Geo Sat Pro Question.

[goaliebob99]

I have a Geosatpro 1.2 meter dish, I just put it on a motor w/ a 55 mm tube tonight. I'm having a problem with the dish moving on the motor and not being still. I have it as tight as can be without stripping the nuts. How do you keep this thing from moving on the motor?

The issue is the Ubolt allows for movment that holds the dish to the motor's shaft. Any idea? All help is apprecated. Thanks.

 

[brentb636]

You might try running a sheet metal screw right thru the bracket into the tube to tie them together. I've done that before successfully.

 

[Skyscanner]

Similar to what Brent said, some motor shafts have a hole drilled through them, drilling the bracket to line up with the hole in the shaft and putting a bolt through has done the job for me.
ss

 

[goaliebob99]

Similar to what Brent said, some motor shafts have a hole drilled through them, drilling the bracket to line up with the hole in the shaft and putting a bolt through has done the job for me.
ss

Yea I was looking at the shaft and I'm not seeing a hole. Looks like im going to have to drill one though. I was trying to get around drilling anything though. Thanks, Im open to other ideas if anyone has some!

 

[phlatwound]

I seem to remember someone using some sandpaper between the shaft and bracket, just cut you a piece to go around the shaft and tighten it up....leave it in there that is.

 

[brentb636]

You could always line it up again, and trickle in some glue, but I think a solid screw would be a more certain solution.
Good luck.

 

[pendragon]

We can get high winds here and I had the same problem with the stock hardware. I took some 2" PVC pipe and cut a piece long enough to cover the motor shaft. I then cut this in half lengthwise and used these as shims over the shaft. This allowed me to get a better grip with the u-bolts and that worked pretty well on its own. Eventually I bought three larger diameter u-bolts (3/8-16 x 2-1/2 x 3-5/8"). Nothing slips now.

 

[SatelliteAV]

Learned this trick from an old school installer and similar to phlatwound's suggestion....

Place a strip of adhesive backed sandpaper in the receiving channel of the mast clamp before mounting on the motor tube.

You might add a 3rd U-bolt to the mast clamp for one more layer of security when attaching to the motor tube. On my motor mounted GEOSATpro 1.2M, I placed the sandpaper strip in the clamp and also built-up three 1/4" tack welds on the inside of each of three U-bolts to bite into the motor tube.

 

[Chewie]

Hello Bob99
I use muffler clamps instead of the u-bolts and it seems to be working ok.
regards
Chewie

 

[goaliebob99]

Thanks, its a mute point now as when I was tigtening the RG6 cable to the motor the barrol that connects the LNB input to the motor fell off. I'm emailing for an RMA. looks like it will be another week between shipping back and forth. When I get the new one, Ill try the sandpaper trick!

 

[goaliebob99]

Learned this trick from an old school installer and similar to phlatwound's suggestion....

Place a strip of adhesive backed sandpaper in the receiving channel of the mast clamp before mounting on the motor tube.

You might add a 3rd U-bolt to the mast clamp for one more layer of security when attaching to the motor tube. On my motor mounted GEOSATpro 1.2M, I placed the sandpaper strip in the clamp and also built-up three 1/4" tack welds on the inside of each of three U-bolts to bite into the motor tube.

Yep that's the dish I have, it works beautifully! I'm on Gal 28 right now and I have seen a signifigant increase in my DB level from a 90 cm. :up

 

[SatelliteAV]

Thanks, its a mute point now as when I was tigtening the RG6 cable to the motor the barrol that connects the LNB input to the motor fell off. I'm emailing for an RMA. looks like it will be another week between shipping back and forth. When I get the new one, Ill try the sandpaper trick!

Bummer!!!

On many motors, the f-fitting barrels are pressed into the housing then secured with a locking nut. Check with Galaxy Marketing and see if they will allow you to try this procedure without voiding your warranty.

1. Loosen the locking nut on the barrel only 1 or 2 turns.
2. Screw a blank F-fitting onto the end of the barrel that does not insert into the motor to protect the barrel threads.
3. Line up the barrel with the housing opening and the center insert opening with probe on the circuit board.
4. Gently press the barrel into the housing.
5. Use a soft mallet to set the fitting into place.
6. Tighten the locking nut until it seats and add a 1/4 turn.

This should reseat the barrel into the housing.

