Social Feed
Two summers ago I joined the site and posted about getting stung on eBay with a 50 mm (rather than 42 mm) neck on a Digipower SG-2100 motor. Since then, I procured locally another Digipower SG-2100 with a 42 mm neck and got that working nicely on a 90 cm stamped steel dish.
Recently, I came into possession of three Channelmaster 1.0 m and one Channelmaster 1.2 m fiberglass reflectors and went down the archived path and deep into the rabbit hole of enthusiasts who have homebrewed mounts to facilitate attachment to motors. The Channelmasters came with one 2-3/8" pole mount and three 3" Az-El mounts. As is well-documented, these mounts are very heavy, plus they aren't going to adapt easily to the smaller motor necks.
I contemplated a few different interface designs. Long story short, the most straightforward approach - at least from a design and dry-fit perspective - is to cannibalize Star Choice/Shaw dishes that will support the 42 and 50 mm necks. Functionally, these are Channelmaster 60E and 75E reflectors whose back assemblies are flat and have a number of positions for fasteners. These reflectors are also quite common for low to no dollars here in Canada. I think there might also be compatibility option with the back assembly from a DirecTV Slimline dish. Unfortunately, those are a challenge to find north of the border, so will need to bring a few back on my next work trip south of the border. The assemblies are installed upside-down in order to mount to the motor necks, so I will need to use an external inclinometer to set things up.
Currently, I have only mocked up and dry-fit the 60E and 75E back assemblies and these have not been attached to either motor. The initial fit is very tight - maybe only off by a millimetre or two or a small fraction of a degree. This is practically dead nuts with no play or slop due to the drilled or factory holes. The bolts are essentially screwed into the wood, never mind the washers and nuts. There is nothing that I cannot fix in a few minutes with some hand tools - even laying out and drilling the other six plywood blanks I set aside. I expect the mass of a 1.0 or 1.2 with the new mount to be less than published capacity of the motor. The masses are still significant, but are still less than if using the factory mount options. I am using 5/8" plywood that has already spent 2 years outside, but will look to preserve and paint the final products. I expect the weak link to be the fasteners and gearing in the motors that are going to be strained by the associated forces.
I'm heading off on a short vacation and hope to get back to this in about two weeks. I have a closing window of opportunity before the snow starts to fly, so if any viewers have any constructive feedback, I am happy to hear it. Additionally, there is a different motor vendor with better specifications and track records, please let me know. I am not particularly concerned about incurring additional costs, as I would prefer this to be one-and-done.
Attached are a few photos of the mounts on the 1.0 m reflector.
Thanks!
Recently, I came into possession of three Channelmaster 1.0 m and one Channelmaster 1.2 m fiberglass reflectors and went down the archived path and deep into the rabbit hole of enthusiasts who have homebrewed mounts to facilitate attachment to motors. The Channelmasters came with one 2-3/8" pole mount and three 3" Az-El mounts. As is well-documented, these mounts are very heavy, plus they aren't going to adapt easily to the smaller motor necks.
I contemplated a few different interface designs. Long story short, the most straightforward approach - at least from a design and dry-fit perspective - is to cannibalize Star Choice/Shaw dishes that will support the 42 and 50 mm necks. Functionally, these are Channelmaster 60E and 75E reflectors whose back assemblies are flat and have a number of positions for fasteners. These reflectors are also quite common for low to no dollars here in Canada. I think there might also be compatibility option with the back assembly from a DirecTV Slimline dish. Unfortunately, those are a challenge to find north of the border, so will need to bring a few back on my next work trip south of the border. The assemblies are installed upside-down in order to mount to the motor necks, so I will need to use an external inclinometer to set things up.
Currently, I have only mocked up and dry-fit the 60E and 75E back assemblies and these have not been attached to either motor. The initial fit is very tight - maybe only off by a millimetre or two or a small fraction of a degree. This is practically dead nuts with no play or slop due to the drilled or factory holes. The bolts are essentially screwed into the wood, never mind the washers and nuts. There is nothing that I cannot fix in a few minutes with some hand tools - even laying out and drilling the other six plywood blanks I set aside. I expect the mass of a 1.0 or 1.2 with the new mount to be less than published capacity of the motor. The masses are still significant, but are still less than if using the factory mount options. I am using 5/8" plywood that has already spent 2 years outside, but will look to preserve and paint the final products. I expect the weak link to be the fasteners and gearing in the motors that are going to be strained by the associated forces.
I'm heading off on a short vacation and hope to get back to this in about two weeks. I have a closing window of opportunity before the snow starts to fly, so if any viewers have any constructive feedback, I am happy to hear it. Additionally, there is a different motor vendor with better specifications and track records, please let me know. I am not particularly concerned about incurring additional costs, as I would prefer this to be one-and-done.
