elevation on a off set dish

[Wescopc]

Make sure the width is enter in the top box and the height in the bottom box of the program. Sometimes this program gives an erroneous number until the longitude and latitude of your location are entered in. But in any case the offset angle should be correct with out entering the longs and lats.

With an inclinometer on the face of the dish remember to add the amount of the offset degrees to your reading. The sum of your offset degrees and the number of degrees that your inclinometer reads equals the degrees of elevation of dish. Hope this helps.
Bob

 

[bill190]

Also you can go to the dish manufacturer's web site and find the dish offset in the specifications for the dish - or call them and ask.

 

[Mr Tony]

An offset dish always looks lower than a Prime Focus. My 6' Fortec dish is looks like its aimed at the sky for 38 degrees whereas on a offset 38 degrees looks much lower. For G10 the dish is almost straight up and down. (30 elevation)

To see if and offset will clear something, I always aim the dish 22 degrees higher and see (22 degrees making it look like a Prime Focus).

But since you mentioned a ghetto mount (not the normal mount for the dish) then all bets are off in all seriousness. Best thing is trial and error. You could use an angle finder (I had to when I aimed the T90 since that has NO elevation markings)
Aim where you think it should be and blind scan. Thats what I do with the C-Band dish sicne those dont have elevation scales either.

 

[TiminMb]

At our latitude, 49.9 N, an offset dish looking at due South Satellite sits near vertical when looking at the dish itself. Anything really off due South and its vertical or slightly tilted down. Just take a look at the pay for satellite dishes in your neighborhood. They are offset and will give you a rough idea of how vertical offset dishes are in your latitude. Not really scientific, as they are not necessarily looking at the same elevation as you are, but its gives you some idea that they don't point up in the sky.

 

[docj2005]

talk about being confused...

so do i point it higher then i would normal....

Hey berg,.. any chance i could get a little help from ya PLEASE!!

 

[bill190]

A picture is worth 1000 words...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offset_dish_antenna

 

[Mr Tony]

The dish looks like its pointed at the ground or straight. That is how offset dishes look when you get this far north. Even at 38 degrees (the true south) the dish looks almost straight up and down. My G10 dish looks like its aimed right at the house

 

[TiminMb]

From a side view, profile of the dish, the face of the dish will be nearly straight up and down. Like a flashlight pointing level with the horizon, or like a car wheel, straight up and down. Its actually receiving approx 26 degrees higher than it appears.

 

[docj2005]

why is this turning out to be harder then i expected..
i never had trouble with my 90cm dish... now i can even get it to find a signal


hey berg you have a meter i could barrow... my cheap meter seems to have gone on vacation... i cant seem to find it..

 

[Mr Tony]

I don't have a meter....I use the one in the reciever

 

[TiminMb]

You gotta get that pole perfectly vertical, plum, if that motor is going to track the sats. Also, the motor needs to be clamped to the straight section of the pole. It looks like its on the curve at the bottom. Maybe you have corrected this since, if so, my apologies.

From that picture, the dish needs to be tilted more downward, at my latitude. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Anole]

Same comments from your previous thread still apply.
(See other thread for even more pictures.)
Until those matters are dealt with, anything else is just a waste of time.

 

[Mr Tony]

Same comments from your previous thread still apply.
(See other thread for even more pictures.)
Until those matters are dealt with, anything else is just a waste of time.

I merged those two threads together

But until either the mast or more importantly the pole is vertical, you are going to have nothing but headaches. I think if the mast is vertical then you will have more success

 

[Tron]

Having an absolutely level mounting pole is especially important when using a motor. You'd be surprised by how much a hair off level will throw off your arc...