Posts by supwiddiss

  • Help Correctly Aligning My 1.2M Channel Master Dish and moteck H-H180 motor

    Quote from jenseneverest

    supwiddiss


    Is that spring on your rig to take up freeplay ? I had thought about doing similar, but ultimately replaced the ram as found good deal on a super jack

    Yeah. It's a heavy one. 12' 'glass dish. Previously the actuator extension tube bolted more towards the inside. As you see I extended the mounts with angle iron. FYI that's an older pic. She's all painted and purdy now!
    I had the famous "dish flop" as the dish went over zenith. First were the extensions. It made it better and the motor controller "counts" were more linear.
    With the extension more towards the dish rim, "flop" went away.
    Example. 127 W to 123W would be like 180 counts. As it headed up to the top counts would decrease a lot per 2 degrees.
    Made predicting where the next sat would be when initially scanning for them. I have some 40 or so C & ku sats stored so far.
    The spring is on cables and only comes into play as the dish approaches the top. And tension continues to increase as it goes further.
    That pulls back on the actuator. So returning the dish is much easier it.
    All of my pivots have been replaced with pairs of pillow block bearings. There really is no slop at all.
    Oh yeah. Freeplay only happened when the dish was at the top. A little slop. The spring fixed that.

  • Help Correctly Aligning My 1.2M Channel Master Dish and moteck H-H180 motor

    Quote from Dan Addison
    Quote from supwiddiss
    Quote from Dan Addison
    Quote from supwiddiss

    Holy Moley!!!

    ok thanks will do that! (possibly tomorrow, possibly Saturday - depending on weather) < Currently -1 here

    Be Watney.
    "Science the s**t out of it"

    so something like this then? Varnished Cold-pressed steel Equal L-shaped Angle profile, (L)1m (W)27mm | DIY at B&Q

    The good Lordeth gaveth you a braineth in your gourd. You figure it out.
    Make it work. Then make it pretty. It ain't-a-gonna'-lick-itself.
    I can think of 47 ways to get the preliminary alignment done.
    Screw the L-shaped stuff. That's why God gave us washers and spacers.
    Mine works perfectly from 131 W all the way out to 30 W.
    Dish_Back.jpgDish_Back_Cropped.jpg

  • Help Correctly Aligning My 1.2M Channel Master Dish and moteck H-H180 motor

    Quote from Dan Addison
    Quote from claihew

    @supwiddiss    do you know this expression FFS look at the pic in post 119. :thinking face: :thinking face: :thinking face: :thinking face: :thinking face:

    yes i mean if he edited my pics it would make more sense to me than just making other graphics


    ps the black bags at the bottom of the dish mount have stones in them while i wait for slabs to be delivered, they are just on there temp

    I understand FFS as much as the IDGAF biker tee shirt I have.
    And the chickies shirt that reads "it won't lick itself".

    Pallets and bags for a dish mount is super lame btw. Perhaps for a fixed dish where a nudge here or there is marginally acceptible.
    But for a polar mount. No frikkin' way.

  • Help Correctly Aligning My 1.2M Channel Master Dish and moteck H-H180 motor

  • Help Correctly Aligning My 1.2M Channel Master Dish and moteck H-H180 motor

    Please. Look at my illustrations. With due diligence. Be Neo.
    Your dish mounting plate is already way way too low compared to the latitude indicators shown in red.
    Read. Read. And read again. Please. 5 minutes to reply tell me you did not digest all of the steps needed by your.


    Do you see how the dish mounting plate that the dish is fastened to is nowhere close to the angle of the motor pivot shaft?

  • Help Correctly Aligning My 1.2M Channel Master Dish and moteck H-H180 motor

    I requested photos also. Why?
    I searched for your H-H mount and came up with several different brands of dished mounted to them.
    And every single one had the geometry setup differently. Every offset dish does not have the 22.5 degree offset like your does.
    I saw one with a prime focus dish mounted. It was the easiest setup of all.
    I stayed up late compiling a set of graphics. This is as clear as it can be.
    You will need an accurate way to measure angles. As mentioned I have one. A nice little digital angle gauge with magnetic base.
    So far so good?
    Here we go. Going to start with comparisons of a Prime focus dish and yours. "Same, but different"

    Polar Before Declination.jpg


    Here is a prime focus dish bolted to your H-H motor. The motor shaft will be set to the 0 reference. It is assumed you have the mount aligned to true south.

