Need some help - 8 foot Unimesh install

[comfortably_numb]

Today we may address some of the issues we're having with satellites on the eastern and western ends of the arc. Satellites at 97, 99, 101, 103 and 105 come in perfectly, but we have issues with 87, 89, 91, 117 and 121. Is this a declanation issue with the dish? If so, how should adjustments be made, and will they affect the satellites that are fine-tuned in the middle of the arc?

 

[TRG]

Today we may address some of the issues we're having with satellites on the eastern and western ends of the arc. Satellites at 97, 99, 101, 103 and 105 come in perfectly, but we have issues with 87, 89, 91, 117 and 121. Is this a declaration issue with the dish? If so, how should adjustments be made, and will they affect the satellites that are fine-tuned in the middle of the arc?

Post 17 should help answer your question.

Post in thread 'Need some help - 8 foot Unimesh install'

Jul 20, 2025

It's starting to look like a headend out here

We had success tuning a lot of feeds on 117 and 121, but nothing east of that.

So we have a lot of work to do, but we have a good start.

View attachment 183903

Perhaps this will help.

• FTA4PA

• 

 

[arlo]

I might can help. Here's a sketch from some time ago using 'dinner plate' methodology.
My buttonhook feed defies all common sense as you can see from the notes at the upper right.
I am very interested in knowing your results for future reference.
As you can see. If I pull the lower part of the dish rim UP to increase dB. It's actually aimed too high.
Screwy because you'd think raising the dish to seemingly aim it higher in the air to increase signal was the exact opposite. Too low.
Using the declination adjuster to lower the dish on closer-to-zenith satellites increased signal.

I was using a score of 1-5 based on how hard pulling/pushing on the rim made the signal the strongest. Then I went to dB.
Plotting the x at the representative relative satellite aim point looking at the back of the dish.
Get as many satellites plotted as you can. Some will fall very close to the desired arc. Some higher or lower and marked with an x.
Look at 101W. Why is he plotted higher on what should be a seemingly steady point to point plot? Don't know.
Fine.

Then connect the x's. How is your arc looking? Egg shaped? In my case on the doodle it appears as if there is a slight North/South axis issue. Everyone is just a touch low. But the Western sats are closer to the actual arc.
Extra fine Sharpie. Automatic center punch. Mark the pole and dish mount.Grab the tools.
Look at the chart (my most-favoritest) that TRG planted above. Be like Watney and science the s**t out of it.
In the end you probably will not be 100%. But very, very close. It takes patience and a lot of tweaking.

Look for slop in the dish piviots too. Weight shift as the dish swings through the arc can make for some very iffy aiming issues.
They have to be solid.

Hope this helps a little bit. Get back to us. Good luck.

 

[arlo]

Good stuff here too:


Aiming Secrets

 

[mr3p]

Perhaps I missed it but what is the arc of your LOS? Is 107W your true south satellite?

 

[comfortably_numb]

Perhaps I missed it but what is the arc of your LOS? Is 107W your true south satellite?

I would say 87-121. Perhaps a tad futher west but not sure.

 

[mr3p]

It probably doesn't matter but I think your actuator may be on the wrong side.

 

[comfortably_numb]

It probably doesn't matter but I think your actuator may be on the wrong side.

I agree. The bolt is stripped but we need to move it.

 

[a33]

Post 17 should help answer your question.

Yeah.
And/or post #19.
Haven't seen answers to the questions posed there.

Greetz,
A33

 

[comfortably_numb]

Haven't seen answers to the questions posed there

Haven't made any adjustments yet. Need to flip the position of the actuator arm and fix a stripped nut/bolt first. Will post updates once we've got those things fixed.

 

[comfortably_numb]

New rack is installed with shelves for the various receivers, V-Box to drive the Unimesh, a gig ethernet switch, APC dual battery UPS, and HDMI switching. The Tandberg commercial receiver is mounted towards the top

 

[comfortably_numb]

107W your true south satellite?

103

 

[a33]

Good stuff here too:

Aiming Secrets

Well, points #6, #7 and #8 I find not so good.
What's the point in rotating the whole setup around the pole, when you have only checked at one side (the east side), and not yet made certain on both sides that the north/south outlining is indeed not OK?
This advice, in fact, is counterproductive.

See this text, quoted from the linked file:

If your dish is pointing at a satellite to the east of center and you have to push up on the dish to get a better signal, then the elevation angle must be adjusted higher.
You adjust this by turning the WHOLE mount to the east!

Greetz,
A33

 

[arlo]

Well, points #6, #7 and #8 I find not so good.
What's the point in rotating the whole setup around the pole, when you have only checked at one side (the east side), and not yet made certain on both sides that the north/south outlining is indeed not OK?
This advice, in fact, is counterproductive.

See this text, quoted from the linked file:


Greetz,
A33

Perhaps print the doc. and granulate it. Highlighter, c/p paste the statements to individual lines.
You might have stopped short. Many do when trying to digest this stuff.

" You go back and forth until the dish has the correct elevation. Next,
you have to check a satellite on the other side of the arc. If you peaked the dish for center, and then
for one side, the other side should be very close. This will depend on your ground pole, offset
angle/elevation angle and quality of feed/dish."

 

[comfortably_numb]

For those who are curious, we attempted to use the Tandberg commercial receiver to show the 4:2:2 car racing feed on 89 C-band last night. The receiver locked the feed, played the audio, but there was no video. The receiver has the proper licenses to play 4:2:2 natively, but it kept saying "h264 Fail."

 

[navychop]

I am SO glad I avoided this hobby.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I am SO glad I avoided this hobby.

This is what makes it so fun!

 

[mr3p]

For those who are curious, we attempted to use the Tandberg commercial receiver to show the 4:2:2 car racing feed on 89 C-band last night. The receiver locked the feed, played the audio, but there was no video. The receiver has the proper licenses to play 4:2:2 natively, but it kept saying "h264 Fail."

Not familiar with the receiver you are using but are you sure that feed wasn't h.265?

 

[comfortably_numb]

Are you sure that feed wasn't h.265?

Yes

 

[mr3p]

Which model? Are you streaming to a STB for playback?