Help on True south satellite set up please

[mjac]

I have had some success today after all. Instead of calling an end to a frustrating day, I tried one last time. I finally found AMC9.

Using the Tp info I was given yesterday, I got a strength of 74% and quality of 76%! I then scanned and got 25 channels (I think) and a few music channels. All but a few were scrambled but who cares, I got something.

I ran out of time to play with the motor but before I do, another question. Dish pointer says AMC9 should be at 57.0 for my location. The dish angle I have now is 35.5 and the motor angle is 28.6 for a total of 64.1. Do I leave the dish angle alone or do I change the motor angle?

 

[Lak7]

Dish pointer says AMC9 should be at 57.0 for my location. The dish angle I have now is 35.5 and the motor angle is 28.6 for a total of 64.1.

Did you measure the total angle of 64.1 across the face of the Dish?
Is the Motor at Zero?
I would drive the Dish west to 125 (if your Line Of Sight allows) and see if you can pick-up the PBS TPs. If you are able to pull them in, you are probably good.

Do I leave the dish angle alone or do I change the motor angle?

Motor Lat scale is set to Your Lat. 28.6.

 

[stilllearnin]

I have had some success today after all. Instead of calling an end to a frustrating day, I tried one last time. I finally found AMC9.

Using the Tp info I was given yesterday, I got a strength of 74% and quality of 76%! I then scanned and got 25 channels (I think) and a few music channels. All but a few were scrambled but who cares, I got something.

I ran out of time to play with the motor but before I do, another question. Dish pointer says AMC9 should be at 57.0 for my location. The dish angle I have now is 35.5 and the motor angle is 28.6 for a total of 64.1. Do I leave the dish angle alone or do I change the motor angle?

--SUCCESS--

Leave the motor angle alone - move the dish for optimum, and don't sweat the numbers - mine didn't match the chart either.

If your post is plumb, you're done.

I did look back at your photos, and unless my eyes are getting too old, looks like the pointer is closer to 29.6, than 28.6 on the latitude scale. Maybe it's the focus.

 

[mjac]

Did you measure the total angle of 64.1 across the face of the Dish?

My dish angle measurement is taken from the back of the dish. On the mounting plate as shown in the picture in my first post of this thread. I suppose I could take a straight edge and place it across the front of the dish from top to bottom and get an angle. Is that the way to measure it?

Is the Motor at Zero?

Yes

I would drive the Dish west to 125 (if your Line Of Sight allows) and see if you can pick-up the PBS TPs. If you are able to pull them in, you are probably good.

I'll try that.

Motor Lat scale is set to Your Lat. 28.6.

Thanks

 

[mjac]

I did look back at your photos, and unless my eyes are getting too old, looks like the pointer is closer to 29.6, than 28.6 on the latitude scale. Maybe it's the focus.

Your eyes are good
I used the scale on one side and took the photo of the other side. I subsequently noticed the difference myself and made a correction. 28.6 it is on both sides.

 

[glen4cindy]

One thing I did, once I had everything aimed correctly as you seem to have, is used this website. It is GAAPS, also called Goto X Calculator:

MOTORIZE YOUR WORLD = = PRODUCTS = =

There is a scale right where the pole comes out of the motor. Once you move to say 123 W, you can see what angle the motor SHOULD be at. This helped me make sure I had everything lined up properly.

You put in your Lat/Long and the satellite you want to look at, and it will tell you where your motor needs to move from your location to see that satellite.

It is a 2nd check, since your motor will be at ZERO on your true south satellite, it will have to move a certain number of degrees plus or minus to move to satellites East and West of your true south.

Just another good source, IMHO.

Hope I have worded this post so it makes sense and conveys the meaning I mean for it to!

 

[AcWxRadar]

Hello,

I am trying to set up a motorized system consisting of a Primestar 75e, a Mighty AP8-T4HB LNB (it came with the dish and it's all I have), a GS120 motor (thanks Stogie) and a Traxis 3500 receiver (thanks Linuxman).

I am located at 28.6N lat and 82.6W long. I am trying to set up on 83.0W AMC 9 Ku which I believe to be my true south satellite.

I am pointed, as best I can, to 185.3 mag. According to to instructions that came with the motor, I have set the motor angle scale to 28.6 and the dish is set at 25.3.

The signal readings I am getting are below and the best I can get. In fact, moving in any direction up or down, or side to side does not change the readings. Something must be wrong.

Signal Intensity=36%
Signal Quality=11%

How should I go about adjusting my set up to improve the quality?

I have have attached some pictures of my receiver settings and TP frequencies and symbol rate. Some of you may recognize the mounting (thanks again Stogie!)

Thanks

Mjac,

83W AMC 9 is not a great bird to use to align a dish with. There are very few channels there and they are mostly wildfeeds as far as I have ever found. That means that you won't be able to rely upon their signal to be broadcast at all times.

