Help with new set up!

funkychimp

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Hi,
I have the following setup

90cm dish
bog standard LNB(from local satellite shop)
Using ProgDVB with skycard 2 and Diseqc1.2 plugin

I have the dish setup on my roof with clear sight of the southern horizon.

My lattidude is 54.09 and log 4.29.

I have set the mount pole up 100% vertical using a spirt level and set the montor angle to 36 degrees and the dish angle to 24 degrees as per motor manual.

Now heres the problem, I can pick up Astra 19.2e, Hotbird 13e and Eurobird 28.2 without problem using the motor to move to each satellite. However I can not pick any other satellite up i.e anything between 19.2e and Eurobird 28.2 and anthing on the west like Thor 1w.

I have followed the instructions as described on many the forums threads and have run out of ideas as to what could be wrong.

Any help would be most welcome!

Cheers

Paulh.
 

rolfw

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What reference satellite did you use for your due South? You should have set up on 5E, but you do not mention it.
 

funkychimp

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Hi rolfw,
I set up on Astra 19.2e, thats the strongest signal Ive got.

Cheers

Paulh.
 

BGonaSTICK

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It's out with the ladders again then :( . 5E is where you should have started. You've obviously fine tuned the dish az/el manually to max the signal on 19.2E?

Just do the same on 5E with the motor having already been driven to 0 degrees. Check that it says 0 on the motor body as a double check.

Starting off at the top of the arc is the best way to average out any minor errors that inevitably will exist in your dish/motor setup.
 

gameboy

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Have just drawn this up to help explain what happens when the pole is not vertical.

As you can see, if you set it up at as close true South as possible then go as far East plus West and manage to pick up the sats then you are well on your way to a perfect setup.

Hope it helps.
 

funkychimp

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Hi,
Thanks for the advice Gents, Great diagram Gameboy!

My Mount Pole is vertical as I have checked it with a spirt level at all angles.

Even if my pole was not completely vertical I can not tune in Thor even if I just try and concentrate on it's signal.

The only signals/Sats I can get are 19.2e, 13e & 28.5e with theres signal strengths 50%, 40% and 40% respectively.

Do thoses signal sound low to you?

Do you need to set the Polarity or band differently for the others sats e.g thor or astra 23.5?

Could it be that my LNB is not up to much, its only bog standard?

Any help would be most welcome!

Cheers

Paulh.
 
H

Happy-Buddah

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Hi funkychimp

Are you on the IoM? if so your lat is 4.29*WEST and your nearest south satellite is 4*W but you might not get a strong, if at all, signal off of that bird. Try 5W and 12543H, 27500.
54*N and 4*E puts you in the North Sea
H-B
 

rolfw

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LOL, beat me to it H-B, sat here thinking about where that lat/long was and came to the same conclusion. :)
 
H

Happy-Buddah

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I had to quickly check the good old Philips@ world atlas as I thought that he might be in holland. But those co-ordinates put him higher than that so the obvious was go west and finished up in th Isle of Man. Only 8+degrees out. A miss is as good as a mile:D

H-B
 

funkychimp

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Hi Gents,
Yes I live in the Isle of Man.

So let me get this right, Pole vertical, motor mount at 36 degrees and dish angle at 24.5(as per manual Motec 2100), Motor set to 0 degrees? and try to find 5 degrees west(this is Atlantic Bird 3?)

I take it 5 west is the top of my arc then?

Is this 5 degrees west as per compass?

Any help would be most welcome!

Cheers

Paulh

P.s Forgetting about getting the correct arch for a second, I still cant under stand why I cant get any of the others sats on an individual basis!
 
