Winegard, sg2100 and Invacom HELP PLEASE

[yeaYnot]

Winegard, sg2100 and Invacom W/ PICS HELP PLEASE

Looking for some help…
My equipment:
Coolsat 5000
76cm Winegard Dish
SG2100 Motor
Invacom QPH-031 LNB
I have read a lot before, during and after my purchases. My problem is pointing the dish. I can’t seem to figure it out. Here is what I did:
I live in South Jersey (08034) which is:
39° 54.444' N
75° 0.048'
Mag Decl: -12.89
Ok, so Lyngsat tells me the satellite due south for me is SBS6 or I guess EchoStar 4. I used EchoStar 4. I get my pole plum and level.
According to the sg2100 manual, I set the elevation on the sg2100 to 51 (again based on my latitude and the elevation and declination angle table). On the Winegard the dish bracket angle goes from 20-80 and the manual says I need to set it to 30 – Declination angle. This is where I think I am going wrong. Why does the bracket go from 20 – 80 when the setting has to be under 30??? Anyway, according to the chart, I set this to 23.9.
Using a compass I pointed the LNB at 167 (180 – Magnetic Declination (12.89)).
I get a strength of 78-80 (but then I get this when I plug the cable into the LNB, even without a dish) and I get quality of 7.
I know I have the Diseqc configured right (input 1 is linear, input 4 is circular, to receiver goes to LNB in on SG2100 and then from the sg2100 to the receiver). I can move the dish with the receiver, so I am confident, I have that right. I can’t seem to get the dish pointing to a satellite.
I have tried myself all weekend (probably have 8-9 hours invested, so far) I’m real close to calling a professional and paying for him/her to get me pointed correctly. I would love to do it myself. Anyone wanna talk me through it??
Also, is there a way to use the SG2100 upside down. It gives me more room to work with that way.
Edit/Delete Message

 

[PSB]

Hello and WELCOME to the satelliteGuys.US FTA forum!

No way to use the SG2100 upside down. All your angles seem to fine.

Lat. = 40 deg.
Motor Elevation = 50 deg.
Dish elevation = 24 deg.

Its a good idea to find and store your true south satellite before you add the motor. But for now I would enter the below details and move the dish slowly watching all the time for signal quality. You have to have a live channels details entered before you would ever see signal qulaity


DFreq : 11741(H) SR : 6.616 Msps

The above channel is ONN.

Also looking at Sadouns link below it says your magnetic deviation is + deg.

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

 

[yeaYnot]

Thank you for the welcome.

Couple of things, if my magnetic deviation is + then I should be pointing at compass heading 193? 180 + magnetic dev.

Also, How do I add those channel details you provided? Is that channel (ONN) on EchoStar4?

Thanks again

 

[PSB]

Yes around 193, but remember the compass is just a guide. If you stand too close to the dish the metal will through you way off. So stand far away from the dish and all metal, then use the compass to get the general ball park. Then enter the above details from ONN its on your true south satellite SBS6, watch for signal quality. Signal level = zippo!

Good Luck!

 

[PSB]

Forgot to add one side of the SG2100 motor is marked ELEVATION and the other LATITUDE.

(Guess you noticed or read that, but always worth a mention)

 

[yeaYnot]

Hmmm, some good advice. I was putting the compass right on the LNB, not realizing all the metal around would through it off. GOOD INFO!

I'm gonna give it another try tomorrow. Could you tell me how I put that info into my coolsat? I'm referring to the info you provided: DFreq : 11741(H) SR : 6.616 Msps

Also, the only satellite that shows up close to my Latitude on the coolsat 5000 is EchoStar 4. SBS6 doesn't show up.

Thanks again. I was getting so discouraged; you have really go my hopes up again.

 

[PSB]

I do not have the Coolsat, but the Frequency is

11741

Polarity is Horizontal

And the symbol rate is 6.616

There will also be a way to add a satellite to your list.

I have the Fortec Star Lifetime Ultra and to add a transponder

I go to menu / edit TP / Highlight the satellite name / Hit OK / Edit TP / Add TP.

As mentioned above you will have to add SBS6, strange that its not there......

Good Luck tomorrow, always someone here to help out!

 

[Katrinasucks]

yeaYnot,

I continually read of people being as much as 30 or 40 degrees off when looking for a specific satellite- even with a compass.

We have this wonderful tool in google maps. They are oriented true north.

Go to maps.google.com, type in your address and find your home. Then switch to satellite view. (Ironic huh?)

