I recently put up a 10' fiberglass dish (Prodelin). Im tracking 91W - 139W with great signal. I cannot get anything further east than 91W. I have a good view of eastern arc. Any help would be great!
Arc Problems
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That's not enough information to make any sort of informed real response, beyond us throwing out a whole LOT of questions to narrow things down more. There's MANY reasons why that could happen.
How about you start by laying out your whole system, including photos, and how you tuned in the polar mount, etc, etc. The better the info, the better the response and help can be.
I'll post pictures tomorrow when it's light out. I'm using an Amiko Nano HD with a vbox 6 positioner and a JGS motor.
Well to start with, your polar mount is off (zenith/elevation is set too high probably), so that when you move the dish east of 91W your dish is aiming above the arc. I see you have Indiana listed as your location.
That would make your southernmost satellite either 87w or 85w, so you aren't that far off. If you have good signal throughout the western half that means your declination is ok. You need to point to the one that is closest to your true longitude. If your lnb is C band only that means you have to use 87W since there 85w is Ku only.
That would make your southernmost satellite either 87w or 85w, so you aren't that far off. If you have good signal throughout the western half that means your declination is ok. You need to point to the one that is closest to your true longitude. If your lnb is C band only that means you have to use 87W since there 85w is Ku only.
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Hold on, you only get the arc west of your location? (being Indiana is between 84°?47? W to 88°?6? W)
Start Over! Put your dish at the middle of its movement(the highest point it will aim) with the actuator.
Should look something like this:
Then check the declination angle.
That's the difference between the dish and the polar axis.
The polar axis is the Latitude angle, and the dish is the Latitude+declination.
Use the Declination from the Chart here:
Once the declination is correct for your latitude -
Then rotate the mount on the pole to acquire 'Quality' on the "Zenith" (87W) satellite.
If no Quality, adjust elevation slightly up/ down and repeat.
Adjust the elevation to maximize the Quality (Q). Snug it up(elevation).
Don't touch the elevation adjustment in this next 'phase'.
Using the actuator, move to satellites E or W, and adjust the mounts twist on the pole(Azimuth)
and the actuator to maximize Q. Continue 'till your at max E or W.
Snug up the mount on the pole.
Should be good to go, if not post back.
Everything I know: http://theho.web.fc2.com/BUD/
Start Over! Put your dish at the middle of its movement(the highest point it will aim) with the actuator.
Should look something like this:
Then check the declination angle.
That's the difference between the dish and the polar axis.
The polar axis is the Latitude angle, and the dish is the Latitude+declination.
Use the Declination from the Chart here:
Once the declination is correct for your latitude -
Then rotate the mount on the pole to acquire 'Quality' on the "Zenith" (87W) satellite.
If no Quality, adjust elevation slightly up/ down and repeat.
Adjust the elevation to maximize the Quality (Q). Snug it up(elevation).
Don't touch the elevation adjustment in this next 'phase'.
Using the actuator, move to satellites E or W, and adjust the mounts twist on the pole(Azimuth)
and the actuator to maximize Q. Continue 'till your at max E or W.
Snug up the mount on the pole.
Should be good to go, if not post back.
Everything I know: http://theho.web.fc2.com/BUD/
Hold on, you only get the arc west of your location? (being Indiana is between 84°?47? W to 88°?6? W)
Start Over! Put your dish at the middle of its movement(the highest point it will aim) with the actuator.
Should look something like this:
Then check the declination angle.
That's the difference between the dish and the polar axis.
The polar axis is the Latitude angle, and the dish is the Latitude+declination.
Use the Declination from the Chart here:
Once the declination is correct for your latitude -
Then rotate the mount on the pole to acquire 'Quality' on the "Zenith" (87W) satellite.
If no Quality, adjust elevation slightly up/ down and repeat.
Adjust the elevation to maximize the Quality (Q). Snug it up(elevation).
Don't touch the elevation adjustment in this next 'phase'.
Using the actuator, move to satellites E or W, and adjust the mounts twist on the pole(Azimuth)
and the actuator to maximize Q. Continue 'till your at max E or W.
Snug up the mount on the pole.
Should be good to go, if not post back.
Everything I know: http://theho.web.fc2.com/BUD/
I think he is good on the declination other wise he wouldn't be able to follow just one half of the arc (I hope the pole is plumb). He needs to adjust elevation first and then azimuth.
I would start over and use 83W to start with then start moving east and west adjusting just your az. Make sure that pole is not moving at all and is plumb. I had one do the same thing one time. What was happening was it was fine on one side(I think it was west in my case also), then east it would start losing it. I kept scratching my head cause it was almost perfect for all of the sats to the west, so why is the east going crazy? Turns out the weight of the dish was causeing the pole to move slightly as it came over to the east.
