Moving My Dish

[SatPhreak]

I finally started to move my 90cm dish so I can get the whole ku arc. I tried it on the high pole in pic 1 and could get from 30W to 107W which wasn't much better than the 30W to 101W that I could get on the grey arm beside the tall pole. It swayed to much on the pole so it's been back down on the grey pole for most of the winter. I got the landlord's permission to mount it the side of the building and it should go to at least 129W but not much more. Good thing ku stops at 129W. The rest of the pics are mounting it on the side. I had to go higher than head level to make sure I can still get 30W but it should be high enough to clear the front right of
the taco building next door.


Had to stop due to rain and a sore knee. Hopefully I can aim and rewire tomorrow.

ps: the 5th picture is kinda wavy, not the ladder in the pic.

 

[WhyMe1]

ps: the 5th picture is kinda wavy, not the ladder in the pic.

I was going to ask about that ladder until I read the ps

 

[polgyver]

Great pictures! If you want to make sure that your dish's Line Of Sight clears the Taco Bell roof for Hispasat 30 W, and if you can wait to April 5, then weather permitting (no clouds), you can visualize this sat's location looking at the Moon at 7.56 PM. I assume your local time is the same as in Toronto. Hispasat "seen" from Thunder Bay has azimuth 114.0 deg and elevation 11.3 deg. The Moon at this time, at azimuth 114.0 deg, will have elevation 10.9 degree, so, the satellite will be closer to Moon's upper edge. But, for fast check, you could use a triangle, cut out from a cardboard, with the angle of 11 deg, placed on a pocket level, and eyeball the triangle edge over Taco Bell roof. Cheers, polgyver

 

[upnatm]

Too bad you didn't have a longer ladder, looks like
a little more height would've been a good thing.

How do you like the digital level? I have the same
one for installs, and I swear by it now!

I've got a motorized 90cm dish too, but its been
down since I got the DMX-741 C/Ku LNB installed
on my 10' BUD.
Weather and time permitting, I'm gonna get it
back up and running for some circular Ku signals.

Cheers from Wawa!

 

[SatPhreak]

Thanks for the advice, that I should have done before. I was using google maps for my LOS. BAD, BAD idea because it dosn't clear the roof for Hispisat. Cheacking the moon seems like a good idea that I will try on Thursday.

 

[SatPhreak]

The level is great. I just bought it last month for making sure the latitude was set correctly on the motor, and it had been off half a degree at it's old location.

 

[AcWxRadar]

SatPhreak,

A very nice installation job! Having it attached to the wall of the house will certainly reduce the "wobble" or sway. I am suprised that the landlord allowed you to attach it to the house, but it is a very good thing in the long run. You can use it for FTA or pay sats if you desire. If you ever move out, the next tenants will be grateful for a superb installation. Not that you expect to move, but I am just looking at every aspect.

The only drawback is that it is more difficult to set up / align. I am sure you have already become accustomed to that from the install on the pole. Gotta have a tall ladder and work behind the dish against the wall to make adjustments. It just isn't very "service-friendly". Wouldn't you like to have a Genie scissor lift?

I am not too keen on heights, but I suppose you get used to it.
I get to a certain height and start seeing things in a different way, kinda like the ladder in pix #5! Ooooh! My lunch! Ha Ha

Do you have to be that high to clear some obstructions for a clear LOS? Trees or neighboring houses? For certain, it is out of the way of any mowing responsibilities, it is out of the yard. Hope you get the full arc in the end. Sounds like you have it fairly well nailed down already, with just a bit of tweaking to do. I really like your installation. Good job and a nice looking setup!

RADAR

 

[Light15]

i relocated to a new geographic area. now can't locate for viewsat FTA system. help out there. where do i have to point I have double satellite dishes one receiver...used to pick up Dish and ....? 1000 Islands area. any satellites out there you can point me too?

 

[SatPhreak]

The landlord is a relative so that may have been why I could mount it on the wall. The bottom of the dish is about 8' off the ground but I can easily get at it with a 6' step ladder to adjust. I needed it high enough to clear the delivery trucks that go down the alley about 6' from the house. I checked the line of sight with a compass yesterday and it hits at the very top right corner of the shop. 2' higher or 2' to the right (from behind the dish) and it would clear it. Maybe a longer j pipe would help?

 

[AcWxRadar]

The landlord is a relative so that may have been why I could mount it on the wall.

hEE HEE, that always helps!

The bottom of the dish is about 8' off the ground but I can easily get at it with a 6' step ladder to adjust.

Looked higher to me. Maybe I really DO have acrophobia! LOL

I needed it high enough to clear the delivery trucks that go down the alley about 6' from the house. I checked the line of sight with a compass yesterday and it hits at the very top right corner of the shop. 2' higher or 2' to the right (from behind the dish) and it would clear it. Maybe a longer j pipe would help?

Remember, you've got an offset dish here. It is aiming 22-24 degrees higher than it appears to be. Did you already take that offset into account?

RADAR

 

[SatPhreak]

I know it points a lot higher than it looks but a 13' high truck 6' feet from the dish covers a lot. I figured 8' high would still clear a truck unless aimed at a low east position.

 

[Light15]

I have followed your way of locating with the moon. i did not check yet if it worked yet. i have just moved and have to relocate satellite in the sky. hope this works! I am in the 1000 Islands area....will this pointing trick still apply to me here? East of Kingston...slightly.

 

[polgyver]

I have followed your way of locating with the moon. i did not check yet if it worked yet. i have just moved and have to relocate satellite in the sky. hope this works! I am in the 1000 Islands area....will this pointing trick still apply to me here? East of Kingston...slightly.

Here is the link to my post http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/269008-moon-can-show-satellite-position.html , You have to find your co-ordinates (from dishpointer or other source, and convert them to degree - minute format. Also take down co-ordinates of your desired satellite. Go to US Navy site (google "sun or moon altitude azimuth" and fill in your home co-ordinates, choose interval 1 minute, choose Moon, finally choose time zone 4 (normally, in winter time, for Ontario the zone should be 5, but for summer saving time, 4 is OK). When you hit the key "calculate table" you will get very long column of data, from which you should choose your sat's azimuth. On this line you will find the time and altitude. Usually the Moon will be higher or lower than your satellite, but 27 times in a year the Moon will be very close to your sat. You have to try to calculate the table with inputting some more future data. It is easy after some trial. Today I checked and confirmed that my primary dish clears my and my neighbour's roof for "seeing" Hispasat. However, I made a mistake with time : I calculated using zone 5, whereas it should be 4. Anyway, the test came out OK. Cheers, polgyver

 

[SatPhreak]

Well I finally got the dish tracking the arc from 30W to 129W. I didn't even have to move the mount, just adjust the inclination of the motor. 30W is a little on the low side but the rest are all decent. I even modified the dish a bit to have screw adjusted elevation, close up in the first pic. The rest of the pics are self evident. Thanks to all for all the help.

 

[KE4EST]

Have been following the thread, glad to see you got it all working and got 30W.