help setting up motor installation ?

[johnodupont]

Hello , Ive finally got a motorised system (1.1 dish, Technomate TM-2600 motor, Technomate 7100 reciever) and managed to get it set up on a pole. The problems im having is finding channels. I can find none at all Westwards ( Thor,Atlantic bird etc) and eastwards all i can seem to get is Hotbird at 13 and eutelsat w1 at 10 degrees east. Some of the problem seems to be that the motor wont go any further than about 15 degrees each way. I am very far north (Shetland Isles) and particularly want astra at 19.2 E which i used to get on my old fixed dish. Any help would be much appriciated.
Thanks

 

[satelliteman]

Hi,

You need to check mechanical limits on the motor. If need be, move the sliders further apart. Check software limits also.

Reference satellite will be Thor 0.8W° to align up on. Certainly recommend reading over the motor dish set up guides first though.

Check the mast is level and motor inclination is set to 60° Latitude or an elevation of 30° on the relevant motor bracket markings.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Post some side/rear pictures of the dish and motor

 

[johnodupont]

Here are some pics

 

[sonnetpete]

To begin with, your motor elevation looks ok. Not as sure about the 'plumbness' of your pole (are you sure it's up to taking the more extreme wind loadings you'll get up there?) but it looks fairly ok. It's just possible that the dish itself may be a tad low. Whether or not the motor has restricted movement, if it's set on due south (as in your middle and last photos) Thor should be there or thereabouts.

Just a note for the 'regulars'. The dish is similar if not the same as installed by two other members (one in Scotland IIRC). They had problems with initial setup too. The dish has no central pivot point around which the elevation can be adjusted. Concensus was that although it looks as though the dish mount has been assembled upside down, it is in fact correct.

 

[satelliteman]

Yes motor inclination looks correct.

You need to set the dish up on Thor. How are you making your alignment out of interest, meter or receiver?

 

[RdMin]

Can confirm the dish build is correct,built the same dish yesterday,motor can take upto 1.2m dish (same motor I have),as stated previous I would be reluctant to install this dish in such an exposed environment.I have re-installed my 80cm mesh onto the motor setup (wind loading factor) and can receive 19.2E with relative ease,300 miles south of your location.Have you tried running the motor manually from E-W,without the dish attached.???

 

[johnodupont]

Had a guy up with a meter yesterday and he couldnt find Thor with it ,but we found eutelsat w1 at 10 degrees east ,and i found Hotbird on my reciever but nothing else.The pole was plumb when i cemented it in. I guess I could try the dish a bit higher. it does seem to be pointing a bit low when im as far east as i can go.

 

[satelliteman]

Had a guy up with a meter yesterday and he couldnt find Thor

Assume not an installer?


Try rigging up the 'dish only' on Thor, [should give you an idea of direction for due South satellite].

 

[johnodupont]

I do have an old wall bracket with my old battered fixed dish directly behind the new dish (see photo) It is steady as a rock but not sure about the plumbness. it is certainly more sheltered there!

 

[rolfw]

The elevation for Thor from your location is 21 degrees, so if your dish has an offset of 23 degrees or more, it may need to point slightly lower.

 

[sonnetpete]

From the second of the OP's three photo's, does it not look like the dish is already on it's lowest possible setting? I think this was the problem with the dish mount design, in that at more northerly latitudes (especially Shetland) it was a struggle to get the elevation low enough. I don't think it's a problem that a bit of judicious filing couldn't cure though.

 

[satelliteman]

Yes probably, although does look like enough declination has been made based on the pictures of the main axis angle, motor setting.

Re-drilling the bottom EL bracket bolts further in would give a lower dish El adjustment.

 

[rolfw]

Surely just turning the bracket upside down will give you a lower declination option.

 

[sonnetpete]

You would have thought so Rolf but from what I remember of the other thread (OP in Scotland), he tried it both ways and thought it didn't make a lot of difference.

 

[sonnetpete]

Just checked and this was another thread where the OP was using the same dish.

http://www.satellites.co.uk/forums/...86-very-first-installation-11.html#post964493

He did turn the mount upside down and it worked!!

 

[Channel Hopper]

The dish mounting is already upside down from the second picture to give more declination, (and that pole looks like it's been there for a few years)

A quick check on something Westerly that is within view (Hispasat ?) will confirm if mechanical rework is required on the installation.

 

[rolfw]

I disagree, if it is installed the other way up, the dish can be moved to below the position it is now, which appears to be around 23 degrees.

 

[johnodupont]

Thanks for all the advice everyone, I am going to move the dish to the wall mount, put it a bit higher,check the mechanical limits possibly reverse the bracket and give it another try.Will let you know how I get on!

 

[sonnetpete]

Sounds like a good plan! Make sure you check that wall mount for 'plumbness', both before and after you mount the dish/motor assembly.

@ CH. Apparently the instructions that come with the dish state that having the adjustment at the top of the bracket is correct. Other posters with the same dish have found the elevation they needed by turning the bracket upside down. You can't avoid the fact that it's a poor design.