The RTN network has put up their two feeds (RTN EAST and WEST) on 83W, but I have trouble pulling them in. The RTN feeds are supposed to be on 83.0W TP 11.735H, SR 4.440 (possibly 4.430). Just in case you want to test them. Once in a while they will come in for me. I don't know what is wrong here. I can go to any adjacent satellite and I get 90% + signal and quality, but 83 is not doing well for me. 79W, 82W and 85W are all good and strong, but 83W is down in the dumper!

On 85W AMC 2 (now AMC 16), I can get the Echostar satellite Access Center test card channel on TP 12.188 H SR 3.978 with 97% quality. You might try that one, too.

I know that satellite 79.0 W is not your true south sat, but it is close and you can use it to get a better idea of where you are aiming.... 79.0W AMC 5 (channel KTEL on TP 11.900 H SR 2.170). Or you can use NYN 1 (New York Net) on TP 12.176 H SR 20.500.

These channels have been present for a long time now and they are in the clear and broadcast 24/7. NYN 1 is a feed channel, but they offer the color bars and test tone 24/7.

If your receiver has true USALS, you should be able to use this sat (79W) and make minor adjustments from there to align your dish properly to the arc, it will just take a bit of extra time.

I have an INVACOM QPH-031 LNBF on my dish and I can see 82W Nimiq 2 with that. There is nothing in the clear here, but I can get a lock on the TP signal, so if that helps you because the sat is closer to true south, you might try it (it is circular of course).

AcWxRadar

 

[mjac]

AcWxRadar,

I finally managed to pull in 83W and just when I was about to call it quits too! I have RTN E and RTN W at 74 signal and 76 quality on the Traxis. I have also managed to swing over to 129 W and pick up White Springs. The S and Q was somewhat lower (I don't have my notes in front of me now) but I got 129W. I wanted 125 W but it isn't set up in the Traxis.

I tried another, 101W ?, and got some stuff but I am still messing with the Traxis controlling the motor. Its seems to have a mind of its own and whenever I try another sat or enter one, the Traxis wants to go to it before I can set up any TP's.

I have acquired Coolsat 5000 and want to see if if it will go go when I want it to go rather than taking off by its self!

I don't have much more of a Line of Sight to the East, but I'll try your suggestions soon.

Thanks for your reply.

Mike

 

[jamestheman]

the only thing I dont like about the coolsats is the main install signal meters.

you can be hitting a satellite dead on and it might not show alot of quality, maybe none at all.

you must use the tp setting with these and put the satellite on an active tp to see your real signal.

I was getting setup with a coolsat 6000 with a motor and when I hit galaxy 3 at 95 deg I was hitting it at about 75 pct, but on the main setting menu for g-3 it showed 10 pct quality, I went ahead and blind scanned it and was hitting 70-90 pct on my tps! then afterwards it showed I was hitting 75 pct as a whole on the menu screen for g-3

I dont think coolsats are good for the motor! just my opinion.

 

[Mr Tony]

The Coolsats when you use the dish setup picks the first transponder. I use the motorized or manual setting to aim a dish with the CS5000

The Coolsat 5000 I've used for 3+ years now on a motor and it works just dandy

 

[AcWxRadar]

the only thing I dont like about the coolsats is the main install signal meters.

you can be hitting a satellite dead on and it might not show alot of quality, maybe none at all.

you must use the tp setting with these and put the satellite on an active tp to see your real signal.

I was getting setup with a coolsat 6000 with a motor and when I hit galaxy 3 at 95 deg I was hitting it at about 75 pct, but on the main setting menu for g-3 it showed 10 pct quality, I went ahead and blind scanned it and was hitting 70-90 pct on my tps! then afterwards it showed I was hitting 75 pct as a whole on the menu screen for g-3

I dont think coolsats are good for the motor! just my opinion.

The Coolsats when you use the dish setup picks the first transponder. I use the motorized or manual setting to aim a dish with the CS5000

The Coolsat 5000 I've used for 3+ years now on a motor and it works just dandy

You have to understand what is going on within the receiver in order to use any receiver properly. With the Coolsat 5K (4K or 6K) you have to understand that when you are in the DISH SETTING menu, the receiver will only be looking for signal from the very first TP in the list or lineup. That first TP may not be a valid TP or it may be a feed TP that isn't broadcasting at the time you are looking at it.

As Iceberg stated, use the MOTOR SETTING or MANUAL SCAN menu options so that you can have control over selecting which TP you are looking at. If you know which TP is active, you can select that TP manually from one of these two menu options.

Mjac,

I think you will find the coolsat 5K to be a pleasant receiver to work with for controlling your motor and capturing FTA signals. It works excellently. It is very user friendly and it doesn't have any surprises. It does what you expect it to. I don't think that you will ever be disappointed with the Coolsat.

Radar