quick help - wind!

durhamwasp · 13-01-2009

ALright guys,

canny windy weekend here, sat dish was bouncin all over the shop!

Since then, my motor is still switching between satellites spot on, hitting 1w, 13e, 19e no problem, but the quality is right down from like 70% to 45-50% meaning the picture isnt really watchable.

Is this gonna be down to the slant of the dish?

**satelliteman** · 13-01-2009

Impossible to say. Could be the motor has moved on the pole, dish on motor or dish El.

Take it back to reference satellite and re-align as per the guides.

SM

13-01-2009

I realigned my Patio Mounted TD100 this afternoon by giving the edge of the Slab a sharp back-heeler whilst wearing Wellies (Me, not the Slab ...........)

Generally, bad weather causes Azimuth errors more often than affecting Elevation, but check all settings and clamps for signs of having slipped or having been displaced.

You can't be far out, though, as you are still on the margins - perhaps a bit of judicious pressure on the LNB arm whilst someone reports better/worse would point you in the right direction? (If you pardon the pun

)

Edit: Whoops! Nearly forgot the obvious test: Jog the Motor a tad either way using the Rx Motor Controls and see what happens. Alternatively, if using USALS, just amend your inputted Longitude by up to, say, half a degree either way. If that improves matters, live the Dish itself until the weather is a bit more agreeable !

durhamwasp · 13-01-2009

Cheers, just what i didnt wonna hear...nothing is simple in the life of a satellite dish! haha

Last night there was still a touch of wind in the air, so the dish was vibrating, therefore the arm and lnb were bouncing, and most pictures were watchable. Then since the wind stopped, and the LNB is dead still, the quality has reduced about another 3% down to around 47, and the picture is pixelated and unwatchable.

**rolfw** · 13-01-2009

You may find that the whole lot has moved around the mast slightly, this is easy to check and easy to rectify.

**satelliteman** · 13-01-2009

Quicker to: with your TM5400CI, press the POS (blue button on remote) and then jog the motor in both directions to see for increased signal readings. It's only a test and if in USALS remember you won't be able to save the setting as this function is for DiSEqC 1.2.... but will tell you if the whole lot had shifted

durhamwasp · 13-01-2009

Yeah, did the blue button thing, and couldnt increase it anything significent, maybes 2% or so.

Arrrrrrrgh so frustrating!

**satelliteman** · 13-01-2009

It could be dish or motor Elevation movement. Sounds like it needs setting up again on your reference satellite from scratch.

durhamwasp · 13-01-2009

i would like to get the ladders out, and use the signal finder while adjusting the tilt of the dish... im just so afraid i'll balls it all up again and be back to square one.

System has been nothing short of perfect for the last month, now a bit of wind and its a touch out, but im not knowledgable enough to sort it. Could do with learning tho, as i guess wind knockin it out could be a frequent thing in particularly bad weather

pedro2000uk · 13-01-2009

what dish is it... what pole and brackets is it on...

can you upload a picture... that might help in spotting why it happened to stop it happening again...

**satelliteman** · 13-01-2009

Use USALS to send the dish to your reference satellite (Thor 0.8W) and then make all the set up adjustments there. Once done, all should fall into place.

See guides in my signature below for set up instructions. In the meantime, a picture as pedro suggested might be of some help to us to identify the problem.

durhamwasp · 13-01-2009

Fortec Star Universal Mount
Technomate Diseqc TM 2200 motor
1m dish, think its Orbital 1m

pedro2000uk · 13-01-2009

Originally Posted by durhamwasp

Fortec Star Universal Mount
Technomate Diseqc TM 2200 motor
1m dish, not sure what type

Could have twisted on that mount if it's the one I think it is... how thick is the metal it's made from.

durhamwasp · 13-01-2009

1w: Nova Sport = 48% signal

13e: Planeta Sport = 61% signal

19e: DSF Sport = 80% signal

durhamwasp · 14-01-2009

Photos of my set up...

**satelliteman** · 14-01-2009

Can't see anything out of the ordinary from those images.

Time to get the ladder out !!

Check Motor EL/Latitude on motor scale is still correct. Latitude will be around 53 and other side of motor scale will show roughly 37. Check with your site and the manual.

See for improvment by springing the dish Elevation but at the end, you'll need to take it back to reference and set up as per the guides

durhamwasp · 14-01-2009

Cheers, thats at 1w there, so my reference position?

Motor elevation and dish elevation, yep they seem like the most likely. As i say, it gets a good signal on 13, 19 and 28, but struggles on 1w now, and thats the one i use 90% of the time!

14-01-2009

Another thought: Before you fiddle with the Dish/Motor assembly, carefully examine the fixing points between mount and wall - If one or more of the bolts has been inserted into a mortar course, there is a chance that the mortar has fractured and crumbled as the result of the stresses of wind power. That can lead to the mount going a tiny bit out of true.

pedro2000uk · 14-01-2009

Nice neat looking job there and the design of the wall mount looks really tidy...

but, sorry to say this...

If you zoom right in on the bracket, it is typical Fortec Star ... looks OK... but it's just too thin... especially for a 1m on a motor. (probably OK on their dishes because they are also very thin- cut one in half once... with a pair of scissors)

after some strong wind I think it will just be a different shape.... but I do prefer the look to T & Ks.

When the motor was tightened up on that tubing... was it really anchored up and did the pipe distort any...

durhamwasp · 14-01-2009

Just spoke to the fella who fitted it, and he thinks the motor may have twisted on the mount.

Gonna have to get the ladders up, when ive got somebody to stand at the bottom!

pedro2000uk · 14-01-2009

I don't think you 'can' tighten a motor up enough on that tubing or really tighten the bolts enough that hold it all together .. it will just crush/ distort if you try to really tighten it all up enough and when it does.... you lose your 100% vertical pole- it goes anywhere as it distorts and it still isn't up to it.

Most on here on a 1m would say use T & Ks with a short length of very solid scaffold tube (c. 600mm) with the motor bolted in the middle... (see satelliteman's quick guide pictorial)...

I think you will be for ever having this 'after strong winds' problem until you strengthen or change the bracket.

**rolfw** · 14-01-2009

As said earlier, the most likely movement is of the motor on the mast, as pedro2000uk says, it is practically impossible to tighten the motor sufficiently to prevent movement without deforming the mast on that type of mount.

The first few motors I fitted were on standard gauge 2" steel mast and I had nothing but problems with them, so thereafter moved onto the much heavier gauge scaffold tube.

durhamwasp · 14-01-2009

Cheers for all the help guys - just been up the ladder, and moved the dish elevation about 1 degree, now my signal is around 70% on 1w, and 95% on 13 and 19 e.

14-01-2009

Originally Posted by durhamwasp

Cheers for all the help guys - just been up the ladder, and moved the dish elevation about 1 degree, now my signal is around 70% on 1w, and 95% on 13 and 19 e.

Well done - there is little to fear (apart from falling off!) from having a little fiddle ...................

durhamwasp · 14-01-2009

I totally agree about my bracket, i actually have a T & K lying in the garage. Thats the next task...

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quick help - wind! Information exchange on LNBs, Single satellite, motorised and multi-satellite systems. DiSEqC switches, positioners, motors, actuators, dish-alignment etc.

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