Thread: Polar axis mount scale and bolts

There is a paper scale attached to the long threaded rod on this 10' Channel Master polar mount. It is glued to a flat side of the threaded bolt, and the scale runs from 48 to 56. I'm sure that I can just ignore this and go ahead and use a declinometer to set the polar axis angle, but I'm just a bit puzzled by these numbers.

From
http://www.satellitehelp.com/installation_index.asp

the polar axis angle for my latitude is about 45 deg which puts it outside the scale on the bolt. Since I don't have any instructions for this dish, can anyone clarify whether I am just missing the rest of the scale, or is it intended to be read differently?

Also the above page talks about the 'apex elevation' but I could not find a clear explanation of what this is?

Looks like the only parts I am missing from the dish is the 4 bolts that attach the base of the polar mount to the plate that is attached to the top of the pole. Looks like this is designed to allow some movement once the pole top plate is tightened down, and it appears to be expecting a bolt with a square shoulder?

Here's a good picture that shows you all that neat stuff. Have fun.


http://www.arrowe.com/polarmount.html

Another site I've found helpful in understanding all this is

http://www.geo-orbit.org/sizepgs/decchartp.html

He's got several pages dedicated to understanding, installing, and aligning C-band dishes, so give it a good read before throwing in the towel.

I think that scale might be for the declination angle.

I just got a 10ft Channel Master and it's hard to find specific information for that particular dish but the links provided from here are pretty good. I think I can get the dish going if I can find a good pole for it.

The only thing I can't figure out is how to reassemble the dish since I took the ring apart to paint it. I made some drawings but they don't make sense to me now.