Starchoice settings

[Bajawillie]

We are installing a Starchoice system in Baja Mexico at a place called Los Barriles which is 50 miles north of Cabo San Lucus. Does anyone know the settings for the azimuth,skew and elevation in that area? It is a elipical dish for HD that requires aiming at two satellites.

Thanks

 

[joshuals]

Try the DishPointer.com Tab at the top of this page.

Enter your location, or, optionally your lat/long. Then select "multi LNB setup". In the drop-down, select "StarChoice 107 & 111". You can then find your exact location on the graphic, and drag the icon to your location.

In the settings data, be sure to subtract 90 degrees from the skew setting given. Also, if using a compass to get the azimuth, be sure you grab the "magnetic" data. But the graphic, and it's line, are a good substitute for the compass.

The boresite (the direction defined by the LNB arm) of the dish is aimed at Anik F2 and using the signal meter on Channel 299 on your receiver to acquire the signal. 299 comes from the "other" satellite (Anik F1R), but as you see the signal meter begin to rise above a level of 20, you will be receiving signals from both satellites at that point. You do not need to do a separate operation to acquire the signal from both satellites.

Once you have found the signal and maximized it on 299, you will want to authorize your receiver so that you get a picture on the channels in your subscription.

You can then proceed to fine tune a channel on each of the two satellites......let us know if you need help with this operation.

 

[-Jim-]

Here's what I got from Dishpointer:

Address: Los Barriles, Mexico
Latitude: 23.6067°
Longitude: -109.6783°
Satellite: Starchoice 107W & 111W
Elevation: 62.4°
Azimuth (true): 178.8°
Azimuth (magn.): 169.8°

Dish Skew [?]: 89.5°

Joshuals, why do you need to subtract 90 degrees from the skew setting given?
Dish Skew [?]: 89.5°

 

[joshuals]

I stand corrected.....you do not need to subtract 90.

My recollection was that they gave the skew in the range of 0 degrees to 180 degrees, but evidently that's not the case. Not sure if they changed the format on this site or if I was having a senior moment......

Looks like you're good-to-go with the data you have....

 

[Mr Tony]

Now I get different numbers when using global-cm.net which usually is accurate...I used Cabo as the city which is at 23N 109.9W

elevation 63.2
azimuth 183.1
skew 093

 

[-Jim-]

I stand corrected.....you do not need to subtract 90.

My recollection was that they gave the skew in the range of 0 degrees to 180 degrees, but evidently that's not the case. Not sure if they changed the format on this site or if I was having a senior moment......

Looks like you're good-to-go with the data you have....

No worries. I'm still learning.

 

[joshuals]

No worries. I'm still learning.

Yeah.....me, too. I guess I don't understand all I know about Dishpointer.....maybe if I weren't so busy being retired, I would read the instructions.....

After looking at it again, I guess, for a standard Shaw dish (60e or 75e), you should not select "multi-LNB setup". You should select "all satellites" and then find "Anik F2" in the drop-down box (since this is the satellite that the lnb arm should point to with the Shaw elliptical offset dish & quad LNB). That will yield the following results:

El: 62.3
Az: 183.5 true
Az: 174.5 magnetic
Skew: 3.2 clockwise

These settings make more sense. Since you are at longitude 109.7 and F2 is at longitude 111.1, the Azimuth given with "multi-LNB setup" of 178.8 true makes no sense.....it has to be greater than 180 since the satellite is west of your location. Use the above settings in lieu of those you cited above from the multi-lnb setup. Sorry 'bout that....

Now, as I mentioned previously, you have to add or subtract the skew from 90 because the mark on the Shaw dish for measuring the skew is set at the horizontal=90 position, while the Dishpointer data assumes the mark is set at 0=vertical. So, since your location is east of the satellite, you want to rotate the dish clockwise (as viewed from the back looking toward the LNB), so 90+3.2=93.2, which agrees with Global's data as quoted by Iceberg above.

Trust me, set the skew at 93....I know what I'm talking about now.....

 

[DJdish]

Now I get different numbers when using global-cm.net which usually is accurate...I used Cabo as the city which is at 23N 109.9W

elevation 63.2
azimuth 183.1
skew 093

Could there be different numbers between the 2 sources, well but considering the OP mentioned Los Barriles is up 50 miles from Cabo (San Lucas or San Jose I do´´t recall) and joshuals I believe mentions getting coordinates for Los Barriles from dishpointer ?

 

[DJdish]

Just wondering if Jim is Bajawillie re-branded ?

 

[-Jim-]

Just wondering if Jim is Bajawillie re-branded ?

Nope no rebranding here. I'm relatively new to Satellite stuff but learning quickly. I'm really from God's Country (Beautiful B.C.) and have lived here since I was born. (But I have traveld a lot from time to time).

I think I connect with joshuals on another forum (not 100% sure as the names can change. I'm Jimsathome there).

I'm a licensed Electrician, with Electrical Technologist Technician level training, but I haven't used tools to earn a living in about 20 years as I moved into Sales and Management.

