Elevation With/Without Motor

[jcabrer]

I bought a new Dish/Motor/Quad LNB today to replace my trusty but rusty Dish 500. I've never had such a difficult time pointing something in my life!

I have to admit that I'm the type that doesnt read manuals, but in this case I did, and I think that's what has me confused.

I saw in some posts here people providing true south satellite positions for certain locations. I'm at 117.8W. Is any "bird" near this suitable for pointing? From what I can deduce, there is a satellite called SatMex 5 at 116.8. Is this my South Sat, or am I missing something? Right now, the signal pulses up to 50% and back to 0%. I haven;t been able to get any higher.

I've also seen that the motor affects the elevation value. So far I've found three dffrent elevations recommended. 50.6, 56, and 55.5!

I'm lost.

 

[PSB]

What motor did you get and what channels are you hoping for since you traded in your Dish 500?

 

[jcabrer]

The guy that sold it to me said a few thing to sell me on it.
1. The motor (SG-2100) will let you point at multiple satellites, but it wont work with your 500.
2. The big dish here (what he sold me) will pick up the signal better, because it's BIGGER.
3. This quad LNB replaces the 2 separate LNBs on the 500, and it lets you add another reciever (although only 1 can control the motor).

As for channels, I'd like to pick up Phillipines, South and central america, and if possible, arab stations.

Right now, I would be happy just to get a signal. I'm trying SatMex5 since it's close to 117deg. (I believe this is Ku/C?). Should I connect to the Linear, or Circular?

Ay, aiee, aiee!!!

 

[PSB]

Satmex5 is indeed a Linear satellite, set the L.O. to 10750

Give us your zip code for all the angles to the satellites with and without the motor.

Best to find and store a few satellites before adding the motor!

 

[jcabrer]

My zip is 92831.

 

[PSB]

                Fullerton, 
         Latitude 33° 54.072'N Longitude 117° 55.668'W

                       Sat Name Sat Lng Az(t) Az(m)    El  Skew
---------------------------------------------------------------
                               
                  
                               
