Help with Motor Install

[Larobpra]

I spent half the day today fabricating a lighter, less bulky mount for the ChannelMaster 90cm dish so I could get my SG2100 motor installed. I finally got it installed (after the first attempt didn't work out right) about the time it was starting to get dark (and cold!). I set the motor for true south (75.4) and when I moved it via USALS to my true south sat - SBS6 - it was right on, just had to do a slight declination adjustment to peak the signal. I then changed to AMC6 and it moved right over and brought that one in. So far so good. I then sent it to AMC4. It moved along until I got a signal and picture but stopped just a little beyond where it should have and lost signal. I have not had any luck trying to move back a little with the receiver remote. It will move back to both 72 and 74 with no problem other than it will only move after switching to certain channels. I can't seem to figure out how to "go to X" with the IV200 and it doesn't want to go beyond 101. This is the same thing it did when I first tried it with the original heavy mount a couple weeks ago. Perhaps I have the same problem DJ Rob and others have spoke about in his motor thread? http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/154324-sg-2100-issues.html
I will try again tomorrow, weather permittng, to manually move at the dish. Suggestions and tips are greatly appreciated.

 

[Larobpra]

Been out this morning trying it again. It got to the point last night that it wouldn't get back to 72 or 74. It still goes beyond 101, but I was able to manually move it w/ the east-west button to bring it in, but when I go back from the menu screen to the channel it goes back to the wrong position. Being I get good signal on all 3 sats when it is on them indicates to me anyway that I am at least tracking the arc that far.

One more question. Shouldn't a pop-up screen appear when at the positioner setting menu screen and I push the OK button for the "Go to" line? I really wish this thing worked like my ChannelMaster antenna rotor, with it's own controller and not dependent on the receiver. Does anyone have or make such a thing for satellite dishes?

 

[Lak7]

If you are getting good Q on different Sats, but the motor is not stopping in the correct spot via USALS, you may have the same issue as DJ.
Does the Motor Stop in the same place every time?
- if so, you can try adjusting your USALS Lat a few degs, if it goes past - add to Lat, if it stops short - subtract.
You can try using DiSEqC 1.2 for motor control, it's a Find-N-Save method.
What Motor options do you have, I am unfamiliar with the IV200?
As for "Go to X", that is usually in the USALS menu, what options do you have there?

 

[gillham]

Try adding 44° to your latitude in the USALS setup like DJ did. That seems to work fairly decent with my SG-2100 as well. Hopefully DMSI figures out the issue soon and can fix these, but meanwhile fiddling the latitude should get it tracking better.

 

[Larobpra]

I played with it for a couple more hours after my last post and finally pulled the motor and fixed back on G18.
I reset it a couple of times and got the same results every time. I get it tuned in for 74, then take it to 72, then when I send it to 101, it goes by about 5º. And after about half a dozen trips back and forth (72-74 to 101 and back) it comes up short on the lower end. It does stop in the same place every time beyond where 101 should be. I discovered that a small mirror was real handy to watch the pointer on the degree scale when the dish was moving, as well as for watching the light.
I am to the point of sending it back for repair, but may give it another try first.

 

[Tron]

Yes, with the dish mounted on an SG-2100, a mirror is almost necessary to see the motor degree scale. I've found that using the polished blade of my pocket knife works very well for that purpose