Help to set my sadoun 6 ft "azimuth issues"

[Vallenato]

Hello Everybody. I am looking " Tips" to set well my Sadoun 6 ft dish antenna..
I have this antenna since around 4 years ago and always one of the problem that I am seeing on it, is to set and Keep the azimuth very firm.
I am following the Normal procedures to catch any "Satellite" but when I am tight the screws to keep the azimuth firm, My dish is moving little bit and inducing to lost some points on my quality. Appears that the screws are moving my antenna. I have tried to tight the screws at the same time but the same results. Sometimes I have noted that my signal quality depends in what loose or tight from One screw.
Also at least 4-5 times a year I need to adjust my antenna due is moving with the wind. Appears that those 4 screws are not enough . If you see my pictures I have done some fixes on my pole support including attaching new nuts (welding) due alot of fixes that I have done due this problem
Any idea or advice that I could to implement to tight and keep very well my azimuth..
This anntenna is directed to SES 6 @ 40.5W mounted on the ground (not motorized).. a lot "variables" where any Little thing is too Important to watch tv.

"Sounds Crazy" But I am thinking to stick a bunch of Strong "Gorilla" Tape around both Pipes to Keep Firm.lol

 

[FTA4PA]

Hello Everybody. I am looking " Tips" to set well my Sadoun 6 ft dish antenna..
I have this antenna since around 4 years ago and always one of the problem that I am seeing on it, is to set and Keep the azimuth very firm.
I am following the Normal procedures to catch any "Satellite" but when I am tight the screws to keep the azimuth firm, My dish is moving little bit and inducing to lost some points on my quality. Appears that the screws are moving my antenna. I have tried to tight the screws at the same time but the same results. Sometimes I have noted that my signal quality depends in what loose or tight from One screw.
Also at least 4-5 times a year I need to adjust my antenna due is moving with the wind. Appears that those 4 screws are not enough . If you see my pictures I have done some fixes on my pole support including attaching new nuts (welding) due alot of fixes that I have done due this problem
Any idea or advice that I could to implement to tight and keep very well my azimuth..
This anntenna is directed to SES 6 @ 40.5W mounted on the ground (not motorized).. a lot "variables" where any Little thing is too Important to watch tv. "Sounds Crazy" But I am thinking to stick a bunch of Strong "Gorilla" Tape around both Pipes to Keep Firm.lol

Sorry to hear you are having problems. Sounds like the part of the pole where the bolts make contact may have developed some indentations. After you make a correction, over time wind hits the dish and the mount works it's way back to there. Could try a layer of this on the pole before you tighten things down. http://www.lowes.com/pd_256841-56131-124660_0__?productId=3028788 or maybe rotate the pole so the bolts contact a spot where there is no wear or indentations. How are the pole and three support rods fastened at the ground (Believe it just bolts down)?

 

[FaT Air]

Best placement for the bolts is on the dish side of the mount. That way, the dish weight places the pole at the back side of the mount at the top of the pole. Tightening the top bolts then does not have to push the pole to the back to tighten it up as the pole is already at the back. The bottom bolts are only snugged up enough to place the pole at the back but allow the mount to rotate on the pole for azimuth adjustment.
"Just snug enough" on the bottom bolts, and 'lock it down' with the top two bolts.

Edit: place the bolts 45° either side of the polar axis on the dish side.
as it is now you have to push the pole to the front of the mount, tipping the mount, to tighten it.

 

[Vallenato]

Thanks guys good tips.
FTA4PA:
Yes my pole has some indentations but I have had to rotate to other side. The pole support is attached to concrete pads and some stones over the pads to assure the weight

Fat Air:
Good information but let me understand your explanation.
1) with the 4 bolts at 45 (grades either side) check the azimuth, when I got the max signal quality on azimuth
2) push the pole to the front of the mount
3) start to tight the 2 bottom bolts at the same time
4) review the signal and to do any adjustments if necessary
5) when everything is good . Start to tight the 2 top bolts at the same time to lock
6) obviously to do others adjustments like elevation etc etc..

As I have mentioned before. This antenna is aiming to One satellite Only

 

[jdc270]

Drilling hole through mount & pole from one side to the other and putting a bolt all the way through will stop alot of the movement if not all!

Sent from my Milestone X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[primestar31]

Drilling hole through mount & pole from one side to the other and putting a bolt all the way through will stop alot of the movement if not all!

Sent from my Milestone X2 using Tapatalk 2

I used to do that, but realized later that IF there is a huge wind (Derecho) of some sort, you WANT the dish to be able to 'spin out of the wind'. If you pin it tight instead, the wind may completely destroy it. It's better to get it tuned back in, then place a black line (or scratch a mark) up and down from a place on the mount to the pole. If it ever turns again, you just line those marks back up, and you are tuned in.

IF the original mounting bolts are properly torqued in turn, nothing regular should be able to turn the dish and mount by itself.

 

[OkiMarine]

In addition to the great advice already offered. I would ask if after your mount bolts are tight is there any left to right movement in the dish? I only ask because I had that problem with the Sadoun 6 ft dish. Regardless of how tight the nuts were in Image 1, the dish would still move pretty easily from left to right. I fixed the problem by adding a bracket seen in image 2.

 

[waylew]

Oki,that sure looks like a Polar mount to me.Where you put that brace is where the actuator is supposed to go to move the dish.The bolts you were tightening aren't meant to lock down the dish.

 

[OkiMarine]

I understand Waylew and have learned a lot since starting this hobby. I didn't have an actuator for this dish and only wanted it aimed at 99w. I just seen that Vallenato's dish looked almost identical to my Sadoun 6 ft dish minus a couple brackets that could have been left off.

 

[waylew]

Nothing wrong with using just the brace (and as you found out,it's what you needed to do) when you only want to point at one sat.Just pointing out that what you were originally trying to do (tightening the bolts) wasn't going to work,it's supposed to move there .

 

[FTA4PA]

My 8 ft mesh came with a polar mount so you can motorize and also included a lockdown bar (like OkiMarine is using) that goes where the actuator would normally mount in case you just want to use it as a stationary dish. Kinda nice having the option to do either if you choose.

 

[beavs2112]

looking at the first pics it does seem like vallenato needs to add a lockdown bar. that also will help with loosing signal on azimuth changes.

 

[Vallenato]

yes..Is exactly what i am thinking. I did the same thing before on my WS international 8 ft
thanks