                   Intelsat 705   50.0W 102.7  88.8   9.6 -54.1
                               
                   Intelsat 707   53.0W 104.6  90.7  12.1 -53.4
                               
                   Intelsat 805   55.5W 106.2  92.3  14.2 -52.8
                               
                          Pas 9   58.0W 107.9  94.0  16.2 -52.2
                               
                       Amazonas   61.0W 110.0  96.0  18.7 -51.3
                               
                     EchoStar 3   61.5W 110.3  96.4  19.1 -51.1
                               
                      Rainbow 1   61.5W 110.3  96.4  19.1 -51.1
                               
               Estrela do Sul 1   63.0W 111.4  97.5  20.3 -50.6
                               
                   Brasilsat B2   65.0W 112.9  98.9  22.0 -49.9
                               
                   Brasilsat B1   70.0W 116.7 102.8  26.0 -47.8
                               
                       Nahuel 1   71.8W 118.2 104.3  27.4 -47.0
                               
                      DirecTV 1   72.5W 118.8 104.9  27.9 -46.7
                               
                          AMC 6   72.0W 118.4 104.4  27.6 -46.9
                               
                          SBS 6   74.0W 120.1 106.1  29.1 -45.9
                               
                     Echostar 4   77.0W 122.8 108.8  31.4 -44.3
                               
                          AMC 5   79.0W 124.6 110.7  32.9 -43.1
                               
                      Nimiq 2/3   82.0W 127.6 113.7  35.1 -41.1
                               
                          AMC-9   83.0W 128.6 114.7  35.8 -40.4
                               
                   Brasilsat B3   84.0W 129.7 115.7  36.5 -39.7
                               
                          AMC 2   85.0W 130.7 116.8  37.2 -39.0
                               
                          AMC 3   87.0W 133.0 119.0  38.6 -37.4
                               
                           IA-8   89.0W 135.3 121.3  39.9 -35.7
                               
                      Galaxy 11   91.0W 137.7 123.8  41.2 -34.0
                               
                     Nimiq 1/4i   91.0W 137.7 123.8  41.2 -34.0
                               
                   Brasilsat B4   92.0W 138.9 125.0  41.8 -33.1
                               
                      Telstar 6   93.0W 140.2 126.3  42.4 -32.1
                               
                      Galaxy 3C   95.0W 142.8 128.9  43.6 -30.1
                               
                      Telstar 5   97.0W 145.6 131.6  44.6 -28.0
                               
                      Galaxy 4R   99.0W 148.4 134.5  45.7 -25.8
                               
                     Spaceway 2   99.2W 148.7 134.8  45.8 -25.5
                               
                DirecTV 1R/4S/8  101.0W 151.4 137.5  46.6 -23.4
                               
                          AMC 4  101.0W 151.4 137.5  46.6 -23.4
                               
                     Spaceway 1  103.0W 154.5 140.5  47.4 -21.0
                               
                          AMC 1  103.0W 154.5 140.5  47.4 -21.0
                               
                         AMC 15  105.0W 157.6 143.7  48.2 -18.4
                               
                      Anik F1/R  107.3W 161.4 147.5  49.0 -15.3
                               
                      DirecTV 5  109.5W 165.1 151.2  49.6 -12.3
                               
                EchoStar 6/8/10  110.0W 166.0 152.1  49.7 -11.6
                               
                        Anik F2  111.1W 167.9 154.0  49.9 -10.0
                               
                  Solidaridad 2  113.0W 171.2 157.3  50.2  -7.3
                               
                       SatMex 5  116.8W 178.0 164.1  50.6  -1.7
                               
                     DirecTV 7s  119.0W 181.9 168.0  50.6   1.6
                               
                     EchoStar 7  119.0W 181.9 168.0  50.6   1.6
                               
          EchoStar 9/Telstar 13  121.0W 185.5 171.6  50.4   4.6
                               
                     Galaxy 10R  123.0W 189.0 175.1  50.2   7.5
                               
                      Galaxy 14  125.0W 192.5 178.6  49.9  10.4
                               
                  Galaxy 13/H 1  127.0W 196.0 182.1  49.4  13.2
                               
 Intelsat Americas 7/Echostar 5  129.0W 199.3 185.4  48.8  15.9
                               
                         AMC 11  131.0W 202.6 188.7  48.2  18.6
                               
                   Galaxy 1R/15  133.0W 205.8 191.8  47.4  21.2
                               
                         AMC 10  135.0W 208.8 194.9  46.5  23.6
                               
                          AMC 7  137.0W 211.8 197.9  45.6  25.9
                               
                          AMC 8  139.0W 214.6 200.7  44.6  28.1
                               
                   EchoStar 1/2  148.0W 226.1 212.1  39.2  36.7

        Satellite Finder is (c) Copyright 2004, P. Lutus

Motor elevation = 56º
Dish (when on motor) = 24.5º

Watchout as one side of the motor will be marked ELEV. and the other LAT.

 

[jcabrer]

Thanks Pete. The values you gave are the same that I settled on. This should not be so hard!

1. I've removed the DiSEqC from the line, so now I've got:

QPH-031 "L" Connector to Motor to VS2000 Reciever.

2. I've checked the mounting pole from all sides. It is plum.
3. I've set the motor @ 56 deg. The dish @ just shy of 25 deg.
4. I've attempted to center the dish at true south, but I can't be sure. I looked up the magnetic deviation for my part of California and it seems to be 14 degrees. Not really sure if that means to the left facing south, or to the right, but I guessed left (That is, I turned the dish an additional 14 degrees to the east).
5. I'm not trying to use the motor yet, although it is installed. I'm trying to find SatMex 5 by moving the dish side to side in minute increments.

6. VS2000 Plat. Antenna Setup:
-Satellite SatMex5 116.8W (Not 5/C)
-LNB Type Legacy Quad LNB1
-LNB Freq 10750
-22KHz off
-TP Freq 12024
Search option FTA
-DiSEqC None
-Motor off

The only result is a flickering signal bar. It's not really a "result" since it does not seem to matter where I point, it still flickers between 0 and 50 percent.

Are there any glaring ommissions here?

Thanks again.

