Advice Needed Fitting a vertical actuator to the correct point

[Spiff]

Reference the SSS mounts using two actuators.

As the vertical actuator is moving the same frame as the East West Actuator, will not the dish turn to the right as the dish angle is moved up and to the left when moved down.

As well as moving up or down it will pivot on the East West actuators pivot point ?

Should not a separate frame have been mounted between the dish and the original one. ?

We came across the same problem today when fitting a vertical actuator to my Precision Mount.

In the end rather than make up another frame we went second class and fitted the vertical actuator to the motor adjuster for now.

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated : )

Regards Allen

 

[Terryl]

Why would you need a second actuator to move up and down???

Is this not a satellite dish? Or something else?

 

[Spiff]

Why would you need a second actuator to move up and down???

Is this not a satellite dish? Or something else?

I should have said an inclined orbit motor

 

[Terryl]

A dual axis mount should have been used, (X axis, Y axis) and do you have the proper motor controller for that type of setup?
What size dish is going to be used?

 

[scopus]

I have the SSS inclined orbit polar mount. No problem with using the two actuators. A Vbox in conjunction with a receiver controls the jack for the east, west movement, and a seperate manual controller operates the up down movement. this does not cause the dish to move either east or west.

 

[RimaNTSS]

It is also possible to control 2 actuators automatically via chain of two positioners. It takes some tome to programm positioners, but, at the end of the day, it works fine.

 

[archive10]

I think @Spiff is confusing the inclination movement of a polar mount with the up/down Elevation movememnt of an El over Az mountb (as @Terryl is alluding to).

The so-called "up-down movement" of the inclination actuator of a polar mounted dish is always at a right angle to the polar arc. Only a (virtual) satellite exactly due south has an up/down movement that is vertical. As you move the dish along the eastern or western parts of the arc, the "up/down" movement becomes skewed either left (east) or right (west) as seen from behind the dish.

If You have a El over Az mount as in eg some Prodelin installations, you need an LNB skewer to tilt the LNB. If you use polar mount, this is not necessary, as the mount skews the whole dish through the polar movement.

So when you say "to right" and "to the left", I think you are not looking "up" and "down" wrsp to the deviation from due south....

 

[Spiff]

A dual axis mount should have been used, (X axis, Y axis) and do you have the proper motor controller for that type of setup?
What size dish is going to be used?

I have a V box for East West and a 12 volt supply for the inclined orbit with polarity switching.

The dish will be a prime focus 1.4m

 

[blademedia]

As the vertical actuator is moving the same frame as the East West Actuator, will not the dish turn to the right as the dish angle is moved up and to the left when moved down.

No it moves on a separate axis marked in red

 

[moonbase]

Hi,

The SSS polar mount moves the dish in the declination angle plane for inclined tracking. This is more accurate than having an actuator that alters the elevation angle of the dish. Moving the entire mount in the elevation plane for the outer arc satellites that are more than a few degrees inclined can result in missing the satellite altogether. The declination angle actuator adjustment allows more accurate tracking of outer arc satellites that are more than a few degrees inclined.

For satellites closer to the centre of the arc there is not much difference in the accuracy of inclined tracking between a declination angle actuator and an elevation angle actuator.


Rgds

 

[Terryl]

Ahhh now I see, you just moving it a small degree off of arc, sorry I thought your were tracking a moving satellite like I use to do with ham communication satellites.

I used a Yaesu G-5500 rotor that was software controlled, it followed the bird as it moved.

Nice setup, I will wait for more info on this.

A note on this, you could use a counter poise to take the load off the elevation actuator, an arm mounted to the back side with some old weight set weights can help with this.

 

[moonbase]

Hi,

The other option for an all in one controller unit to manage both the Azimuth and Declination/Elevation is a Research Concepts RC2000C unit. This autotracks an inclined satellite and makes "auto jog" adjustments to keep the dish locked onto the satellite.

I think way back in the early analogue days there were a few consumer grade receiver/positioners that had connectivity for two actuators, "Drake" is one manufacturer name that comes to mind?

Rgds

 

[Spiff]

Hi,

The other option for an all in one controller unit to manage both the Azimuth and Declination/Elevation is a Research Concepts RC2000C unit. This autotracks an inclined satellite and makes "auto jog" adjustments to keep the dish locked onto the satellite.

I think way back in the early analogue days there were a few consumer grade receiver/positioners that had connectivity for two actuators, "Drake" is one manufacturer name that comes to mind?

Rgds

Got it now thank you for all the posts gentlemen. : )

I will see how the Precision Mount works out with the jack on the motor bracket.

The wall mount from SSS should be delivered soon.

At the moment it is sitting on its floor mount, unfortunately I cannot bolt through the balcony as it is also a roof with wood decking, a rubber membrane and rubber tiles.

I used the original motor bracket adjuster threaded rod to support the inclined orbit jack please see images.

From all your assistance am I correct in saying it will require a pivoted bracket to be fitted between the dish and the present mount to do it correctly.

As it is any adjustment of the dish declination angle will also move the dish East or West.

Regards Spiff ( Allen )

Incidentally Spiff is the name my children when young called me, nothing to do with weed : )



Alanna just said that is a spliff and I thought she was an innocent Lancashire lass : )

Hi,

The other option for an all in one controller unit to manage both the Azimuth and Declination/Elevation is a Research Concepts RC2000C unit. This autotracks an inclined satellite and makes "auto jog" adjustments to keep the dish locked onto the satellite.

I think way back in the early analogue days there were a few consumer grade receiver/positioners that had connectivity for two actuators, "Drake" is one manufacturer name that comes to mind?

Rgds

 

[moonbase]

...As it is any adjustment of the dish declination angle will also move the dish East or West...

Spiff,

That is not completely correct, generally adjustment of the declination angle will not move the dish east or west, it will raise or lower the dish face. The declination angle on your Precision polar mount is indicated by the numerical scale on the metal plate next to the declination adjustment bolt. In your specific case it looks as though releasing the declination angle bolt will cause the dish to partially pivot around the East/West actuator fixing point but this has very restricted movement scope.

...From all your assistance am I correct in saying it will require a pivoted bracket to be fitted between the dish and the present mount to do it correctly...

Yes, you will need to slacken off or remove the declination angle bolt and create a fixing point that will allow an actuator to push and pull the mount holding the dish so that its movement is visible along the declination angle numerical scale.


Rgds

 

[Spiff]

Ahhh now I see, you just moving it a small degree off of arc, sorry I thought your were tracking a moving satellite like I use to do with ham communication satellites.

I used a Yaesu G-5500 rotor that was software controlled, it followed the bird as it moved.

Nice setup, I will wait for more info on this.

A note on this, you could use a counter poise to take the load off the elevation actuator, an arm mounted to the back side with some old weight set weights can help with this.

It seams to cope with the weight ok at the moment, but will keep that in mind, the dish is aluminium.

The wall bracket from SSS has just arrived, plus a an angle finder : -

Roofing Scaffolding Multi-function Angle Gauge Inclinometer Measure Measurement

I used to know a radio amateur G8BNZ Rex, Rex had twin arrays and motors to track the amateur satellites on an enormous tower.

I hold the call sign G0RIT