Phlatwound Takes Over Care and Feeding of the Birdview Spoon

[phlatwound]

With some minor adjustments of elevation and azimuth the Spoon is now tracking from 79W to 121W, and I can get 74W by pushing up on the feed support.

We are in the middle of Deer Wars Aught Nine (deer season) here, have 3-4 buddies hunting on my 100 acres, but if I can catch one of them for a few minutes today I will explore what it might take to find something beyond the ends of what I am tracking now.

I really don't know why it is working as well as it is so far, I like to be able to prove stuff logically and mathematically, but can't in this case.

May be wrong but I think if I can track 42 degrees (79W to 121W) as is, I believe that with some more adjustment (probably involving the declination, which will require some washers/bolts) that this dish will work in this orientation.

Weather is looking good for tomorrow afternoon, the Spoon might be getting a new facade then.

 

[Cadsulfide]

Phlat;

As much as it is nice to have a handle on the geometry of how it works, it appears as though "fitting it in place" seems to be working for you.

 

[phlatwound]

Phlat;

As much as it is nice to have a handle on the geometry of how it works, it appears as though "fitting it in place" seems to be working for you.

You hit the nail on the head there Cad-s, like my grandpappy used to tell me, "Phlat, sometimes it's better to be lucky........than good".

 

[Anole]

I'd check the chart at the bottom of this page on Geo Orbit, to see what it suggests.
Could give you confirmation that your declination is off one way or the other.
(my guess)

Looks like you are real close.
With a little more tweaking, you may be lucky enough to be Very Good ! - :up

 

[phlatwound]

I'd check the chart at the bottom of this page on Geo Orbit, to see what it suggests.
Could give you confirmation that your declination is off one way or the other.
(my guess)

Looks like you are real close.
With a little more tweaking, you may be lucky enough to be Very Good ! - :up

I didn't get a chance to do it yesterday, but as soon as I get a handle on what is happening at the ends of my arc now, I will do exactly that (look at that chart) ASAP and try to formulate a plan to get the Spoon tweaked.

Here's some scalar pics, let me know if anyone needs more pics or measurements.

 

[caddata]

Here's some scalar pics, let me know if anyone needs more pics or measurements.

Great pictures, thanks.

A few questions:

(1). Is it round (same dimensions north/south and east/west)?

(2). What's the depth? Like you're measuring the depth of a parabolic dish with a straightedge across the top and measuring 90 degrees down to the center.

Thanks again,
Harold

 

[phlatwound]

Great pictures, thanks.

A few questions:

(1). Is it round (same dimensions north/south and east/west)?

(2). What's the depth? Like you're measuring the depth of a parabolic dish with a straightedge across the top and measuring 90 degrees down to the center.

Thanks again,
Harold

You are welcome, and yes, the scalar is round. The only thing that I believe is not symmetrical on the receiving face of the scalar is those little round posts that are built into the rings.

Here's a few more pics.

 

[phlatwound]

I welded some shouldered nuts at the holes I had drilled inside the wedge today, and put a couple of declination adjuster bolts in the bottom plate of the mount. Remounted the reflector and feed support, waiting for a warm day to see if I can get the Spoon tracking ALL of the visible arc.

 

[1captain]

like the can in the middle of the back ring, that's helps a lot for creative thinking.

Those bolts should be able to get you right on it for fine tuning of the declination adjustment. the only problem that you may run into is if you have to move you're declination up a lot. due to the mounting flange (where motor an gears are) being bolted flat on that offset ring. the birdview mount that I fabbed up a wile ago that mount plate was bent at a 95 1/2 degree angle which gave it 5 1/2 degrees of declination, but for me I needed 4 degrees an went a different way.

also don't know if you know this or not, or if you mount has it, but on all of my birdview mounts here you have a slight adjustment on where the 1/2 moon ( 4 1/2" bolts) gear bolts to the box tube on the mount, it is not much but some times that all it takes, may be a 1/2 to 1 degree it it their.

good luck on it, I like that dish.

 

[phlatwound]

like the can in the middle of the back ring, that's helps a lot for creative thinking.

