Installing my first motorized C Band Satellite Dish (w/pictures)

[N6BY]

Nice progress so far. I just finished reading the last two pages of posts and have a couple of comments.

East-West is the most essential.
That is, the pivot around which the dish is turning should be absolutely perpendicular to east-west.
Only then the pivot can be set exactly parallel to the polar axis.
North-south deviation from 90 degrees, if needed, can be corrected with the axis elevation.
...

I agree with this ^^^ -- East-West is critical, but North-South can be corrected easily.

To test the accuracy of your digital level, place it on a hard surface and take a reading. Then rotate the level 180 degrees and take another reading. They should be the same.

 

[wvman]

UPDATE:

I spent 3 hours @ the roof today, building the dish panels.

It is a very, not difficult, but time consuming job, putting all the bolts and the nuts in their place.

But i finally did it! all by myself.... i mean with your help guys, but all the hard work by myself.

Here's some pictures of my 10 ft brand new dish:

Is NOT finished yet, but im getting closer

And thats all i did today. Night has fallen and i couldnt go on. But i have more days to continue, like wvman said "The name of this game is taking my time to avoid mistakes"

If i have time tomorrow i'll put the rods and the Titanium LNB in its place, if not, friday will be, God willing.

Thank you guys! im very excited about my new motorized 10ft dish

RamboHack
Monterrey, Mexico

In the second picture, straight up from the pole, it looks like the screen near the edge of the panel may be pushed out a bit. It's easy to do when handling the panels and is easily corrected by rubbing your hand over the screen from the opposite side to smooth it out. You want the surface as uniform as possible. You should be able to see it in better light. It's a possibility that it may have just been the way the light was hitting it. You can take of that any time once you string the dish.

Just an observation. Things like that are hard to see in a photo. Installation looks great. You should be pleased when it's up and working. Great job!

 

[primestar31]

Thank you Primestar31, i will perform the "string test" tomorrow or Friday.

Hope i'll pass the test, if not, a lot of work to do removing the bolts and nuts again

IF you have to make some adjustments, you likely do NOT have to remove any bolts or nuts. Just loosen slightly whatever ones need to be adjusted. Just enough to allow the panel movement you need. IF you loosen them too much, it'll make it all the harder to get it just right.

 

[RamboHack]

BAD NEWS guys

I couldnt resist an i went to the roof very early this morning just to perfom a quick string test, and i guess its not perfect.

I have less than an inch (i guess i little more than a half an inch).

What kind of strings do i have to use?

Because i used one super tiny thin string like this one:

But if i use a string like this one, i guess they touch each other (havent try it but i guess):

If the first string is the one i should use, then they definetly not touching each other, they missed by less than an inch (0.7 inch i guess, could be 0.5).

How do i fix this guys? any help or advice, really appreciated it.

Is there any "rule" like, less than an inch is ok? or they HAVE to touch each other.

RamboHack
Monterrey, Mexico

PS, im at work right now, i'll try your suggestions this evenning or maybe tomorrow, thanks

 

[Magic Static]

Either string will work. I never heard of an allowable variance in the string test. The best fix is to assemble the panels face down on a flat surface supported in the center at the correct dish depth. Assembling a dish on the mount often leads to this problem.

 

[RamboHack]

Ohhhh!

Thats a lot of work to do it again..... that mean all the work i did yesterday went to the trash.



its gonna take me the whole afternoon undoing all the bolts hehehehe



Anyway, better doing it the right way and enjoy many years of good satellite television, than having problems in the very near future just because i did a bad installation.



I will update this post as soon as i finished this all over again.



RamboHack
Monterrey, Mexico

 

[N6BY]

When you take the dish off of the mount, instead of unbolting each panel can you instead unbolt the dish from the mount in one piece? It seems like that would be easier.

Then you can flip it over and make the necessary adjustments...... Anyway, just an idea.

 

[primestar31]

When you take the dish off of the mount, instead of unbolting each panel can you instead unbolt the dish from the mount in one piece? It seems like that would be easier.

Then you can flip it over and make the necessary adjustments...... Anyway, just an idea.

Yes, just do this. Only unbolt the bolts from the reflector that hold it to the polar mount. Then flip it over onto a large FLAT surface and check it. To make adjustments, just loosen the reflector bolts a little bit, until it all sits FLAT on the surface. Then re-tighten up the bolts slowly, without causing the panels to move. Alternate sides, back and forth until you have them all tight.

Once you think it's right, string it again! The strings must just lightly touch in the middle where they cross. NO missing is the best, they should be as exact as you can get it otherwise the parabolic curve won't be as good as it should be.

Don't feel too bad, (you aren't the first to make this mistake, or I wouldn't have mentioned it) but try not to jump ahead so much on your own before asking questions.

This kind of string works best, the strong and stretchable white twisted cotton cord type used for chalk line tools: DEWALT 100 ft. Replacement Line-DWHT47098 - The Home Depot

Looks like this:

 

[armadillo_115]

I like a low test fishing line.You can pull it nice and tight.
Even if the strings ARE touching...make sure that one isn't pushing the other out of alignment.