    With the declination adjuster set at 0.


    The degree indicator by the ground pole is set for your latitude.
    Measuring the indicated red angles and the black dish mounting plate angles have to equal the latitude settings. Also indicated on the latitude setting bolt by the ground pole.
    The red angles and black mounting plate angle has to be set for your latitude. As close as you are able to.
    Nothing else matters right now.


    Polar Before Declination.jpg


    Here the latitude angles have been set and all of the adjustable mounts are tightened.
    Look at the satellite arc. The dish is aimed above the satellites in it. We haven't added declination yet.
    When we do add the proper declination angle, the dish will lower and should now be aimed at the satellite arc when it is moved East to West.
    So. We now need to add declination.


    Polar With Declination.jpg


    Using the declination adjuster we look at the scale and lower the dish look angle. It would be a very good idea to put your digital angle gauge on the dish mounting plate for this. Because the stamped numbers on the declination scale will "get you there". A digital gauge will put you spot on.


    After declination is added and the bolts(s) tightened. Your geometry should be very very close.
    Look at the diagram upper right. See how declination put the bullseye right on the satellite arc?
    Exactly what we want. We're ready to look for a satellite signal. Since Thor is your target satellite. It's time to start findng it.

    Now. Let's go to setup your offset dish.
    Here we go.


    Offset Before Offset Adjustment.jpg

    Here we have your offset dish mounted to the H-H motor.
    Red is still set for your latitude. The black dish mount plate is set at your latitude angle.

    But look. The dish look angle is way up there in the sky. See it?
    We need to now adjust the mount to compensate for your dish offset.
    With the declination indicator set at 0 and tightened. We need to loosen the bolts that will allow the dish to tilt down.
    See it? It's "looking" way up in the sky.


    So now. Lower the dish angle. Remember. Not with the declination adjuster. With the slotted mounting bracket .
    Lower it using your latitude degrees minus the offset angle of 22.5 degrees.
    The next graphic shows the results.


    Offset After Offset Adjustment.jpg


    Here we have what you need after the offset adjustment. The blue wedge represents where the black dish mounting plate should be after using the slotted brackets.
    Now we have an offset dish properly setup. The black mounting plate will be angled where the blue wedge is at the back of the dish.
    Look at the dish arc graphic. Just like like the polar mount dish. We are tracking above the satellite arc.
    We need to now add the correct declination angle.


    Offset Offset And Declination.jpgOffset Offset And Declination.jpg


    Here we go. What is your correct declination angle? You now need to adjust that.

    Using the declination adjustment bolt and scale. Plus your digital gauge. Turn the declination adjustment so the dish lowers an additional 7.5 degrees from where it is right now. Tighten the declination adjuster. Double check your math.


    Look at the satellite arc graphic now. Your dish is very close to tracking the arc and the bullseye shows the effects of the angles at the dish.


    You are ready to find your target satellite signal.

    Every angle you set is correct. But still a little "Fuzzy".

    You will move the dish in very small incements. East and West.
    Every time you move it just a very little. Lift up and push down on the dish rim.


    When you finally locate Thor. Use the E-W movement to get the highest signal.
    If the dish need to be raised or lowered. Use the declination adjustment.
    But......if the declination adjustment would have to moved a lot. It would be better to loosen the slotted adjustments to do that.
    You really need to keep the declination adjustment scale within only a few degrees.


    As you try to locate other satellite. Start at ones the closest to Thor first.
    Expect to find tracking errors. Use the chart below and think what is happening.


    You may find that Thor signal is the highest it can get after you tweak the adjustments.

    And the next satellite you locate. You may have to pull up or push down on the dish rim.

    It will get worse as you get further away from Thor.

