Double checking my plans before the install tomorrow. Help?

[UnderTow]

Hi.

This site is great! I recently bought the following FTA items and have been planning for the big install tomorrow. (in the rain most probably) I was hoping some kind FTA expert might have some tips before I climb up on my roof.

- Digiwave 33" Dish and Linear LNB
http://www.digiwavetechnologies.com...er_op=view_page&PAGE_id=32&MMN_position=29:29

- Digiwave HH990 Dish Motor (wanted the SG2100...)

- Digiwave DG6800 reciever

- VisionPlus VP-1020a PCI Sat card

I was going to try and get a dual LNB for the install, but the single comes with the dish so I figured I'd get it working before shelling out any more dough.

I live in Ottawa, Canada, so my True South magnetic deviation is +14. The HH990 settings should be 76 elevation angle, 2.449 declination angle. I don't know how well the alignment will go. I'm a little fuzzy on the aiming.

1) Mount the dish arm to my roof, making sure the arm is perfectly level with the ground. (90 degrees)

2) Mount the dish bracket to the HH990 motor. Mount the HH990 motor bracket to the dish arm.

3) Find true south and swing the motor and dish bracket assembly so it points true south. (basically find South on my compass and add 14 degrees)

4) Set the motor elevation to 76 degrees.

5) Attach the dish itself and set the declination to 2.449 degrees.

I've got all this in my head, but where do I go from here? Hook up my reciever and start playing around?

None of the product instructions explain how to get between alignment and actual motor use with the reciever.

Are my degrees correct? Is there a true south satellite I can expect to pick up? Any tips on true south deviation to help pick up the widest satellite breath possible?

Thanks for any help you can provide!

- UnderTow

 

[PSB]

Welcome to the SatelliteGuys.US forum, not too familiar with the Digiwave brand but I have had a few conversations with them, and if they would like to donate a system to the SatelliteGuys FTA MPEG/2 area I am sure we would be better placed to help their customers, I hope to hear from them soon, they have my contact details : )

First thing you will need is your locations Latitude and Longitude, from there we can work out your true south satellite, then its a matter of entering the coordinates of a live channel or transponder from the (true south) satellite and then aiming your dish to the correct angles while watching for signal quality on the screen. Let us know your Lat. and Long.

 

[UnderTow]

Thanks PSB.

My lat is 45.42 and my long is 75.72. (Ottawa, Canada) That should be +14 degrees from compass south right?

As for the dish motor, it's supposed to be the Digiwave HH990, but the manual says SPM990 on the cover.

The manual has an elevation and declination table. For 45 long, it notes my elevation should be 45 and declination should be 6.813. (ignore my previous incorrect elevation and declination numbers)

Also, I agree. It's impossible to find any decent information Digiwave equipment, save a couple of brave souls trying out the unknown.

 

[PSB]

Looks like your Lat. = 45 N Long. = 75.6W So your closest to true south KU satellite would be SBS6 at 74w. So I would aim for the below channel/TP to get started, if the receiver has USALS it will make life a lot easier.

SBS6

ONN.

11740 MHz
H
6616Msps

 

[PSB]

The declination should be subtracted from your elevation, so the elevation is 38 deg-7 deg= then your elevation setting on dish should be around 31 deg, well at least thats the way it works on the SG2100.

 

[PSB]

ON the compass south is 180 deg so you add your +14 deg making your true south bird at 194 deg. on the compass!

 

[UnderTow]

Just to recap.

After mounting the dish motor to the dish arm, point it true south (194 degress for me) and tighten it in place.

Adjust the motor elevation should be 45, and the dish declination should be 38.187.

Mount the dish itself, then run the coax to my reciever. (through a 2nd floor window until I get a signal)

Using the reciever, setup the antenna settings. Using the signal strength indicator adjust the motor mount left/right with the reciever until I get a decent signal. That signal should be from bird SBS6.

