Today was a LUCKY day.

[SatelliteAV]

To correct a warped reflector, hold the low areas of the dish rim like a steering wheel and quickly thrust the reflector away from your body like the motion of passing a basketball. This action will cause the reflector to slightly flex and spring back into the factory pressed shape. Check for correction with the string test. It may be necessary to repeat the flexing process several times until the reflector edges are uniformly flat.



The GS120 fix for the loose F-fitting on later models was to place a f-fitting chassis nut on the housing then set the PCB to the fittings.

 

[avenger]

View attachment 85065

To correct a warped reflector, hold the low areas of the dish rim like a steering wheel and quickly thrust the reflector away from your body like the motion of passing a basketball. This action will cause the reflector to slightly flex and spring back into the factory pressed shape. Check for correction with the string test. It may be necessary to repeat the flexing process several times until the reflector edges are uniformly flat.



The GS120 fix for the loose F-fitting on later models was to place a f-fitting chassis nut on the housing then set the PCB to the fittings.

Brian, both of the "Warranty" stickers on the motor are intact, what is the warranty time for this type of motor. I know that this motor is at least more than six years old. I don't care about voiding the warranty.

The question is if I break the stickers and open the casing, is there enough room inside for me to install two f-fitting chassis nuts (as a jam nuts) and sanwich the F-fiitngs in the casing with two more F-fitting chassis nuts....Is there any precausion to take for not doing any damage to the electronics.

I have just reread your statement about thre fix for the F-fitting, is what I am asking is the same thing you are reffering to??.

Thanks

 

[SatelliteAV]

The GS120 warranty was for one year.

I recall that no case modification was made when the chassis nuts were added (jam nuts). I haven't opened one of those motors for at least 5 years, so don't recall allot of details.

Just follow typical electronic handling precautions against static discharge and metal housing shorting.

 

[avenger]

Is this Winegard 1m, big enough as a good candidate for a Mini-Bud, or is it just better used as a KU dish.

Working on a non destructive mod for the loose F-fitting connectors, will buy two "O" ring and pressure fit them into the F-fitting connectors placing them over the jam nuts , leaving enough treads showing for connecting the coax cable, will report progress.

 

[SatelliteAV]

Great for KU, not a good C-band choice.

 

[Anole]

In another thread, I just got through saying I couldn't recommend 6' for C band!

A 1m Winegard makes a very nice Ku dish, which is what it was designed for.


As for anyone not sufficiently discouraged, go lookup a 1m BUD thread by Linuxman.
It was several years ago.
He wrung the last drop out of his 1m dish.
I doubt anyone could do better.

 

[avenger]

Did the mini mod by using two 9/16 x 3/8 x 3/32 "O" ring they fit fairly snug into the F-fitting connection area. I am sure that F-fittings are making good contact with the pins/studs inside the motor.

Have question about testing the motor EAST and WEST travel functions while connected straight to the microHD, I unplugged the microHD from the power source, connected the motor to the microHD, made electical connection and powered up the microHD, the motor ran by itself all the way to the West side ( I guess that the last time I powered down must have been watching the farest west satellite) anyhow tried to go East and the motor moved about a quarted way, stopped and it started clicking about every two seconds, did not move much to the East, when the button was released the motor ran again by itself toward the West.

The main question is, does this motor have to be initially USALS programmed to the satelltes positions by the microHD in order for it to respond to the programmed satellites locations, the previously programmed locations were done to the other inplaced motor. Am I making sense. In short the GS120, is not traveling/moving when the East button function is performed. I do not want to go ahead and install the motor to the dish if it has problems and is not going to work right.

Thanks

 

[SatelliteAV]

Would love to see any photos of the mod!

The motor is both DiSEqC 1.2 and USALS compatible.

Was the motor reassembled with the tube in the exact position as when disassembled? If not, the motor may be driving off the end of the gear! From your description, sounds like this may be the case. If assembled incorrectly:
1. Disasemble
2. Drive the motor to reference using the microHD
3. Align the shaft with the tube pointer at zero
4. Reassemble

There might be a mechanical limiter set (under the scale).