    Get a pattern. "Do I have to pull up or push down on the dish to get a better signal?".


    A few tips to remember. It's in many polar mount (the type you have) no matter who made them.


    Tracking errors higher in the arc. Use the latitude adjustment.

    Tracking errors at arc extremes. Use the declination adjusters.

    You may have to loosen the whole mount on the pole and turn it a little bit.

    It's a delicate dance.


    And none of these types of mounts are plug and play. More like plug and patience.

    And it's definitely nothing like being Neo and suddenly knowing Kung Fu.


    Tuning the arc.jpgTuning the arc.jpg

  • Help Correctly Aligning My 1.2M Channel Master Dish and moteck H-H180 motor

    Dish Setup Data:


    Motor Latitude (Elevation): 52.8°

    Declination Angle: 7.5°


    Dish Elevation: --° < what about this??


    Dish Elevation would be shown if you were searching for a satellite. We are setting the initial geometry of the dish and mount.
    So once the H-H (polar) mount is set up correctly. Elevation will follow the arc spot on.
    Remember that for a single satellite on a fixed pole (non motorized). We need to know the azimuth and elevation.
    Got it? Yes/No??


    Silly Questions i guess:



    Do i set my Declination Angle: 7.5° ? < there isnt a 7.5 as it only goes 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 < so should i set it to 7 instead??

    The answer is yes. "Interpolate" it. Guess. You have 7 and you have 8.
    7.5 is right in the middle of 7 and 8.
    Please set that scale to zero until you get the dish bolted down.

    After the proper 22.5 degree offset (reflection angle) is set.
    Afterwards we can then add the 7.5 degrees.
    That should be the very last step.



    Do i now set my Motor Latitude (Elevation): 52.8°?? < there isn't a 52.8° as it only goes 0,5,10,15,20,25,30,35,40,45,50,55,60,65,70,75,80,85,90 < so should i set it to 52 or 53 instead??

    52.8 is pretty darned close the middle of 50 and 55. Why not set it in between them? I would.


    im only asking so i know, and i guess because it says 7.5 (Declination) some how i have to work out how to set it to that??? and the same for the Motor Latitude (Elevation) to 52.8 (work out where 52.8 is)?? or ....

    Don't forget. The 7.5 degrees declination will only come into play once you get the dish reflection angle (offset angle) correct.
    That is why there are all of the slotted adjustments on the dish mounting hardware.
    Again. Declination will be the very last thing we worry about here.
    Let's not put the cart in front of the horse.


    and you are saying my dish should be pointing down to the grass when its correctly aligned? does my dish need to go even higher then?....

    Nooooo. Not down to the grass. But 22.5 degrees lower than the elevation angle.
    So. You have the elevation set as close to 52.8 as you can. Right?
    And the motor shaft is set at 0. Yes?
    And the dish, if you were able to put the gears of the motor in neutral to swing it over the arc.
    It is as high in the arc as it will go. Right?
    And you lay a long straight stick from the top of the dish rim to right in between the lnb bracket on the bottom of the dish rim.
    Use your angle gauge. And angle it down towards the grass.
    The angle to set it at?
    What is that?
    Elevation (latitude) angle minus reflection (offset) angle.
    What is 52.8 minus 22.5?
    Not aimed in the grass. No. But lower than if the dish face was angle was set the same as the elevation. Bolt it down there.
    Then we add declination. You will use the actual adjustment bolt between the dish mounting bracket to set that.
    That will make the dish another 7.5 degrees lower. Not in the grass. But lower, yes.
    Got it? Yes/No??


    just so im 10000% clear... is this correct for tracking the arc starting at/aligning to Thor 0.8w??
    It is the correct procedure to start the align for Thor.
    The rule is always "After setup of the dish mount, aim for the satellite closest to true South of your location"
    So if Thor is your satellite closest to true South. That's where we start.

    ...............................................................................................................................................................................................
    The angle gauge closest to the pole is the angle of the motor shaft that turns the dish through the arc.
    Yes? No?

