2100 Motor won't move

[AcWxRadar]

It is nearly impossible to install a motorized dish without either a multi-hundred dollar satellite meter or a small TV connected to your satellite receiver sitting next to the satellite dish.

I would suggest a small 13" TV connected to your receiver. If the sun is bright, make a viewing box around the screen to shade from direct sunlight.

Brian,

Excellent description and advice!

This notion needs to be hounded and ground into the minds of anyone who is new to FTA. Just the same as a perfectly plumb mast and the use of RG-6 or a higher spec'd cable (opposed to RG-59) and using the nearest true south satellite for a motorized system! Incorporating the use of a portable TV and having the (IRD, STB or receiver) right there at the dish to see your adjustment results with
immediate feedback is absolutely required!

So many "newbies" or "greenhorns" attempt to slide past these recommendations to cut a corner and inevitably, they just never understand why the process should be so difficult! It is not. If they follow the recommendations as given and when given and they will find the process quite simple upon the first try. Maybe still time consuming, but there will be positive results to show.

Those who do not follow the advice to the letter invariably end up asking for the same advice over and over again until they finally take heed of the advice and then I suppose they smack themselves in the forehead and say to themselves the famous phrase... "Oh Duh!"

I give those who have the attitude of "I'll try it my way" and fail and then do it over again the way they were informed and have that "bright light moment" of success a lot of credit, as they figure it out and are having fun with the hobby.

Those that keep resisting the advice and recommendations and simply gasp and quit because they think it is too difficult, well.... I pity them because they will never feel the rush of excitement of getting it right for themselves. The3y will miss out on the fun.

RADAR

 

[McGuyver]

Thanks for all of the great info everyone! I had a green light upon installation but it is no longer there. Not sure how that heppened. It's a new motor so I wouldn't think that it's defective. Also, does anyone have the exact settings that needs to be in the motor section of the satzen 300 receiver? It says dish moving when I change channels but nothing.

Thanks again!

Sounds like you've scanned in some channels if you are changing channels as you mentioned, if you have scanned in some channels when the dish was pointing to a satellite, then chances are the receiver settings just need to be coordinated with the motor and satellite.

Using Diseqc 1.2 settings:
I am not familiar with satzen 300's but it may require specific user input for the satellite/motor positions. This means that some receivers like my Pansat required that I assigned a specific position number to each satellite when I set the position of the motor at that particular satellite. Each satellite position/setting is assigned a number, such as for example the 97W can be assigned a number "28" while the 101W might have "29" and so on. Receivers usually do this assignment automatically but I found that some have to be set under "user defined" mode in order to remember the exact position. The receiver may have "0 to 27" reserved for 28 satellites automatically but if in case the receiver doesn't remember the position of each satellite within these reserved numbers, you then must or should try assigning each of your desired satellites with a user defined number within the upper range of numbers such as "28 to 38" or what ever range your satzen has available for user defining.

With this in mind, as you've been advised, set up a small TV & the receiver at the dish, (make all connections and disconnections while power is off) go back into the menu, in antenna settings you'll have to navigate the motor (if it will move) to each satellite position, you might want to start with the lowest one on your east horizon, tune the position to the satellite you want, verify a good quality signal and look for a positioning number in that settings menu and chose a number above 27 such starting with 28 or 29 for example. Then once you have all settings set and a solid signal you will save or store the position of that satellite. The next desired satellite moving up the arc (to the west) might be let's say the 74W if you started with 72W, do the same with each satellite you navigate the motor to assigning each satellite a unique number in succession just as you have the first satellite. If you do it this way (providing your receiver allows user defined positions) it should remember each position and you'll soon be watching TV from your living room and not in the field. Good luck

EDIT: if you haven't already aligned the motor to your "true south" and fine tuned it to the satellite arc, you will first have to accomplish this hardware setting before you can set up the receiver and motor settings in order to find each satellite and scan in channels from each one. This is utterly important and neccessary before you can enjoy the luxury of a motor.

 

[oppxg0]

Thanks! I will let you know what I find.

 

[Musher]

oppxg0, I too have a N-fusion HD and a SG2100 motor and mine did the same thing. When I set up the motor worked and then DEAD. Also it would not pass the the signal though the motor from the lnbf to the receiver. The new motor came friday and will get it put up this week and report back. You may need to up grade your software.

Musher

 

[oppxg0]

I moved the receiver and tv to the dish and was able to move the dish. I guess now I need to replace the cables. They were pre-existing so I guess it isn't passing the info through. Now that I am out here, how do I fine tune it to true south as you depicted?

Thanks again for the excellent insight and timely help, mcgyver!!

 

[McGuyver]

I moved the receiver and tv to the dish and was able to move the dish. I guess now I need to replace the cables. They were pre-existing so I guess it isn't passing the info through. Now that I am out here, how do I fine tune it to true south as you depicted?

Thanks again for the excellent insight and timely help, mcgyver!!

Finding your true south and the closest satellite to your true south is the first step. To find your longitude is easy, go to www.dishpointer.com and type in your address, zoom in to your property and move the green button to the exact location where your dish is and note the longitude then look at the satellite list to see which one is the closest, i.e., if your longitude is 113.4° then you can use the 113.0°W SatMex6 satellite to aim at and lock onto a frequency signal. Then you can tune the dish and motor elevation for best signal, if you used the declination chart that came with your motor you should be close enough or right on the correct declination. Fine tuning the declination can be done later in the process.

Keep in mind that you can't always find a satellite as close as the example I mentioned, sometimes you have to use a satellite that might be 2, 3 or more degrees from your true south. The satellite is only for reference purposes so you can find the general location of true south. On the other hand your true south might be dead on a particular satellite.

Once you've accomplished finding the general true so. you then navigate the motor to the far east and far west ends of your horizon. starting at either end you'll seek a signal from another satellite, being the 125.0W on the west side and maybe the 72.0W on the east side, you may be able to go lower on the east, this depends on your location and a clear line of sight, If there's no obstructions blocking the signal.

If you can get a signal from both east and west satellites, you're almost home, if you can only get signal from one end then you have some adjusting to do. Study the chart I attached and get familiar with it, understanding is essential for tuning the alignment in all respects. I won't write a book in one post so take it from here and see how far you get, ask for help if you get stuck. You have plenty of help here and lots of smart people, take your time and good luck, enjoy the experience!