Cband Setup

[slimmswitch]

Can anyone tell me when setting up a big 8 foot dish ,,, how do i figure out the elevation? Because there are no elevation markings on my dish. I'm attaching a pic of how my dish looks like.

 

[Shawn95GT]

http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Products/Accessories/Meters/Johnson-Level.htm

You can probably find something similar at Lowes / Home Depot.

There are some REAL good videos out there showing how to point a c-band dish. I'm trying to find you a link.

<edit>Looks like tdti1 linked what I was look'n for </edit>

 

[tdti1]

Look here:
http://www.geo-orbit.org/sizepgs/tuningp2.html

And click Shaun Kenny - Tracking Made Easy here:
http://boresight.ripco.com/

And if you need a dealer:
http://onsat.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=12&sid=9d0e994defb9e55b78c0280b2774bd82

 

[mkm4]

Can anyone tell me when setting up a big 8 foot dish ,,, how do i figure out the elevation? Because there are no elevation markings on my dish. I'm attaching a pic of how my dish looks like.

If you are moving the dish locally as long as you don't touch the mount the elevation should be already set for you.

Normally, though, you would use an inclinometer to set your angles.

 

[slimmswitch]

Been away for a bit,,, but thanks . Gonna watch the video and see if i can figure this thing out,, I'll let you guys know how i do.

 

[JerryK]

I don't have much to add, other than my experience.

I used the video linked above in conjunction with:
- the protractor he mentioned is at Menards/Lowes for 6 bucks
- a compass with "degrees" from a px store for 5 bucks
- an elevation/declination chart for my area.

My own opinions subject to debate :
-Point the dish "true" south and not "magnetic" south. (there are charts to tell you this)
-Once you set your elevation/declination...DON'T change it! Just be accurate the first time and trust yourself. When setting up satellites, pay attention to how the guy in the video corrects weak signals: Nudge the dish left/right as appropriate and scan "into" the satellite again...RESIST adjusting the elevation at this point.
My golden rule: Fix satellite with left-right NOT up-down.

 

[slimmswitch]

Lnbf

okay i think i've got the elevation good now. Used Sadoun calculator 34.6 was my elevation. But here's another question. On these LNBF how do i know what to set the skew too??. Because theres markings on the side and top and I have no clue on what it should be set at.


Let me know... thanks again for everyones help.

 

[JerryK]

The picture on the left is your f/d ratio. One of the links above probably tell you how to calculate that. You sorta measure the width of your dish and your "depth" of the dish and do some simple division and get a number like ".42"... When you slide the feedhorn into the collar on the dish, you align the .42 (or whatever) with the edge of the collar.


The right picture, 0-90 ...I'm not sure. Anyone?

 

[slimmswitch]

Depth

I was just looking up the formula to calc the f/d ratio.

Example
D x D = 120 x 120 = 14400
16 x d = 16 x 18 = 288
D x D/16 x d = 14400/288 = 50

focal distance f = 50 inches


seems simple enough, but i just want to find out where to measure the Depth.
I've attached a photo of my dish again with markings yellow and red. If someone can just let me know where to measure from (yellow or red).

Hope i made sense...

 

[voomvoom]

I think it's the Red one.

 

[drhydro]

run a straight line (straight edge or piece of string) across the dish from edge to edge and measure the depth from the straight line to the center of the dish.