    The metal plate that the fiberglass dish is mounted to starts out at the exact same angle that the motor shaft is.
    And the declination adjustment in between the slotted dish mount is set at 0.
    Yes? No?

    The specifications for your fiberglass dish states that it "sees" satellites 22-1/2 degrees higher than the rear mounting plate.
    With the plate angle set exactly the same as the motor (elevation) angle.
    The metal plate would be "looking" at satellites in the sky.
    But the dish itself with the LNBF on the bottom of it is "looking" at satellites higher in the sky.
    So you have to lower the dish 22-1/2 degrees. Using the adjustable slotted brackets.
    Yes? No?

    .........ever play pool/billiards? hit the cueball straight on at the rail? the cueball bounces off of the rail and comes right back at you. if you hit the cueball at an angle off of the rail, it bounces away on the table at the same angle it was struck.




    See Again its different Declination and Elevation.....

    Yes! I would like clear photos of as good of a side view of you dish, motor, side view of it all that just fits the frame.
    Side view of the dish mounted to the plate.
    A perfect side view of the motor showing the angle scale with the motor shaft included in it.
    Please.

    And also if you would. Copy this and 'paste it without formatting' in future replies if you could. Please.



  • Help Correctly Aligning My 1.2M Channel Master Dish and moteck H-H180 motor

    Firstly. No attitude. No 85 point font. Not shouting. The mental block is yours. The frustration is also.
    This is why your post in satelliteguys was nixed.
    There are a few concepts you have to understand that you are just not getting.
    Because your post is so fragmented. List the post #'s you wish me to read.

    Firstly. Go to dishpointer and enter your location.
    Then from the list select Motorized True South / True North.
    Set your motor elevation to what youScreenshot 2024-01-17 at 14-00-50 DishPointer - Align your satellite dish.png are given for your latitude. Lock it down.
    Assure the dish is pointed true South. Not magnetic south as you would get using a magnetic compass.

    Your H-H mount is designed for both prime feed (LNBF at the center of the dish) and offset feed dishes (Like yours).
    Different offset dishes have different offset (reflection) angles.
    Hence the funky mounting bracket.

    The point at the grass thing is to open up your mind. It was not meant to be stupid. It was to try to explain to you why you need to mount your dish on the mount so that the reflection angle is equal to the elevation adjustment.
    Because if you set the dish mounting plate equal to the elevation of the motor.
    Your dish will be pointed 22.5 degrees higher in the sky.
    You MUST lower the whole dish by 22.5 degrees to get the reflection correct.

    Please look at and absorb the graphic.
    If you lived at the equator (of course you don't, I know).
    And you mounted a prime focus dish. Which reflects directly off of the face of the dish. Picture a magnifying makeup mirror.
    At the equator the elevation (latitude) is 0. So a dish of this type would be mounted facing straight up in the sky.

    If we put your dish on the mount the same way. It would be reflecting at an angle. 22.5 degrees for yours.
    So what do your do? You tip it so the LNB and entire face of the dish is 22.5 degrees lower.
    Then it too will be reflecting straight up in the sky.
    And FYI. If you did live on the equator. That is exactly how your dish would be mounted.
    When you steer it across the arc. It would swing directly overhead East to West.

    And that is why you need to get your reflecting angle on your mount to be the same as your latitude.
    Then you add the correct amount of declination with the adjustable bolt with degree scale closest to the dish you mentioned.

    No sir. I am not being rude at all. Do not take it that way.
    You wanted illustrations, you got them.PrimeRefReference.jpg

  • Help Correctly Aligning My 1.2M Channel Master Dish and moteck H-H180 motor

    Your manual shows a completely different dish mounting bracket.
    With slotted adjustments separate of the motor declination adjustment.

    Hence your brain fart.

    Look. Absorb this. Photo attached.

    Prime focus dishes "look" straight at satellites in the sky. And the declination angle is determined when you set the correct elevation.
    And lower the dish according to the declination angle you're told.

