Confused

[Lanyu]

Hi Newbie I have setup a FTA before but in different country.

I'm in the process of trying to setup a Motorized KU-band FTA and I'm confused following the tutorial. I found true North/ South and closest satellite was Nimiq 4 which I can't pickup anything from as research showed I'm not in the foot print.

Nearest satellite with FTA is AMC -16 dishpointer shows that for this satellite I need to increase the elevation to 51 and add 4.3 skew. Do I make the needed adjustments to elevation and skew?

Thanks

Equipment
Receiver Eaglebox 800HD
Diseqc 1.2/1.3
33" Dish
LNBF GT111S

 

[Magic Static]

On a motorized dish the skew is set to zero. It skews automatically as it moves. The elevation is set for your location to bring you on arc, not a particular satellite. With a fixed dish you set elevation per satellite. By looking at your pictures the biggest problem you have is the declination angle is way off. You need to set that first.

 

[Magic Static]

Augusta is around 33° latitude. So declination angle is 5.4°. So set the dish bracket where it attaches to the motor at 25°. That should get you real close.

 

[mc6809e]

The LNB pictured shows the LO is 10750 so I'd change that in the antenna settings and also change the 22 KHz to off.

 

[Lanyu]

On a motorized dish the skew is set to zero. It skews automatically as it moves. The elevation is set for your location to bring you on arc, not a particular satellite. With a fixed dish you set elevation per satellite. By looking at your pictures the biggest problem you have is the declination angle is way off. You need to set that first.

This is apart of what I don't understand how will I know I'm on the arc can I pickup something?
I used a dial gauge angle finder and placed it on the arm the LNB sits on to find the angle is that not correct? I read that the gauge on the dish brackets are inaccurate

 

[Magic Static]

The dish arm is not perpendicular to the face of the dish so the angles would not be correct. The bracket on the motor is closer. But you can set that anywhere and it won't work until you fix that declination.

 

[FTA4PA]

Hi Newbie I have setup a FTA before but in different country.

I'm in the process of trying to setup a Motorized KU-band FTA and I'm confused following the tutorial. I found true North/ South and closest satellite was Nimiq 4 which I can't pickup anything from as research showed I'm not in the foot print.

Nearest satellite with FTA is AMC -16 dishpointer shows that for this satellite I need to increase the elevation to 51 and add 4.3 skew. Do I make the needed adjustments to elevation and skew?

Thanks

Equipment
Receiver Eaglebox 800HD
Diseqc 1.2/1.3
33" Dish
LNBF GT111S

There is some great info on motorized ku installs in the FTA FAQ section of the website here:

How to set up a Motorized KU Band dish

 

[Magic Static]

Another note: If you are measuring elevation angle from the dish itself you need to calculate in the offset angle of the dish.

 

[Lanyu]

Bingo!

Thanks for your help. Am I right in thinking now I need to fine tune it for Nimiq 4 by moving the assembly on the mast? Will I be able to get a picture of just get the quality of the signal up on the receiver? Its currently 79%

 

[Lanyu]

There is some great info on motorized ku installs in the FTA FAQ section of the website here:

How to set up a Motorized KU Band dish

Thanks that's one of the guides I have been using.

 

[Magic Static]

Bingo!

Thanks for your help. Am I right in thinking now I need to fine tune it for Nimiq 4 by moving the assembly on the mast? Will I be able to get a picture of just get the quality of the signal up on the receiver? Its currently 79%

The problem with Nimiq 4 is it's not FTA at all. You have the wrong LNB and tuner type for that satellite. Do you know about USALS? That can make it easier to setup.

 

[Lanyu]

The problem with Nimiq 4 is it's not FTA at all. You have the wrong LNB and tuner type for that satellite. Do you know about USALS? That can make it easier to setup.

I do know about USALS but my motor doesn't support it. Its Diseqc so I will swing left/right to see if I can boost signal anymore slightly then tighten down and use motor to move it to AMC 16 and see if it tracks. This receiver is designed for 28.2E Europe so i'm having to put Sat's in manually, I've put in Nimiq AMC and Galaxy 28

 

[Titanium]

Yes, your motor supports USALS (some motors identify USALS as DiSEqC 1.3 because they are not licensed to use USALS).

