SUCCESS!!!! I managed to lock 99w and scan in all horizontal channels, and lock 97w and scan in quite a few horizontal channels. I can see now that i will definiatly need an asc1 to do fine movements of the dish as the mover i am using now i cant quite figure out. But im having a ball and cant wait for my replacement c1-pll to arrive.
Setting up 10' unimesh
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Well i was out until about 3 this morning scaning the arc and trying to tune what i could with only horizontal polarity. I was able to scan to the west to 135 west, and to the east i only went as far as 87w before i got tired and packed up for the night. I think the next thing im going to do is clean up the old digicipher2 receiver and try to plug it in and see what happens. Then ill try to test the 2 polarity motors i have and see if ones still good assuming I can figure out how to work the old receiver. One question i do have is will this receiver work without the module board that slides in the back? I dont have the information what brand or model it is right now as its at the shop and im at home but ill hop on later and post a pic. Im just leery of this receiver as its showing signs of having been wet and has some corrosion on the rear of the receiver ill attempt to clean up before i even think about plugging it in.
That module is useless these days and you do not need it for your receiver to function.
assuming the internal electronics arent messed up from getting wet. I figure ill crack it open and have a look inside before i do anything and look for corosion inside and make a determination from there. Thanks for the info though.
You are most welcome.
Lots of the old analog receivers were damaged when the batteries in those old VC modules went bad and puked acid, not good.
Lots of the old analog receivers were damaged when the batteries in those old VC modules went bad and puked acid, not good.
Well the receiver is no good. It is a channel master digicypherII. I opened it up and looked at the board. One thing I was concerned about was the amount of corrosion on the connectors on the back. There was some corrosion evident on the circuit board near the connectors but the rest of the board looked pretty good all things considering. So i got real brave and plugged it in. This model only has onscreen programming so the only indicator you have if its powering up is a little green light on the power button. It did power up, so I switched it off, unplugged it and moved it into the shop on the bench. I ran a video wire from the aux input on the front of my tv in the shop to the bench and powered up the unit. There was a signal but it was pretty messed up, so bad you couldnt even see any of the text on the screen. So next i made a coax cable long enough to reach the bench and hooked it up to the receiver. It showed the same picture as the video output for about 10 seconds then died. So now im back to the old dish positioner until I get the go ahead from the wife to purchase the ASC1. IM going to play around with the dish positioner a little more. There has to be a way to move the dish in smaller increments and delete and store satellites with it I just have to figure it out.
KE4EST and I have a few open box or cosmetic flaw ASC1 controllers at a reduced price if that will help sway the negotiations with the wife! 
To make due for now, use a 12v car battery or a tool battery to move the dish East/West. To receive vertical polarity transponders, manually rotate the feedhorn 90 degrees in the scalar mounting.
To make due for now, use a 12v car battery or a tool battery to move the dish East/West. To receive vertical polarity transponders, manually rotate the feedhorn 90 degrees in the scalar mounting.
I have an old macom T-1 dish positioner, but i have no way to delete whats already programmed in, or save and title the position even though there are some buttons labeled alpha and neumeric. I tried pushing the save button but it doesnt seem to do anything. Im headed back to the shop now and ill take some pictures and put em up. I know when i was playing with this thing on thursday i did manage to get it to move in smaller increments but i cant seem to replicate how i did it. I think i could get some better quality out of some birds if i were able to do it. I managed to score the ribbon cable that was with this dish too and it has more then enough to reach my shop so i temporarily laid it out on the ground to the shop so i dont have to bake in the sun today. I know it will control the skew but the labels for +5v, pulse, and ground are worn off the back. Im pretty sure i know which one is ground.KE4EST and I have a few open box or cosmetic flaw ASC1 controllers at a reduced price if that will help sway the negotiations with the wife!
To make due for now, use a 12v car battery or a tool battery to move the dish East/West. To receive vertical polarity transponders, manually rotate the feedhorn 90 degrees in the scalar mounting.
As far as being able to buy the controller, im pretty sure ill get the ok at the end of the month, but when you run your own business you pay all your bills first before you buy anything for you, im sure you know how it is.
Maybe a few shots of the H1 rear terminals?
You will need to be in the manual mode to continuous drive East /West. In the operate mode you can step drive East /West between preprogrammed sat positions to optimize.
You will need to be in the manual mode to continuous drive East /West. In the operate mode you can step drive East /West between preprogrammed sat positions to optimize.
No matter what, weather or not you are in manual or auto if you push the east/west button or hold it down it moves something like a half a degree. The other day it was moving much less but I haven't been able to replicate it. Not at the shop again until tomorrow so I'll try to take a pic and post
Yes, reed switches are either available from the actuator manufacturer or usually the part can be matched and sourced from an electronic component supplier such as DigiKey.
Test each of the distribution ribbon sensor wires for continuity (in resistance mode) or test the motor at the actuator location using short jumper wires for motor and sensor powers.
To test the sensor, put a multi-tester (in resistance mode) across the reed switch leads and either power the motor with a 12 volt battery or slowly rotate the magnet wheel while viewing the meter reading for open/close cycles.
To test the H1 for sensor counting: While pressing the East or West key, rapidly tap the S1/S2 wires from the H1 together to mimic reed switch cycles. If the motor continues to move, the H1 is working and the reed switch is likely bad.
