Motorized Dish

[deaner]

I have a 10 foot motorized dish with a Von Weise actuator. My problem is when the actuator is operated the dish pitch is changed but it does not move the dish to the east. I believe the dish is assembled improper. The dish is mounted on the pivot arm so it will tilt only. If the mounting was on the top and bottom the dish could move east and west. This mounting is the hinged part for the dish. I have tried to find pictures of this type of dish mounting but I have not been successful. Could someone tell me where I am wrong and what is needed?
thanks

 

[Anole]

The four pages on this site will show you all the mechanical parts of a proper BUD, and how they work together.

Show us some photographs of what you have, and I'll bet the boys here will have you up in no time.
The more info on your dish and other parts you supply, the better.

 

[deaner]

I have been very busy and I will try to get with the program. I stood in front of a store for food for the food pantry--needy and with that it takes me two days of recuperation. Then we arranged food baskets for the needy and I just completed the main part of this --this morning. I had a close friend pass away so there is healing to be accomplished. I have more people needing baskets which I will take care of later. thank you for your patience

 

[deaner]

Picture #1 of my dish

 

[deaner]

I am just learning so will send my pics seperately pic #2

 

[deaner]

These are the three pictures of the actuator.

 

[deaner]

I can get the dish to tilt but it will not move to the east or west. Can you help? Please.

 

[gabshere]

when you tell the dish to move can you hear the motor trying to move ??

this is a dish that was already setup or you took it apart and reassembled it ( mainly the mount is what i'm asking about)

that main pivot arm that the dish connects to and the motor connects to. the high end should point north and the low should point south.

 

[voomvoom]

The best way I know of to see if the actuator will move, is to take a 12 volt battery (Car) to the actuator and connect the 2 heavy wires (probably Red & Black) to the 12 volt battery. It should move, if the actuator will work. Switch the wires to move it in the other direction. This is a good starting point to see if it works. If it does we can then proceed to find where the problem may be? Good Luck!

Al

 

[turbosat]

If you mean 'tilt' as in, it moves the dish-that's how it's supposed to work. Just flips the whole thing up and down on that axis. It will hit the satellite arc in the sky once you have the polar axis adjusted to north/south. I have seen that type of mount before also, didn't care for them much but it will work.

 

[Hermitman]

Looking at your pictures, it seems the declination bolt does not have the locking nuts tightened up so the dish declination won't change. That's the big nuts to the right of the right pvc pipe. I think you may be confused as far as tilt vs. going east/west. Right now, the dish is positioned to point at far west satellites. When the actuator pushes the tube out, the dish will pivot around the square tube that connects to the dish ring with bolts on each end. That will move the dish to pick up the satellites to the east from the current position. Remember, as the dish moves to the east to receive satellites, it must also increase in elevation to follow the arc all the satellites are in. The highest elevation will occur when the dish and the mount are aligned and pointing due south. Then the dish will start to decrease elevation so to continue to track the satellites in the arc in a more easterly direction.

 

[deaner]

Gabshere
God is great.
The dish was all assembled and I moved it as a unit. The other owner only watched one or two stations and never used it properly I understand. The heavy brace or support that connects the dish and the motor runs low end on the east to the high end on the west with the motor support running up and down.

Voomvoom,
The actuator is moving. There is no problem with it moving.

Turbosat
That is exactly the thing we are talking about. That is what it does. I am thinking I don't have the polar axis adjusted to the North South. What kind of instrument do I need to set the North South? I need guidance on how to proceed.

Thank you all so much for helping an "old" man. We will persevere

 

[deaner]

Hermitman
You are absolutely correct. The bolts are loose. Weather permitting we will on it tomorrow and see what I can accomplish. The information I have received today is very valuable. My wife still wishes you were close enough to do it for me. Thanks so much. This is beginning to come together for me.

 

[turbosat]

All you really need is a compass and an angle-meter (Ace Hdwe usually has these cheap). Once you set the correct elevation on the mount, for your location, and check the 'declination' angle, you use the compass to get you in the neighborhood on the north/south axis. Bookmark this guide:
Footprints by Dish Size - Adjusting the Polar Mount for Prime Focus Antenna - C/Ku-Band Satellite Systems - Tuning, Tracking, Azimuth, Elevation, Declination Angles, F/D Ratio, Focal Distance, Inclinometer, LNB/Feedhorn Assembly, Actuator Assembly, C
Read and re-read, it is a very good setup how-to for big dishes.

 

[deaner]

Turbosat
If reading will make me smart look out world--I am reading. Tried my 920 and I am unable to change the nimbers to make the dish move. So I switched to the 922 and it did better than previous but I still have problems with the nimbers as it states we have reached the maxium. There is only two numbers different between the east and the west.
Any helpful thoughts to this situation? I only have moved this far because of your support--thanks

 

[turbosat]

If you're saying the east limit and the west limit is only 2 digits apart-you will need to somehow reset the limits. I don't have 4dtv so I can't tell you how to do that, but I would think you could locate in the menus somewhere to fix that. (maybe you can locate the manual for it on the web, if one isn't already here someplace)
Might be a reset button on the back of the receiver someplace, that is how my GI 650 works, push it in, use the remote to move as far east or west is needed to get all the sats in the arc, then push the limit button again.

 

[Hermitman]

If you go to the FTA Manuals area of this website, you can get the manuals for the 920 and 922. Basically, on the installation settings menu page there is a set limits item. You would use that to set your far east and west limits. The manual spells out the procedure in more detail. Have fun.

 

[deaner]

I have been trying to use the set limits but I have not picked up the secret. I have the manual.
I talked to another old timer in a wheel chair last night and he stated he used to set dishes here in Wiggins and he set the tilt at 52 degrees . This does not sound right but I will also try this.
I appreciate the help very much.

 

[voomvoom]

Deaner, that (52) should be correct. If you go here:
SatLex Digital :: Technology :: Calculators :: AZ/EL Calculator
and click on AZ/EL Calculator
under Orbital Position
enter 89.0 West : Galaxy 28
under User Defined Orbital Position
change the East to West (if necessary)
under Dish Location
it doesn't have your City (leave blank) so just be sure you're in the US of A
under User Defined Location
enter your latitude/longitude (I came up with 32.43/-89.63) be sure and put a minus sign in front of your longitude
assuming you have a BUD, next to Antenna Diameter (width) put 300 (almost 10')
next to Antenna Diameter (height) put 300
now click on Calculate

This should get you what you need
Elevation Angle (I got 52.29) and Declination Angle (I got -5.27)
other than pointing your dishes polar mount north/south, these 2 angles should get you on the ARC.....?

Good Luck!

Al

 

[deaner]

Thanks again to all. VoomVoom I appreciate your feed back , this should really help me to get over the hump.