Activate USALS in the receiver motor menu and input your install location's longitude and latitude. Make sure that your Galaxy 28 satellite has the orbital slot 89.0w entered in the configuration. The motor will automatically drive off of the center "0" position to the calculated azimuth (East/West) position.

Once the motor has driven to the calculated position, input an active transponder for Galaxy 28 (11756MHz, Horizontal - SR 3345). With a small TV next to the dish and watching the SIgnal Quality meter reading, SLOWLY rotate the motor on the post East and West of the True South compass direction that you previously identified.

 

[FTA4PA]

The u clamps that hold the motor to the pole have a tendency of wanting to walk down the pole while you are moving east/west looking for signal. I've solved this by adding this piece from Home Depot. It gives the motor bracket something to rest on while adjusting.

YARDGARD 2-3/8 in. Adjustable Wood Adapter-328598C - The Home Depot

Here is a pic of how I used it to stabilize my 90cm with Stab HH100 rotor (click for full size). Simply bolt it to your pole just below the motor, level the bracket and tighten it down firm. Slide the motor bracket down and it will then rest on the metal ledge and not walk down the pole.

 

[Lanyu]

Is this better than the one I'm currently using?

The u clamps that hold the motor to the pole have a tendency of wanting to walk down the pole while you are moving east/west looking for signal. I've solved this by adding this piece from Home Depot. It gives the motor bracket something to rest on while adjusting.

YARDGARD 2-3/8 in. Adjustable Wood Adapter-328598C - The Home Depot

Here is a pic of how I used it to stabilize my 90cm with Stab HH100 rotor (click for full size). Simply bolt it to your pole just below the motor, level the bracket and tighten it down firm. Slide the motor bracket down and it will then rest on the metal ledge and not walk down the pole.

View attachment 138027

Cheers going to get one tomorrow. Just put in my co-ordinates and connected motor to see what happens

 

[raydio]

The u clamps that hold the motor to the pole have a tendency of wanting to walk down the pole while you are moving east/west looking for signal. I've solved this by adding this piece from Home Depot. It gives the motor bracket something to rest on while adjusting.

YARDGARD 2-3/8 in. Adjustable Wood Adapter-328598C - The Home Depot

Here is a pic of how I used it to stabilize my 90cm with Stab HH100 rotor (click for full size). Simply bolt it to your pole just below the motor, level the bracket and tighten it down firm. Slide the motor bracket down and it will then rest on the metal ledge and not walk down the pole.

View attachment 138027

Hey that's a cool idea -

 

[Lanyu]

So I have a problem Motor is sending satellite opposite direction to what it should? Are motors designed for Europe and USA ?

 

[Titanium]

Motors are dumb devices that can be used anywhere in the world. They move where we tell them to move...

You have either entered the Galaxy 28 satellite postition as an East orbital slot instead of a West, or the USALS motor menu install location is entered as an East longitude instead of West or a South latitude instead of North.

 

[Lanyu]

I assume DiSEqC and USALS understand each other? or will I have to input the satellite LAT and LON for each one for it to work.

At the moment I have put my co-ordinates USALS for the Nimiq 4 satellite and had AMC and Galaxy on Diseqc 1.2. The motor moved them but in wrong direction thats what made me wonder if I need to put lat and long for each satellite although its already there in diseqc if I select USALS it shows home location by default for all satellites?

 

[Titanium]

USALS is a form of DiSEqC control. The install location Longitude and Latitude is only inputted once and used by the receiver to calculate the motor position offset for each new satellite that is activated in USALS motor control mode. If the install location's longitude or latitude is inputted incorrectly, the motor will move the wrong direction.

In DiSEqC 1.2 mode, the satellite positions are manually located then the position is saved in the motor with a corresponding motor number. When the user selects a new satellite, the STB calls out for the motor to "GoTo" saved position number xx.

USALS is a calculation that made by the receiver each time the user selects a new satellite. This calculation is based on the install locations Longitude and Latitude. If the install Longitude or Latitude is inputted incorrectly, the motor will be instructed to move to the wrong position or direction.

When the satellite is manually added to the receiver, the orbital location of the satellite must be correctly entered. This is NOT your install location. For example: Galaxy 28 is entered as 89.0 west.