Attached are a few photos of the mounts on the 1.0 m reflector.
Thanks!
13 Replies
·
1578 views
Is that the original Channel Master antenna feedarm? If not, are you sure the LNB is in tight position? 
O
ChannelMaster Part No. 3040642-02
Mold No. 1 OM-02
There was no LNB holder on the arm. My guess is that it was a RCA-style LNB that would be inserted into the end of the tube, although the "usual" RCA LNBs are narrower horizontally by ~ 10 mm and shorter vertically by 3 or 4 mm. There is a hole on the top and bottom of the tube that can accommodate a single bolt. I figure it to be either 8-32 or M4, as I needed to drill it out very slightly to insert a 10-32 (~ M5).
Now this is interesting. I just went outside and checked the underside of the reflector. It is a bit like a car... most people will never look at the undercarriage, never mind clean it or do an in-depth analysis. I gave it a minor scrub to clear off some grime and dirt. This opened up a tiny gap in between the LNB tube and the bottom of the reflector. The arm mount component, after two decades of weathering and discoloration, looked like it was integral with the reflector, but is actually a bolt-on part. Clean a little bit of crud out... there is a single bolt in the bottom position, but it is not in the molded, angled hole for the set screw. In fact, that hole has never seen any surface damage from a fastener and has thin layer of factory plastic that was never reamed or cleaned out. There is no stamped part number on the rectangular bracket, so it is possible that it is a third-party piece of kit. The LNB arm plug is aluminum. While dirty, it is machined for a tight fit in the bottom hole. It does not feel cheap. A bolt and washer set secures it to the reflector from behind and not from the right position.
I grabbed a set of arms from a different Type 100. The LNB is in the same relative as the single rectangular tube when I place the two arms next to each other. In the photo, you'll notice that the bottom tube isn't currently secured as I mentioned there has never been a self-tapped set-screw in that fastener position before.
Based on the lack of marring on the adjacent fiberglass, I would suggest that rectangular arm was installed as original equipment from the first setup of the reflector.
Everyone else's mileage may vary.
ChannelMaster Part No. 3040642-02
Mold No. 1 OM-02
There was no LNB holder on the arm. My guess is that it was a RCA-style LNB that would be inserted into the end of the tube, although the "usual" RCA LNBs are narrower horizontally by ~ 10 mm and shorter vertically by 3 or 4 mm. There is a hole on the top and bottom of the tube that can accommodate a single bolt. I figure it to be either 8-32 or M4, as I needed to drill it out very slightly to insert a 10-32 (~ M5).
Now this is interesting. I just went outside and checked the underside of the reflector. It is a bit like a car... most people will never look at the undercarriage, never mind clean it or do an in-depth analysis. I gave it a minor scrub to clear off some grime and dirt. This opened up a tiny gap in between the LNB tube and the bottom of the reflector. The arm mount component, after two decades of weathering and discoloration, looked like it was integral with the reflector, but is actually a bolt-on part. Clean a little bit of crud out... there is a single bolt in the bottom position, but it is not in the molded, angled hole for the set screw. In fact, that hole has never seen any surface damage from a fastener and has thin layer of factory plastic that was never reamed or cleaned out. There is no stamped part number on the rectangular bracket, so it is possible that it is a third-party piece of kit. The LNB arm plug is aluminum. While dirty, it is machined for a tight fit in the bottom hole. It does not feel cheap. A bolt and washer set secures it to the reflector from behind and not from the right position.
I grabbed a set of arms from a different Type 100. The LNB is in the same relative as the single rectangular tube when I place the two arms next to each other. In the photo, you'll notice that the bottom tube isn't currently secured as I mentioned there has never been a self-tapped set-screw in that fastener position before.
Based on the lack of marring on the adjacent fiberglass, I would suggest that rectangular arm was installed as original equipment from the first setup of the reflector.
Everyone else's mileage may vary.
Supporting Founder
Really excited for this season with Kentucky having a new coach and some really exciting recruits. Probably won't last long, but here's hoping this season is great.
139 Replies
·
1317 views
Pub Member / Supporter
On Tuesday, I recorded the first episodes of the new season's NCIS shows on CBS (Dish provided, not OTA). The new New York series and Origins will both do Auto Skip, but the original, now season 24 does not. What's stranger, when I do a search for NCIS, Origins and New York show the current recording and the next episode it will record, but the original show only shows the current recording and some other channel showing the very first episode of season one. It makes no sense. When I set up the timers, I was able to use search for Origins and New York, but for the original, I had to scroll ahead in the guide until last Tuesday when the show was airing. Then set the timer from there. You can see its timer type is DVR where the other two are Seek. What am I missing?
