After years. I have at last put my switch between the motor and the lnbs

[freezy]

I have the qph-031. Not that there is much on circular except some info channels and "You are Here" channels. An occasional itc will happen. Another benefit is if you are as USALs challenged as I am, having those circular sats available as checkpoints helps with diseqc 1.2 motor operation, is very helpful.

This isn't an informational thread by all means. It's a procrastinators thread. I even rediscovered a chunk of cable I meant to replace since rodents chewed on it...gads.

I am also separating the cables to 2 different receivers instead of slaving one off the other. I can't stand not
being able to view both horizontal and vertical TP on the slaved STB without changing the master box first. (So I can watch both Fashion One and Cuba Vision)

I have all the cable and connectors an installer could dream of (cough cough) so the cost was nothing to me. It was a nice day to be outside on the roof.

I would like to run a couple big copper house-grounds (One through the attic and basement along the center-line) and put another ground rod on the other side of the house...but that would take some money.

It's weird I have a little OCD for completing projects going on. Some stuff slips right through and put right on the back-burner...the other day my wife brought home a Coleman lantern from 1937 model 242b, nickel plated tank green shade. It drove me crazy that it didn't work. Next day I tore it apart (completely...no kidding, everything), cleaned it up, reamed out the generator, fixed the flint sparker, tied on a mantle....and there was light. I ordered a new globe...(yeah yeah I'm broke...$13.48 with shipping) I have an illness.

 

[turbosat]

LOL, sounds like some of my projects. Somehow though, haven't had any rats try my coax, I'm sure there's some big ones out there in the forest. Hopefully they will go cannibal on each other before they try the cables.
A shot of the lantern would be nice, that would be the "Pickers" dream.

 

[truckracer]

I actually wash all three of my buds every week with an rv brush and car wash LOL

 

[freezy]

OM Gosh it's so friggin cute

 

[Pismire]

Beautiful lantern. My Dad has one similar to that with the shiny bottom. I once found one in a do-it yourself dump and refurbished it, still use it to this day. I have an appreciation for those old lanterns.

 

[turbosat]

Never saw one with the shiny parts like that-it IS cute, haha! Good work there.

 

[SatelliteAV]

I also have the same lantern. A beautiful example of design and funtion! Found it at an estate sale about 10 years ago. Looked like the owner had never used it. Probably the best $10 that I may have ever spent!

 

[freezy]

Funny...these aren't even that collectable, value of investment-wise. There are so many still in action that there isn't a high demand for them. The earlier Quick-Lite lanterns go for some dough. Especially with original mica globes. The original 242b globes had a tendency to chip off a 3" half circle. So those are very rare.

 

[digiblur]

So why doesn't USALS work for you? It has worked fine with the few installations I have done. In my experience if USALS doesn't work then some other adjustment is off in your setup.

Sent from my C64 w/Epyx FastLoad cartridge

 

[freezy]

My arc is perfect 30w to the once not-blowed-up 148w. 93w is my true South sat.

Can I just aim at that and reset the motor and it will be zeroed? My "go to reference" and "go to" sat location are off like 3 degrees. adjusting my longitude setting hasn't worked.

 

[AcWxRadar]

Funny...these aren't even that collectable, value of investment-wise. There are so many still in action that there isn't a high demand for them. The earlier Quick-Lite lanterns go for some dough. Especially with original mica globes. The original 242b globes had a tendency to chip off a 3" half circle. So those are very rare.

That is an awesome lantern! Doesn't it really WOW you that a lantern from 1937 still works? and... Hey! The company that made them is still in business! Weren't they supposed to be making junk so that people would keep buying them when they broke so that they could make more money? Hmmm... Guess you can make really good or great products and stay in business after all.

I have a lantern with the mica globe and the mica is all still in tact. The metal is rusted quite badly, but all still there, too.

RADAR

 

[freezy]

AcWxRadar you got a pic of your lantern?

They make a killing on replacement mantles, globes and generators. How friggen smart are they?

Do you fire up your lantern just for nostalgia?

I sat out on the porch with my mom last night and BSed until it got too cold. I had the 242b going. She was almost as amazed as me at how functional, lack of smell and how nice of a light it casts. I demonstrated the dimmer lever to a nice glow and the damsel flies attacked the lamp...weird.

I really want to fix up another one now. Any Quick Lite, 327, 437, 228a or 202a out there that want to live with me for free?

I completed another project that was bugging me. I bought a heavy duty (laugh) 4 wheel wagon from Northern about 6 years ago. It's an overgrown Radio Flyer with pneumatic tires. On the front the main support is a flat piece of metal bent into an angle. It bent like crazy the first time I used it to haul something in the yard. So the camber was way the heck off...like tires rubbing on the bottom of the bed off.

I took that part off straightened it and then put it in the vise and hammered the middle into a half circle length-wise. It stiffened right up.

Oh all my loose sockets that I had laying on my tool bench...I cut the heads off of 12 penny nails hammered them in and made hooks for the sockets along the backboard

The ultimate procrastinator completion I took care of yesterday. I broke a craftsman socket 15 years ago. It has been rolling around in my junk drawer since. My son needed to go to the mall (70 miles away). I remembered to put it in my pocket. Hey guys... I got me a brand new Craftsman 9/16" 3/8 drive socket...are you jealous?

 

[freezy]

my motor is a single button. the reset is next to the button not the led.

 

[SatelliteAV]

The original design SG2100 motors have a single drive button with the reset to the side of the LED.

 

[freezy]

I lined up the antenna to 93w using diseqc ,Turned off the power, climbed on the roof pressed the reset button. went back down, turned on the stb went to sat setting for 93w, switched it to USALs pressed the" GO TO Reference" and it moved approx 4 degrees west...again

Am I supposed to steer the dish with the manual button?

 

[SatelliteAV]

Is your install location at exactly 93.0w?

 

[freezy]

92.92906w close enough? I had my long set to 92.9w. I also tried every point from 92.4w to 93.5w

 

[SatelliteAV]

Is the pointer on the motor shaft pointed at 0 before resetting the motor or is the pointer at 0 after activating USALS and moving the motor to reference?

It sounds like you may not have the motor at the 0 position when resetting. You may actually be resetting the motor when parked in an incorrect position.

Either way, ignore the reset and only use USALS to set up the motor. Set the longitude to 92.9 and then select a satellite. Once the motor moves into position, adjust the motor azimuth and the dish elevation to peak the Signal Quality reading. Trust the aiming at this point and select another satellite further east or west. Is the aiming close for the 2nd satellite?

 

[freezy]

I already have a good arc. If I tune in 93w with usals, (wherever it thinks 93w is) move the dish using the button on the motor and zero in, that should fix it?

If by some unforeseen miracle Zen-Moment I figure this out...I can leave 30w on DiSEqC can't I?

 

[SatelliteAV]

I recall some members discussing their motor being assembled incorrectly by the factory and being multiple degrees off. I believe that the motor needs to be manually driven to the 0 position then disassembled. The motor is then driven to reference, then reassembled.

If your receiver allows, you may have both USALS and DiSEqC 1.2 active at the same time.