Fortec 90 cm with Power Max SG9120B on KU band

[Vallenato]

Before to go to motorize my C band Dishes I want to learn & practice with my small Motorized set up ..In Ku Band.
I have One fortec 90 cm (36”)and Power max motor SG9120B using Coolsat 4000 receiver for this purpose my Plan is to receive 30.0 W to 116.0 W (125W I have fixed dish on the roof) using USALS mode. I have read that using USALS for 30.0 W will not lock so the better way is using disecq..Ok Not problem I will use it..
In My first intent. I have taken the 97.0 W satellite as my Reference or true south and I got signal and saved my position an then 93.0W and 87.0W was saved with signal.. 83.0 W and below satellites the motor moves but not signal on it.. in the other side I got signal on 10.1.0W and the others satellites the motor moves but no signal on it..Ok probably I need to adjust my antenna..
First Question: when I am trying to adjust the setting on the motorized antenna what settings I need to move to adjust the signal: Elevation on the antenna? Latitude or elevation on the Motor? Azimuth moving the full motor (attached to the Pipe) west or east until lock the sides satellites?.. Can the azimuth to be moved several times and the motor does not miss the original position?
Trying to see if my motor could move to 30.0W via USALS I have move the azimuth and motor to 87.0 W and saved it as my reference or true south but not results. And then I went back to 97.0W and saved as my reference again but appears that my receiver and the motor has in the memory the first saved positions..I am requesting 97.0 W and move little bit loosing the signal and the same happen with the 87.0 W
Second Question: What I need to do to start again and saved the new positions. On this case I need to do a Reset Process? What I need to reset? Motor or Receiver or Both..
What is the process to reset those..
The specifications of this motor said:
Hardware Reset button to allow you to easily reset the motor with a quick touch of a button
But I have read that some motors you need to push both buttons for reset, others said that you need to use allen wrench. Sorry but I am confused on this Process. My motor has 2 knobs One move to east and the other move to west

Third question: Go to reference (Goto “0”) means My true South?
Just as reference in My location and position on my system I can receive signal from severals satellites on KU including 30.0W (hispasat) that I got with my fixed set up 1.0 mts with good signal in the past I think that Is high probably that I can receive with 90 cms also at least some Frecuencies
Thanks in advance

 

[Anole]

We really need your general location.
A nearby major city would help.
.
Then, I think we have a FAQ on setting up those motors.
Ya need to read through it (or several) to get the full picture.
?

 

[Lak7]

I would use USALS to get setup, and DiSEqC for just 30W.

As for adjustments.....
Make sure pole is Plumb.
Try to determine where you loose signal when moving East and West.
Then check to see if the dish needs to be lowered or raised to get signal.
If both side need the same adjustment, then you adjust the Latitude and Elevation.
If one side need to go down and the other side up, adjust the Azimuth.

 

[Vallenato]

We really need your general location.
A nearby major city would help.
.
?

North of Texas,,
I forgot to mention I am using Avenger Quat 4 port Universal LNB..setting Universal ..I am trying to use coolsat 4000 receiver to move the motor on One Port and other Port to my Openbox S9HD to watch the channels setting 10600 22KHZ ON..Works very well

 

[FaT Air]

Think the procedure is GOTO 0 (True South)- make sure 0 indicator on the motor is at the 0 indicator on the shaft. If not, then a 'Reset' may be in order. Dish should also be aiming straight inline - Mount should be snug enough on pole to not 'wobble' but loose enough to be rotated on the pole by hand.
Latitude or elevation on the Motor? Set to your Latitude (Latitude scale).
IMPORTANT- Double check that your Location is entered correctly in the receivers USALS set up.* N.A. is N lat, W long.
Using USALS select satellite closest to your Longitude.
The receiver USALS routine will calculate the number of degrees to rotate the dish and the motor will move it accordingly.
Rotate the motor/dish (together as a 'unit') on the mount, and adjust dish elevation(not the motor) for max "Q" on that satellite. Snug up the motor to the pole**, and dish elevation bolts. Make sure "Q" is still at max.

USALS should then correctly move the dish to other satellites.
30W - Select Diseqc. Use E-W to move to it. Store position.

*your Lat/Long - maps.google.com Zoom into your dish location. Right click on it, select(left click) 'What's Here'. Your Lat Long will appear in the text area on the top of page.(where you normally input a location, city, etc)

**Careful so as to not bend the motor to pole mount. (been reported on some models) It will throw the Latitude adjustment off and may also affect the azimuth

 

[jorgek]

With USALS you should have no problem hitting 30w. I'm using 97W as my reference sat and I get every sat from 30W to 127W. Can't go beyond due to trees.

I have included how I setup my Stab 90 motor, however Fat Air has already provided you with excellent instructions.

1. Input your LAT and LONG in the antenna setup USALS menu. This is critical for proper tracking.
2. Adjust the motor elevation (LAT) to your LAT and tighten the bolts. Also critical.
3. Make sure the motor is set at the 0 reference mark, if not you can hook up the motor to the STB with a short piece of coax and in the antenna setup menu tell it to goto the ref 0 point.
4. The mast must be perfectly plumb and level otherwise it will not track the ARC correctly. Very critical.
5. Install the dish and motor on the mast pointing in the general south direction and lightly tighten the motor mounting bolts to the mast.
6. Pick a sat with strong transponders close to your longitude, e.g. 97W.
7. Now adjust the dish elevation to the selected sat as per Dishpointer.
The LNBF skew does not need adjustment. The motor will skew the dish as it travels across the ARC.
8. Connect the motor and dish assembly to the STB.
Enter the USALS menu and tell it to goto 97w.
9. Loosen the motor to mast bolts and watching the STB move by hand the motor and dish assembly together in very small increments you should be able to lock on 97w. You may also need to tweak the dish elevation slightly.
10. Lock down all the bolts. But do not over torque the bolts, you could deform the mast.
11. Now when you drive the motor back to the 0 reference mark, that will be your true south location.

If you have all your settings correct then you will track the arc correctly.

 

[phlatwound]

With USALS you should have no problem hitting 30w...

From what I have learned here on this forum USALS has a limit of about 60 degrees either side of the zero reference.

Sounds like Vallenato is somewhere in Texas, which would most likely put him beyond the range of USALS to get 30W.

Diseqc for that sat should work great though.

 

[jorgek]

From what I have learned here on this forum USALS has a limit of about 60 degrees either side of the zero reference.

Sounds like Vallenato is somewhere in Texas, which would most likely put him beyond the range of USALS to get 30W.

Diseqc for that sat should work great though.

Good point. Glad you caught that.

 

[phlatwound]

Good point. Glad you caught that.

I would like to know why there is that 60 degree limit. I suppose there is a good reason for it but it would be nice if USALS would work as far as the mechanical limits of the motor would allow.

 

[Anole]

As you aim at satellites close to the horizon, the amount of movement from one bird to the next gets smaller and smaller.
In other words, accuracy goes out the window.
?May also have to do with calculation accuracy...which is done in the receiver.
?By managing expectations, nobody looks bad.

 

[phlatwound]

As you aim at satellites close to the horizon, the amount of movement from one bird to the next gets smaller and smaller.
In other words, accuracy goes out the window.
?May also have to do with calculation accuracy...which is done in the receiver.
?By managing expectations, nobody looks bad.

That makes sense. Things get weird when you are trying to aim at stuff close to the horizon, especially when motorized.

 

[Tron]

From New Orleans (Southeast Louisiana), 30W is out of USALS range.