Polar Mount Declination/Elevation.. Calling smart people!

[gmd63]

Polar Mount Declination/Elevation.. Calling satelliteguys smart people!

Thank God for a place like Satelliteguys. I put up a C-Band and it is working ok from South to my west. but I have a huge heavy duty 36" actuator on this 6' dish and it just hits the house (more like the space shuttle arm). I have a more fitting size one coming next week.

Any way I think I may be out on the east side of things. I have read over and over about declination settings and elevation and subtract this etc... some articals seem contradictory to what others say.

I have included a picture, can everyone please take a look at it and put in your 2 cents what the reading should be.
I am at 50.65 Latitude. I think there should be 7º declination but I don't think I can get that out of this dish without taking off the nuts that set the declination.

Let me know what you all think, and THANKS in advance. Like I said thank God for everyone at Satelliteguys, this site has sure helped me getting my C-Band adventure going.

 

[pendragon]

For a latitude of 50.65 degrees, you should have the elevation of the polar mount set to 38.7 degrees or an adjusted latitude setting of 51.3 degrees. If your inclinometer reads 0 degrees on a level surface, It should read 38.7 degrees on the bar in the picture that runs between the declination bracket and the elevation adjustment bolt when the dish is pointing at true south.

Your declination setting should actually be around 6.7 degrees. That means the dish itself must be at a 38.7 - 6.7 = 32 degree elevation when on true south. I think it would be better to make this adjustment with the dish mounted. My guess is the nut configuration in the photo should allow you to get to this point.

 

[gmd63]

Thanks pendragon,

Set my polar mount to 38.7 degrees.

Still could not get the 7º (6.7º) declination to work out. From the front by the dish or from the very end of the bolt. Neither would come out to 7º on my tool ???

So I just dropped the nut/bolt for declination until I got the final 32 degree elevation reading for the dish instead, and it seems to have worked. Just had to nudge the mount on the pole a bit and everything seems to be tracking.

The declination nuts had to come about 2" from the front of the dish.

Thanks for the help and getting on track.:up

http://www.satelliteguys.us/member.php?u=123460

 

[truckracer]

the 36" arm won't hurt anything. It will never wear out pushing that little dish LOL.