 

[Larry1]

Hello Bob99
I use muffler clamps instead of the u-bolts and it seems to be working ok.
regards
Chewie

This method works great. I took the tube to the hardware store and selected a clamp that matches the tube size. This gives more surface contact area requireing less pessure to prevent the dish from turning on the clamp. I have also on other occasions used some of the anti-slip material from the dollar store (used for counter surfaces to prevent items from slipping, a rubber like product) to make a gasket.

 

[AcWxRadar]

GoalieBob,

I personally have the same dish and I am using it with the DG-380 PowerTech motor with the 55 mm tube.

I ordered several of these Geosat Pro 1.2 M dishes (two for my brother and two for myself).

My brother utilized the sandpaper trick and that worked fine.

I simply robbed one of the U-Bolts from my second dish to install on the first one so that it had three U-Bolts to clamp on the tube. The dish mounting assembly has holes in place to accomodate three U-Bolts already. It has never slipped without using any other additional remedy applied and it looks natural and professional. You could obtain a third U-Bolt from your local hardware store that will fit. It works perfectly.

I put together a sort of tutorial a few years ago when I installed this dish and motor (with pictures). Use the search feature and look for that post from me (as AcWxRADAR or with key words regarding the dish "GeoSat Pro 1.2M). You should find it fairly easily with a little time. I have some good photos to show how I did mine.

RADAR

 

[goaliebob99]

Guys, Thanks for the help you have given me a bunch of ideas on what I can do.

Brian, I'm just going to RMA the motor. I took the motor off of the pole today to take a better look at it. The other F connector is loose too. That explains why I had difficulty trying to get the RG 6 cable to screw on. (it was dark at the time) I think I just got a bad motor.

 

[SatelliteAV]

The other F connector is loose too. That explains why I had difficulty trying to get the RG 6 cable to screw on. (it was dark at the time) I think I just got a bad motor.

Might just need to snug the lock nut on the LNBF port to correct. Loose F connectors are very common on these HH motors.

 

[AJV]

I did the same as Chewie1 and have not any problems. You get the 3/8" size clamps and use the saddles also. I don't now why they did not include a saddle for the clamps, because you will bend the back plate, trying to hold i solid. Good luck

 

[Babadem]

I seem to remember someone using some sandpaper between the shaft and bracket, just cut you a piece to go around the shaft and tighten it up....leave it in there that is.

That's how i have mine.

 

[Anole]

one more thing:

I have it as tight as can be without stripping the nuts.

One thing that's been recommended, is the use of a dab of anti-seize compound on the threads, under the nuts.
Prevents friction-welding of the hardware.

High torque could still lead to stretching the U-bolt, I assume, ...
... so keep your torque under control, and use all the alternate methods listed, to secure the dish to the shaft.

 

[AcWxRadar]

I have a Geosatpro 1.2 meter dish, I just put it on a motor w/ a 55 mm tube tonight.... ....I have it as tight as can be without stripping the nuts....

One thing that's been recommended, is the use of a dab of anti-seize compound on the threads, under the nuts.
Prevents friction-welding of the hardware.

High torque could still lead to stretching the U-bolt, I assume, ...
... so keep your torque under control, and use all the alternate methods listed, to secure the dish to the shaft.

Absolutely! If the assembly isn't holding tight, don't force the mounting bolts in an attempt to squeeze it tighter, it only makes matters worse. Use some ingenuity and a little bit of common sense to add more surface area to hold the dish bracket on the motor stem.

The sand paper trick works swell, but it also hinders your azimuth movement when you need to adjust it. Installing three U-bolts (vs two) works just fine and still allows you to swing the azimuth of the dish assembly on the motor tube easily.

This is not the same as the azimuth of the entire dish and motor to aim at the satellite (rotating the motor on the mast). It is the alignment of the dish assembly on the motor tube, when trying to get the vertical axis of the dish perfectly aligned (parallel) with the vertical axis of the motor tube.

Back to tightening of the nuts and bolts, do not ever over tighten them. You only need enough pressure or torque to hold any part of the assembly in place, and not much more. Trust me, it won't move in the strongest wind if you give the nuts or bolts about a 1/4 to 3/8 turn beyond what is required to prevent gravity from moving it. If the assembly can still be moved, tighter is not better, more contact surface area is what you want. A third U-bolt or the sandpaper shim.

In simpler terms, don't be the gorilla!

Anti-sieze and other coatings will really benefit you. Especially if you live in a humid area and expressly near saltwater. And as Anole stated, it prevents fretting (or self-welding) of one metal surface to the other. This is a very excellent tip (thanks Anole - very wise one!)

RADAR