True signal angle on an offset dish????

[stogie5150]

I have an obstruction problem. Before the leaves came out on the trees I got most of the arc fine. Now that the leaves are out I am missing a whole lot of satellites around the sbs6-nimiq1,3 zone. I have an oak tree right beside my dish with some branches overhanging the dish a bit. What I don't know is, with the dish being offset, what angle exactly does the signal get to the dish? IS it like a 45 degree angle then the dish reflects it to the LNB? When these pics were taken the dish was sitting on G11.

I attached a couple pics of my situation...I had to lighten one of them so you could see the tip top of the dish. Do I have a LOS problem with that oak limb overhead?

 

[gabshere]

should be 22 degrees offset
so if its says on the side of the dish 41 then its actually looking at 63 (then the dish reflects it to the lnb)

 

[Hermitman]

The actual offset angle varies depending on the height and width of the antenna. Here's a free program that can calculate the angle based on the antenna dimensions. Have fun.

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Science-CAD/Satellite-Antenna-Alignment.shtml

 

[PopcornNMore]

Stogie5150,

On a side note...

How well does your OTA antenna work and what make / model is it?

Also, do you normally have another dish mounted onto the black mount behind the dish shown?

 

[gabshere]

ok with that program that Hermitman posted your offset is actually closer to 24.6
also there is a section in that program that looks at obstacles.
so you can use that to see the distance from your house to see if you are clearing it.

also I would like an up close shot of your bracket

 

[Tron]

From the picture of the Oak, I don't think its low enough to be blocking your view of high-elevation satellites, especially if its almost directly above the dish. Might be blocking some sats to the far extremes of your arc though.

 

[stogie5150]

Stogie5150,

On a side note...

How well does your OTA antenna work and what make / model is it?

Also, do you normally have another dish mounted onto the black mount behind the dish shown?

That black mount was where I tried the D* Phase 3 first. And when it wouldn't work there is when I started wondering if that limb overhead was causing problems. I just haven't taken it down yet. I ended up putting the dish on a little 1 5/8 pole behind and to the west of my main dish. Right now its sitting on Nimiq 1 until I can get back out there to re aim it for 119.

The OTA antenna is a CM 4228. I don't have a preamp on it and it does fine for all the channels from New Orleans, about 20-30 miles...I like it.

 

[stogie5150]

ok with that program that Hermitman posted your offset is actually closer to 24.6
also there is a section in that program that looks at obstacles.
so you can use that to see the distance from your house to see if you are clearing it.

also I would like an up close shot of your bracket

Here are some pics of my mount. If you have any more questions shoot me a PM.

 

[stogie5150]

From the picture of the Oak, I don't think its low enough to be blocking your view of high-elevation satellites, especially if its almost directly above the dish. Might be blocking some sats to the far extremes of your arc though.

I don't think the pictures can represent how far over the house the limbs go. I definitely think the limbs are the problem. So, I can either plant another dish on the other side of the tree for the easternmost arc, or hire someone to trim the tree, since I am not a tree climber. I think since all I will have to buy is another sg2100 for the new dish, I'll do that.

 

[stogie5150]

ok with that program that Hermitman posted your offset is actually closer to 24.6
also there is a section in that program that looks at obstacles.
so you can use that to see the distance from your house to see if you are clearing it.

also I would like an up close shot of your bracket

I did some basic angle finding off the center of the dish with my angle finder, and lo and behold look up at the angle and all I see is tree limb.

I know I am clearing the house...because I can see AMC6 way over there to the East...but not SBS6 westward to G3. In that area. I think I am just going to buy another SG2100, sink another pole on the opposite side of the tree, and put a Motorized 84e Primestar dish on it. That'll be my 'east' dish. Only problem is how to control TWO motorized dishes with ONE reciever. Ideas?

 

[lumpkin666]

I did some basic angle finding off the center of the dish with my angle finder, and lo and behold look up at the angle and all I see is tree limb.

I know I am clearing the house...because I can see AMC6 way over there to the East...but not SBS6 westward to G3. In that area. I think I am just going to buy another SG2100, sink another pole on the opposite side of the tree, and put a Motorized 84e Primestar dish on it. That'll be my 'east' dish. Only problem is how to control TWO motorized dishes with ONE reciever. Ideas?

I'm hoping this will work, as this is my plan to operate an sg2100 and a moteck vboxII from the same receiver. If you use a 0/22k switch that passes diseqc commands (like the ecoda switches), you can place that before the motors and switch between motors by setting the 0/22k value according for each satellite.

 

[Tron]

So, I can either plant another dish on the other side of the tree for the easternmost arc, or hire someone to trim the tree, since I am not a tree climber. I think since all I will have to buy is another sg2100 for the new dish, I'll do that.

Actually, that makes a great excuse to acquire another dish! You can even justify the expense VS a tree cutting service! Easy sell to the significant other

Two motors on one receiver is a bit tricky. I don't like A/B switches for satellite applications, and I'm not sure about the 22k solution...

 

[stogie5150]

Actually, that makes a great excuse to acquire another dish! You can even justify the expense VS a tree cutting service! Easy sell to the significant other

Two motors on one receiver is a bit tricky. I don't like A/B switches for satellite applications, and I'm not sure about the 22k solution...

I think I have gotten it figured out.....I am going to use another reciever to drive the second dish and just use a dieseq or a/b switch to run another line to the line coming to the computer....I am still working it out in my head... :clap

 

[caddata]

Stogie:

Neat idea using that one hole conduit strap and allthread as an adjustment. That would really help in the fine tuning.

Harold

 

[stogie5150]

Stogie:

Neat idea using that one hole conduit strap and allthread as an adjustment. That would really help in the fine tuning.

Harold

Actually its a bolt. And I cannot take credit for it I saw it somewhere else...for the life of me I cannot remember where....only problem was that I had to shim the motor mast up with a split piece of plastic pipe to allow the conduit clamp to tighten up. But it works real well so far, no issues. And I am getting ready to do it again with an 84e dish the same way.