Pansat 3500 Skew control

[rrob311]

I was looking to possibly set this up on my 12 foot dish. Does anyone have any experience with this setup? I noticed an older thread but it related to the dsr920. Also, do I need a special motor with a position sensor in it for the degree function to work? I know how to hook up the motor but am unsure about the positioning. Also, does anyone have any ideas for a cord to run to this? I need probably 50 feet or so.

 

[FaT Air]

Nothing special needed, it works just fine. Used mine for years to adjust skew on ADL and Chap feed horns. Normal 3 wire servo on the feed horn. Telephone wire works just fine. (although it's single strand - prone to break with repeated sharp bending) Use a power inserter to supply a constant 18 to 24 Vdc to the LNB's. A DC block between the inserter and Receiver if the inserter passes DC in both directions.

 

[rrob311]

What is a power inserter? DC block? How does the receiver know how many degrees it is turning the motor?

 

[FaT Air]

The 3500 knows because it produces the pulses to move the servo. 1Ms(+) pulse = one polarity 2Ms(+) pulse = the other polarity. It varies the pulse to fine tune the servo position and therefore the skew. But, don't you have an Ortho on it with a modded multiswitch? or are you considering a Chaparell or ADL with a servo?

 

[rrob311]

I have an orthofeed but I am going to take some measurements of the focal depth and pictures because my reception is horrible. I parked it at G16 and am only able to get ABC feeds and MYTV feeds. pretty much nothing else comes in. There is something seriously wrong with this setup. I am just not sure what it is yet.

 

[FaT Air]

If you think it's the feed itself, I'd get a C2 or 241 LNBF, and see if the performance perks up. They aren't expensive. Cheaper than a Chap or ADL feed horn. (unless you have one) Post all the dish measurements, You've checked it for warp? Feed centered? Calculated Focal length could actually be off enough, have you tried adjusting it?

 

[rrob311]

I dont see a way to adjust the depth. I centered it the best I could. It is pretty close. I am going to try to measure everything later. The feedhorn only supports the lnb that has a square 4 bolt mounting. Im pretty sure i have a pair of dmx211 lnbs. I have another chapparral LNB for my 10 foot dish but I haven't tried it yet.

 

[Anole]

regular advice doesn't apply to that one-of-a-kind system

Is this the folding 12' dish, on a trailer, with an ortho, that has a motor to spin it?
You cannot hook up the 3500's servo control to run that motor.
Bring everybody back up to speed (link in the old thread with all the pictures), to get best advice.

The biggest thing I remember about that setup was that the dish wasn't on a proper polar mount.
That's why the ortho needed to be rotated, depending on what satellite you were looking at.
Much closer in design to a fixed BUD , which is hard to deal with.

 

[rrob311]

Here is the old thread with pictures of the LNB setup:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php/252431-Help-with-new-C-band-dish?highlight=

 

[FaT Air]

I replied in http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php/254714-C-band-reception-woes And after seeing the pictures, servo control will not run that polarity control. Knob with a gear drive that rotates the whole feed. Servo control outputs will only control a servo operated feed. Usually a blue box on the back of a feed with three wires, red white and black, coming out of it.

 

[rrob311]

The knob looking thing is actually the motor. I thought it was a knob. It has 3 wires coming out. Red, Black, and clear insulation.

 

[FaT Air]

Ya I just rotate the feed with the motor control

(Not to confuse, as this is from the other thread) But this works with the servo outputs of the 3500 ?? If so, cool. Must be some commercial, custom, servo.

 

[rrob311]

I am not sure yet. I was either going to park my van near the dish and hook up the 3500 to my power inverter and my small tv and attempt to control it or I am going to have to build a longer cable to run into my house. I might not have time (or daylight) until Monday on my day off.

 

[FaT Air]

So, how you making it change polarity now? If, with a battery, then it's not a servo, just a motor, and the third wire may be pulses like on an actuator.

 

[rrob311]

It came with a small wooden control box that says polarity control and a rocker switch that spins it clockwise or counterclockwise. I just hooked up red and black. Not sure about the clear wire.

 

[FaT Air]

It's a motor, not a servo. the 3500 will not run it. shucks.