Motor setup for KU

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ray224000

Balvenie is the way!
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May 4, 2014
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North Texas
I've found numerous helpful threads concerning this topic but I've yet to find the answer to one question.

The situation is as follow:

My setup consist of GeoSat Pro 90 cm, QPH031 LNB, SG6100 motor.

I'm located at approximately 180 degrees so therefore my local would be 97W. Everything is good but I'm trying to squeeze a few more degrees on my western arc. I'm going to make one more attempt but the question I was pondering was this; Can I center the setup at 103 instead of 97?

If 103W was my center, I would think that would give me more than a few degrees west and will not affect my most eastern satellite.

Is this possible?

By the way, I can receive as far as 123W on the western arc. Shooting for 125W. I think I've pushed the limit.

Also, is there a known thread discussing this?

Welcome the input.
 
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"Zero" on the motor should always be pointed at true south. Basically 5 degrees East of South on the compass if you account for magnetic declination, which is about 5 degrees in Texas. If you point it at anything else, you may pick up a few satellites, but the satellites at the edges of the arc are going to be way off on the skew, and you will probably go past them or not go far enough when moving the motor, depending on which side of the arc they are on. For example, see this image... aiming the motor to the west or east shifts the red arc from left to right. Only pointing it at true south makes the red arc line up with the black arc where the satellites are.

SatelliteCurve.png



You should be able to get 125W from your location -- I get it from Arkansas just fine. You could have a line of sight issue, with trees or other objects in the way?

declination-us.png
Magnetic Declination
 
That is what I thought.

I knew there was a reason to set zero for true south.

I worked on this last night, so therefore, I did a hurry job on setting. I figured I have room for improvement.

I'll get back out there soon.

Thanks
 
That motor model should support +/-60 degrees in USALS and +/-70 degrees in DiSEqC 1.2 mode. With 97w being your true south satellite, USALS should calculate to approx. 40w to the East and 155w to the West. DiSEqC 1.2 will be greater as it can move to ranges outside the USALS calculations.

As Psikic indicated, 125w is well within the range of your motor. 125w is only 28 degrees West from the center satellite 97w. Some 125w transponders may be unreliable on the 90cm dish size. I lock the PBS TPs fine with a 90cm in Northern California, but others have indicated that they need a 1 or 1.2m to receive.
 
Psikic.....What is the most western satellite can you receive using the motor?
 
Titanium....I had a 100cm fixed at 125W with no issues. Montana was a problem from time to time.
 
My southern most is 96W. My SG9120 can motor to 30W (~9 degree EL) and far exceed going west to 125. You should have no issues going west to 125.
 
ray224000
Motor model should support +/-65 degrees in USALS. Tune South 101w.
 

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This is helpful. I'm getting 87W to 125W now. Not sure if there is much more than that on KU worth receiving.

I bet I can tweek a little more and I may once it warms up a bit. In the mean time, I'll enjoy what I can receive.

Thanks for all the input.
 
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With this FTA stuff, there is no such thing as perfect (at least speaking for myself!)... but do spend time setting up the motor as well as you can.
There might be some channels on 55 and 58W to try, and occasionally on 127W.
 
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