RE: Living in Montana has it's advantages!
All pitch gauges must essentially be used in the same way. You must set your collective to the point where you wish to make the measurement. The swash plate must have no cyclic input (it must be level), and the flybar must also be level. When the gauge is clamped to a rotor blade, then you can make your pitch measurement. Most gauges require that you align the gauge with the flybar to make a measurement.
Before you set up your pitch curve, you must set up your neutral pitch at the middle of the range of your swash plate. At that position, set your pitch to zero. The pitch at the extreme ends of swash plate travel should be equal and opposite.
When you're setting up a pitch curve, you set the collective stick to the position that you are trying to program, and then adjust the setting of that stick position until the pitch gauge reads correctly. Depending on your radio, this may be at 3 or 5 stick positions.