Need help or I may be doing something completely wrong

[alarroyo]

I'm trying to set up my FTA system and I'm getting nowhere. I have a SG6000 motor with a WS9036 and Omegasat 5701. I'm trying to use 97W (171.4 az from here) to my system up with no joy. My coords are 29.5N 98.7W. I've tried every setting I'm given by various sites. I've sat my latitude and elevation of 55.5 degrees and still no luck. What can it be? Please help. Am I missing something. I've use a satellite finder. When it was stationary I was able to get 97W. Any suggestions are welcomed or if any know anyone in the San Antonio area that could help let me know. I've cooking in this 100+ degrees heat.

 

[Tron]

I would suggest using a portable monitor and satellite receiver at the dish during the aiming process. Also, use USALS to first drive the motor to a given satellite, then aim the dish by adjusting azimuth and DISH (not motor) elevation. Set your motor elevation to your latitude using the LATITUDE scale on the bracket and don't change it.

 

[alarroyo]

I already sat the elevation of the motor at latitude and don't intend to move it. I'll try the USALS and have it take me to 97 W then I'll adjust the elevation of the dish and azimuth again. Will see what happens. It is a little frustrating.

 

[cracklincrotch]

Are you able to get a lock on any transponders at Galaxy 16 99W? That would be your closest true south satellite. If you can't get anything there you're not likely to get anything anywhere else either. A strong transponder on G16 to use is 11771 V 14321 3/4 FEC.

Set your satellite receiver to use USALS and drive your dish to 99W. Adjust the elevation of the dish, up or down as necessary, until you can get a lock on that transponder. As soon as you do, tighten up the bolts slowly, making sure the signal quality doesn't drop. You should be pretty much on the arc from there.

 

[alarroyo]

Tried that and it did not work. I'm puzzled.

 

[cracklincrotch]

You might try making sure your dish is pointing in the right direction. If you go to the site dishpointer.com, enter your address, click on the "Motorized" link just below, and choose "True South/True North" from the drop down box below that link. It will draw a line showing where to point your dish to true south, which will also be 99W.

You're likely closer to getting this going than you think.

 

[alarroyo]

The results are below. My dish elevation for 99W is 55.5 degrees. That means that I need to correct that to 50.6 substracting the declination angle? Am I correct. You might be right and I'm probably closer than what I think but it is frustrating. thanks for all your help.

Latitude: 29.5563°
Longitude: -98.7810°
Motor Latitude: 29.6°
Declination Angle: 4.9°
Dish Elevation: --°
Elevation: 55.5°
Azimuth (true): 180.0°
Azimuth (magn.): 174.9°

 

[alarroyo]

Or according to the SG6000 Manual the Elevation angle is 60 degrees and declination 4.9 meaning that 60-4.9= 55.1. I will try this one and the one I mentioned above to see what happens.

 

[SatelliteAV]

Set the motor angle to match your latitude. If you are using the Latitude scale set to 29.6 degrees. If using the Elevation scale markings set it to 60.4 degrees (90 - 29.6). DO NOT subtract the declination for setting the motor angle!

The declination is used for setting the dish angle. I have never owned this model, but normally you will set the dish angle to 30 degrees - declination angle. Some motors the dish angle is 40 degrees minus the declination angle. There is much confusion in many installation manuals as the manufacturer does always include this correct angle calculation. Your dish angle will be set to either 35 degrees or 25 degrees.

For my install at 38.5 degrees, the motor latitude scale is set to 38.5 or on the other side of the scale, the elevation scale reads 51.5 (90 - 38.5). The dish angle is set to 24 degrees (30 - 6 degrees declination).

 

[alarroyo]

Success with 97W now let me scan the rest to see what I can find. Thanks.

 

[turbosat]

Congratulations! Which dish - elevation setting did you settle on, to find 97??
Once the dish is tracking right, you are in for fun and games , discovering the fta universe!

 

[alarroyo]

I have the WS9036 dish, Omegasat 5701 receiver and SG6000. I sat the latitude to 29.5 and the elevation I just move it until I got a good signal. The only bad thing I can only get 97W nothing else at all. I'm new to this so I don't know if I sat it right. Right know is on the roof I'm thinking about putting it on a pole about 6ft high of the ground. Will see not frustrated yet...but was getting there.

 

[SatelliteAV]

alarroyo,

When you invent your own directions, you will have varied results......

Seriously though....

Input your Longitude and Latitude into the receiver and use the USALS (Go To X) function to drive your motor to the calculated 97W setting. Now that the motor has rotated slightly east, slowly pan the motor on the mast east and west on either side of where you previously identified the 97W satellite to be. You should be real close!

You may need to slightly increase or decrease the dish elevation angle to peak the Signal Quality. Once you have 97W aimed using the USALS function of our receiver, the other satellites should only require slight adjustment to peak.

Good Luck!

 

[alarroyo]

Yes, you are correct. I'll try to fine tune it when I get home tonight. Thanks for all your help.

 

[alarroyo]

Well success, it is working. I guess it was "OE" (operator error) I sat the coordinates one degree off. Went ahead and sat everything again and now I can get a lot of satellites. Tomorrow I will continue to do manual search of satellites and channels. The only thing is I need to move it up to see if I can get Hispasat from here. There is a tree and house that barely covers the LOS. Will se. Thanks again for all the help. Next moving to C band.. Looking which system to get.