Those bolts should be able to get you right on it for fine tuning of the declination adjustment. the only problem that you may run into is if you have to move you're declination up a lot. due to the mounting flange (where motor an gears are) being bolted flat on that offset ring. the birdview mount that I fabbed up a wile ago that mount plate was bent at a 95 1/2 degree angle which gave it 5 1/2 degrees of declination, but for me I needed 4 degrees an went a different way.

also don't know if you know this or not, or if you mount has it, but on all of my birdview mounts here you have a slight adjustment on where the 1/2 moon ( 4 1/2" bolts) gear bolts to the box tube on the mount, it is not much but some times that all it takes, may be a 1/2 to 1 degree it it their.

good luck on it, I like that dish.

Captain, I think I can get around 1 degree of declination adjustment with those bolts, but hoping I don't need that much. I was tracking from 79W-121W very well before so I shouldn't need a lot. I remember you mentioned those bolts in the mounts earlier but haven't looked into that, will check that out soon, thanks.

I did basically the same adjuster bolt thing with my BV solid and it worked pretty well, but this is a whole different animal, just have to try it and see what happens.

Also got an idea for an elevation adjuster that will attach to the main elevation bar and the mount cap but I'm waiting on that one, I may put it on the solid dish and try it out first.

 

[1captain]

Also got an idea for an elevation adjuster that will attach to the main elevation bar and the mount cap but I'm waiting on that one, I may put it on the solid dish and try it out first.

You mean some thing like this.

 

[phlatwound]

You mean some thing like this.

Thanks for that pic, I had a different idea but may change it, I like yours too.

 

[turbosat]

An interesting story here. I'd like to learn more about this type of BV since I'd never seen or heard of it until this one. There must've been more than one made. Be nice to find some documentation on them, when they were sold, where, setup information etc. Hope you get it tracking well.

 

[1captain]

if you go that way make sure to grind off the outside weld, make it flat with the side of the square tube, so it does not inter-fear when tilting the dish vertical from the bird bath position.

in the picture no grinding or clean up has been done just tested an fitted after all the welding was done.

 

[phlatwound]

Time to resurrect this thread as I have started trying to work with this dish again.

Yesterday I fired up my backwoods "machine shop" and enlarged the scalar opening to accept a standard diameter feed. The opening is 2 1/2" as manufactured, and needs to be increased approximately 1/8" to accept a standard feed. I do this by wrapping a sanding belt strip (cut to appropriate width and length) around a 2 1/4" hole saw, securing it with a hose clamp. Then I work it into the opening from both sides and use an up-and-down honing motion. Added new strips to the outside to increase my diameter 4 times.

You can see more about how I do that here:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/c-band-...46-phlats-birdview-install-2.html#post1596464

Here are some poor cell phone pics of the completed scalar, took about an hour to do this. A GeoSat C2 LNBF now fits in there nicely.

 

[phlatwound]

And here are some recent shots. As you can see I have returned the dish to it's factory orientation and am going to attempt to get it to track. I took me a long time to get my head around which direction this dish will be pointing while laying on it's side like this but I think it actually aims/points the way it faces (duh?).

I had a couple people tell me that, but they could never explain, in terms that a hillbilly could understand, why.

My theory is that the offset of the wedge on the back of the dish is equal and opposite to the offset angle of the dish, therefore, if the H-H mount would be aiming at say due south with a prime focus BV reflector installed...it is also aimed at due south with this sideways offset monstrosity on it.

 

[gabshere]

always impressed i'm always interested in BV stuff

 

[toucan-man]

You hillbillies have all the nicest toys.

 

[phlatwound]

always impressed i'm always interested in BV stuff

Me too George...I have a BV perf that needs to go up one of these days too!

You hillbillies have all the nicest toys.

The credit goes to Linuxman for most of my BV toy collection, he got me hooked!

 

[phlatwound]

Where am I aimed?

I finally pulled in a signal with video and audio on the BV spoon, but have no idea where I am pointed.

3884 H 33235

"Ch 1"

Screen bug says Summer CW, and appears to be CW programming.

The mount appears to be aiming somewhere around 70W-80W...but how that relates to how the dish is pointed I don't know.

Any ideas?