SG9120 / SG9120B HH DiSEqC Motor

[Magic Static]

Oh No! Not what I want to be reading about the two motors I'm about to go align. But then that may explain the appearance of the initial adjustments by the book. I have put a Winegard 2076 on a SG2190b and a WSI 3690 on a SG9120. I want to get them both aimed this weekend. Thanks to other's frustrations, I won't have to pull my hair out

 

[PKII]

Instructions are wrong it should read "30 - declination angle" Just found signal.

 

[Mikey11]

I have the motor, but never checked the angle. I just use USALS and aim the dish until I get signal, and besides, you can't trust the engraved elevation marks on most dishes anyway.

My method does require the receiver and a monitor at the dish for immediate feedback.

the best and easiest way to do it....i agree.....i have aimed hundreds of motorized dishes and never once bothered to calculate this declination crap....lol

i just use usals first....then aim the motor at that satellite....simple quick and easy....

 

[PKII]

Never fails as I am adjusting an Hi signal on the meter the adjustment bolt on my Geosat Pro 90CM breaks off. : /

 

[PKII]

5 Satellites and 300 + channels so far.

 

[PKII]

I tried USALS but it would never find anything. I could never find a transponder on my closet true south satellite but by using DiSeqC 1.2 I have been able to store satellite positions and it works for me right now. I haven't had time to search every satellite but I have found these and all get a decent signal on all. 72, 87, 89, 95, and 97. And the question is does it look like my dish is properly aligned?

I can get 5 satellites at a higher signal strength that I can even get with my C/Ku 6 footer. (I know its not perfectly aimed) I have trees on both sides so it wouldn't surprise me if I didn't get too many more on either side but I should get over to 58W and maybe 118.7W.

Dish is GEOSATpro 90CM and Fortec Star Mercury II receiver. I plan later get get a HD receiver when I can find one I like.

 

[Mikey11]

I tried USALS but it would never find anything. I could never find a transponder on my closet true south satellite but by using DiSeqC 1.2 I have been able to store satellite positions and it works for me right now.

this means your motor is not aimed properly.....you are very close though....

first verify that your motors latitude scale is set to your latitude....

move the motor to your southern most satellite using diseqc 1.2 and select a strong active TP.....you should have signal quality....correct?

now select USALS and drive the dish to this same satellite using USALS....keep the same TP selected....does the signal quality dissappear?....if so, your motor is not aimed properly....

do not touch any other settings.....you now need to go outside and aim your motor/dish at the southern satellite you have just selected....

this means loosening the motor bolts and turning the motor left or right (very slightly) until you get the best signal quality you possibly can.....then tighten up the motor bolts....

now loosen the dish elevation bolt....slowly move the dish up and down until you get the best signal quality you can....

after you do this you should be aimed much better than you are now....right now you are off the arc....your southern satellites might work now but as you get closer to the ends of the arc you probably wont pickup anything.....

 

[Magic Static]

Can someone else that owns a SG9210b confirm if my instructions are correct. "40 - declination angle" Thanks.

Since I now own both the SG9120 and SG9120b, I now know what the deal is with the manual. Apparently the manual is written for the SG9120 not the "b" model. The larger diameter shaft has a 40° bend and the smaller shaft (b Model) has a 30° bend. There needs to be a amendment to the manual to explain this.

 

[PKII]

Since I now own both the SG9120 and SG9120b, I now know what the deal is with the manual. Apparently the manual is written for the SG9120 not the "b" model. The larger diameter shaft has a 40° bend and the smaller shaft (b Model) has a 30° bend. There needs to be a amendment to the manual to explain this.

Indeed. I could have found signals on the first day if it had been correct.

 

[PKII]

Found 61, 101 and 103 the others I'll have to wait till fall when there are no leaves on the trees. My receiver must not be working right I never did find anything using USALS I think I will wait till I get a new HD receiver and see if it works then.

 

[Mikey11]

My receiver must not be working right I never did find anything using USALS

Your receiver is not the problem, the problem is your motor is not aimed properly, which I tried to explain to you in an earlier post,

 

[PKII]

Your receiver is not the problem, the problem is your motor is not aimed properly, which I tried to explain to you in an earlier post,

I heard you! And it is believe it is aimed correctly or I would not receive 13 satellites from 61 to 107.3 And I tried it and it goes to the wrong positions. I can get 61.0W, 61.5W, 72.0W, 87.0W, 89.0W, 91.0W, 95.0W, 97.0W, 99.0W, 101.0W, 103.0W, 105.0W, 107.3W the others on the West and East are blocked by trees. The ones in middle that I haven't found yet I don't have a transponder or its not broadcasting.