When you assembled the dish, did you have to use force anywhere to get bolt holes or panels to align? Or to fasten the parabolic to the mounting ring?

On the other rim where the panels connect... are any not flush?

Any of the above might tell you where the problem is without removing the parabolic. I doesn't take much to throw a 10 ft mesh out of shape by half an inch.

Just some thoughts.

 

[wvman]

Ohhhh!

Thats a lot of work to do it again..... that mean all the work i did yesterday went to the trash.



its gonna take me the whole afternoon undoing all the bolts hehehehe



Anyway, better doing it the right way and enjoy many years of good satellite television, than having problems in the very near future just because i did a bad installation.



I will update this post as soon as i finished this all over again.



RamboHack
Monterrey, Mexico

Here's something you might want to look at. Even if I assemble one on a large flat surface, I always have some wooden wedges handy when I put the reflector onto the mount. Once it's sitting in the 4 saddles, I take 4 wedges and lightly tap them into place directly behind the sections that hold it to the polar mount. I've seen as much as 3/4 inch slop at this point. The wooden wedges keep the reflector pushed out evenly against the bolts while tightening. If just one section is sitting back too far, that can cause the string test to be off.

With the wedges in place, it's not likely going to be off there. You may want to try this and see if it helps. If it fixes the problem, you won't need to take the reflector off the mount. Worth a try.

 

[RamboHack]

Hi guys!

I spent many hours today, fixing my dish.

At first i tried to fix the misalignment without removing the dish.... short story: i couldnt.

So i disassembly the whole dish, and using all your advices, i put it face down on a flat floor.

I was very hard, and i mean it, VERY HARD to put the bolts the are located at the center of the dish!

It was almost impossible to reach that place

I had to ask someone to grab me by my waist and one arm, and with my other free hand i had to put the bolt, the washer and everything.... luckly i didnt felt above the dish.... but it was very very difficult.

Anyway, i followed all your advices, and i found that one of the 4 panels didnt match the holes against each other. So, very carefyully i took a driller and i made the holes a little bigger than they were before.
That way the bolts got inside with just a push of my hand, and the panel rim fits perfectly sincronized with each other on the floor

This picture is BEFORE i put the bolts and washers, the rim do not look sincronized in this pic.

Well, after that, i took the big dish to the roof, all by myself because my helper had to go

Luckly it wasnt so hard.

I installed the dish in the polar mount, and proceed to do the infamous 'STRING TEST"

And guess what?? It Passed!!

The super teeny tiny string i used, barely touch each other! I put the stingers in the most precise location i could, that means one horizontal and the other one vertical. And they slightly touch. None of them pushes against each other.

Just to be 100% sure, i put another one, a third string, just to be sure, and it passed also! so i think im good to go right?

Here are 2 pictures with the strings over the dish.... it is VERY difficult to see, but they are touching each other very slightly:

And here is a picture i took looking thru the center of the dish to the sky:

Since the string test passed, and the daylight still on the horizon, i decided tu put the rods on the dish:

And my brand new Titanium C1-PLL

After i install the Titanium LNB, i read on the manual that i should take meassures, from the center of the dish to the rim of the LNB, i mean not the lnb actually, but the plate where it goes.

I took the reading in 4 different places, all around the LNB plate, and i got 114.6cm which is like 45 inches, and to my surprised, i got 114.6cm at every of the 4 places i meassured. I guess that mean is good right?

I also wanted to install the actuator, but i was very very tired, so i had to stop and rest, tomorrow i will continue with my hobby.

But before i went down from the roof, i mark my pole, which is pointed right now to my true south, with a masking tape.... in the dish manual installation guide, says "for future reference" so i did it .

Ohhh and by the way, before i install the big dish, i set the polar mount with my modified elevation and declination level that i got from this page: Satellite finder, how to point dish with magnetic north, azimuth and elevation program calculator. using my lattitude and longitude.

And thats it guys, im very happy with what i did today. i hope i didnt make any mistakes .

Tomorrow i'll post more pictures of my New Venture 36" Actuator installation.

Thank you guys, i really appreciate all your comments and advices

Rambohack
Monterrey Mexico

 

[(((Garyd)))]

I only looked quick on your post, the time to use the string is when its all put together ready to find your birds anything can screw it up, even adding your feed that looks like a 12 foot orbitron dish I know spelled it wrong, may even have the original spec sheets here if it is there are clips to suck down the ribs to that ring, which is dead on round

 

[primestar31]

You did good, and stringing when you did is proper. As Garyd says though, it can't hurt to string it again after you install the feed. Personally, I just leave the string on mine until it's all complete and finished.

As for leaning over the dish while someone was holding you, you put each side of it together as 1/2 of the dish. That allows you to stand in the middle, etc. Then at the very end when you put each 1/2 together to make the full reflector, you only have to lean over and bolt the ONE parting line all the way across. That way pretty much you only have to lean to do TWO center bolts on each side.

You've come a long way already, and are doing a great job learning it all!

 

[wvman]

Hi guys!

I spent many hours today, fixing my dish.

