i need to do a reinstall of my actuator which is a Harl 3624+ and need to now if my current install is right or what i need to fix
Actuator Install is this right
- Thread starter jmc98
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That would be the gold bracket correct ?
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Yes the gold clamp. Just slide the actuator downward in the clamp until your dish points at your most western satellite and tighten it there. When the actuator extends the dish will move eastward.
That wall/fence looks really tall and close...
That wall/fence looks really tall and close...
Cham said:
I was thinking that same thing?
Wonder what part of the USA he's in? Since there's no dual mounting points on that dish that actuator "might" have to be out that far to reach back East, ie, he can't mount it on the opposite side like is normally done by those in the Western part of USA.
My location is fort worth texas the fence height is not making a difference as for the east mount for the actuator wold be to much work to add it
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Well, Texas is about in the middle part of the country so mounting on either side is probably OK as long as you can get as far out on both ends of the arc as you want to go.
Is your actuator setup so that when it's on the West Limit Switch the inner tube isn't bottomed out inside the outer tube? With the West limit switch activated you should have about 1 1/2 to 2 turns of the screw left before it bottoms out inside the housing.
Is your actuator setup so that when it's on the West Limit Switch the inner tube isn't bottomed out inside the outer tube? With the West limit switch activated you should have about 1 1/2 to 2 turns of the screw left before it bottoms out inside the housing.
Sorry this may sound dumb but where in the superjack motor are the limit switches located ? Also on a west side mount is the far western satellites fully retracted or extended ?
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The Ideal situation would be to have the dish pointed at 139W with the actuator almost fully retracted.
On the Super Jack that's on my Raydx dish and the one that was on the SAMI that I gave away the full retract or West limit switch/cam is the one closest to the rear plate. The East limit switch cam will be the one stacked on top of the West one and it has one phillips head screw in the center holding it in place.
You can change the setting on the East limit cam but not the West limit cam. To change the East limit cam you have to loosen that phillips head screw about a turn or so and then move the East limit cam either closer to or further away from the limit switch depending on which way you need to go.
If you get to a point where you need to move the West limit, then you need to move the whole actuator housing in or out of that gold clamp that holds it in place.
You can change the setting on the East limit cam but not the West limit cam. To change the East limit cam you have to loosen that phillips head screw about a turn or so and then move the East limit cam either closer to or further away from the limit switch depending on which way you need to go.
If you get to a point where you need to move the West limit, then you need to move the whole actuator housing in or out of that gold clamp that holds it in place.
thanks everybody but i will no longer persue the project as i am in over my head and cant get the proper tools to align the dish so i am noiw going to givie the dish away and sale the items i have that have value this project was fun while i know what i was doing
Step away for a few days and regroup your thoughts.... All you need is an angle finder (one on your smartphone?) and a TV connected to your STB/controller sitting next to the dish. You don't need meters or anything else. Get one sat coming in and the feeling of accomplishment will take you to the next step.
Sometime too many suggestions from us well meaning members tend to overwhelm!
Sometime too many suggestions from us well meaning members tend to overwhelm!
Titanium is right!! Once/if you find that first satellite (usually your due south) you'll be hooked for life!! 
Then it's easier to find others in either direction. Once you get three or four from due south you can do the math on the counts between satellites and it gets easer as you go along.
Just don't give up so easily as there's plenty of help here and all you got to do is ask!
UPDATE: And here's a site that is a must for anyone setting up a Cband dish!
http://www.geo-orbit.org/sizepgs/tuningp4.html
Then it's easier to find others in either direction. Once you get three or four from due south you can do the math on the counts between satellites and it gets easer as you go along. Just don't give up so easily as there's plenty of help here and all you got to do is ask!
UPDATE: And here's a site that is a must for anyone setting up a Cband dish!
http://www.geo-orbit.org/sizepgs/tuningp4.html
Give it one more try!
Pick a nice day.
Bring a table outside and place it near the dish.
Run an extension cord with an outlet strip to the table.
Bring out your satellite positioner, FTA receiver and a TV.
Wire up everything just as in the house.
Wait 'till the TV screen is easy to view and is not washed out by the sunlight (overcast sky or twilight).
Start tweaking!
You can do it!
You are using these helpful sites? Right?
http://www.dishpointer.com/
http://www.lyngsat.com/america.html
What Titanium said. Get an angle finder - APP or tool. Any of the big box home improvement stores will have angle finders (right next to the levels). About 12 bucks. Worth every penny. Just test the angle finder before you buy. Make sure the pointer moves freely and does not stick. Quality control on these is not always great.
Pick a nice day.
Bring a table outside and place it near the dish.
Run an extension cord with an outlet strip to the table.
Bring out your satellite positioner, FTA receiver and a TV.
Wire up everything just as in the house.
Wait 'till the TV screen is easy to view and is not washed out by the sunlight (overcast sky or twilight).
Start tweaking!
You can do it!
You are using these helpful sites? Right?
http://www.dishpointer.com/
http://www.lyngsat.com/america.html
What Titanium said. Get an angle finder - APP or tool. Any of the big box home improvement stores will have angle finders (right next to the levels). About 12 bucks. Worth every penny. Just test the angle finder before you buy. Make sure the pointer moves freely and does not stick. Quality control on these is not always great.
Last edited:
It may seem overwhelming to align your first BUD. Don't fret. No 'special' tools required other than an angle finder. I wrote up a page(s) just to 'clear the air' for this. Start here: http://theho.web.fc2.com/BUD/1713/
Hey jmc98, this dish looks like it's been in service for some time, ie, rust on bolts and what not so does this mean that it was used by you or did you get it from someone else that had actually used it?
And if it was used before, was it used in the area where you live now?
Reason I ask is if it's already setup for your area then it "shouldn't" be that far off. And since you're located at 97* that give you a good strong satellite with lots of channels as your Due South setup satellite.
And if it was used before, was it used in the area where you live now?
Reason I ask is if it's already setup for your area then it "shouldn't" be that far off. And since you're located at 97* that give you a good strong satellite with lots of channels as your Due South setup satellite.
I moved it about 2 miles east from its former home. the dish didn't have the actuator on it when I took it down but all the polar mount angles are set I just having actuator setup issues and issues with the pole being mounted to shallow in the ground but I am thinking more concrete will fix that issue
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FYI I've moved 3 previously used dishes within 20 miles from my house in the past and ALL of them were "close" enough for me to get on my "due south" satellite with no problems.
If the post is "questionable" that may be a major issue as it has to be PLUMB for the dish to be able to track the arc accurately. I've planted two posts here at my house and both are around 30/32" deep, slightly bell shaped at the bottom and are around 20/24" in diameter. I've got two 10ft dishes mounted on those, one of which one has been there for 14 years. The other was put in the ground about 3 years ago.
So how deep is your post the ground then?
If the post is "questionable" that may be a major issue as it has to be PLUMB for the dish to be able to track the arc accurately. I've planted two posts here at my house and both are around 30/32" deep, slightly bell shaped at the bottom and are around 20/24" in diameter. I've got two 10ft dishes mounted on those, one of which one has been there for 14 years. The other was put in the ground about 3 years ago.
So how deep is your post the ground then?
It's about 18" but the dirt is soft dirt I am going to dig a square about 2 foot or so deep and reset the pole and concrete I have now and add 2 more 50 + pound bags on top of that I have 51" total of pole to work with
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