    The rear plate is parallel with the dish face. This is parallel = and this is parallel ||

    Your offset dish. If the front surface, rear mounting plate, and ground pole. Were parallel to each other, | | |
    The dish would still be looking 22.5 degrees up in the sky.
    Because that is the specification of your dish. The offset angle is + 22.5 degrees.

    On my prime focus dish. To "look" at something straight across the yard. I point it straight to the object.

    Your dish, to "look" at something in the same place as me. The whole dish face would have to actually be pointed at the grass.
    You HAVE to see that........

    So no matter what your declination scale says. You have adjustments. You HAVE to get the dish mounting plate 22.5 degrees LOWER than the elevation angle.

    Get it? Set the declination scale at 0.
    Use your digital angle gauge flat on the back of the dish mounting plate.
    Adjust the dish brackets to to read your latitude. Which is 52.6 degrees.
    That angle should also be set on the elevation adjustment for your location. Which I take it is Norfolk, UK.

    Now your dish mount and elevation should be parallel. Remember | | to each other.


    Next you have to adjust the dish mounting plate LOWER. To compensate for the dish offset built into it.
    That is 22.5 degrees. It's "looking" too high in the sky right now.


    So. Subtract 52.6 - 22.5 degrees. That equals 30.1 degrees.
    Your dish is now aimed straight up in the sky over the equator.
    You NOW need to compensate for the declination.
    Declination for your area is 7.5 degrees.


    Subtract another 7.5 degrees. 30.1 - 7.5 equals 22.6 degrees.

    Lower the dish using the declination adjustment bolt if it will allow you to 7.5 degrees.


    PrimeOffset.jpg



    You must understand all of this. "Too Complicated" won't get it dude. If this is in fact too complicated after 47 helpful replies to a pretty easy install. You need assistance from somebody who does "get it".
    I've put this into Sesame Street for you.
    We all could have just said Go stab a pole in the dirt and good luck. Read the instructions.
    But we didn't.

    Now get outside and set that damned dish up.

  • Help Correctly Aligning My 1.2M Channel Master Dish and moteck H-H180 motor

    You must understand. You have to set up the whole mount correctly first. Then if you wish to find 0.8 W you can do that after.

    And I forgot to mention also. If you have moved the motor at all. Before setting it up properly. You will have to return it to the 0 reference that should be on the motor itself. Understand?
    Very similar to the Stab satellite motors that you say you are familiar with.

    From post #13. Jens is correct.
    The first thing after setting up the mount as accurate as possible.
    Is to find the True South satellite for your longitude.

    You say yours is 0.4023 W.

    So selecting Thor at 0.8 W would be a very good choice.

    We have to understand together. Your motor should be mounted correctly on the ground pole.
    You have the elevation angle set as accurately as you are able.
    You have the dish declination set correctly.
    After this you do NOT move the motor on the ground pole.
    You DO run the motor with electricity to find Thor.

    A phone application will let you look through the camera lens and see exactly where it is in the sky.
    You move the dish motor with electricity to aim it at Thor as close as you can.
    Then you can gently pull or push the bottom of the dish. And gently pull or push the edge of the dish.
    You need to find signal on a strong transponder on Thor.
    If you find signal but find that the dish has to go East or West a little bit.
    Use electricity to nugde it that way.

    If you find a signal. And the bottom of the dish rim had to be pulled up in the air or pushed down to the ground just a little bit.
    Then you can slightly adjust the Elevation on the dish mount.

    The rest is similar to the mount that you are familar with. Use the Philosophy chart in post #87 to figure out how to adjust the dish mount for other satellites in the arc.
    You WILL need to make sure that at first when you do look for a neighbor satellite.
    When you do locate it and get signal.

    You HAVE to again check if pushing or pulling the dish rim at the bottom of it makes signal better or worse.
    Then looking at the Philosophy chart.
    SLOWLY adjust the motor mount on the pole.
    Eventually you will be able to track satellites and keep a very good signal.

    It is VERY similar to the way you set up the STAB motor.

    You can ask more questions. Everything you need to know to set up the motor on the ground pole is here.
    You HAVE to be able to go outside and do all of that first.
    If right now, Today. You cannot do that.
    Please. Wait until you can.