Run the motor to the center (zero) position and insert a paperclip into the motor reset. This will clear all DiSEqC 1.2 and electronic hardware limits from the motor.

 

[avenger]

Connected the GS120 motor to the Fortec Lifetime Ultra and was able to move the motor shaft to the center "0" positio, no clicking smooth running so far, go figure.

Then proceeded to mount the motor to the Winegard dish, removed the small dish and replaced with the wingard dish.

The mod is not a big deal, just a simple insertion/placement of the above mentioned "O" ring and jamming the F-fitting in the cavity, the "O" rings are resting against the "Jam" nuts and keeping the F-fitting well centered into the cavity, there is very little movement of the F-fittings.... Note the blurry picture is not of the GS120 since it is already on the pole, but of the smaller motor (GS 2100), but you get the idea. I had to take the picture and run, since the Louisiana State birds (the mosquitos) were fierce.

Tomorrow I will see if I can get some satellites on this new setup. Before removing the small dish, marked/scribed the pole and transfered the marking to the new motor clamp brackets.

 

[avenger]

Today I spent a few hours trying to tune in the new dish with no good results. This dish is much too heavy for the original small dish pole, my back yard is also to small for three dishes, and my wife's small vegetable garden is conflicting with any new dish additions.

Will have to remove and replace or plant a new and bigger pole for the new dish. This is what happens when you don't think ahead and feel comfortable with what you already have and then someone gives you a bigger dish and things goes to pot, LOL!!.

It has been a very bad day weather wise as well as unproductive.

As of right now, both Ku dishes are down and the $69.99 special is out of commission, if you noticed some of the picture that I send shows the back of the special dish with a bent "L" bracket compliments of Hurricane Isaac and a little help from the wife.

 

[avenger]

I don't know if this should be a new thread or a continuation of this one.

Here goes, got a new dish pole for the 1M free dish...As mentioned earlier on this thread, I am still having problems with the dish/motor setup for pointing and receiving any signal from any satellite(s).

The dish elevation bracket and degrees indicator are clearly marked but cannot get to pinpoint or locate any satellites.

After installing the dish on the perfectly plumbed pole, LOL!!. I use two instruments, a "Digital Angle Gauge" and a "Pitch and Slope Locator" fancy word for an angle indicator while pointing to Galaxy 28 89.00W......Here is what was noticed, placing the instruments on the back of the dish at the LNBF arm holder as well next to the LNBF ( both sides of the "J" curve) , the edge of the dish elevation indicator falls at the 60 degrees mark on the bracket while reading the required elevation setting of 54.70 degrees on both instruments as per dispointer and SatelliteAV install location, for my area.

Why doesn't the bracket elevation numbers match the instruments elevation angle readings....Are the dish elevation bracket stamped marking wrong and way of by as much of 3+ degrees?

Any advice or suggestion is greatly appreciated.

avenger.

 

[avenger]

After 3 days of bad weather finally had the time to work on the dish...Did determined that the markings on the dish elevation bracket was/is off by more than 5°. After much time spent in trying to locate any satellites, finally am able to watch channels.

Today I also found out that the dish motor is not powerful enough to move or bring the 1M dish back from 129W, had to give it a helping hand to move away from it. I am in great need of a better and much stronger motor. So as it is now I am limited to view satellites from 78W to about 123W without straining the motor.

 

[Tron]

Strange... Those commercial dishes usually have elevation scales that are dead-on accurate.

Is the motor elevation set correctly at latitude 30?

 

[KE4EST]

That is very strange.

 

[avenger]

That is very strange.

Tron and ke4est

I knew, that I should have started a new thread.

This problem in not on the commercial dish, but the one that was given to me by my ex-coworker, the dish that came with the geosatpro GS120 motor and the invacom QPH-031 LNBF.

The commercial dish is on the NPRM, pointed to 125W (AMC 21) using the PLL Ku LNBF that came with it and doing just fine.

stogie5150 was very helpful in showing me how the original LNBF worked, he even gave me an extra or spare LNBF. Thank you stogie5150.