Due to the weight of a Primestar 1.2 meter(or Channel Master), has anyone ever installed a c-band acuator arm on one? Might be a very cool little setup. 
Actuator arm on 1.2m dish
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Channel Master 1.2m
I have my Channel Master 1.2m mounted onto a SG2100 H-H motor drive and receive everything from EchoStar 1 and 2 to Hispasat 1C and 1D.
I just used 3/4" plywood and painted it using several layers of outdoor latex paint. The bracket is from a Winegard 56cm dish. It used to get stuck when located below Galaxy10R, but since I re-engineered the board so that most of the weight is on top and bought a lightweight Sadoun 0.4dB LNB the problem has gone away. I am now having no problems tracking the arc.
My only concern is the movement it makes when the wind blows. I don't loose the picture, but the dish does shake being mounted onto a 1 5/8" SG2100 motor shaft. However, if I were to use an actuator I would not be able to get some of the satellites on the other side that I now receive using the SG2100 drive.
I thought about getting the larger replacement shaft for the SG2100 to help the wind load, but have not had time to do so.
I have my Channel Master 1.2m mounted onto a SG2100 H-H motor drive and receive everything from EchoStar 1 and 2 to Hispasat 1C and 1D.
I just used 3/4" plywood and painted it using several layers of outdoor latex paint. The bracket is from a Winegard 56cm dish. It used to get stuck when located below Galaxy10R, but since I re-engineered the board so that most of the weight is on top and bought a lightweight Sadoun 0.4dB LNB the problem has gone away. I am now having no problems tracking the arc.
My only concern is the movement it makes when the wind blows. I don't loose the picture, but the dish does shake being mounted onto a 1 5/8" SG2100 motor shaft. However, if I were to use an actuator I would not be able to get some of the satellites on the other side that I now receive using the SG2100 drive.
I thought about getting the larger replacement shaft for the SG2100 to help the wind load, but have not had time to do so.
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Swamp, I've got the same dish as you. I took a polar mount for a 10' mesh, set it on the pole and attached 3/8" plywood to the polar mount (same board as Popcorn shows) then attached the board to the back of my 1.2M I have my vonweise acutator hooked to the polar mount................scans the entire ark.....works dandy. I use my analog G.I. 450 to move the dish as well as slaved it to my 2700R for analog! Install was a piece of cake.
another dish-mover choice
This H180 motor assembly would replace both a linear actuator and a dish mount.
So, if you were going to buy or build a mount and a linear actuator, this might be cheaper or easier in the long run.
There's a thread around here showing how to attach it to the Fortec 6 foot dish.
The pictures make the whole thing a lot clearer to understand.
Popcorn - let us know how long that 4-foot dish keeps movin' under the power of a light-weight 2100 motor.
Sounds like you are livin' on the edge.
This H180 motor assembly would replace both a linear actuator and a dish mount.
So, if you were going to buy or build a mount and a linear actuator, this might be cheaper or easier in the long run.
There's a thread around here showing how to attach it to the Fortec 6 foot dish.
The pictures make the whole thing a lot clearer to understand.
Popcorn - let us know how long that 4-foot dish keeps movin' under the power of a light-weight 2100 motor.
Sounds like you are livin' on the edge.
My Channel Master 1.8m dish weighs a whopping 81 pounds. The H180 has a limit of 59 pounds, so this will not work for Swamp since I believe the PrimeStar dish will be heavier as well for this drive.
Which is why I would think an actuator arm would be steadier in wind...especially on a 4 footer.
I've been using an actuator arm on a 84e Primestar dish for several years and it's real solid.
Used a polar mount from a 6 ft mesh dish and a few homemade brackets from angle iron to mount the dish to it. The polar mount was already dialed in for my location, I just had to "lower" the angle of the dish. This took experimentation to determine the length of the brackets.
The top brackets are longer to push forward the top of the dish.
Works great!
Used a polar mount from a 6 ft mesh dish and a few homemade brackets from angle iron to mount the dish to it. The polar mount was already dialed in for my location, I just had to "lower" the angle of the dish. This took experimentation to determine the length of the brackets.
The top brackets are longer to push forward the top of the dish.
Works great!