Thanks!
Thanks!
20 Replies
·
362 views
Pub Member / Supporter
Cutting Edge
I created this thread on the original Edgecutter Cutting Edge Forums site. It's simply a place for those to review the latest software available for those using Windows 10 and Windows 11. To date it has received 112,559 views. I have been asked by staff to continue this thread here.
520 Replies
·
47140 views
To each there own but I've found that Windows can't do much more than Linux can. Can't have everything.
For niche use cases, yes I agree. Kali for ethical hacking and security testing, and running a Cacti server for network monitoring are the two things I have experience in. Plus thousands and thousands of other things, but for every day use I just can't see it. The owner of the GMRS repeater that I pay to access is changing the Tx DPL tones tomorrow, while Chirp is available on Linux, the software to program my MXT500 is not.To each there own but I've found that Windows can't do much more than Linux can. Can't have everything.
I run Fedora and Ubuntu in VMWare, honestly I don't care much for the UI of either of them and I don't feel like spending days/weeks to customize the UI to make it look Windows-like when I could just use Windows. The cartoonish dock at the bottom of the screen reminds me of Apple products.
As I said above, and, FWIW, I run Win11 Pro and Arch on separate 250 GB NVME drives, using F8 to select which I boot to, with a 1TB SSD for storage, accessible to both OSs and a third formatted Nvme I want to use to learn Kali. It was much faster to setup Arch than it was to strip down Windows. Windows still takes much longer to boot.
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Hard getting used to the new younger Gibbs, Mark Harmons son had the right look but I understand he didn't want the role.
Still I'm enjoying, pretty good job with Franks.
Still I'm enjoying, pretty good job with Franks.
66 Replies
·
4200 views
Pub Member / Supporter
0 Replies
·
5 views
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Cutting Edge
Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
68494 Replies
·
2670326 views
Pub Member / Supporter
Lifetime Supporter
Wasn't exactly sure where to post this. Just had a customer come in inquiring about internet. He has HughesNet and had heard good things about mine. He asked if we provided email addresses and it kinda caught me off guard. I said he should be able to keep whatever email he had been using....my sister in law is still using a BellSouth email addy and they haven't been around here for many years. He said he had gotten a letter from HughesNet stating that they had until Nov 16th to save, move, forward, whatever, their Hughesnet emails because they would lose them after that date.
I have never heard of a company simply mass-deleting email accounts (the customer still has his HughesNet service). From what I understand, in the past, the company who was ditching their email service simply sold the customer base to a company like Google.
Anyone else getting this letter. He said he would show it to me tomorrow when I go out there and set up his internet.
I have never heard of a company simply mass-deleting email accounts (the customer still has his HughesNet service). From what I understand, in the past, the company who was ditching their email service simply sold the customer base to a company like Google.
Anyone else getting this letter. He said he would show it to me tomorrow when I go out there and set up his internet.
7 Replies
·
114 views
Still the same number of years, just more Sunsets…Wouldn't we then die of old age sooner?
Lifetime Supporter
Starting a thread klang !
After an amazing first 2 seasons and an 8 episode 3rd season still coming this year, season 4 has now been greenlit.
After an amazing first 2 seasons and an 8 episode 3rd season still coming this year, season 4 has now been greenlit.
9 Replies
·
929 views
One episode into season 4 that dropped today...
Supporting Founder
Lifetime Supporter
This thread is a place to discuss the 4K events that appear on channel 540. We are getting, at this point, one college football game a week. Let's hope there is more coming.
1930 Replies
·
298816 views
Hmmm, I'm not seeing anything like those events in our Hopper 3 guide for tonight or Saturday.
I went into the Tools menu and requested a Guide Update. I'll try looking at it after the update completes.
edit — I now have the 148-01 4KFox events for Saturday, but not anything for 148-02 or 148-03 which don't even show as available channels. I do have 148-04 4KUSA.
As I recall you have the Flex package. Do you sub to multisport? -02 is FS1 and -03 is ESPN. -01 is Fox so you would get that if you sub to locals.Hmmm, I'm not seeing anything like those events in our Hopper 3 guide for tonight or Saturday.
I went into the Tools menu and requested a Guide Update. I'll try looking at it after the update completes.
edit — I now have the 148-01 4KFox events for Saturday, but not anything for 148-02 or 148-03 which don't even show as available channels. I do have 148-04 4KUSA.
TWiT Tech Podcast Network
Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5R5Aw27yr0
Direct YouTube Link - A State Cyber-emergency in Japan
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5R5Aw27yr0
Direct YouTube Link - A State Cyber-emergency in Japan
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
0 Replies
·
7 views