Then scan for all channels on SBS6 and find ONN (Ohio News Network) which is on frequency 11741 H, 6166 sr.

From there I'm off to the races right?

Thanks for the hand up psb.

 

[PSB]

Dish elevation should be at 31 deg. You will be watching for signal QUALITY not strength, forget signal strength, and the motor should not be tight at this point on the mast, have a look at the below PDF its for the SG2100 but it explains the method very clearly, IMO.

http://www.dmsiusa.com/documents/SG2100 easy manual.pdf

 

[UnderTow]

The manual "Elevation and Declination Angle Table" says:

Latitude Elevation Angle Declination Angle
45 45 6.813

I believe this is the angle settings when mounting the dish when the motor is at 0 start point, right? Then I use the motor control to find SBS6 (long 74w, azimuth 177.584172, elevation 37.711183)

Because the motor rotates on an arc, at 177 degrees West the elevation should be 37, right?

So I should ideally be trying to point the dish perfectly true South, with the manual's elevation, then panning West a bit looking for SBS6.

Sorry for the questions. I read the doc, but you suggested 31 degrees. I'm not sure if that's a SG2100 only angle. I just know I'll be on the roof tomorrow scratching my head.

Thanks again for the help!

 

[PSB]

The elevation to the satellite from your location is 38 deg. thats if you do not use a motor, if you put your dish on a motor you subtract the declination from it making it 31 deg!
Again this is the way most motors are set up, but I just did an install Thanksgiving day where the elevation was all that was used, the declination angle was built in so that may be the case for your motor mount.

You do not motor at all until you find your true south satellite and have signal quality.

Your true south satellite is at the TOP of the arc in your location, so you have the motor at zero and the dish pointing straight forward , as its not tight on the mast you can swing the motor and dish together east and west until you get quality on the screen.

It MAY be good idea to find your true south satellite first, have all the info entered into your card before you add the motor to the equation I know its tempting to do it all at once but it may save your some time in the long run.

Good Luck!

 

[UnderTow]

Sorry psb, I think I'm confused again.

There are 2 angles in the motor mount. The angle used when setting the motor's angle to the dish arm, and the angle on the dish where it mounts the motor.

The motor manual claims the motor mount angle is the elevation (45 degrees) and the dish angle should be 40 - Declination angle.

I think the dish mount instruction is incorrect, and it's really the elevation - Declination angle.

I know you haven't seen this motor before, but I still appreciate your help. Does this sound right?

Thanks again!

 

[PSB]

The elevation angle on the motor should be 45 deg.(same as lat.) that never gets touched again, then the elevation angle on the dish should be 38 then depending on the mount you may have to subtract the declination of 7 deg from that to bring it to 31 deg. (as you do with the SG2100)

 

[UnderTow]

Geez!!! I don't believe this. Cheap Digiwave dish crap!

I was assembling my Digiwave 33" dish this morning, preparing for the install and wanted to pre-set the angles for the motor and dish mount before I hauled it all up to the roof. The assembly was cheap, but strong enough and all the parts fit right.

The motor angle markers were perfectly clear, and set.

HOWEVER, the dish angle markers were practically painted over! Plus I have NO clue where the marker for the angle is!!!

The stupid instructions this thing comes with look like the picture at the bottom of this page... (that's it, nothing more)

http://www.digiwavetechnologies.com...er_op=view_page&PAGE_id=32&MMN_position=29:29

The Digiwave "How to install a sat dish" has a nice looking dish mount with 1 pivot bolt, and 1 slot. The angles clearly marker along the slot.

http://www.digiwavetechnologies.com...er_op=view_page&PAGE_id=15&MMN_position=12:12

This Digiwave dish mount has 2 slots, one on the top and on the bottom. The angle markers are on the side?

Am I going to be able to find the correct elevation without an angle finder?!?

Any suggestions that'll help save me a trip to HomeDepot for yet another 1 time use tool, is GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks!