a sensor or effector attached to a receiver (4.1). The receiver (4.1) is directly rotatable around the first axis of rotation (I) and indirectly rotatable around at least one further axis of rotation (b, a). An optical-electronic angular measurement device (5) having at least two measurement axes is attached to the receiver (4.1). For a first axis of rotation (I, b, a), a rotation is performed around this first axis of rotation (I, b, a), while any rotation around further axes of rotation is prevented. After each rotation step, a first actual change of the spatial angle of the main axis (e) is detected and stored by the angular measurement device (5), and a first intended change of the spatial angle of the main axis (e) is provided and stored by a coder device (10). During use of the device, a carrier base (8), onto which the receiver (4.1) is attached via a carrier (6), is directly or indirectly attached to a movable mounting surface (1).