    You seem to have the skills to edit images and add graphics to them.
    And I hope when you are able to go outside to start PROPERLY doing the setup.
    You have a digital angle gauge or protractor that can measure at least to 0.1 degree. It will save you a ton of time.
    Because the stamped scales on the motor and dish mount are only close. They are not exact.

    If you have no more questions. Please. Let's just wait until you can go outside and verify that ALL angles are correct.
    Do not forget to return the motor to the 0 reference marking on it. Just like the Stab type mount that you know.

    Stay here please. You will confuse and frustrate other guys on other sites and they will think that you are irritating them.
    Everything that you need to know has been repeated in pretty much the exact same way.
    The only thing left is for YOU to understand and absorb the steps to do it.
    And be at your dish to perform every single step. Print this out. Use a highlighter to mark all of the procedures.

    Lets all wait until you can go outside again. Because going any further will be a pain in the ass without you being able to actually do it.
    Deal?????

    Hopefully the admins will keep this open.

  • Help Correctly Aligning My 1.2M Channel Master Dish and moteck H-H180 motor

    Quote from Dan Addison
    Quote from geowhitt

    The pics i have put on are all in the UK.

    My dish is not set up as yet thats to do when its warm.

    ok

    I understand. So you have a situation where comprehension is a little difficult.

    You have also posted this exact topic on satelliteguys. And many have assisted in giving you advice.

    There is very little difference in setting up a dish mount like this or a Stab type smaller dish mount that you mentioned in your opening post.

    If you are unable understand all of the advice of others. And the weather prevents you from being at the dish to set it up.
    I would ask that you read. And read. And read again.

    And then one by one list the parts that you do not understand.

    But it will be very difficult to assist you if you cannot perform the correct steps in person with you at the dish.
    You will need to start somewhere. And that is all listed in my two replies to you.
    And the other that jump in to offer assistance.

    You must understand all of the setup geometry. And there is (again) very little difference if you have setup a smaller motorized dish mount.

    Let us know when you are ready to do it.

    And please pick a website instead of asking all over the place. It confuses you and it frustrates us.

  • Help Correctly Aligning My 1.2M Channel Master Dish and moteck H-H180 motor

    Being nice here.
    It's time to start understanding because stabbing in the dark wont get you anywhere at all.
    If things could be explained any better then you should ask. This is the basics of the similarities of how a telescope with equatorial mount is setup once the tripod legs are stabbed in the dirt and it's set level.

    The "Just Because" thing you wrote. If you want to receive one and only one satellite, that may fly.
    You stated this data for your location:


    Dish Setup Data

    Elevation: 30.0°

    Azimuth (true): 57.3°

    Azimuth (magn.): 57.3°

    LNB Skew [?]: 0.0°

    If my arrow were pointing straight up in the sky inline with the ground pole (which I hope is 100% level all the way around it).
    And you tilt the mount using the scale for elevation to 30 degrees. Like the list above says it should be for your location. Right?
    The arrow will hopefully be tilted back from vertical 30 degrees also.

    Okay. Then you need a compass at the very least. To spin the dish mount so that the LNB on the dish points true South. Not magnetic south.
    That is the azimuth angle. If you get in front of the dish and look straight at the LNB.
    Or better yet. Put a string across the face of the dish horizontally. And tie another string dead nuts in the middle of the first one.
    Extend that string out to the centerline of the LNB across the top of it. Maintaining 90 degrees measured where the 2 strings meet at the dish center.

    If you look straight along the LNB-dish string. Spin the entire mount on the pole so that the string is aimed at 57.3 degrees.
    Then adding 180 degrees to that. 237.3.
    A compass put along the string reads 57.3 degrees looking at the dish face.
    And the string pointing south reads 237.3 degrees. Your true south.

    Getting this 100% correct is paramount. Understanding it is paramount.
    It's not a "Just Because" thing.

    Declination is the next thing. Follow Saturn. Jupiter, Mars across the sky all night long.
    Satellites follow a similar arc but of course are in a fixed position.
    Again. My arrow and the perpendicular red connector at 90 degrees to it.

