Metronic motor query

rparkera

Hi folks - got my motorised set up going a couple of weeks ago; but could only pull in the sats from Atlantic Bird to Astra 1. So - back up the ladders yesterday and got a better bearing on due south. This was using the sun's shadow at local noon (allowing for BST) and soon picked up the top of the arc satellites again and even got Hispasat with strong signal and quality ... that felt really good considering it's an old Zone 2 dish and a Metronic motor. Still worked perfectly this morning after a windy night - yeah!!

It works so - but I'm a bit confused by the Metronic set up instructions that give an elevation of 34 degrees for my latitude which is 52 deg N (and 4 deg W). The motor arm is also about 4 deg from vertical using that elevation setting (I checked all these with an inclinometer - good purchase that). The flat plate of the motor is therefore 34 deg - whereas everywhere I have read suggests it should be at 90 deg minus my lat of 52 = 38 deg. It works - so can anyone tell me what am I doing right?!

As always - thanks to all the guys who help on the forum - invalauble
rparkera

rolfw

Different motors have different offsets from vertical, if you go by what the motor handbook tells you, the arc should be correct.

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altis

This thread may be helpful:

How does one disengage a motor ?

rparkera

Thanks Altis - and Rolfw

The link was very really interesting - cheers pal. My query really was about how the motor managed to get a good arc when it clearly isn't pointing due north - the recommended angle on most advice I have seen was 38 deg at 52 deg N where I am. The motor is actually tilted at 33deg though I realise that the arm provides more offset. I know it works and that was what was in the various instructions too - I just can't figure out in my brain how it does so I'm baffled!

rparkera