C-band dish alignment

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ChrisMat

Well-Known SatelliteGuys Member
Original poster
Mar 11, 2007
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Problem with C-band dish alignment: all angles OK (?) but if channels on far East are very clear, West side is noisy, then if adjusted for West reversly East is noisy (grainy)...
...how to connect FTA unit to C-band dish in order to have actuator working well, is that LNB from FTA "strong" enough to move big dish....
.................. thank you for hints...Chris
 
when you align everything up and get the east sats very clear and move the dish to the west satellite and get noisy can you push/ pull on the dish and gain signal on lift up or push down.

sounds like your either overshooting or undershooting your arc on the west side.
to correct this you would have to loosen the mount bolts ( at the pole and shift the whole dish either east or west in small increments 1/8 inch ( if this is what you have been doing
then if adjusted for West reversly East is noisy (grainy)...
then you would need to tune and set the elevation for your TS ( true south) satellite and then check the ends ( east & west)

I take it your moving the dish with a analog receiver? if all the satellites have been setup in the analog receiver then you actually don't need the coax at the analog receiver unless you are wanting to watch some analog channels. just change satellites with the analog receiver
and use the FTA receiver to view the channels. if you want to do both you can get a kit to split up the signals.
 
This may help.....
 

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George, what kind of kit (splitter) you talking - can you be more specific, please-name it,Radio/Shack ?

...any information on our forum (posts) in re:eek:f above ? - thanks...
 
High Freq. Splitter - Power Pass on One Side
Radio Shack MAY have it, my local one does not.
Looking for Freq higher than 2100MHz, will show Power Pass on one side only.
You can Google Bud Slave Kit, or check the sponsors at the Top of the Web page.
 
At the moment I want to say THANK YOU for all all responses - I'll try to follow your recommendations one by one as time will allow me to do so.....
Anybody from greater Ocala area ??? ...regards to all ...Chris
 
.... next question to "philosophy of dish tuning" : any correlation between dish tuning and size (length) of the actuator ?...I think it could be quite well extra problem (different parabole?), am I right ?
 
Correct me if I'm wrong but if you have the clamp on the actuator not positioned correctly it will have the affect of limiting the dish movement either east or west depending how the tube and clamp are set. I agree that tube length has no affect on the dish, but I found that the clamp sure does. I'm sure that there are instructions how to install the actuator correctly.
 
You will need to setup your polar mount for your true south satellite first. There will be a recommended angle for the polar mount for your location.

You will need an inclinometer or "angle finder". Lowe's or Home depot will have one in their tool section. It has magnets and dial to show degrees of angle.

Make sure your pole is perfectly plumb. Use a level to make sure the bubbles are in the middle all the way around the pole. This is critical.

Then set your polar mount angle and declination.

Someone on here has some diagrams of the adjustments and hopefully they will chime in.

after your angles are set up for your area you have to slightly turn the entire dish/mount on the pole (polar axis) until everything lines up and reception on your far east as equal to reception on your far west.

When you cannot lift up or down on the dish and make the signals get better on any satellite you have your dish properly aligned.
 
Hello,
my mast etc. is OK and I had before NO problem but when actuator was changed for next one (different length) all sudden problems with W-E alignment appeared...I am sure (non-scientific philosophy) that length of the arm can change trajectory so that either side is out of range and so on (cannot reach the other side)....thats my common sense and imagination - am I right again ??? thanks...
 
It is possible that the Pulse Count is different from the Old Motor to the New one.
Are you able to get a good Signal by "Driving" the Dish?
 
...not really...good (not best) on East and "noisy" on West ........and after adjusting extremes signals (Q) reversed.... friendly regards
 
If you adjust the East side and the West get "noisy" or Vise Versa then you usually are not aligned to your True South. Compare your results to the Graphic posted above(reply #3). Changing the Actuator should not change the Arc setting, that is controlled by the Mounts elevation and deinclination settings, but the position for the Sats may change.
 
...not really...good (not best) on East and "noisy" on West ........and after adjusting extremes signals (Q) reversed.... friendly regards
First when you adjust you must adjust in very small increments. I think the folowing link may offer you some more detailed information in tuning your dish.

Footprints by Dish Size - Adjusting the Polar Mount for Prime Focus Antenna - C/Ku-Band Satellite Systems - Tuning, Tracking, Azimuth, Elevation, Declination Angles, F/D Ratio, Focal Distance, Inclinometer, LNB/Feedhorn Assembly, Actuator Assembly, C
 
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