LNB cover angle??? Hope the feed horn isn't on that same angle?? Could be I'm seeing a parallax error from the photo but it looks like something is really wrong there.
The feed horn is on straight, the disc it screws into has a broken bolt. That's the next thing on my list to fix.
Congrats! Nice dish!
Knowing is better than guessing...
If the dish hadn't been parked exactly on a specific satellite and you aim the dish for that satellite at the new home, your arc will be off. Usually a move within 25 miles of the original location would require minimal tweaking adjustments.
When I used to relocate a customer's dish, I would first connect a meter, spectrum analyzer or receiver to confirm the setting. If the dish was not set on a bird, I would motorize to a bird, then mark the actuator and the azimuth portion of the mount for reference. I typically would use chalk (if same day move) or a Sharpie and write the position (I.E. 103w) beside the mark for future reference.
Knowing is better than guessing...
If the dish hadn't been parked exactly on a specific satellite and you aim the dish for that satellite at the new home, your arc will be off. Usually a move within 25 miles of the original location would require minimal tweaking adjustments.
When I used to relocate a customer's dish, I would first connect a meter, spectrum analyzer or receiver to confirm the setting. If the dish was not set on a bird, I would motorize to a bird, then mark the actuator and the azimuth portion of the mount for reference. I typically would use chalk (if same day move) or a Sharpie and write the position (I.E. 103w) beside the mark for future reference.
The manual I downloaded that the suggestions with my installation, matched perfectly by description of what I have. A Perfect 10. I needed to refer to it many times. I'm still installing it, but it is a work of love. Can't really explain it, but I enjoy getting mine in tune.
the manual has all of the calculations.
the manual has all of the calculations.
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That feedhorn must be centered also. If it is sagging that could change your effective elevation (may also be your issue). A lot of people use guy wires on the feedhorn to solve that problem.
I'm gonna give this a shot tonight. So aim dish as high as it can go with actuator and aim for 87W?Hold on, you only get the arc west of your location? (being Indiana is between 84°?47? W to 88°?6? W)
Start Over! Put your dish at the middle of its movement(the highest point it will aim) with the actuator.
Should look something like this:
Then check the declination angle.
That's the difference between the dish and the polar axis.
The polar axis is the Latitude angle, and the dish is the Latitude+declination.
Use the Declination from the Chart here:
Once the declination is correct for your latitude -
Then rotate the mount on the pole to acquire 'Quality' on the "Zenith" (87W) satellite.
If no Quality, adjust elevation slightly up/ down and repeat.
Adjust the elevation to maximize the Quality (Q). Snug it up(elevation).
Don't touch the elevation adjustment in this next 'phase'.
Using the actuator, move to satellites E or W, and adjust the mounts twist on the pole(Azimuth)
and the actuator to maximize Q. Continue 'till your at max E or W.
Snug up the mount on the pole.
Should be good to go, if not post back.
Everything I know: http://theho.web.fc2.com/BUD/
Yep. That's the first step. The arc is highest directly south of your location. Find the satellite closest to due south.
Adjust the elevation for maximum Quality.
Do NOT adjust elevation in the following: Then using only the actuator, and adjusting the twist of the mount on the pole, to maximize Quality readings. When you're near or at the 'end' of the arc. snug all adjustments up and check the other side of the arc. Should be 'good to go'.
TIP: when at a signal off to one side or another, but Q is low, which way do I twist the mount on the pole to maximize it? If lifting the bottom of the dish raises the Q, twist the pole towards the direction the actuator has moved the dish from center. Then move the dish back 'up' with the actuator.
Adjust the elevation for maximum Quality.
Do NOT adjust elevation in the following: Then using only the actuator, and adjusting the twist of the mount on the pole, to maximize Quality readings. When you're near or at the 'end' of the arc. snug all adjustments up and check the other side of the arc. Should be 'good to go'.
TIP: when at a signal off to one side or another, but Q is low, which way do I twist the mount on the pole to maximize it? If lifting the bottom of the dish raises the Q, twist the pole towards the direction the actuator has moved the dish from center. Then move the dish back 'up' with the actuator.
I'll see what happens when I get home it its not too cold. I noticed a BUD down the street, looks like a KTI stainless dish
. I'll knock on the door and see if I can make a deal. If I can get it maybe I'll use it for eastern arc.
. I'll knock on the door and see if I can make a deal. If I can get it maybe I'll use it for eastern arc.
I think I'm on 87. The TP is called Westar and I think I'm getting a CBS feed off it. I'll double check when I get home.
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