declination question, Channelmaster 90cm, custom mount, motor

[alteng]

I'm installing an old Channelmaster 90cm (prime focus) dish onto an SG-9120b motor, but since I'm using a homemade bracket (orig was too heavy), and since this is my first time dealing with the math involved in setting declination without a standard scale (stamped into the dish bracket) I'm having trouble deciding where/how I should measure the declination angle. With a standard bracket it's all done for you, but I have no such "luxury" this time. I've searched the archives and read until I'm going blind, but I'm still not positive where I should measure the declination in relation to the bent arm of the SG-9120. The manual states that being at 37 degrees lat I should subtract 7 (approx) from 40 to get the angle. Question is, with no "normal" bracket, where do I measure this 33 degrees. I'm attaching a link to a pic below - should the 33 degrees be the angle I have marked as "X" in the pic.... or ??? Any help appreciated. Pic link below.

http://www.fuelcellfinder.com/fta/bracket-X.jpg

 

[crackt]

33 degrees should be the angle between the face of your custom dish bracket and vertical.

crackt out,.

 

[Arion]

If you have a decent satellite meter you don't really even need to mess with it. Just make sure the mount on your motor is set to your latitude and then use your meter to adjust for elevation on your dead south satellite and you should be o.k. When you adjust the dish mount to peak the signal your changing the declination anyway so I wouldn't try so hard to get it exactly right in the beginning. For people that don't have a meter then the careful adjustment of the declination is the only way they can be sure they are close to the arc. If you don't have a meter get one and avoid a big headache.

 

[alteng]

Doh! Problem solved!

I thought that the 33d was that measurement crackt, but I didn't make the obvious adjustment connection that Arion made for some reason. For some reason I was stuck on setting the declination first, but in my case, setting the latitude on the motor first is the obvious way to go now that it's been mentioned. As you rightly say Arion, after doing that and then peaking, the declination setting should be correct by default. I shouldn't need to actually measure the declination at all that way. I do have a meter, and using it to do so is no problem. I've been suffering a toothache for a couple of days while awaiting dental treatment, so I'll use that as my excuse for brain-lock. Thanks for the responses. That should solve the problem. :up