True What Now?

[nightcreaturex]

Hi guys. I've been reading here for awhile now, though I don't think I've ever posted a question. So here's my first lol I have a motorized dish with a KU lnb and a Fortec Lifetime Ultra reciever. I'm going to be installing it sometime in August and since I've done quite a few dish installs (though never true FTA) I'm not really expecting many problems...in other words I'm taking a hammer up the ladder with me to beat the dish when I can't get a signal >_<

What I'm wondering is what would my true south satellite be? I live in Calgary Alberta Canada, the Latitude would be 51.1 and the longitude 114.1 I've done some attempts to figure which would be my true south satellite but I'm far from sure and I know how important hitting true south is with these dishes. Whats really confusing me is the idea of accounting for magnetic deviation, which I've read you have to do. Not that I hve a clue what that means lol Okay so any help would be appreciated and I'll pop back here to answer any questions anyone has about my location, equipment, etc.

Thanks in advance guys.

 

[PSB]

Hello and WELCOME to the SatelliteGuys.US FTA forum

Your true south satellite is basically the satellite that is in the same geo-staionary position as your longitude........ (or as close as you can get)

Latitude 51° 6.000'N Longitude 114° 6.000'W

Sat Name Sat Lng Az(t) Az(m) El Skew
----------------------------------------------------------------

Intelsat 901 18.0W 265.2 247.0 -12.3 -38.7

Intelsat 603 20.0W 266.8 248.6 -11.1 -38.8

NSS 7 22.0W 268.4 250.2 -9.9 -38.9

Intelsat 905 24.5W 90.3 72.1 -8.4 -38.9

Intelsat 907 27.5W 92.6 74.4 -6.5 -38.9

Hispasat 1C/1D 30.0W 94.6 76.4 -5.0 -38.8

Intelsat 801 31.5W 95.8 77.6 -4.0 -38.7

Intelsat 903 34.5W 98.1 79.9 -2.2 -38.4

AMC 12 & Telstar 11 37.5W 100.5 82.3 -0.3 -38.1

NSS 806 40.5W 102.9 84.7 1.5 -37.7

PAS 6B/3R 43.0W 104.9 86.7 3.0 -37.4

PAS 1R 45.0W 106.6 88.3 4.3 -37.0

Intelsat 705 50.0W 110.7 92.5 7.3 -36.0

Intelsat 707 53.0W 113.2 95.0 9.1 -35.2

Intelsat 805 55.5W 115.4 97.2 10.5 -34.6

PAS 9 58.0W 117.6 99.4 12.0 -33.8

Amazonas 61.0W 120.3 102.1 13.7 -32.8

EchoStar 3 & Rainbow 1 61.5W 120.8 102.5 14.0 -32.7

Estrela do Sul 1 63.0W 122.1 103.9 14.8 -32.1

Brasilsat B2 65.0W 124.0 105.8 15.9 -31.4

Brasilsat B1 70.0W 128.8 110.6 18.6 -29.3

Nahuel 1 & AMC 6 72.0W 130.7 112.5 19.6 -28.4

AMC 6 72.0W 130.7 112.5 19.6 -28.4

DirecTV 5 72.5W 131.2 113.0 19.8 -28.2

SBS 6 74.0W 132.7 114.5 20.6 -27.5

AMC 5 79.0W 137.9 119.7 22.9 -24.9

Nimiq 2 82.0W 141.1 122.9 24.2 -23.2

AMC 9 83.0W 142.2 124.0 24.6 -22.6

Brasilsat B3 84.0W 143.3 125.1 25.0 -22.0

AMC 16 85.0W 144.4 126.2 25.4 -21.4

AMC 3 87.0W 146.7 128.5 26.2 -20.2

Intelsat Americas 8 89.0W 149.0 130.8 26.9 -18.9

Galaxy 11/Nimiq1 91.0W 151.3 133.1 27.6 -17.6

Brasilsat B4 92.0W 152.4 134.2 27.9 -16.9

Telstar 6 93.0W 153.6 135.4 28.2 -16.2

Galaxy 3C 95.0W 156.0 137.8 28.8 -14.8

Intelsat Americas 5 97.0W 158.4 140.2 29.3 -13.3

Galaxy 4R 99.0W 160.9 142.7 29.8 -11.9

AMC 4 101.0W 163.4 145.1 30.2 -10.4

AMC 1 103.0W 165.9 147.6 30.6 -8.8

AMC 15 105.0W 168.4 150.2 30.9 -7.3

Anik F1 107.3W 171.3 153.1 31.1 -5.5

DirecTV 6 & EchoStar 6/8 110.0W 174.7 156.5 31.4 -3.3

Anik F2 111.1W 176.1 157.9 31.4 -2.4

Solidaridad 2 113.0W 178.6 160.4 31.5 -0.9

SatMex 5 116.8W 183.5 165.3 31.4 2.2

EchoStar 7 & DirecTV 7S 119.0W 186.3 168.1 31.3 3.9

EchoStar 9/Intelsat Americas 13 121.0W 188.8 170.6 31.1 5.5

Galaxy 10R 123.0W 191.4 173.2 30.9 7.1

Galaxy 12 125.0W 193.9 175.7 30.6 8.7

Galaxy 13/Horizons 1 127.0W 196.4 178.2 30.2 10.2

Intelsat Americas 7 129.0W 198.9 180.7 29.8 11.7

AMC 11 131.0W 201.3 183.1 29.4 13.2

Galaxy 1R 133.0W 203.7 185.5 28.8 14.6

AMC 10 135.0W 206.1 187.9 28.3 16.1

AMC 7 137.0W 208.5 190.3 27.6 17.4

AMC 8 139.0W 210.8 192.6 27.0 18.8

EchoStar 1/2 148.0W 220.8 202.6 23.4 24.2

Satellite Finder is (c) Copyright 2004, P. Lutus

Although SatMex 5 may be your closest to true south KU satellite its footprint does not go too far north, this is where a receiver with USALS will be VERY handy.

http://www.satmex.com.mx/img/flota/satmex5_ku2.gif

 

[PSB]

Here are some links that touch on magnetic declination....

http://www.geo-orbit.org/sizepgs/magmapsp.html

http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Installation/Satellite-Heading-Calculator.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_declination

 

[nightcreaturex]

Thnk you very much. I was pegging echo7 as my true south lol which is close but still off and as I understand it that can cause problems. My fortec has USALS I believe (it says so on the front panel anyway lol) and I think I get the general idea of magnetic deviation now thanks to the links.

You do believe the USALS function will help in the aiming I gather? I've read some people saying that a USALS reciever will pretty much aim itself as long as you get the true south bird, than I've read others saying it won't make any differance at all lol Differing opinions get confusing after reading enough of them.

Thanks for the warm welcome as well PSB much appreciated.

 

[PSB]

I LIKE the avatar : )

Yes with USALS you enter your coordinates and angles, hit USALS the dish will move to the satellite (I recommend as close to true south) then you peak the signal, move the dish motor and all, with some slight changes in the dish (only) elevation and you are done, I use the Fortec Ultra and the USALS is a great function. You will have NO problems with the install : )

 

[nightcreaturex]

Finally lol news I WANT to hear The confirmation on the usefullness of USALS is nice to hear, take it easy and Thanks very much again for the info and help

 

[Tron]

Here's a run-through on how to use USALS to set up your motorized dish and find the arc:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=75357&page=2