Post-storm woes

[northgeorgia]

A tornado came through our area about a month ago, toppling over a huge 50 ft tree. My BUD wasn't affected. Then, just last week, an unexpected storm stirred up again with downbursts and very gusty winds. My BUD was a casualty. The actuator was fully extended and over on 127W. After it was over, it appeared to have "flopped" over to the western limit. Surprisingly, the actuator doesn't seem to be affected. It still can fully extend and retract. Even with the "flop," it appears the actuator is doing it's job and not budging when I move the dish up and down slightly. It's the dish itself. So, one problem is figuring out what got loosened to create this extra "play" that only happens on the western most positions (no play in the eastern ones).

Afterwards, I noticed I was no longer receiving any signals. I drove the actuator east and did get NASA on 127W. I also got Classic Arts Showcase on 101W by once again driving the actuator farther east than I where I originally had 101W programmed. However, I couldn't get any other channels. I wished I had stopped there, but alas. I thought maybe the most obvious thing was that the wind pushed the dish west, spinning it slightly around the pole and parking it further west of true south. So, without marking where the assembly was supposedly looking true south with chalk or tape (kick myself kick myself), I moved it slightly eastward.

Since then, I've had no successful scans or signals come in. I was hoping to have figured it out today by attempting to move the dish on the pole east/west to get a signal, but no luck. Have also tried different "guesses" of true south and attempted driving the dish with the actuator to find signals. Nothing. One thing I haven't done is messed with the elevation or declination (no, no, no. I can't imagine those would have been affected at all...). I also have checked the connectors; they look fine. I can't believe something is wrong with the LNBF, as the signals came in after the storm had passed and no major weather events since then. I don't see any damage to the dish, either.

Anyway, haven't had a lot of time, and won't the rest of the week. I'm swamped at work this week with all kinds of mandatory events. Also, my dad passed away suddenly in February from an unexpected and aggressive form of leukemia, so we've been busy trying to do things around the property. I guess I need the expertise and clarity to think through every step again. Before last week's storm, it tracked the arc perfectly. Thanks in advance for any advice. Maybe I'll get it working by October

 

[N6BY]

I have had windstorms spin my dish in the past.

If you haven't already tried it, one way to fix the alignment is to set the actuator where 101 should be (before the windstorm). Then move the dish east/west until you get 101 peaked.

And like you said, no adjustments to your elevation or declination should be necessary.

 

[northgeorgia]

I have had windstorms spin my dish in the past.

If you haven't already tried it, one way to fix the alignment is to set the actuator where 101 should be (before the windstorm). Then move the dish east/west until you get 101 peaked.

And like you said, no adjustments to your elevation or declination should be necessary.

Thanks! That was my assumption, too. Unfortunately, I've tried rotating the dish along the pole west and east today, and no results on 101W. I have also tried using the actuator to move the dish east and west once aligned in a new position, but no signal that way either.

I'm sure I am still not on the arc. Although, I do think it's a bit strange that I haven't been able to find a signal at all in my various attempts today -- not even with a blind scan. There is something I must be missing. Like you, I can't imagine declination or elevation is off, but it makes me wonder. I'll resist the urge to touch that, though.
I am using the Amiko Mini HD 4K S2X, and I did notice I was able to get it from nearly instantly saying "no results found" when performing a blind scan to delaying and appearing to search before displaying the message. Earlier, I was even able to make it show 51%, etc., various percentages, before displaying no results/transponders. At that moment, I was also able to change satellites in the transponder search menu, or flip through the DiSEqC switch options (I don't have any switches), and see a flurry of signal activity for a half second. Anyway, it was something "different" thinking I might have gotten closer, but nothing yet.

 

[primestar31]

Thanks! That was my assumption, too. Unfortunately, I've tried rotating the dish along the pole west and east today, and no results on 101W. I have also tried using the actuator to move the dish east and west once aligned in a new position, but no signal that way either.

I'm sure I am still not on the arc. Although, I do think it's a bit strange that I haven't been able to find a signal at all in my various attempts today -- not even with a blind scan. There is something I must be missing. Like you, I can't imagine declination or elevation is off, but it makes me wonder. I'll resist the urge to touch that, though.
I am using the Amiko Mini HD 4K S2X, and I did notice I was able to get it from nearly instantly saying "no results found" when performing a blind scan to delaying and appearing to search before displaying the message. Earlier, I was even able to make it show 51%, etc., various percentages, before displaying no results/transponders. At that moment, I was also able to change satellites in the transponder search menu, or flip through the DiSEqC switch options (I don't have any switches), and see a flurry of signal activity for a half second. Anyway, it was something "different" thinking I might have gotten closer, but nothing yet.

Maybe a coax got stretched or damaged, or a connector, or it got wet? You might have TWO problems, 1 being the dish spun, and 2 being a cable problem not allowing signal. I'd take your receiver right out to the dish, and connect it to the LNBF with a different coax for test.