Right now I'm in the middle of a long tough install at a Cabin in the middle of BC => with a mountain blocking the birds. But I think we have a work around...

 

[DJdish]

Nope no rebranding here. I'm relatively new to Satellite stuff but learning quickly. I'm really from God's Country (Beautiful B.C.) and have lived here since I was born. (But I have traveld a lot from time to time).

I think I connect with joshuals on another forum (not 100% sure as the names can change. I'm Jimsathome there).

I'm a licensed Electrician, with Electrical Technologist Technician level training, but I haven't used tools to earn a living in about 20 years as I moved into Sales and Management.

Right now I'm in the middle of a long tough install at a Cabin in the middle of BC => with a mountain blocking the birds. But I think we have a work around...

I hope your install goes smoothly figuring out how to lock on those birds.

I was just confused since the OP mentioned an install in Baja Mexico.

 

[Mr Tony]

Could there be different numbers between the 2 sources, well but considering the OP mentioned Los Barriles is up 50 miles from Cabo (San Lucas or San Jose I do´´t recall) and joshuals I believe mentions getting coordinates for Los Barriles from dishpointer ?

usually on dishpointer when you say multidish they split the difference between the 2 LNBs'....like Dish500 actually is aimed at 114.5 (1/2 way between 110 & 119)
Since a Shaw dual LNB the 111.1 LNB is boresight (right down the arm) you actually just use that instead...hence the minor difference

 

[mellaby]

Here's what I got from Dishpointer:

Address: Los Barriles, Mexico
Latitude: 23.6067°
Longitude: -109.6783°
Satellite: Starchoice 107W & 111W
Elevation: 62.4°
Azimuth (true): 178.8°
Azimuth (magn.): 169.8°

Dish Skew [?]: 89.5°

Joshuals, why do you need to subtract 90 degrees from the skew setting given?
Dish Skew [?]: 89.5°

Jim the satellites are lining up this week or next. You better get out to the cabin.

 

[DJdish]

I´ve been following this and I see that the OP (BajaWillie) was talking about installing in Baja,Mexico (Los Barriles).
Jim mentions an install in B.C. (as I understand it he means British Columbia and not Baja California).

I wonder if I´m getting this right.

 

[-Jim-]

I´ve been following this and I see that the OP (BajaWillie) was talking about installing in Baja,Mexico (Los Barriles).
Jim mentions an install in B.C. (as I understand it he means British Columbia and not Baja California).

I wonder if I´m getting this right.

You got it! Except the OP bit :rant:???

 

[-Jim-]

Jim the satellites are lining up this week or next. You better get out to the cabin.

You are right!

Are you Tico?

Here's the info:

Sun Transit Predictions

Input Data Satellite: Anik F2
Satellite Longitude: 111.1
Ground Station: KAMLOOPS, BC
Ground Station Latitude: 50.67
Ground Station Longitude W: 120.33
Prediction Year: 2010
Season: Fall
Frequency band: Ku (12GHz)
Antenna Size (meters): 1
System Temperature: 135 K
Solar Flux index at 2800 MHZ (SFU): 142.6

Predicted Degradation

Outage
Date Start
GMT
(hh:mm:ss) End
GMT
(hh:mm:ss) Duration

(Minutes) Max C/N
degrad.
(dB)
OCT. 8 19:04:12 19:11:48 7.6 2.77
OCT. 9 19:02:20 19:13:08 10.8 4.59
OCT. 10 19:01:16 19:13:40 12.4 6.08
OCT. 11 19:00:48 19:13:36 12.8 6.84
OCT. 12 19:00:33 19:13:21 12.8 6.76
OCT. 13 19:00:43 19:12:43 12 5.84
OCT. 14 19:01:17 19:11:41 10.4 4.28
OCT. 15 19:02:39 19:09:51 7.2 2.51

 

[mellaby]

No I just have been following your dilemma on another site.

Mike

 

[-Jim-]

mellaby,

I (sort of) got that Project working but ran out of Cable for the moment. So now it will probably have to wait until spring.

I just got back home from a week in Puerto Vallarta at a Royal Decameron all inclusive. I actually watched a Canucks game Vs Colorado on ShawDirect at a small Bar on the edge of Bucerias (LasPalmas & Lazaro Cardenea). I even got it working in HD. The crowd cheered and the "tech" guy said he owes me a Beer! (He said he never got Hockey in HD there before )

 

[DJdish]

mellaby,

I (sort of) got that Project working but ran out of Cable for the moment. So now it will probably have to wait until spring.

I just got back home from a week in Puerto Vallarta at a Royal Decameron all inclusive. I actually watched a Canucks game Vs Colorado on ShawDirect at a small Bar on the edge of Bucerias (LasPalmas & Lazaro Cardenea). I even got it working in HD. The crowd cheered and the "tech" guy said he owes me a Beer! (He said he never got Hockey in HD there before )

LOL, I´d say the tech guy owes you more than one Pacifico beer.

 

[mellaby]

Well I'm back in Az for the winter. Installed my 75cm dish and signal strength is great. It's nice to watch hockey and local news from back home.