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This request is just to solicit your honest opinion regarding a procedure to calibrate a motorized Ku band dish to the satellite arc.

I have read and believe in the recommendation from Tim Heinrichs (CEO of DMS International).

He has suggested and recommended an approach for aligning a motorized dish to the arc. Here is his statement in its entirety:

Tracking the arc with your SG2100
By Tim Heinrichs, HSD, SMM, MRD
CEO of DMS International
January 4th, 2008

Tracking the arc has always been one of the most mis-understood parts of satellite installations. The SG2100 is ingeniously built to follow the satellite arc PERFECTLY if it is properly set to do so.

The SG2100 has a feature called "Go to 0". It simply drives the motor to a position that should be "0" on the degree of rotation scale of the SG2100. For installation purposes, Go to "0" is a simple way of aligning everything in a nice straight line and should only be used for a starting point. If the "0" point is off, drive the motor using the manual buttons until it is at the "0" position on the motors degree of rotation scale.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Always remember, The mounting pole being perfectly plumb and the declination being set exactly on is the
foundation for good tracking. To make your mounting pole plumb you need a good quality level or other instrument that will give you a plumb reading.

Everything you need to know about declination is in the manual that came with your SG2100. Follow the instructions carefully and your declination will be correct. Correct setting of your declination is critical to how your dish will track the satellite arc. Set the declination and tighten the bolts. If you have set it correctly you won't need to move it again.

Now at this time you should have the motor and dish set on the mounting pole and all of the adjustments made carefully following the manual. Here's what I believe to be the best and most accurate method of tracking your dish. It simply gives you a way of matching the satellite arc in space with the arc your dish follows as your motor turns it.
After setting up the motor and dish you will start by pointing the dish south and snugging the motor to the mounting pole. Now motor to the east most satellite that you can get a signal on and adjust your elevation ONLY for best possible signal. Snug the elevation. Motor to the west most satellite and adjust your azimuth ONLY for the best possible signal. Snug the azimuth. Repeat this process until no improvements can be made in signal strength. Each time you make an
adjustment it should be less than the time before. If not, you are doing something wrong.

Of course this is the quick explanation. It will take you a while to get the hang of it and certainly longer to do it than it took you to read this.

If you are a installer doing this often and using the same equipment (same dish), take some readings in the "0" position with your angle finder on this now perfectly aligned motorized system. Take a compass heading of the dish in "0" position. Record the angle of the LNBF support. Record the angle of the motor tube. Now motor to the first satellite close to the "0" degree of the motor and record that setting.

Keep these recorded findings in and safe place and your next
installation will be a breeze. When you go to install your next SG2100 motorized system, simply plumb the mounting pole and motor to "0" position on the SG2100. By using the readings that you took from your first install, set the angle of motor tube and set the angle of the LNBF support. Now motor to the known degree of the satellite and you're
set. Just turn the dish and motor on the mounting pole until you get a signal. You should be very close to perfectly tracking the arc. Check your work using the method described above. You just went from a grueling hour or more of tracking the dish to a smooth 10 minute install.

This will work within a reasonable distance from where you took the first readings. If your service takes you more than 50 miles from the original site (where you took the readings) you may need to make some small adjustments. I certainly hope this helps you do not only faster installs of motorized systems, but more accurate installs.

Good installs are critical to avoiding service calls that don't pay. Faster installs allow you to make more money and be more professional.
Always do your installs on the ground whenever possible. Ground installs allow for better and faster access in case of service calls and they also avoid most dish movement that happens on roofs that tend to warp and buckle in changing weather conditions. A roof mounted dish that moves a fraction of a inch at the base can translate into a inch or more at the top of the dish. The next time you have a service call for a system that has signal in the day time but not at night
(or vice versa), check out where the dish is mounted. I'll bet it's on a roof.

Keep us in mind for your equipment needs. DMS International is the only exclusive wholesaler of the official SG2100. If it doesn't have DMS International on the box and on the labels, it's not the original SG2100.

I wish to recruit your advice, comments and critique of my personal elaboration on Mr. Heinrichs instructions.

I have not yet attempted this, so it is just theory at this point. Please listen to my idea and tell me if you think I am locked onto something valid.

My proposal is that you locate the nearest satellite to true south and set up your dish and motor for the best possible signal and quality level. Set the MOTOR LATITUDE and the DISH ELEVATION and the MOTOR AZIMUTH to fine tune this signal.

Then, (using USALS) motor the dish to a satellite east of your center position and pick out a HORIZONTAL transponder with a consistent signal broadcast. On this HORIZONTAL TP, adjust your DISH ELEVATION to peak the signal.

Next, motor the dish to a satellite on your western horizon and select a VERTICAL TP. When you are able to detect the signal from this VERTICAL transponder, adjust your MOTOR AZIMUTH position to peak the signal level.

Go back and forth between these two satellites and transponders and readjust the DISH ELEVATION for the best possible signal from the HORIZONTAL TP on the eastern satellite and adjust the MOTOR AZIMUTH for the best possible signal from a VERTICAL TP on the western satellite.

When you have peaked the signal from these two satellites, you move on to two new sats which are further east and further west and repeat the process. Adjusting the DISH ELEVATION to peak the signal on a HORIZONTAL TP to the east side of the arc and adjusting the MOTOR AZIMUTH to peak the signal on a VERTICAL TP to the west side of the arc.

Since there is no written or formal procedure that has been proven or adopted, I am wondering if this procedure might have any merit and be applicable in a generic or universal sense.

My dish is already aligned, so I really cannot test this procedure until I set up an entirely new dish and motor from scratch to prove if it works or determine how well it works.

I would like to request your honest opinions on my procedure. Does it make sense, is my approach logical and most importantly, does it work well?

Thanks everyone!

AcWxRadar (Gordy)