Need help to install second dish for 129

[CyberWhip]

I guess the only question would be, is the single used for the 129? If not, then I would need to rewire a little bit. Is this a standard setup, using the 129 on that single?

 

[HIFI]

yes and yes

 

[CyberWhip]

ok, great, thanks alot. I'll post how it works, hopefully, later today or tomorrow.

 

[CyberWhip]

OK..I got a signal from 61.5...took awhile but I got it around 75%. I think I do indeed have a tree blocking 129. I think I could fine tune this a little better. I have no problem setting skew and azimuth, those are pretty straight forward. The elevation (or tilt) is a different story.
Anyone know how to set the elevation easily? I set the mast level and used the reading etched on the side, but, I was checking it compared to the face of the dish and it appears to be about 20 deg or so off (low). Apparently there is about 20 degrees maybe in the horn pointed in front (just a guess). anyone have a good rule of thumb or drawing for elevation?

 

[Jim5506]

The elevation mark on the 1000 is just in front of the left (looking from the rear) elevation nut, a little red mark in the slot.

 

[Jared Twomey]

I set the mast level and used the reading etched on the side, but, I was checking it compared to the face of the dish and it appears to be about 20 deg or so off (low). Apparently there is about 20 degrees maybe in the horn pointed in front (just a guess). anyone have a good rule of thumb or drawing for elevation?

Don't compare it to the face of the dish.... you only need to go off of the markings on the back of the dish. The "arm angle" is different than the elevation. If you are getting your elevation from the dish receiver, then you need to be looking at the markings on the back.
but i'd say if you are getting a signal, even if it is weak... you are fairly close. I'd just move the dish a degree or two up or down to find the strongest signal

 

[CyberWhip]

I found a website that explains elevation pretty good. If you have dish with the receiver offset from center (which is the 300 and most of the newer dishes) then roughly the angle is determined by drawing a line from the top of the dish to the front of the receiver( or use the readings on the side of the mast). If you have a dish with the receiver directly in the center (like the old original Ku dishes) then the face of the dish will work. Basically, you are right, I have it close enough to tweak it a little now. My main problem with tweaking is that I don't have the base for the dish that allows to skew, only azimuth and elevation, so, I had to fudge the skew by leaving out 3 bolts on the dish and using the 4th as a pivot and hold. This works a little, the main problem is that the receiver does not rotate with the dish so I think I am losing most of the signal because the dish is not focusing all of the signal on the receiver now. I'll probably leave it as is with about 75% signal and if rain fade starts to get me then I'll look to improve the setup. Anyone know which transponder is the best one to use while trying to get 61.5 signal strength? How about 129? I may still give that one a shot.
for future reference, here is the site that shows general elevation:
Azimuth and Elevation for satellite dish pointing

 

[Jim5506]

If you are trying to point to 61.5 with a single lnb dish there is no skew to set. Do not rotate the dish alone, it defocuses the lnb's. Put the other 3 bolts back in, it willcause the dish to flap in the wind. Skew is for multiple satellite reception not single.

The reading on 61.5 should be near the top of the scale, my 301 has a 125 scale and most transponders on 61.5 are 110-115. My 622 has a 125 scale and most are around 100 (it is twice as far from the switch).

 

[RandallA]

Like Jim said, put those bolts back in. The dish must be level to be able to aim properly.

 

[CyberWhip]

ok guys, thanks for your help on the skew. I was confused by this because in the past (3 or 4 years ago) I never bothered with it setting up for 119 only. I was wondering why I had to do this now. It makes sense that this is only needed for multiple sats. Like I said before, I thought this may be some of my low signal problem. I will say that before I did the skew, I had a harder time aligning the dish, after I set the numbers (elevation, and azimuth) I was barely getting a reading even after moving it for awhile. Then I did the skew and it seemed to work. Maybe I was just missing the optimum before.

I got my post in the ground for a permanent setup and will give this a shot one more time with no skew and let you know how it goes.