Thread: Need a Heavy Duty Motor

This might be better places in this section instead of the FTA section.

I have a General Dynamics 1130 Series Prodelin 1.2 Meter Dish.


http://www.gdsatcom.com/Antennas/Dat.../76-1-12ro.pdf

I called Sadoun to purchase a motor.

The SM-3D22 has a 27lb limit.

The STAB-HH120 has a 37lb limit.

Though I have not been able to find the actual weight of this dish, shipping weight it listed as 55 lbs. I find it hard to believe the actual weight would less than 50bs or more.

Clearly the C Band motors must be able to handle more weight.

Any suggestions for a more rugged motor that can position a Dish of this weight?

There's several good actuators out there for c-band that will easily handle your dish. I'm using a VonWeise 24" arm personally. A lot of folks like Venture and Thompson Saginaw is supposed to be excellent. The problem you're going to run into is that none of these support diseqc commands. For that you'll need a vbox, and more likely the vbox II. The vbox will accept the diseqc commands and convert them into voltages the actuator uses. The first vbox had a lot of problems. The new model is either in stock at Sadoun or soon will be. I'm not sure how well they work, I don't think anyone here has tried one yet, but with a small dish like yours and a small actuator I'd think you have a pretty good chance of success.

I think Cascade had a similar set up with the original vbox on his 1.2M dish and I'm thinking ShawnGT had one working with a small dish too. Perhaps they can chime in and give more specific recommendations.

I have a Patriot 1.1 meter on a Stab HH-120, works great, if you want to use a arm you will need a polar mount.

My VBOX (DP-710) 'seemed' to work fine.

It worked fine so long as I only programmed in a half dozen sats. By the time I got East of TS when storing positions it was losing positions. After a while it quit acknowdging DiSEqC commands. Later when I was using it to manually operate an actuator it released the magic smoke.

The VBOX II is popular overseas.

I was a at a cross-roads a while back. I was deciding whether I should import a VBOX II from Austrailia (was going to cost aroung $100 when all was said and done) or just try and find a 4DTV and jump into C-band 'for real'.

I got frustrated with the VBOX (DP-710) and eventually un-hooked it in favor of a HTS System 20. Later I 'upgraded' to a HTS System 70 and subscribed to Starz analog when it was still available. About the time that sub ran out I traded my Pansat for a 4DTV.

I haven't really looked back although sometimes I get to thinking that I don't use the 4DTV enough given all the money I have into it.

Anyways... back on topic:

If I was in your shoes... I'd probably pick up a STAB HH-120 and go at it.

Do do an actuator you'll need:
Ribbon cable from the dish to your receiver ($50-$100)
An Actuator ($50 to $200 depending on what you get)
A polar mount for the dish ( ??? - could probably retro-fit the CM one. I think it costs like $50 + ship)
VBOX II ($80)

Now by the time you've got $250 (minimum) into doing this you'll wonder why you don't just setup a BUD. I spend closer to $600 setting up my 5' dish. I bought some stuff twice because of changing my setup... and I spent $300ish of that on my Norsats.

The v box (dp710) is a great canoe anchor when filled with concrete and attached to a large rock. No one I have spoken to has had good luck with them. I tried two of them, first was DOA, second kept loosing track of where the dish was after i programmed in enough sats. Shawn, myself and others all had problems with them, using various actuators/ recievers etc.

The V Box II I had recieved from a vendor (was supposed to be new but was obviously used) worked for a little while, then died. When it could not be warranty repaired i traded it in on a second pansat for the bedroom.

From all I have read on overseas forums the vbox II is a good unit, if I was not fixated on fixed dishs i would try one again.

For your application I think I would try to lose some weight on the dish/ mount and use a standard diseqc motor, or try to find one of the Jaquar (sp?) diseqc mounts / actuators such as Cascade had. If i recall correctly those would handle a 1.2 meter dish.

Originally Posted by tdti1

I have a Patriot 1.1 meter on a Stab HH-120, works great, if you want to use a arm you will need a polar mount.

This one:


http://www.sepatriot.com/ptx1.1.htm

That says its 67lbs box weight?

Mine is clearly 10 lbs lighter to ship...but I assume its above the 37lbs the STAB is rated for.

Simply stated, I would prefer to get something rated for the weight I have instead of living on the edge and complaining if it goes out.

Shock of shocks....while googling polar mount to try and understand what it was you said I needed, apparently this is my Dish with a polar mount - it also says an Echostar mount - and I have no idea what it is speaking of there - as it looks like no dish equipment i've seen.

Anyway, does this help identify something that will work with my setup?


http://www.satsig.net/pol_ex3.htm

I should state my mount looks nothing like this on the back, though the screws that connect to the Dish are clearly in the proper place.

Basicly - the polar mount would be used in place of the conventional azmiuth / elevation mount. Everything from the backside of the dish back would be replaced with the polar mount.

I think they are saying that they think that polar mount came from an Echostar dish.

The polar mount has an elevation and declination setting to make the dish track the arc as it swings East to West. Attached are pics of the polar mounts on my old 5' dish and my current 8' dish.