Find where you are mounting the dish then find a landmark due south. (a tree roof etc) when you go outside, look for said landmark and you'll easily be within a degree or two.

No compass, deviation or math required.

 

[yeaYnot]

One last question:

Feq and symbol rate pertain to the satellite -- SBS6, in this case right?

Or does it pertain to the channel -- ONN, in this case.

Just when I think I’m starting to understand. This is going to be a fun hobby, I can tell. I do appreciate your help.

 

[PSB]

That Freq. + SR are just for that particular channel/TP.

Glad to help!

 

[yeaYnot]

Well, I think I have a couple issues... I have included some pics.

First pic is my setup: You can probably see that I don't have a lot of room, but the motor does move the dish far east and far west, without hitting the roof.

2nd & 3rd pic show the problem (I hope): I can't get the dish elevation to the 24 degrees that I need because the pole is in the way. Also, the 3rd pics shows the dish elevation for the winegard, I think its strange to have all that bracket go from 20 – 80 when the setting has to be under 30.

4th pic -- Do the sell longer poles? If I got a longer pole I could use the lower hole on the motor and that should give me the clearance.

 

[PSB]

Yep, the pitch of your roof is not steep enough, you could maybe install it at the end of a roof where the arm and LNBF could over hang the pitch.
The dish is designed to work in many latitudes, usually as a fixed dish, hence the elevation range.
In the 3rd picture, use the RED mark on the dish to set it to 24 deg. Should be no problem, when the red mark is lined up to 24 deg. Plenty of room
Have a look at the below link to a post where I posted picture of how the elevation setting looks....
http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=27466&page=2
And there are longer masts available, if you are going that route I would get the kind that have stabilizing legs.

 

[yeaYnot]

RED MARK! RED MARK!

Oh man, I never even saw that mark. I'm going out right now to try it. THANKS!

I'll let you know...

 

[yeaYnot]

Well, I figured out how to add the SBS6 satellite to my coolsat (this is a great site), I added ONN to that TP. I got my dish elevation to 24. I moved my dish from compass heading 170 - 190 real slow, took me about an hour or so to do it. I still can't get a quality reading.

When I added the satellite I set:
LNB power to ON
LNB type to Single
LNB Freq to 10.75
22KHz to OFF
DiSEqC Switch to 1.0, committed to 1 (that's my linear)
Legacy SW to OFF

Unless I get some advice that I haven't tried, I'm going to call someone to help me. I think I'm close, I just can't get it.

 

[PSB]

You may have to raise or lower the dish elevation slightly to catch the signal! (Motor elevation never gets moved)
If you think you are close do a blind scan and see what pops in! From there we can tell you what direction you need to move!

Still think it would be a good idea to remove the motor to start!

 

[yeaYnot]

Blind scan doesn't come back with anything. I guess I'm not close.

I have a SF-95 satellite finder, but either I don't know how to use it or I am just way off. I kind of remember my directTV dish being hard to get a signal, but this is really hard.

Thanks for all the help, but I think I'm gonna have to call a professional.

 

[PSB]

No shame getting a Pro in!

Problem is a lot of so called Pro's have never seen a motorized FTA system.

1/ Ask if they have ever done one before!

2/ Ask what kind of satellite meter they use. If they use a small TV do it your self!

3/ Ask to see their license, certification and picture ID. BEFORE letting them step inside your home!

I would advise removing the motor, find and store your true south satellite (a lot easier when there is no motor) , put the motor back on, refind your true south and you are done......

Good Luck!

 

[yeaYnot]

It is such a nice night out here tonight, I decided to go out and give it another shot. I GOT IT. I GOT IT!!!! I'm so excited. I just wanted to thank PSB! Thank you very much.

I'm off to configure my coolsat. Thanks again!

 

[PSB]

Thats GREAT!

 

[yeaYnot]

This is fun. Looks like I’m a little off, maybe my motor wasn't set exactly on zero.
When I turn on USALS, the satellites don't fall into place. Actually I wasn't getting any. Then I found one, kind of. I want to check out the home depot channel, so I went to 93.0°W Intelsat Americas 6, but all I get is a bunch of scramble channels from, I think 91 w Galaxy 11, so I guess I am off 2 degrees??
Gonna have to wait for some light before I can fix that.
What do you recommend for fixing it? Tune into 93W and move the dish until I get it off of 91 channels and on 93?

Thanks again.