The instructions on the Fortec Star are useless for using USALS its basically useless for the whole receiver.

My most southern satellite is 83.0 W and I can find no transponder signal coming from it and the next one over 85.0W I can not find the transponder signal and I had to use 87.0W and when I set USALS to that it will not go to the correct satellites.

 

[Mikey11]

I heard you. And it is aimed correctly or I would not receive 8 satellites from 61 to 107.3 And I tried it and it goes to the wrong positions.

did you even bother to try my suggestion?

you ask for help but then do not want to take the advice given....why bother asking at all?

Your motor is not aimed correctly, I don't know why you do not wish to accept that fact,

Yes it is possible to receive 8 satellites when aimed incorrectly, when those satellites are all close to your southern most satellite,

You have a lot to learn, and it is unfortunate that you do not want to learn, or take the advice that is given to you,

I have told you in detail how to aim your motor properly, but you still don't want to listen,

i will not waste my time on this any further,

 

[PKII]

Someone without an attitude please respond. With the motor at ZERO is that suppose to be my southern satellite?

 

[Magic Static]

Zero position is "DUE SOUTH" If there happens to be Sat due south from you then that is your southern satellite. But it just indicates due south.

 

[greg harris]

It depends.
If your longitude is IDENTICAL to the degrees of a satellite, the answer is Yes.
Most of us do not live in an area where our longitude is identical to that of a satellite.
For what it is worth, I do not think you are aligned correctly in the arc either. What you have posted suggests that your dish is too high because you cannot get a signal on your Southern most satellite.
The dish is at its highest point when it is at the 0 motor position. 0 motor degrees Should be aligned with your True South. Anything in either direction of 0 is lowering the dish.
There is a plateau of sorts around 0 degrees where the dish does not move down much per degree. When you get 20-30 degrees away from zero, the motor makes the dish move down more per degree than it does when the motor is within a few degrees of zero(0).

A dish that is aimed a few degrees high can be made to receive a few satellites by bumping the motor until the dish moves down enough to get a signal. Usually when this condition exists, the satellites closest to the center or Due South will have no signal, and the satellites farther away on each extreme end will not have a signal either.

I can think of only a few things that are more frustrating in the satellite hobby than learning how to align a dish motor. It was something that was not easy for me to understand or learn. GregH

 

[Wescopc]

Another thing that can cause grief with USALs is the imputing of your Longitude and Latitude varies as to the method with different receivers, if it not in the correct format then USALs won't work.
Bob

 

[SatelliteAV]

I have attitude, but I will try to assist anyway.... LOL!

I agree with the previous posts. If your location Longitude and Latitude are correctly entered and the motor does not go to the satellite position when USALS is selected, the motor is not appropriately set.

Post #47 is a great primer on determining if the motor is correctly set.

Watch the motor as it moves when changing from DiSEqC 1.2 to USALS. If the motor goes East a few degrees, then the motor must be rotated to the West to correct. If it moves West, then the motor will need to be rotated East.

 

[Magic Static]

Well after installing both of these motors, I would say the manual is totally useless. It is a mixture of directions and information that apply to one or the other but not both. And what you end up with is garbage. The quality of workmanship is poor. Just like all the motors that preceeded these two. What this hobby needs is a $500 motor. That said, The SG9120b was a snap to set up with a Winegard2076 dish. Though the main shaft of the motor is loose, it tracks the arc very well. I found the F connectors both damaged and very hard to get a cable onto them. But I succeeded in making connections. The motor moves way slower than others I've used, but always finds the right spot. The SG9120 was a pain to figure out. With the WSI9036 dish and it's drawbacks and the misinformation in the motor manual, I spent two hours getting my first signal. I will have to do a little more fine tuning but it's working now. At least the F connecters were ok and I had no problems hooking cables to this one. I was pleased with being able to move the Dish with USALS to all satellites and then switch to DiSEqC 1.2 and assign a position number. In my final setup I will be using DiSEqC 1.2 for both C-Band and Ku Band dishes. The software on my DVB setup doesn't allow using USALS and DiSEqC 1.2 in the same setup.

 

[Tron]

If the motor shaft on an SG-9120 (A or B) is loose, it is easy to tighten up the slack with these motors. You must remove the warranty void if removed sticker. Under this sticker, there is a hex screw. Lightly tighten the hex screw until it won't turn, then back off a slight fraction of a turn. You will have to play with the tension, as there is a sweet spot where the shaft has very little if any slack, but the motor will move without straining.

Perform this adjustment before aiming the dish and motor.

I had to do this with both of my 9120B's, and the process is easier than it is on an SG-2100.