WSI Bargain Polar Mount: Elevation Vs Arc

[AmericanZ28]

After pointing my dish to my South bird (118 Anik F3), the Pivot Point on my 6 footer read 55 degrees, and the elevation of the dish itself was at 49 degrees (6 degree declination). I noticed that as I manually moved the dish East, the Elevation of the dish didn't move Isn't the elevation of the dish supposed to automatically adjust as it moves East and tracks the ARC?

 

[brentb636]

As the dish pivots, with a declination angle correctly set , the angle across the front of the dish should change to track the arc. One thing I found is that it's easy to confuse the angle being measured.

 

[Wescopc]

Make sure the piviot is set so that it is exactly parallel to the earths axis.
Bob

 

[AmericanZ28]

As the dish pivots, with a declination angle correctly set , the angle across the front of the dish should change to track the arc. One thing I found is that it's easy to confuse the angle being measured.

Thanks Brent! Looks like my dish was following the ARC correctly, but using this spot to check elevation was not working. I confirmed it by using the LNB scalar. Weird thing is, it's accurate when it's at the top of the ARC, but once it begins to turn EAST, it stays there and keeps reading the same +- 2 degrees. 49 degrees in this case.

 

[AmericanZ28]

Make sure the piviot is set so that it is exactly parallel to the earths axis.
Bob

Currently the pivot reads 55 degrees. My latitude is 35.2 degrees. This is where im placing the Angle Finder, am I missing something?

 

[brentb636]

Looks to me like that point only measures the elevation, but does not account for the changing angle of the dish surface as it moves on the pivot. Put a board across the front of your dish and watch THAT angle change as you move from true south to the extremes. This is MY first Cband dish, too, and sometimes the angles can be confusing.

 

[FaT Air]

55 is measured from vertical as 0 reference, isn't it? Turn instrument 90 degrees.
90 - 55 = 35 35 being your Lat. So that would be close to correct. following pic, horizon = 0
Also, all these angles are only adjusted at ZENITH,

 

[Wescopc]

Currently the pivot reads 55 degrees. My latitude is 35.2 degrees. This is where im placing the Angle Finder, am I missing something?

90 degrees minus your Latitude (35.2 degrees) = ~55 degrees - so looks like the right place to me.
Bob

 

[brentb636]

It's hard to be sure from the bargain hardware in the bundle, but from your pic, it looks like your declination is hugely greater than mine, since the nuts on my declination adjustment screw are out near the end of the screw. Your adjustment is closer to the center of the screw. We may not have identical hardware, but if we do, I'd definitely look at the declination adjustment, at true south.

 

[AmericanZ28]

55 is measured from vertical as 0 reference, isn't it? Turn instrument 90 degrees.
90 - 55 = 35 35 being your Lat. So that would be close to correct. following pic, horizon = 0
Also, all these angles are only adjusted at ZENITH,

WOW! You just summed up pages upon pages and threads upon threads with ONE PICTURE! I went outside in the dark just to check it on a different reference point with the same tool, and it was DEAD ON @ 35 degrees. Why a diagram like this is not a Sticky is beyond me. I was still a little unsure about things having read through countless threads, but now I GET IT! Thank you so so much FatAir!

90 degrees minus your Latitude (35.2 degrees) = ~55 degrees - so looks like the right place to me.
Bob

Thanks Bob, I had my angle finder on the wrong side of the Scale, but I guess it wasin the right spot all along.

I We may not have identical hardware, but if we do, I'd definitely look at the declination adjustment, at true south.

I remember looking at your photos in the install section and Im pretty sure that our hardware is identical. Your latitude is ~43 degrees, so ~11 degrees more than mine. We shouldn't be that much different, should we?

Needles to say, my dish follows the arc pretty well considering my mast isnt plumb. Im "Ghetto Moving" it, as ICE would say. I cant wait for the V-Box!

 

[FaT Air]

Glad it cleared the air, so to say.
I never had a pic of the mount side that would work out so well. Even countless pics of my own did not work. Probably because it's all flat black. These angles will get the mount to track quite acceptably on C band. Then there's modifying these angles slightly which may help getting the most out of the east and west ends of the arc. This may really be apparent if your BUD is Ku also. Basically - you decrease the declination angle slightly, and readjust the polar elevation down to peak the Zenith satellite. @ 48N the difference in declination adjustment is .6 degrees. And with measurement accuracies being what they are, some experimentation is necessary. Footprints by Dish Size - Latitude Declination Chart - C/Ku-Band Satellite Listing about halfway down the page, Modified polar angle chart.

 

[AmericanZ28]

Then there's modifying these angles slightly which may help getting the most out of the east and west ends of the arc. This may really be apparent if your BUD is Ku also. Basically - you decrease the declination angle slightly, and readjust the polar elevation down to peak the Zenith satellite.

Zenith Satellite, that's the southernmost satellite in my line of sight right? Yes I noticed that I wasn't getting any KU signal, but I figured It was a matter of tweeking the angles like you mentioned. I have a feeling that it's gonna be a bit difficult because the mount is somewhat flimsy and I dont think it will retain the position well, but we'll see.

 

[FaT Air]

Zenith Satellite, that's the southernmost satellite in my line of sight right?

For all practical purposes, Yes. Ku band tuning on a BUD is very critical. On C band, if you're off by 1 degree, you'll only see see a slight reduction in Q. On Ku, Q could go to 0(ZERO) by being off by just 1/2 a degree.
The best way to get a BUD on C and Ku is to first tune it up and track the arc on C alone. Then go on to Ku, making adjustments finer than what was done during the C band tune up.

 

[AmericanZ28]

For all practical purposes, Yes. Ku band tuning on a BUD is very critical. On C band, if you're off by 1 degree, you'll only see see a slight reduction in Q. On Ku, Q could go to 0(ZERO) by being off by just 1/2 a degree.
The best way to get a BUD on C and Ku is to first tune it up and track the arc on C alone. Then go on to Ku, making adjustments finer than what was done during the C band tune up.

Thank you, Sir!

 

[FaT Air]

I forgot to link to the modified declination chart which may help. (bottom of page) Again, the declination is reduced approx .6 degrees, (Raises dish) and the polar mount lowered to realign the zenith sat.
Footprints by Dish Size - Latitude Declination Chart - C/Ku-Band Satellite Listing