Would a USLAS Motor Be Easy To Set Up?

[Phalaenopsis]

I’ve been struggling for the past month to align to Galaxy 19 Ku band. I just can’t align it. My equipment is working, I have a clear line of sight so I just don’t know what to do. My receiver supports USLAS, so would the motor auto-align it for me? Would a rookie like me who can’t align a dish to G19 be able to operate the motor? I’m very frustrated and on the verge to call someone to align it for me. Thanks. Also, are there any updates to my receiver available? It’s a Viewsat V5 Pro.

My equipment:
Viewsat V5 Pro
Linear dual ku band lnb
76cm/29 inch dish.

Would this be a good motor to purchase?

ORIGINAL MOTECK SG-2100 SATELLITE DISH MOTOR FTA HH SG2100 ROTOR MOTORIZED SG600 | eBay

Thanks for your time, I really appreciate it. Have a goodnight and a Merry Christmas.

 

[bpalone]

Adding a motor only increases the level of difficulty. It won't make it any simpler.

Maybe if you post some pictures of your setup and ask some questions, we could help you get 97W locked in. We like to help folks out.

 

[spongella]

Have to agree with bpalone, a motorized setup is much more complicated. It'll add to your frustration. The motor will not autoalign to that satellite. You have to do the aligning even with a motor.

What tools are you using to point the dish - a compass and satellite finder should be your minimal tools to get started. Where are you located, and are you using a satellite lookup table for your location to get the correct azimuth and elevation? How is your dish mounted, on the ground, roof?

Pictures and more details will help us help you. You've come to the right place, we just need more information. Don't give up, we all have gone through finding our first satellite.

 

[Magic Static]

Your description of the LNBF is not revealing what type it is. It suggests it may be a Ku Universal type, not a Ku Standard type. You have to set the correct LNB frequency in the Antenna settings menu of the Viewsat. If this setting is not correct you will not see a signal, just background noise level. The Viewsat STBs were mainly hacker units that used DBS dishes and LNB settings. You have to change those settings for FTA operation. Although there are many possibilities the normal LNB frequencies for a Ku Standard LNB is 10750. The Ku Universal LNB uses a dual frequency 9750-10600. You can use many different LNB types with an FTA receiver but you need to tell the receiver what frequency the LNB uses by selecting it in that menu.

 

[KE4EST]

You also need to be using a known good transponder to tune with. I assume you are using your receiver meter to align your dish. If a known good transponder is not selected you will not see anything.
12152 -- Horizontal -- 20000 is a great one to use for 97W Ku.

 

[Martyn]

I’ve been struggling for the past month to align to Galaxy 19 Ku band. I just can’t align it. My equipment is working, I have a clear line of sight so I just don’t know what to do. My receiver supports USLAS, so would the motor auto-align it for me? Would a rookie like me who can’t align a dish to G19 be able to operate the motor? I’m very frustrated and on the verge to call someone to align it for me. Thanks. Also, are there any updates to my receiver available? It’s a Viewsat V5 Pro.

Post a photo of your dish and a photo of the satellite setting screen on your receiver that shows the settings for LNB, power etc

Galaxy 19 isn't a difficult satellite to receive with 5-10 minutes of patience, so that's a good chance you have a setting incorrect in the receiver.

For Galaxy 19, you shouldn't need firmware updates. The Viewsat VSPro is an older receiver, but it should work fine to get you aligned to Galaxy 19.

A motor simplifies the task of moving from satellite to satellite, but you still need to accurately align it to begin with and that's your problem right now, so it wouldn't help. It cannot just search the sky and find a signal.

 

[KE4EST]

It cannot just search the sky and find a signal.

Wouldn't that be cool though.

 

[spongella]

Where's the beef? I don't think anyone's back there.....

 

[Martyn]

Wouldn't that be cool though.

I often think about building an az-el mount for EME and then swapping out the LNB when I want to do geo satellite work.

It seems a 7.5ft dish will work with a powerful enough amp (well, I guess anything will work with enough power) but 10 foot is where most people begin. I have yet to upgrade but I have my eyes peeled for a 10 foot dish.

 

[Phalaenopsis]

Hello, sorry I haven't responded yet, but here it is. I have a WS International Satellite finder kit, but I prefer to use my iphone compass. Ilive in Sterling Heights Michigan and my zip code's 48310. My dish is mounted on the southern side of my house. My recever settings are as follows:
Satellite: Galaxy 19
LNB Frequency: 9750/10600
DiSEqC: disable
TP freq: 11789.
I have been using dishpointer for my alignment data and this is my alignment information:
Elevation: 38.9°
Azimuth (true): 200.1°
Azimuth (magn.): 207.9°
LNB Skew [?]: 14.7°
Turn clockwise standing behind the dish
Also, Im having trouble using my handheld satellite meter. My satellite meter,is never beeping no matter what I do. I've even bought a replacement off amazon and the replacement is not beeping either. For my alignment I take my receiver out with my TV to align it moving slowly from east to west. My elevation on my dish is 38 degrees and the best quality I've ever gotten was 25% but when I went to scan it nothing at all. Whenever I turn my receiver off, the date and time always resets. Is there anyway to fix this? I have another lnb to .I've used this receiver at my old house back in 2009. Back then I called a contractor to set the dish up and align it, but in 2011 we moved. This receiver's been sitting in my basement for 6 yrs now until this year I have decided to try again. I have had my dish up since October 28th and I haven't been able to align it. Here is the link to my pictures. I apologies for the bad quality.

mysatelitesetup

 

[Magic Static]

TP 11789 is not valid. You will not get a signal. In post #5 KE4EST recommended using 12152 H.
Those meters are lame, hard to be sure what you're getting with those.

 

[Titanium]

Which LNBF are you using? One LNBF in the photos is a universal LO 9750/10600 and the other is a Standard LO 10750.

You will not find the satellite 97w using 11789 TP. Use 12152 H 20000 TP.

I wouldn't use the Signal Strength meter for locating the satellite. It will not indicate what satellite the dish is aimed at. The satellite receiver set to an active TP will only show Signal Quality reading and allow the aiming and the skew to be optimized.

 

[Phalaenopsis]

I’m using the Viewsat standard one

 

[Phalaenopsis]

Ok, I’ll try to frequency 12152

 

[Phalaenopsis]

OK I’m outside trying right now but I still have a question why does my date and time keep resetting when I turn on off my receiver

 

[spongella]

Alexander,

If you are not getting any meter swing on your satellite meter that means you are not aimed at a satellite. Granted, a satellite meter will not tell you what satellite you are pointed at but it will at least tell you that there is/isn't one at that dish position. I use a Radio Shack satellite meter exclusively when first pointing a dish, then I use a receiver to tell me what satellite it is. I know what satellite it is by doing a blind search, then determining from the stations received what satellite it is. Sort of like using a TV Guide but in reverse. Then I make a mark on the mounting pole and elevation gauge as my reference point and go from there.

My recommendation is to get your satellite meter hooked up again and see if you are getting any satellite signals at all. They definitely are useful to as a first pass, followed up by a receiver.

 

[Phalaenopsis]

I’m out now but I’m only getting 25 quality

 

[Phalaenopsis]

With my recever

 

[catamount]

make sure you changed your lnb lo to standard 10750 in the antennae setup menu on your receiver.

Catamount

 

[Phalaenopsis]

I’ve tried using my satellite meter but nothing. With my receiver my signal was 86% and my quality was 11-25% but very inconsistent. I did a blind scan and nothing.