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Couple of questions Popcorn; 1-does that 81 lbs include the hardware on back of dish, or just the dish itself?
2-what size post does that monster fit on?
3-is that a 1.2 or the 1.8 in your avatar?
The reason I ask is because I found what I thought was a Channel Master 1.2, but the more I looked at it, the bigger it seemed compared to my 1.0 meter. I took my camera with me and zoomed in on the dish information on the back of the dish, and to my surprise( and somewhat disappointment) it's a 1.8!
(as shown in the pics below). It's located at a local radio station and I noticed the coax coming from the lnb is just laying on the ground, connected to nothing. Just not sure if it's feesable to attempt getting one this size rather than a 1.2.Attachments
Let me say . . .it's a 1.8!
Just not sure if it's feesable to attempt getting one this size ...
On behalf of all of us who lust for such a beauty . . .
"If you don't drag it home, we're going to organize a beat-down party, and come visit you!"
For goodness sakes, take it home, and worry about what to do with it later!
I've been thinking about a 6' Fortec like Iceberg has.
If there were a 6' Channel Master around, I'd stop thinkin' and start doin' !
LOL. I got it.Let me say . . .
On behalf of all of us who lust for such a beauty . . .
"If you don't drag it home, we're going to organize a beat-down party, and come visit you!"
For goodness sakes, take it home, and worry about what to do with it later!
If there were a 6' Channel Master around, I'd stop thinkin' and start doin' !
Actually its the first 1.8 meter Channel Master I've ever laid eyes on. Anyway, this one I'm looking at seems like its on a 4" post and its about 15 ft up. If I CAN get it...should prove interesting getting it down. Attachments
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swampman take some help. If you cant get on the roof to get it , I think I would try to unbolt the dish from the mount and lower it down. It shouldnt be that heavy then, just unwieldy. You should get some great signals off that thing.
I know where I can pick up a couple of CM 1.8's (reflectors only, no mounting hardware or feed arms). Been considering asking for them anyway
I know where I can pick up a couple of CM 1.8's (reflectors only, no mounting hardware or feed arms). Been considering asking for them anyway
AHEM!
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Well it will definately take some help. I think if I can get on the roof, I can losen the 4 bolts and swivle the dish around then lift it off the post. Not sure just what kind of setup they have there. Looks like some sort of collar that fits over the main pipe and reduces to where the dish mount fits over. Looks like it was intented for the dish mount(I'm thinking 3")to fit over an oversized main pipe(looks like about 4").
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Answers to questions above:
1) The reflector weighs 81 pounds by itself with no feed support arms, LNB or mount. This rules out using a H180 H-H motor drive.
2) The mount fits onto a 4.5" O.D. pipe.
3) My avatar contains a 1.2m dish. Actually it is not my dish and is just a picture I found online.
Extra things I know about this dish that may help you:
1) Documents on this dish are atrtached including pictures of the polar mount.
2) The polar mount for this dish is no longer available. Channel Master (now Andrew) didn't receive many orders for the polar mount so it had been discontinued.
3) An AZ/EL mount is available at Future Vision for $145. The same mount is available at DOW Electronics in Tampa for $115.
4) Feed support legs are available at Future Vision. http://www.futurevisionsat.citymax.com/contact.html
5) I use a product called Krud Kutter available at Lowes that cleans these dishes very nicely. I highly recommend it.
6) The mounting holes on the reflector are spaced 24" apart on center in a square pattern.
To reduce costs, I'm actually going to plant a short 4.5" O.D. PVC pipe into wide bottom rubber tub and place an adapter ontop to reduce the size to 3" in order to fit the AZ/EL mount for the 1.2m CM dish onto. The mount will then bolt onto a pressure treated wooden frame on which the dish will also mount onto. The dish will then be positioned within the corner of my deck. I should have it completed within the next week or two and will supply pictures.
I am using my 1.2m for KU band and plan on using the 1.8m for C band.
Z4 I really like that setup. That rock bed gives that area a very neat appearance too!
Thanks !
The rock bed is an extension of my landscaping around the house. I just went straight back from where it was. And no chance of cutting a wire with the weed-eater either...
Most of all, I got tired of hittin' my head on the 10 footer when mowing the lawn
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