H

Happy-Buddah

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Hi funkychimp

Where did you get 24* for your dish angle?
The Moteck manual states
reading on dish scale should be 40* less declination angle.
The declinanation angle given in that handbook for a latitude of 54* (elevation of 36*) is 7.63*, so 40 - 7.63 = 32.37*. As dish scales are not that accurate that will be a starting point.
Atlantic Bird at 5*west will be the closest satellite to your due south. The satellite is located at 5*west over the equator. When useing a compass remember that magnetic north is somewhere in Canada not the North Pole, 3-4 degrees difference. You at your location are not looking for 5degrees you are after approx 3/4 of a degree.
Set your system up so that the motor is on zero, the motor/dish/LNB are in line. In USALS on your receiver input your lat and long, instruct the motor to drive to Atlantic Bird. Slowly move the whole set up on the pole either side of south, small movements and wait for 10 seconds for the receiver to try for a lock. When you receive a signal optimise your azimuth and elevation, tighten up all the bolts. You should now be able to see all the satellites in the "arc" (not arch). A small amount of fine tuneing might be necessary.
The satellites you are trying to find are about 40000kms away located above the equator and giving out a power of less than a 100w lamp. As you can guess quite hard to find. And as your dish elevation appears to be wrong I am surprised that you have picked anything up.
Happy satellite hunting, hope your installation goes well.
H-B
 

The Skipper

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Just a thought.
On the Motecks there are 2 scales on motor/pole mount.
One for elevation and one for Latitude...
Have you set the correct one for your lat?
I have one but not set it up yet so wil be in this position myself soon lol
Must do my homework before I start.

If you search for a stab 90 manual, there are good setup instructions in that about 'fine tuning' similar to the diagrams in post above.

skip
 
H

Happy-Buddah

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On the Moteck motors, elevation=90-latitude.

usually scale on one side of motor in elevation, scale other side of motor in elevation
H-B
 

spoofer2005

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Im having same problems although i set my first sat thor as my location is Northampton
i can receive 21 e 19.2 e 7 e 13 e 0.9 west
I have a stab motor and hve been informed it should be set to 52 degrees
Signal on all sats a can receive are strong
Someone plse plse help
its been over a week now and i hve had about enough of it but i cant and wont give up

Happy buddah you posted this
According to my Moteck handbook the motor should be set to just over 52degrees latitude or just under 38degrees elevation and the dish should be set to 40-7.5=32.5 degrees.
40-7.5=32.5 degreesis this the dish setting ?

Kind Regards
 

funkychimp

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Thanks for all the help Gents! It's much apprieciated.

I will have another go with the dish and tell you how I get on. Won't be tonight though as I'm watching the match(Liverpool Vs Chelsea), I'm a neutral, should be a good one.

Cheers

Paulh.
 

funkychimp

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Hi,
Happy-Buddah I checked my Motec 2100 manual and it definatey says 30 degrees minus 7.6 which gives me a dish elevation of 7.4 degrees.

I tried to tune in Alantic Bird 3 on 5w this morning and had no joy.

One thing I didnt tel you and should of done earlier is that my dish took a bit of a tumble down the street during a storm last year, I did try to bend it back as best as I could.

Do you think my dish is shafted?

Cheers

Paulh.
 

rolfw

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Unless you bent it back with some sort of jig or template, it probably is knackered.
 

funkychimp

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Hi rolfw,
Yes I think I'm gunna have to invest in a new dish.

Do you know any good cheap online sites where I can shop for one? and a new LNB while I'm at it?

Cheers

Paulh.
 
H

Happy-Buddah

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What! Bent dish, lnb arm most probably out of alignment as well. Bent it back! Only people like the legendary Anna Log SackO-Ha can do things like that and get results ;) ;)
30-7.4=7.6?????????? How come?????:confused
My moteck manual (and the Fortec Star manual {Fortec Star motor is a Moteck clone}) clearly states 40- declination angle.
My lat is 52, the stated declination for that is 7.47 so dish setting angle is 32.5 (approx), in actual fact it is at 34* which is close enough.
Read page 3 of the manual INSTALLING THE MOTOR.
3. Setting Declination Angle on the Dish. (:cool:
The dish mounting tube is offset 40* degrees from the centre line of the motor. Unless Motock have altered their design since I purchased my two motors.
I am lost for words as to what you are doing.
H-B:confused
 

funkychimp

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Hi Happy-Buddah,
No my maunaul def says 30 degrees and with a dish agnle of 24.4 degrees I can get Astra 19.2e, 28.5e and Hotbird 13e.

The signal strengh from these sats however is very low, around 40ish, so may be my dish is in need of replacement.

Do you know of any good online shops with good prices or are they all much the same?

Thanks for your advice!

Paulh.
 
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