Diseqc dish positioners

[LocutusOfBorg]

Does someone make one that will reliably and accurately move a dish larger than 10 feet?

 

[cracklincrotch]

If you're looking for something to run an actuator you want a G-Box from Sadoun. It uses diseqc 1.2 to move the dish.

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

If you're looking for something to run an actuator you want a G-Box from Sadoun. It uses diseqc 1.2 to move the dish.

I looked at the G3000 specs and it's limited to 10 foot or smaller antennas. The same for the Vbox. I have a 12 foot dish. Hence my post.

 

[putney]

The G3000 doesn't do the actual moving, the HH or actuator does that.
I see no reason why the Gbox couldn't work with a 12'. The box just counts.

Am I wrong here?

 

[PANHANDLER]

The Gbox will work great with any positioner that is rated for 24 - 36 volts



That is correct putney ,,,,counts and powers the positioner motor

 

[brentb636]

The G3000 doesn't do the actual moving, the HH or actuator does that.
I see no reason why the Gbox couldn't work with a 12'. The box just counts.

Am I wrong here?

There's always the question of actuator current draw. That would be the limiting factor, I suspect.

 

[guapoharry]

Maybe there is a current limitation.

 

[cracklincrotch]

I'd check what the current rating is on the actuator. Keep in mind that it might only draw the maximum under the worst of situations such as pushing into the wind when fully loaded under 15" of wet snow that hasn't been dumped, with a 300 foot 16 gauge steel wire run to drive the thing.

One thing you might do if you're concerned about frying such a dish mover is put a fuse inline with the motor at just below the max current rating of the gbox. Nothing to worry about then. That's my plan with the 12 footer I'm setting up.

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

I don't know why both the Gbox and Vbox has a dish size limitation in the specs unless under heavy loads the actuator would pull current that exceeds the rating of the box. I have a Vbox but it's not performing well. It has a tendancy to keep moving the actuator after the receiver tells it to stop. I noticed this issue when I was using the Vbox at the antenna pad during dish alignment, also. I also noticed that the Vbox was getting quite warm (even inside the house).

For now, I'm using the 4DTV to move the new dish until I can get a Vbox or Gbox that works properly.

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

It's official. The Vbox will not reliably work with a 12 foot dish. I can't seem to find anything for moving a 12 footer that is similar to a Vbox. I guess I will look at the Vbox to see if I can beef it up because it's not worth sending it back for a refund.

 

[Lak7]

It has a tendency to keep moving the actuator after the receiver tells it to stop.

How can you tell that the receiver tells it to stop?
I thought the Receiver only tells the VBox / GBox what position Number to go to, and the VBox / GBox actually does the Starting and Stopping (when it reaches the the count related to the saved Position Number)

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

How can you tell that the receiver tells it to stop?

I don't. I assumed that the receiver gets data back from the Vbox and then the receiver tells the Vbox to stop moving the dish. Pardon my lack of knowledge as to how this stuff works.

 

[updatelee]

diseqc 2.0 supports two way communication, but I have yet to see a motor (or vbox like device) that supports it.

1.2 and 1.3 do not support 2 way comms.

 

[Lak7]

I assumed that the receiver gets data back from the Vbox and then the receiver tells the Vbox to stop moving the dish.

Did you manually drive and Lock each Sat and save it's position to the VBox?

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

Did you manually drive and Lock each Sat and save it's position to the VBox?

Yes.

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

I found a Vbox that should work but the Gold sponsors don't seem to carry it but I suppose they could special order it. The Vbox6000 will move a 3m to 5m dish accounding to the specs and it's diseqc 1.0/1.2 compatible. I'm requesting a price quote from alibaba.

 

[Lak7]

When you store the position, make note of the Position Number and Pulse count for 2 Sats
Then go back and forth between those Sats and see if it stops at the save Position Number and Pulse Count.

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

When you store the position, make note of the Position Number and Pulse count for 2 Sats
Then go back and forth between those Sats and see if it stops at the save Position Number and Pulse Count.

It goes past the stored values.

 

[Lak7]

It goes past the stored values.

When you save the Position, does the VBox display flash a couple of times?

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

When you save the Position, does the VBox display flash a couple of times?

I don't know. It's in the basement. I use the Azbox to program in the sats and the Azbox designation of P# appears in the Azbox as well as on the Vbox.