At first i tried to fix the misalignment without removing the dish.... short story: i couldnt.

So i disassembly the whole dish, and using all your advices, i put it face down on a flat floor.

I was very hard, and i mean it, VERY HARD to put the bolts the are located at the center of the dish!

It was almost impossible to reach that place

I had to ask someone to grab me by my waist and one arm, and with my other free hand i had to put the bolt, the washer and everything.... luckly i didnt felt above the dish.... but it was very very difficult.

Anyway, i followed all your advices, and i found that one of the 4 panels didnt match the holes against each other. So, very carefyully i took a driller and i made the holes a little bigger than they were before.
That way the bolts got inside with just a push of my hand, and the panel rim fits perfectly sincronized with each other on the floor

This picture is BEFORE i put the bolts and washers, the rim do not look sincronized in this pic.

Well, after that, i took the big dish to the roof, all by myself because my helper had to go

Luckly it wasnt so hard.

I installed the dish in the polar mount, and proceed to do the infamous 'STRING TEST"

And guess what?? It Passed!!

The super teeny tiny string i used, barely touch each other! I put the stingers in the most precise location i could, that means one horizontal and the other one vertical. And they slightly touch. None of them pushes against each other.

Just to be 100% sure, i put another one, a third string, just to be sure, and it passed also! so i think im good to go right?

Here are 2 pictures with the strings over the dish.... it is VERY difficult to see, but they are touching each other very slightly:

And here is a picture i took looking thru the center of the dish to the sky:

Since the string test passed, and the daylight still on the horizon, i decided tu put the rods on the dish:

And my brand new Titanium C1-PLL

After i install the Titanium LNB, i read on the manual that i should take meassures, from the center of the dish to the rim of the LNB, i mean not the lnb actually, but the plate where it goes.

I took the reading in 4 different places, all around the LNB plate, and i got 114.6cm which is like 45 inches, and to my surprised, i got 114.6cm at every of the 4 places i meassured. I guess that mean is good right?

I also wanted to install the actuator, but i was very very tired, so i had to stop and rest, tomorrow i will continue with my hobby.

But before i went down from the roof, i mark my pole, which is pointed right now to my true south, with a masking tape.... in the dish manual installation guide, says "for future reference" so i did it .

Ohhh and by the way, before i install the big dish, i set the polar mount with my modified elevation and declination level that i got from this page: Satellite finder, how to point dish with magnetic north, azimuth and elevation program calculator. using my lattitude and longitude.

And thats it guys, im very happy with what i did today. i hope i didnt make any mistakes .

Tomorrow i'll post more pictures of my New Venture 36" Actuator installation.

Thank you guys, i really appreciate all your comments and advices

Rambohack
Monterrey Mexico

Looks like you got the situation well in hand. You'll be watching TV in no time. Pat yourself on the back, you deserve one. A lot of folks would have given up by now.

 

[espaun206]

how good
This is going to help me alot I just bought a 12 ft tk 2000
how is the,rope trick don't have to touch each other
and when it is armed on the floor what height it has to be the bucket

I'm in Guatemala

 

[Titanium]

Do not follow the Tek2000 instructions to assemble the reflector petals on the standing dish. Crazy that it is even suggested as the panels will never form a parabola building on an installed mount.

Great advice here! Definitely assemble the reflector, face down on a completely level surface with the center bucket support. Loosely tighten the bolts and have someone help you flip the dish on its back to attach to the mount then string test. This is the way the major manufacturers recommended and we used to assemble hundreds and hundreds of panel reflectors back in the 80s/90s. Didn't have to tweak anything once the dish was up on the pole.

The center support bucket should be the same as the depth of the reflector. I'm not sure what the reflector depth is on the tek2000 12'.

 

[(((Garyd)))]

Do not follow the Tek2000 instructions to assemble the reflector petals on the standing dish. Crazy that it is even suggested as the panels will never form a parabola building on an installed mount.

Great advice here! Definitely assemble the reflector, face down on a completely level surface with the center bucket support. Loosely tighten the bolts and have someone help you flip the dish on its back to attach to the mount then string test. This is the way the major manufacturers recommended and we used to assemble hundreds and hundreds of panel reflectors back in the 80s/90s. Didn't have to tweak anything once the dish was up on the pole.

The center support bucket should be the same as the depth of the reflector. I'm not sure what the reflector depth is on the tek2000 12'.

i put all my dishes together with the dish aiming up to the sky like a turtle on it's back

 

[espaun206]

thanks, it would be in garage, the problem will be to raise the antenna to the roof since my house is 2 levels

 

[Magic Static]

how good
This is going to help me alot I just bought a 12 ft tk 2000
how is the,rope trick don't have to touch each other
and when it is armed on the floor what height it has to be the bucket

I'm in Guatemala

Tek2000 doesn't list that depth specification for the 12' dish. But if we play with the formula for focal length and ratio using the known specs we find the depth of that dish to be about 23-9/16th inches.

 

[Magic Static]

thanks, it would be in garage, the problem will be to raise the antenna to the roof since my house is 2 levels

I use a gin pole.