    If I setup my telescope the exact same way (Your dish is a telescope...and it too has an equatorial...polar...modified German.....mount)
    If I swung the telescope across the sky looking for planets. I would swing high, right over them.
    So I would add declination...an angle lower than 90 degrees to the polar axis. And then I can track that planet all across the sky and be able to find it fast again even if I walked away for a bit.
    Satellites follow a similar arc. You can see that in a phone app with AR view where you look at the sky through the camera.

    Can't explain it any better. Cut a sheet of paper and make a mask. Read and understand every single paragraph. Because that's how you have to do it all.

  • Help Correctly Aligning My 1.2M Channel Master Dish and moteck H-H180 motor

    My Turn. Listen up!

    Your HH mount is a polar mount. Being a polar mount you have to get the pivotal axis of the motor pointing directly at the North Star.
    See the clip of your motor? With the red arrow? The arrow is pointing true North. Not magnetic North.
    The scale on the mount may be very accurate, it may not be. I don't care. Get a digital protractor.
    Get an imaginary line going straight through the pivot center pointing TRUE NORTH. That will be your latitude angle.

    Next. See the first picture? That illustrates the offset dish at 0 degrees declination.
    IF you get the polar angle set for your latitude. And the dish mounted at 0 degrees declination.
    AND you swing the motor West to East. You will be skimming over the top of every single satellite in the Clarke Belt.
    They are all parked out there ~ 22,000 miles (homey don't do kilometers).....over the equator of the rock we call home.

    So you need to dip the dish. Just the dish. DOWN. Adding Declination. To let it point at satellites. Not over the top of them.
    Once the latitude is set and fixed. The only time you adjust it is later to correct tracking errors that WILL need to be tweaked.

    The second clip shows the dish aligned with true North, correct for your Latitude. WITHOUT declination. Imagine a globe superimposed under it.
    Get it? The dish is pointed perpendicular with the motor pivot angle. And is tracking right over the top of every single satellite in the arc.
    Add the correct declination.

    If you have your vbox outside. Use your phone app to find a satellite that is closest to Zenith. Or the highest point in the sky that the dish will point.
    Me? I run my actuator with a 12 volt battery from my Harley or lawn tractor. Polarity one way on the motor, it goes East. Swap the wires, it goes West.
    Slow.
    Signal finder hooked up, receiver hooked up outside (I don't even now why people buy those damed things....sat finders....JUNK).
    Time to hunt for a signal. Tune to a known strong transponder on a sat closest to the highest point in the sky.
    Remember the phone app? You better!

    Oh yeah. While you're at it. Skew angle on polar mounts. With the dish at zenith. The 0 scale on the lnbf needs to be pointed straight up (or straight down toward the ground. So one probe in the throat of it is straight up (or down at your toes). And the other probe level with the horizon.
    Again. Perhaps tweaking to peak signal later on.

    Bump the dish E/W and check if you snag a signal. Pull down, push up the dish rim gently to see if you need to tweak declination.
    And gently move the rim E-W. Again checking if you snag a signal. Patience, grasshoppa'. Patience.

    Yay. You got your first satellite. Tweak only the decination and E-W motor position. Do NOT touch elevation.
    Now you need to snag a signal a few degrees East and then West.
    And then you WILL need the tracking error solution figure-outter-er sheet to learn and fix why the dish isn't tracking correctly.
    ChannelMasterHH.jpg


    Tuning the arc.jpg


    I overheard an old man tell a dude once. "Boy, you give me the liqui-sh**s".

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    Quote from car123

    do u have covers to cover the electrics at the end of the motor arm

    These questions are easily found with a Google search. Some manufacturers such as Venture and Von Weise have rubberized covers for their actuator motor/geartrains. So yes. Or making sure the actual motor is oriented up and the entire assembly has the actuator end link higher than the motor unit so any rain drains back and out of the motor cover drain holes.
    A lot of these things are common sense and with a little thought applied, will make sense to you also.
    Even accordion boots have weep holes in between the ribs of them. The user guide and common sense tell you that the holes should be positioned so that any moisture drains out the bottom of them.
    My motor/geartrain is serviced every so often. I clean and replace the grease in it. Replace motor brushes, lubricate the motor armature bearings.
    When reassembled, it gets a good degreasing of the motor and gearcase.
    Then a few coats of Flex Seal spray rubberized water seal.

