Elevation degrees marked on Triax TD88 dish

D

dante

Member
My Satellite Setup
Receiver Technomate 5200D Super
Titanium Universal Single 0.1 dB LNB
Triax TD88 dish
My Location
Edinburgh
I tried to setup a Triax TD88 dish for Intelsat 10-02 1W but I could not get it working. Does the elevation should match the degress marked on the dish ? For instance I need 24 degrees elevation in Edinburgh. Shall I set it to 24 on the dish ?
Thank you.
 
Yes - but only as a rough starting point:

a. The mechanical construction and calibration of the dish bracket is not sufficiently accurate as to be 100% trustworthy

b. In any event, any error in assembly and in verticality of mount will render it even more inaccurate.

(Not that a truly vertical mount is entirely necessary for a fixed dish)

Anyway, set to 24 then you may find the actual alignment anything up to a couple of degrees higher or lower.

And you'd be better using BBC World on Thor as your selected Channel whilst aligning as it is very strong and an 88cm dish should have no problem with it.

11862 H 28000 7/8.

Once that's ok, choose weaker Thor/Intelsat TPs to get a better alignment.
 
Thank you your prompt reply. I have a box + card already functional and all the channels are saved. I did it at someone else who is using the same box for Intelsat 10-02 1w. I thought it woud be easy once tuned on one channel just moving teh dish slowly , with the correct elevation, I could watch the channels.
I used to set up for Hotbird, Astra 1 and 2 so I am pretty skilfull. But this Intelsat 10-02 1w gives me a headache. I even bought a nish dish for this.
Thanks
 
Hi ..
With both the TD88 and the TD110 ...both use the same EL clamp ...and both are notoriously tricky to align using the scale ..
As Gordon says ..use it unly as a starting point ..then align for accuracy using a meter ..or Receiver ...once you have the the dish set up roughly correct ..
Also make sure you have the EL clamp on the right way up ..
They are reversible ..and the scale is then read differently..if its upside down..
rgds
VS
 
Are you sure about 24° elevation for Edinburgh? Dishpointer shows 26.2° elevation for 0.8°W in your location. I'd agree with Tivù and VS, as another TD88 owner it's difficult to align accurately and the markings are only a guide.
 
Thanks. Sorry I reversed the elevation numbers between Hotbird (24degrees) and Intelsat 10-02 1W - 26 degress elevation. In thsi case should be vertical since the off set dish is 26 degrees.
 
Yup. Dish face vertical by eye - but still requires practical adjustment: You cannot rely on the scale graduations alone.
 
Thank you. I tried all morning without success. I phoned a technician but he said that I would need a dish >1m in Edinburgh. In this case I will sell the TD88.
 
Have a go at getting 5W with the dish, there is not a huge difference between a TD88 and a 1m. If you get 5W, you only have to swing it round a bit to get 1W.
 
Thank you. I think I have not got the right elevation for Intelsat 10-02 1W although I managed well for Hotbird, Eurobird 16, Astra 1 and 2 but nothing to the west (lower than 13°E. I will try again.
 
Try dish pointer website to give you the direction of 1west and take it from there.

1west is at the top of the satellite arch so it the dish will point up higher in the sky.
 
Hmm. Do you actually have a clear line of sight westwards of 13E ??
 
Yes I do have a clear line.
 
I think it would help if you could post some photos of the dish and mount so we could check on the set up. It's possible we can spot something you've overlooked.
 
Vipersan said:
Hi ..
With both the TD88 and the TD110 ...both use the same EL clamp ...and both are notoriously tricky to align using the scale ..
As Gordon says ..use it unly as a starting point ..then align for accuracy using a meter ..or Receiver ...once you have the the dish set up roughly correct ..
Also make sure you have the EL clamp on the right way up ..
They are reversible ..and the scale is then read differently..if its upside down..
rgds
VS
Click to expand...

I'm currently reinstalling my motorised system after having taken it down to permit roof repairs. Rather than use the trial and error system that's wasted hours of my time on previous installations, I thought I'd do it properly from scatch this time and I've come up against the Triax mount problem (mine is a Triax TD110).

My co-ordinates are almost exactly 50 degs N, 5 degs W. I've checked that the mounting pole is truly vertical, the motor (a Nikkai) is set to 50 degs latitude, 40 degs elevation and aligned on Atlantic Bird 3 at 5 degs W. The dish mount has 2 scales (10 degs - 45 degs and 25 degs - 60 degs). I've set my mount to use the 10 -45 range and, according to the motor and dish manuals, the bracket angle should be set to 22.7 degs using a declination angle of 7.3.

With the above settings, there is no reception from the satellite and I have to increase the dish angle to 27.5 degs to get the strongest signal. This is how the system is currently set up and it gives reasonable results from 28 degs E, 19 degs E, 13 degs E and 1 deg W. Reasonable, but not perfect. And I'm having difficulty finding other satellites such as 5 degs E, 39 degs E and 42 degs E.

I have 2 questions:

1. Is the dish bracket the right way up?
2. Which settings should I tweak first, the dish or the motor?
 
Total Elevation variation across the UK from Lands End to John O Groats is only around 7 degrees ..so you are working on the same scale on the bracket ..
From memory ...looking from behind the dish ...the notch and the 5 > 40 scale should be on the left at your location

If I'm wrong I'll soon be corrected I'm sure..
rgds
VS
 
Vipersan said:
From memory ...looking from behind the dish ...the notch and the 5 > 40 scale should be on the left at your location

VS
Click to expand...

Notch and 5 - 40 scale both on left. That's a relief, because it's not easy to turn the mount around in its present position.
 
You need to go round and check the whole arc from say 30W to 42E, make a note of what you do and don't get. Then go to say 30W and 42E and check whether the elevation is too low or too high. That will tell you what is wrong with your setup. I.e arc to steep/shallow and/or lopsided. Then you can correct accordingly, it will proably be a combination of motor and dish elevation that you need to adjust, plus possibly the dish on the motor stub too. 4.8E is weak, I suspect that you can get that really, but your'e nt checking a strong TP.
 
Thanks, Robbo. Can't see 30 degs W, because we're on the east side of a hill. I used to be able to find 15 deg W on a good day and always 12.5 deg W, but I'll follow your advice with the satellites available to me. The eastern horizon isn't a problem.
 
It can be easier if you haven't got access to the whole arc, because then you don't have to be so critical about getting it spot on. With a motorised, poor alignment gets magnified the further away from the top of the arc you are.
 
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