Help Required 1m motorised install

[jeallen01]

Change the angle of the wire by using the following

Frankly I do not, and would not use, those except in "exceptional" circumstances because, based on actual experience:
- the internal 90 deg "bend" is often only a "touching" joint betwen the cores coming out of each of the F-connector joints, and that joint easily becomes disconnected;
- any 90 deg "bend" in any VHF, UHF or higher frequency signal path is to be depricated as it generally causes notable signal strength loss and reflections;
- I only used them on very easily accessible patch cables that could be easily replaced if there was a "problem" - which there often was;
- for the above reason, I have not, and would not, use them on motor or dish connections, as tracking down random faults outdoors will alway be more difficult and time-consuming.

 

[gdf68]

Do you want it taking from a distance, and any particular sat or at zero?

 

[Gladstones]

Try to bend the wire like I did if that helps

 

[gdf68]

 

[jeallen01]

Try to bend the wire like I did if that helps

Bear in mind that the generally-accepted engineering "rule of thumb" is that the bending radius for an RF cable shall be no less than 10x the diameter of the cable - e.g. if the cable diameter is 8mm (most commonly used sat cables for non-commercial installations are between about 6 and 8 mm diameter) then the bending radius should be greater than 80 mm. And we're talking about the "radius", not the diameter, of the bend - and thus the diameter of the bend would need to be at least 160mm (just over 6" for luddites!), and anything higher than that is better.

BTW I'm referring to cables with "plastic" insulations and sheaths - the min bending radius for armoured and similar cables will be a LOT higher!

The 2nd & 3rd photos clearly show that the bend doesn't meet that "rule of thumb", and consequently the cable is clearly kinked - which is definitely NOT good for the RF performance and almost certainly has had some effect on the SS/SQ! A definite "NO NO" and so you need to fix that!

PS: thanks for showing how NOT to do it!

 

[Gladstones]

Bear in mind that the generally-accepted engineering "rule of thuumb" is that the bending radius for an RF cable shall be no less than 10x the diameter of the cable - e.g. if the cable diameter is 8mm (most commonly used sat cables for non-commercial installations are between about 6 and 8 mm diameter) then the bending radius should be greater than 80 mm. And we're talking about the "radius", not the diameter, of the bend - and thus the diameter of the bend would need to be at least 160mm (just over 6" for luddites!), and anything higher than that is better.

BTW I'm referring to cables with "plastic" insulations and sheaths - the min bending radius for armoured and similar cables will be a LOT higher!

Is mine ok

 

[jeallen01]

Is mine ok

No, it's not! See the updated version of my post!

PS: just increasing the bend radius of the existing cable won't fix the problem properly as the internal construction will have almost certainly be permanently affected, especially given the time since you installed it - probably best to cut the cable before the kink and then add an extra length of new cable between that and the motor F connector (and then seal both joints with s/a tape).

 

[jeallen01]

Morning all

I think I was a bit hard on @Gladstones last night as I should have realised that he wasn't aware of the "rule of thumb" to which I referred, and that's why his installation resulted in the cable being kinked - I am sure from his later comments that he will now be trying to correct the situation.

 

[Gladstones]

Morning all

I think I was a bit hard on @Gladstones last night as I should have realised that he wasn't aware of the "rule of thumb" to which I referred, and that's why his installation resulted in the cable being kinked - I am sure from his later comments that he will now be trying to correct the situation.

Heavy rain in Midlothian will rectify the cable once dry
Jeallen I did not mind yes I was not aware of the Rule
Thanks for your advice much appreciated.

 

[gdf68]

Update, after getting new tm2600 courtesy @rolfw Cheers, now I have installed and solid. However it got late , will have to go back out tomorrow, the cabling interfers with the bolts when going through the whole arc to the point it will probably come away from the F connection, tried slight bend but yo no avail. How peeps got your cabling ? I did put the dish slightly higher on the motor tube compared to my last install. Any pics you guys

 

[rolfw]

You can get right-angled adaptors, I normally take the cables down through the motor bracket to the motor and it keeps the cables out of harm's way. But you may need to cut the ent of ther bolts off, mentioned in my DiseqC how-to.

 

[gdf68]

Will try an alternative route up pole and get as close to the motor, but in the meantime if anyone has some pics knocking about

I'll get there in the end currently go along the lower T bracket but I'll go up pole , just need to make sure I leave enough slack but not too much that it finds itscway between the clamp bolts

Thxnks

 

[cyberham]

I just cut my bolts off.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Unless the client specifies cable thicker than CT125, then wrap around the top of the gearbox and down the pole/behind the dish backplate to the feedarm.

 

[gdf68]

Unless the client specifies cable thicker than CT125, then wrap around the top of the gearbox and down the pole/behind the dish backplate to the feedarm.

Don't know why Just can't visualise that

 

[Captain Jack]

Don't know why Just can't visualise that

Check @rolfw's pdf.


I do this as well as trim the bolts, like @cyberham says.

 

[gdf68]

Check @rolfw's pdf.
View attachment 153941

I do this as well as trim the bolts, like @cyberham says.

I'll check pdf etc and possibly cut the bolts in the long term, where is the other end of that cable going , to the lnb? That connection is fine , it's the cable to the receiver that snags.

 

[Captain Jack]

I'll check pdf etc and possibly cut the bolts in the long term, where is the other end of that cable going , to the lnb? That connection is fine , it's the cable to the receiver that snags.

The receiver cable goes down the pole similar to how it's shown in the picture. With the bolts cut and the cable tied to the pole, the bends are minimal.

 

[gdf68]

Right I know am a bit of a novice when it comes to installing dishes , got new motor and 1m dish back up and using the sat meter aligned it up 0.8w peak signal 70s db level 15 sky news galaxy4 .
30w signal same db levels 13-15 (fine,)
yet can no longer get 36e or 52e.
All sats in between arc are normal 70 plus .
Sorted the cabling out no snagging on the bolts
Can't fathom why? 36.e 52e

 

[rolfw]

Can you get 28.2 East and 42E?