 

[N6BY]

I would try Mike's ^^^ suggestion first with the connectors. And if the connectors look good then check for voltage between ground and the center conductor.

Beyond that, have you checked to see if the dish is bent? Also, is the pole still perfectly vertical from side to side and front to back??

 

[northgeorgia]

Update: Some progress, but I'm still off the arc big time. I can confirm the pole's still vertical. The dish doesn't appear to be bent, but I haven't done a formal string test yet (hard to do when you're just one person).

Basically, I used a different receiver to blind scan and drive the actuator. I tried for 91W. I adjusted the position of the dish on the pole, but it still required driving the actuator eastward by quite a bit... probably around 10 degrees, similar to what I had tried before right after the storm and before I tried to swing the dish around (when I got NASA TV on 127W and Classical Arts on 101W by driving it east some distance, in order to get it at the right height in the sky). So, yes, I have it peaked on 91W and reset the actuator position here for now (just for 91W).

But unfortunately, I am only getting signals on 91W. I must be intersecting the arc instead of following it. Can't get any other signals by driving the dish with the actuator, even just a few positions away. Nothing on 101W, even when I try to drive it eastward. My thought is that if I were on the arc, all that would be necessary is to drive the actuator east or west, find the satellites, and reset the positions.

My longitude is around 83W. The 87W and 89W programmed positions go well west of 91W. I tried driving it to 91W then bumping it east (I'm assuming the 4:2:2 CBS feeds are still on 89W), but didn't have any readings. In observing the dish, it appears the dish is just slightly off of the "0" South position, westward a few degrees, ie -- probably where 85W should be. See attachment

In my mind, I'm probably too far west, and need to spin the dish eastward. However, if I do that and attempt to drive the dish with the actuator to 91W, then the LNBF will be looking too low (did that already when searching for 91W. Only had the Word Network at 40% and no other channels). Which once again makes me think evil thoughts about elevation/declination settings. It just doesn't seem possible, but here we are...

Thanks for any thoughts!

 

[primestar31]

Update: Some progress, but I'm still off the arc big time. I can confirm the pole's still vertical. The dish doesn't appear to be bent, but I haven't done a formal string test yet (hard to do when you're just one person).

Basically, I used a different receiver to blind scan and drive the actuator. I tried for 91W. I adjusted the position of the dish on the pole, but it still required driving the actuator eastward by quite a bit... probably around 10 degrees, similar to what I had tried before right after the storm and before I tried to swing the dish around (when I got NASA TV on 127W and Classical Arts on 101W by driving it east some distance, in order to get it at the right height in the sky). So, yes, I have it peaked on 91W and reset the actuator position here for now (just for 91W).

But unfortunately, I am only getting signals on 91W. I must be intersecting the arc instead of following it. Can't get any other signals by driving the dish with the actuator, even just a few positions away. Nothing on 101W, even when I try to drive it eastward. My thought is that if I were on the arc, all that would be necessary is to drive the actuator east or west, find the satellites, and reset the positions.

My longitude is around 83W. The 87W and 89W programmed positions go well west of 91W. I tried driving it to 91W then bumping it east (I'm assuming the 4:2:2 CBS feeds are still on 89W), but didn't have any readings. In observing the dish, it appears the dish is just slightly off of the "0" South position, westward a few degrees, ie -- probably where 85W should be. See attachment

In my mind, I'm probably too far west, and need to spin the dish eastward. However, if I do that and attempt to drive the dish with the actuator to 91W, then the LNBF will be looking too low (did that already when searching for 91W. Only had the Word Network at 40% and no other channels). Which once again makes me think evil thoughts about elevation/declination settings. It just doesn't seem possible, but here we are...

Thanks for any thoughts!

What is the LOWEST (furthest) satellite EAST or WEST that you used to be able to receive solidly before this? Tell your receiver to go there, to a known to work channel. Loosen the polar mount, and spin it whichever way it needs to tune that one in. Once that one is locked in, I'd believe that the rest should also work. As long as you didn't play with any other mount settings that is.

Before all that, I'd double check that the feed is still equidistant from each leg to the dish rim, and that the feed is completely parallel to the dish "face". Might also want to make sure the dish didn't "clamshell" even a little bit.

 

[N6BY]

If all else fails then I would recommend getting a digital level. Tell your receiver to go to a satellite (its position before the storm). Then measure the dish's elevation. See how the measured value compares to what it should be using dishpointer.com.

If the two values match then you know not to touch the elevation.

 

[northgeorgia]

Thanks so much for talking me off the elevation adjustment ledge. I went out and measured the leg to the dish rim, checked the feed being parallel, and also measured the elevation and declination...well, as suspected, the angles were still good.

I swung the dish on the polar mount, but bit the bullet and readjusted the clamp to the actuator arm. Something somewhere slipped because the had dish flopped on the far western sats after the storm, and it never did that until after the high winds -- so I guess needed to adjust something there. Anyway, I noticed I was hitting every satellite on the arc again, so instead of continuing to play, I tightened it all down and reset the positions.

Thanks for your help!