got my dish need some help

[calmeidajr]

Hello all..I just received my 6 ft channel master aluminum mesh dish for 100 bucks off a guy on craigslist. I have everything that goes with it such as the arm,motor,and other attachments. My question is he gave me a channel master satscan box to connect to the motor and switch satellites...Can I connect that to a fta receiver to move the dish or i would need something else...??

Thanks
Carlos

 

[Lone Cloud]

There should be a number of terminals on the back of the box. Ignoring the one that brings in the signal from the lnb, there are probably four that are for the motor and reed switch.
If there are more connections than that, the box might be able to run a servo for polarity and skew.

Take a picture of the back and post it and there will be folks who can tell you.

 

[calmeidajr]

There should be a number of terminals on the back of the box. Ignoring the one that brings in the signal from the lnb, there are probably four that are for the motor and reed switch.
If there are more connections than that, the box might be able to run a servo for polarity and skew.

Take a picture of the back and post it and there will be folks who can tell you.

this is the picture of back

 

[FaT Air]

1 & 2 are the motor connections. Because of the 3 other terminals, You may have a potentiometer (10 turn variable resistor) as a sensor in the actuator.
These are not compatible with newer mover equipment. Can be used, stand alone fashion, to move the dish though. Also, they're not known for accuracy.
Could also be a third terminal for powering an Optical sensor, these can be used with newer movers if powered externally.
I'd open the actuator motor housing and take a look at the sensor. That will "tell all". Is there a model#, or a picture of the internals.
Take a few more pictures, feed/lnb's, actuator exterior and inside the motor gearbox housing. How about the front and full back view of the satscan box? Is that also an analog receiver, or just a mover? Pictures are worth a thousand. Someone here has probably got some experience with it in particular. If not, I'm sure there's enough knowledge to get 'er working.
AFAIK; The only units that can be connected to an FTA receiver to move a BUD are a G or V Box.

 

[calmeidajr]

Ok thanks it's only a dish mover not a receiver I will have to buy the v box or g what's the difference between the 2

 

[FaT Air]

Manufacturer and price difference. I think some think the G Box is more accurate. I don't really know for sure if that's the case..
NOTE: Considering the age of the mover, it may have a potentiometer (10 turn variable resistor) as a sensor in the actuator. These are not compatible with newer mover equipment (GBox or VBox). Take a few more pictures, actuator exterior and inside the motor gearbox housing. We can probably tell by the looks what sensor you have there. Might be able to change it out to a magnetic reed switch if it is a resistor sensor.
Also, newer FTA receivers, other than the Pansat HDX9500, will not operate a servo feedhorn. There are some solutions available, if someone builds a few an puts them up on ebay. May want to also consider changing out the LNB/feed horn assembly with a new LNBF.

 

[Lone Gunman]

I've got two systems with Vbox X controllers and they both work well. One on a SuperJack arm and the other on a modified count VonWeise and I don't see any difference between the two. I've read where the G is suppose to double count but with the width of the signals I get that isn't an issue on either of my systems.

 

[turbosat]

Christmas in March! Glad you got your equipment, what kind of mount does the dish have, polar mount with a big pipe for setting in the ground, or a 'stand' that it's placed on?? Also it would help if you could decipher the name/brand of the actuator arm, if there's any markings on it, and the feedhorn/lnb assembly. Take the big plastic cover off it, if it has one, and we'll figure out how to get you started. If that Channel Master is just a stand-alone dish positioner that was used with the motor, you should be able to use it, if its still putting out power on the jacks. Like the other guys said , the first 2 jacks are for motor power, and the others are for feedback information-to tell the controller box what the dish is pointed to. You'll have to find/save the satellites positions again, most likely, once you get it all installed and wired. Or get the gbox thing, and toss the Channel master, so the fta box can control the dish.

 

[calmeidajr]

It's an acme screw jack

 

[turbosat]

Thats the generic term for it, yes, but does it have a name on it, like Superjack, Thompson-Saginaw, etc? Just trying to figure out how old it might be, the newer ones have a reed switch for feedback to the controller box, where the old old ones had a potientiometer inside. Probably its going to be the reed switch type. Maybe tomorrow you can post some daytime pictures of the dish, motor and mount.

 

[calmeidajr]

Also is a polar mount

 

[calmeidajr]

Ok will post pics tomorrow he said he only used it for cband and included the lnb

 

[calmeidajr]

Some Pics

 

[FaT Air]

I have a strong feeling that's a potentiometer sensor in that actuator. Slide the rubber boot up some and remove the back cover of the gearbox and take a look/pic. If so: You'll have to use that satscan mover to move the dish with it. The pot(iometer) might look something like this http://media.digikey.com/Photos/TT%20Electronics-Optek%20Photos/MFG_7286R.jpg
or http://media.digikey.com/Photos/Bourns Photos/3590S-2-SERIES.jpg

 

[calmeidajr]

Ok here is the pic

 

[FaT Air]

Remove the 4 screws and remove the cover. The item, the sensor is inside. The cover has to come off to hook up the wires anyway.

 

[calmeidajr]

Ok thanks will post tomorrow

 

[calmeidajr]

New pics of motor

 

[FaT Air]

Yep, a 10 turn Pot. Can't be used with a G or V Box. To use the existing Satscan, there's a red white and blue wire coming off the pot(the blue cylinder on the actuator), those will wire to the satscan terminals 3-4 & 5. Since the colors don't match. Power up the satscan and check for voltage on them. The # with the highest voltage will be wired to the red wire on the Pot. With power removed(OFF) check for continuity on the other two terminals. The one that's shorted (nearest 0?) will be wired to the blue wire on the pot. The white will be wired to the last of the terminals on the satscan.

 

[calmeidajr]

Thanks fat air.....will I be able to get fta with that motor. How would I connect the receiver to that sat scan mover. I'm guessing I would have to move the dish with the motor as I program satellites with receiver. Also do you run the color coded wires along with the cable from the outside of your house inside?