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    Quote from car123

    do u no were u can buy ruber boots from if its near u have u got there email so i could buy one off then that sould help keep the rain out what resecer have u got have it conected to the v box or is the vbox run seprate from ur satllite box

    Depends on your location. You stated that you have a 12" stroke actuator. I see several on eBay.
    You will need to know your tube diameters. The main tube and the extendable tube.

    Perhaps if you could at least use a translator and post your questions, things would make much more sense.

    I do not understand this:

    "what resecer have u got have it conected to the v box or is the vbox run seprate from ur satllite box".

    The vbox can be used stand alone. And controlled by the receiver.
    If you haven't read the user manual. You should. vbox, gbox......very similar.

    If connected to the receiver like:
    Receiver coax out to lnb >> vbox coax in >> vbox coax out to lnb >> to lnb.

    And the vbox has motor and sensor cables out to the linear actuator.
    As Jens screen shot demonstrates. If you tune to a channel on the receiver. And the channel is on satellite 36. And n the vbox you have that satellite position stored as position 36.
    The receiver will send a DISEqC signal over the coax to the vbox. "Go-To position 36".
    The vbox receives the go-to signal and operates the motor until the counter reaches the pre-stored position. And shuts the motor off.
    So in the receiver. For me. I store all channels in Bouquets named for the channels on a satellite. Lets say "99 W Galaxy 16".
    Each group of channels are stored in a Bouquet that represent the name of the satellite. From west to east, in order.

    I do not have a vbox. But if they have a 'resynchronize satellite position' function.
    You set that up in the menu and have one satellite as the reference. Let's say the reference satellite is stored in memory slot 1.
    If the satellite was tuned perfect for memory slot 1. And the position counter shows.....1920.
    But later on you find that you have to manually move the actuator with the vbox to peak satellite signal on that satellite.
    And the highest signal is now......1930. You would peak the signal for the satellite at position 1.
    Then set the vbox to resynchronize positions. All satellite positions would be shifted the same amount in the vbox memory.

    That is how my ASC-1 works anyhow.


  • image and satllite positioner

    If it's out in the weather (of course it is) rain, etc. will get in. For the extendable tube there are accordion boots that help keep weather out and have drain holes in them.
    For the motor/gearbox you will see the motor on top of the gearbox and the bearbox cover has drain holes on the bottom.

    As Jens showed. Each satellite will have a DISEqC position assignment in the setup menu.
    As you get that satellite manually positioned with the motor controller and peaked for the maximum signal.
    You will store that position in its respective memory assignment in the controller.
    Jens shows 36.0 E assigned to position 36. So when you get the dish positioned on that satellite. You then store that position in the controllers memory position 36 also.
    And so on and so on.

    If you calculate the position display in counts displayed. And you find that for example there is 30 counts difference in 2 degree spaced satellites.
    Then you come up with 15 counts/degree of dish movement.
    The of course if you are looking for a satellite that is 4 degrees away from the one you are on. You calculate the current position + 60. And you should land pretty close to that satellites location.
    Depending on the geometry of the actuator mount on the dish. Lower elevations may give one ratio (15/deg.) and as the dish is moved more towards the sky you find it decreases to something lower or higher. That's where a notepad and pencil comes in handy to keep notes.

    Another thing. If you have satellites stored in memory. And you "bump" the E-W buttons on the controller to peak more signals before storing their positions.
    You will find other previously stored satellites dislpay less signal. Because the actuator and sensor counts really don't stay synched.
    Good luck!

  • image and satllite positioner

    Need more information. What controller? What actuator?
    Is it a reed switch or hall switch?
    When it travels one way does the counter increment or decrement?
    And the other way where you say you have problems is the counter working?