Need Help Identifying location of Signal

iBoston

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Jul 15, 2014
2,641
2,200
North Central
I am attempting to lock 131w. So, i am near that. Can some one identify where this signal is coming from?

3885V 7200 DVBS

1622572067418.png
 
Never mind, looking through Lyngsat, i believe i found it.. Im at 133w... I think i will attempt to fine tune off this DVBs signal to get my dish height/angle more accurate. Unfortunely, this is a pain, because it only lets me go up and down about 10 degrees, and the motor on here is dead, so im using it as a lock bar, and sliding that up and down the shaft to get the height, so a real pain in the butt.

1622572277614.png
 
I am attempting to lock 131w. So, i am near that. Can some one identify where this signal is coming from?

3885V 7200 DVBS

By the way.
There is a way, to calculate motor rotation angle (and so satellite longitude) out of actuator extension/actuator length.
I guess I will sometime in future make a spreadsheet calculator for that.... :) .

Greetz,
A33
 
By the way.
There is a way, to calculate motor rotation angle (and so satellite longitude) out of actuator extension/actuator length.
I guess I will sometime in future make a spreadsheet calculator for that.... :) .

Greetz,
A33
My method uses simple encoder counts. Once you locate 2 satellites and determine the count difference, you should be able be able to bump the dish by that amount of pulses and be in the ballpark.
There will probably be some differences with the dish closer to the horizon vs up in the air towards zenith.
For example I get 32 pulses positive peaking 127W to 125W.
Lets say 127W reads 1032 on the display, 125W is very close to 1064 or thereabouts.
So that's 16 pulses per degree.
Add 32 to where 125W was, use the sat charts to find a strong tp on 123W and use your signal finder and start hunting. You will be very close and find it fast.
Keep a written chart. It will become important later on. You'll see why.
Now....as you get the dish up in the air you will most probably find that less counts are needed to hit a sat 2º apart from another. In my case it reduces down to 28 pulses. No biggie.
It's just geometry at work as the fulcrum point of the actuator changes.

The written chart will be important now because as you map and store positions, bumping the dish around to peak signals WILL freak out the encoder/dish mover count references. Gear slop, encoder pulses overlapping...I dunno. It will happen.
So once you get your arc mapped try to bump and peak signal as little as possible then store again.
Keep your paper tucked away and backup your dish mover memory if you can.
Good Luck!
 
Yea, its usually 30 pulses for every 2 degrees. I use that method on my other dishes... But for this particular dish, there is a DEAD motor holding it in place. I had to remove the motor and manually bring it in. Then i was rotating the dish on the pole and using a digital angle to try and pre-set it. - I wasn't having any luck, and went in side and just for kicks, i did a blind scan, and it saw the fox TP @ 133, but wouldn't scan anything in.

I then put THAT fox TP into my signal finder, and adjusted the height of the dish to tune to that TP. That got me close which then allowed me to rotate the dish to 131w and lock the signal and then i fine tuned it.
 
Yea, its usually 30 pulses for every 2 degrees. I use that method on my other dishes... But for this particular dish, there is a DEAD motor holding it in place. I had to remove the motor and manually bring it in. Then i was rotating the dish on the pole and using a digital angle to try and pre-set it. - I wasn't having any luck, and went in side and just for kicks, i did a blind scan, and it saw the fox TP @ 133, but wouldn't scan anything in.

I then put THAT fox TP into my signal finder, and adjusted the height of the dish to tune to that TP. That got me close which then allowed me to rotate the dish to 131w and lock the signal and then i fine tuned it.
Well heck. That's an easy one if you have an Enigma 2 receiver and the phone app.
I was cranking mine around using a pair of vice grips when my motor went south that way.
 
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My method uses simple encoder counts. Once you locate 2 satellites and determine the count difference, you should be able be able to bump the dish by that amount of pulses and be in the ballpark.
There will probably be some differences with the dish closer to the horizon vs up in the air towards zenith.
For example I get 32 pulses positive peaking 127W to 125W.
Lets say 127W reads 1032 on the display, 125W is very close to 1064 or thereabouts.
So that's 16 pulses per degree.
Add 32 to where 125W was, use the sat charts to find a strong tp on 123W and use your signal finder and start hunting. You will be very close and find it fast.
Keep a written chart. It will become important later on. You'll see why.
Now....as you get the dish up in the air you will most probably find that less counts are needed to hit a sat 2º apart from another. In my case it reduces down to 28 pulses. No biggie.
It's just geometry at work as the fulcrum point of the actuator changes.

The written chart will be important now because as you map and store positions, bumping the dish around to peak signals WILL freak out the encoder/dish mover count references. Gear slop, encoder pulses overlapping...I dunno. It will happen.
So once you get your arc mapped try to bump and peak signal as little as possible then store again.
Keep your paper tucked away and backup your dish mover memory if you can.
Good Luck!
That is what I do, for every 2 degrees Satellite on my actuator it is between 13 to 18 clicks, except the satellite's start with 55w Intelsat 34 there it is only 9 click for every 2 degree's
 
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