where's amc 16?

[fkamp]

Hello,

I'm in the process of trying to setup a motorized dish. My latitude is 36.1 N and my longitude is 85.6 W. according to the List my southern most sat is AMC 16 at 85.0W. My problem is that on my Coolsat 6000, I don't find this satellite in the list. Is there a way to edit my list or should I try another satellite? There doesn't seem to be much on AMC 16. By the way here is the rest of my equipment:

Fortec 1.0 m dish set at 24.2 degrees
SG2100 motor set at 36 degrees
Coolsat 6000 premium
Fortec universal dual output lnb

Thanks for any help and for taking the time to read my post!

 

[Blindowl1234]

Try 12182 H 3978, on 85W it should be a good strong signal. Your'e right about there not being much on 85W. When you get it all lined up 83W is good with RTN on there. Thanks! Blind

 

[Lak7]

The Channel / Sat lists are never up-to-date, things change too much.
You can rename an existing, unused Sat to AMC 16, just remember to enter it's proper Location (85 West), usually in the USALS area.
Then in the Manual Scan Menu add the "Strong" TP: 12183 H 3978

Look at the bottom of the Menus, press the remote's corresponding Color Button to make changes.
The Manual is available here...
http://www.satelliteguys.us/fta-manuals/133419-coolsat-4000-5000-6000-a.html

 

[Diamond Jim]

Hi FKamp,

Welcome aboard. You say you are in Middle Tennessee, how far are you from Bone Cave?

There is not much on AMC 16 except for an EchoStar test pattern at FR 12182, SR 3972, Horizonital. You might want to try something close by like AMC 5, AMC 9 or AMC 3. They have a little more to work with.

Some receivers will let you edit the satellites, some won't. I don't know about the Coolsat 6000. If you can't edit, just pick one of the off the wall names and use it. That's what I do with the 4DTV since the satellites have changed names and the receiver still shows the old names. You just have to remember which one you use for which satellite. Good luck.

~Jim~

 

[fkamp]

Thanks guys for the quick replys, I just stepped outside to fiddle with it some more since the rain has let up for the moment. Now I've got it rotated all the way west and can't get it to move east at all. Tried the double press and hold; it just moved west to the stops.

Hi FKamp,

Welcome aboard. You say you are in Middle Tennessee, how far are you from Bone Cave?

I'm in the Cookeville / Baxter area about 40 mi away.

Thanks again for your help guys!

 

[Lak7]

In the receivers Motorized Menu, select DiSEqC 1.2 and look for "Go To Center" that should bring it back to Center

 

[Diamond Jim]

I'm in the Cookeville / Baxter area about 40 mi away.

I know exactly where you are at. A friend of mine that I was in the Air Force with was from Bone Cave. I have been there a few times. :up

 

[fkamp]

some success finally!

Well I was able to lock onto AMC 16 with great quality and I can see the echostar color bars. I'm a little confused about my dish angle though. The motor manual stated 24.2 deg for my longitude (85.6). I had to raise the dish to around 36 degrees. Not sure where to go next east or west? Does it matter?

 

[Lak7]

Congrats!

My first guess is you are not using the proper "indicator" for your Dish Elevation. It is usualy not the Bolt.

Next Sat I'd try is 74 west, ONN Channel
Freq: 11734
Horz
Scan Rate: 6616

 

[fkamp]

Thanks Lak

I tried 30w, it moved alot but now it won't move back I think it must be up against the stops. I can't even move it manually. The light on the motor justs blinks red. It's the same thing I had earlier only I was all the way west.

I know I must seem like an idiot. But this stuff can't be that hard, there's too many people doing it. I've had to walk away from this several times today. I do appreciate everyones help.

The motor im using is a sg2100 clone. The box says nothing about usals on it. Only diseq 1.2. Could my motor be incompatible with usals?

The guy I bought the dish and motor from bragged about the goto zero feature of the mercury II receiver. I have a coolsat 6000 and a viewsat ultra lite and can't get this to work with either one.

I should have waited for you to respond; Lak and took your advice about 74

 

[Mr Tony]

USALS is a feature of the receiver. All motors support USALS

 

[Lak7]

Try switching the Motor setup from USALS to DiSEqC 1.2, you should be able to use the Receiver to drive the Dish back West.

 

[fkamp]

USALS is a feature of the receiver. All motors support USALS

Thanks, Iceberg that's good to know. I got confused because the receiver menu had both 1.2 and usals.

I did find that I wasn't alll theway against the east stop. I must have a software limit set that keeps it from going west. Will try reseting receiver to fact defaults.

To Lak; on back of the fortec the square tubing has a slight dimple for dish elevation reference. Still 36 seems way off from the recommended 24.

 

[Lak7]

To Lak; on back of the fortec the square tubing has a slight dimple for dish elevation reference. Still 36 seems way off from the recommended 24.

Which Fortec Dish?

 

[Lak7]

Also, double check that, on the Motor, you are using the Latitude Scale and not the Elevation Scale.

 

[fkamp]

I have the 1 meter dish I don't know the model number though. It wasn't designed to accept a motor shaft as there was a built in stop at the top of the clamp designed to not let it slip down on the mast past a certain point. I had to remove that so the motor shaft would slide into the dish mount.

 

[fkamp]

Earlier today I had a problem where the dish/motor was rotated almost all the way to the West. No matter what I did, I could not get it to go east. Eventually in frustration, I removed the dish from the motor and the motor from the mast took it to my workbench. Then I connected the receiver back to it. While it was on the bench I was able to press the manual button and have it move back to zero. I put everything back on and had some success with AMC 16. Then I tried foolishly to go to 30 W. Well it went there but now won't return back or even move west at all. Here's what I've tried so far: (short of taking everything off as before)

powered the receiver off disconnected the coax and pushed the reset button on the motor

reset receivers back to factory defaults

disabled software limits in menu

When you press the button to go to the West the light on the motor turns red and nothing moves. It will move east though.

I really am loathe to remove everything and haul it to the garage just to get the motor to move back to Zero.

thanks once again

 

[fkamp]

Also, double check that, on the Motor, you are using the Latitude Scale and not the Elevation Scale.

thanks for the tip. I remembered that from sadouns video howto and am using the lat scale

 

[Lak7]

I think you have to have power to the Motor to use the Reset option.

 

[fkamp]

Lak,

thanks, I'll try that now