-John-

 

[PSB]

Not getting a decent signal from this satellite myself tonight!

I would use another close by, like G10R @ 123º

 

[rainmaker]

maybe he could use 121 stronger sat its linear and has a dish promo channel on it. in the clear and closer to his longitude.check lyngsat for numbers.

 

[Tron]

Does the Viewsat have USALS? If so, you should use that to peak your installation (let USALS move your motor one degree East from center before you try to peak) since your T.S. satellite is a degree off from your longitude.

 

[SatAdam]

... What I did:

Set your Dish and motor elevation per the chart with the motor. I used the elevation chart in the rear of the motor book, it worked better than just putting in the LON.

Point the dish/motor combo at a satellite that is close to your True South, peak the signal out.
scan and store the channels. then reset your skew to "0"

tweak it howmanyever degrees you need to go to get it south with a degree wheel. (I got that idea from some thread here)

then move till you get most of your signal back. Store the location. Then readjust your dish elevation so you get all the signal back


I stay mostly on G10R though, I don't move the dish much.

You'll also find the Viewsat "forgets" where the dish is. It's not very good at moving around....

 

[jcabrer]

Despite the great help, I've not been able to get a good signal. My suspicion now is that the LNB is bad. I think I mentioned that it is a QPH-031.

I have an analog satellite finder. Is there any troubleshooting advice? Is there a good way to check the LNB function?

GOD! I'M SO FRUSTRATED!!!

 

[PSB]

There are NOT many bad LNB's out there But its ALWAYS the first thing to be blamed!

 

[jcabrer]

I'm not quite ready to blame the LNB just yet, but it's the best candidate I can find.

Last night I dug out the Dish 500 and re-installed it 4 feet away from the new one. I set the elevation and left the other bolts loose so I could move it around.

I found ES1, ES2, ES4, ES7, ES8/10, a few Galaxies...

Anyway, I found all of these using the small 500 in less than 10 minutes, and with signal strength at 85% to 90%. One strange thing (strange to me) is that the 500 seems to be able to pick up three or four satellites at a time from one position. Is that normal? I know it's supposed to pick up two at a time.

My plan for tonight is to point the new dish and motor as best as I can (really, it's there already), borrow an LNB from the 500, borrow the DiSEqC from the 500, and see what happens.

Here is a question: If the 500 is pointed using the two LNBs (labeled 119 and 110), and I take them off and put the QPH-031 in their place without disturbing the dish, should I be able to get a good signal, or does the dish have to be moved?

Thanks again.

-John-

 

[PSB]

The QPH-031 is a completely different size and shape so will need major tweaking, I would forget the motor and switch for now!

 

[jcabrer]

Well, I was right. I couldn't mount the Dish500 LNB in place of the new one due to the diffrent sizes, but I held it up by hand and BAM! Got signal. It's definately the QPH-031 that's bad. Hopefully I can find the guy who sold it at the swap meets this weekend. He has a very good reputation for replacing bad equipment.

Thanks to Pete and everyone else who put in two cents worth!

-John-

 

[PSB]

FIRST bad one I have heard of! I had one guy send me one back but it was PERFECT!

I think he had other "issues"

 

[mastermesh]

Are you using a switch? Make sure you have the right # on the switch picked. I thought my QPH was bad too til I figured out how to use it...having the right tp and the right # picked on the switch makes things a lot easier! Also right frequency for H/V vs Circular will help too... so you really have about 5 things to check as you look around in the sky with the lnb in addition to just getting the right angle on the motor and the dish's elevation...

Also, I had to re-adjust my dish's elevation to pick up True South yesterday several times to get a decent signal... When you hold the dish up and tighten the bolt gravity may work against you so you have to do slight readjustments over and over to get it pretty good.

 

[Mr Tony]

When you hold the dish up and tighten the bolt gravity may work against you so you have to do slight readjustments over and over to get it pretty good

so true!

I always have to remember that especially when I am holding the arm of the dish to help aim. When you let go, it moves down a little bit

 

[Tron]

The Channel Master dishes are very easy to set elevation on since they have a bolt that sets and fine-tunes elevation. I wish all dish manufacturers would employ this design...