Test each of the distribution ribbon sensor wires for continuity (in resistance mode) or test the motor at the actuator location using short jumper wires for motor and sensor powers.
To test the sensor, put a multi-tester (in resistance mode) across the reed switch leads and either power the motor with a 12 volt battery or slowly rotate the magnet wheel while viewing the meter reading for open/close cycles.
To test the H1 for sensor counting: While pressing the East or West key, rapidly tap the S1/S2 wires from the H1 together to mimic reed switch cycles. If the motor continues to move, the H1 is working and the reed switch is likely bad.
Is superjack still being manufactured? I heard someplace they were discontinued. I also read a post about maybe lightly tapping the reed switch with a screwdriver handle. But to be honest here im going to first assume the H1 is not functioning properly considering this thing has been in non climate controlled storage for close to 20 years or more. I mean the black powder coating on the top cover just fell off when i picked this thing up. To be honest i dont even leave the thing plugged in if im not actively using it im so leery of it.
Good to know and thanks for all of your input. I know i plan on getting better components as time allows. This project got spurred mostly by my father in law who finally came by today to get a look at what he could potentially pick up from c-band. He has always wanted a c-band set up but cost always got in the way. I figure at 72 years old he deserves at least the opportunity to get a look at it. Right now as far as the c-band project goes i havent really spent all that much money, and only have a weeks worth of evenings tied up in getting this thing up, aimed and running.............sort of. Im thinking i must have everything fairly well dialed in as im even picking up certain TPs that everyone says you need a well tuned dish to receive and have tuned in clear over to 135W. With the 24 inch actuator the way it is set up i cant reach 139W. So a new actuator isnt necessarily out of the question.
I know when i move my dads old dish over here id like to used the corotorII thats on it and at least attempt to receive both c and Ku and will more then likely be asking for advice on what lnb's to purchase to put on it. but thats probably going to be a spring project. Right now the focus is to put the C1-PLL on and get it dialed in, buy an ASC1, and to burry a conduit and run the ribbon cable thru to the shop and if need be purchase a reed sensor. But i sure wish i woulda paid a lot more attention to my Dad back in the day. Working on this stuff has been reminding me of him quite abit.
I know when i move my dads old dish over here id like to used the corotorII thats on it and at least attempt to receive both c and Ku and will more then likely be asking for advice on what lnb's to purchase to put on it. but thats probably going to be a spring project. Right now the focus is to put the C1-PLL on and get it dialed in, buy an ASC1, and to burry a conduit and run the ribbon cable thru to the shop and if need be purchase a reed sensor. But i sure wish i woulda paid a lot more attention to my Dad back in the day. Working on this stuff has been reminding me of him quite abit.
I believe I'm east of you about 100 miles; you shouldn't have any problem getting to 139W unless trees, hills, or buildings get in your way.
Though there hasn't been much to look at recently, I get to 139W on my BUD with a 24" actuator.
Once everything was pretty much on the arc, I set the dish over to the east all the way with actuator fully retracted. Adjusted the actuator bracket past where 139W would be on the polar mount setting. Once the actuator was set and locked down, bumped the dish to set the mechanical limiter switches in the actuator (i.e., just W past 139W). I used a TV and receiver at the dish to see what was going on with transponder lock as this occurred.
Once mechanical switches were set, then worked on programing dish mover/receiver. As it stands, 139W is the last satellite prior to reaching mechanical limits in the actuator.
Though there hasn't been much to look at recently, I get to 139W on my BUD with a 24" actuator.
Once everything was pretty much on the arc, I set the dish over to the east all the way with actuator fully retracted. Adjusted the actuator bracket past where 139W would be on the polar mount setting. Once the actuator was set and locked down, bumped the dish to set the mechanical limiter switches in the actuator (i.e., just W past 139W). I used a TV and receiver at the dish to see what was going on with transponder lock as this occurred.
Once mechanical switches were set, then worked on programing dish mover/receiver. As it stands, 139W is the last satellite prior to reaching mechanical limits in the actuator.
I beleive this dish was just set up this way. The dish was 2 blocks east and one south of where my shop is and we literally took it off the pole, pulled the pole out of the ground (and im really suprised how little concrete was actually used originally) took the pole off the trailer and put it right back in the ground the same day. I put the dish right outside the shop and started pulling mesh off one section at a time and beating the hail dents out and repairing the tears, and we put the dish on the pole thursday. Originally the thought was to not have to change any angles but when i tried to put the new lnb on i was getting wonky signals so i loosened everything up and reset the dish. It was then that i found out there was an issue with the lnb. So id just basically have to readjust the collar holding the actuator to reach that far, im just guessing im only missing hitting it by about a few degrees. Im pretty much still in the playing phase, though we did sit and watch a little bit of laff tv this evening, and showed the wife the Ion stations. But having to move the dish one click at a time makes it a bit challenging to hit a bird just right unless its a strong signal. Sometimes i can bump the dish a few clicks extra east or west and back again and catch some of the weaker signals. Id also suspect that the polarity could be adjusted a bit better.
100 miles east of me is pretty darn near where i grew up and lived up till about 15 years ago.
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