Just Acquired A 1.2M Channel Master

[aceb]

If the dish was set up correctly and not a million miles away it should be quite close to being already adjusted correctly so try this first. Looking from the rear and down onto the mount drive the actuator so the mount is square or at it's highest position on the arc. Now rotate the whole lot on the pole until you receive a signal from 1W.

 

[Archived-1]

If the dish was set up correctly and not a million miles away it should be quite close to being already adjusted correctly so try this first. Looking from the rear and down onto the mount drive the actuator so the mount is square or at it's highest position on the arc. Now rotate the whole lot on the pole until you receive a signal from 1W.

thanks i was nearly getting a lock, at its original location, i will try again tomorrow, The offset is 22.6 degrees on this dish,
if anyone is willing to help please look here. http://www.satellites.co.uk/forums/topic/25768-help-needed-on-channel-master-12-dish/

i do know about 1 west etc, i just need to know what to set the long/lat on the dish settings please.

since messing with the dish i now have another problem the dish will only move west, ive checked wires etc, all is well could this be a setting in the v box ?. i have noticed the reset button on the v box remote has been used a fair bit,

any help appreciated.

 

[wod]

i do know about 1 west etc, i just need to know what to set the long/lat on the dish settings please.

since messing with the dish i now have another problem the dish will only move west, ive checked wires etc, all is well could this be a setting in the v box ?. i have noticed the reset button on the v box remote has been used a fair bit,

any help appreciated.

You can't use usals positioning with a 36volt motor, you have to select diseqc 1.2 and manually store sat positions.

 

[aceb]

I'd be tempted to set the mount in the centre of its travel due south then perform a reset on the box to remove any limits. When the dish doesn't move do you get any error messages on the V-box like E-2? Forget all about dish settings on your STB until the dish is tracking correctly. Better to get a pen and paper to write down the controller numerical value for each satellite while you are getting it aligned.

The basic theory of setting up any polar mount is the same, set the mount square, rotate to your due south, set the main dish angle then set the declination angle. This is where a good spirit level app on a Smart phone saves a bit of time!

I'm not familiar with the CM dishes but from what I can tell from the photo this image should be correct for your lat/long.

 

[Huevos]

Have you got anything to check the angle the polar mount is set to (digital level, or angle gauge)?

 

[Archived-1]

@ wod i do know this thanks, all i need to know as i have said a few times now, is what to set my lat and long on the dish thats all i need to know please,

@ aceb i am not using any settings in the stb only 1.2 thanks i need to know the above please,

@ huvevos when i know the setting that i am asking for from my lat/long would that put it in the correct place without checking this ?

thanks again :-)

edit



maybe i am not explaning properly ? i just need to know were to lock this setting on dish please and the other one thats all i need to know thanks



my lat is 53.34 and my long is -1.38 what should i set the fixings to please.

 

[Mickha]

Forget your settings, get the dish set on 1W, adjust the bracket, to get the strongest signal, select a weakish transponder. Now move the dish through the satellites, storing them as you do, until you reach your furthest East, probably 42E, and West, probably 30W.
Make a note of the signal readings and check if adjusting the dish improves the readings, both furthest East, and West, if you're spot on you can leave it, if not you now move it back to 1W, adjust the settings and check the furthest East, then West, you keep doing this until you're satisfied that the dish is tracking the arc correctly.

 

[wod]

I think on the polar mount set the elevation screw to a little over 53.

Ideally you would use an angle finder to do it and then the dish angle is found from your latitude - 90.

I'm not 100% on this as I have the 1224 motor and not used a polar mount in a long time.

 

[Archived-1]

Forget your settings, get the dish set on 1W, adjust the bracket, to get the strongest signal, select a weakish transponder. Now move the dish through the satellites, storing them as you do, until you reach your furthest East, probably 42E, and West, probably 30W.
Make a note of the signal readings and check if adjusting the dish improves the readings, both furthest East, and West, if you're spot on you can leave it, if not you now move it back to 1W, adjust the settings and check the furthest East, then West, you keep doing this until you're satisfied that the dish is tracking the arc correctly.

thanks mick, ok i tried this before i asked for help i cant lock 1 west this is what i did before i asked for help,

i put dish to 0 then moved dish in an out of 1 west, i cant get a lock so to me i need to alter the lat/long on the dish,

@ wod thanks i will go and try this, if i can get the motor working lol, ive just read up on resetting the v box just going to have a cuppa and let the fun begin part two :-)

edit, reset v box motor is working fine now :-)

 

[Huevos]

Forget your settings, get the dish set on 1W, adjust the bracket, to get the strongest signal, select a weakish transponder. Now move the dish through the satellites, storing them as you do, until you reach your furthest East, probably 42E, and West, probably 30W.

You can't just forget your settings. The polar angle and declination need to be in the ball park otherwise you will just get 1ºW and nothing else (getting worse as you move away from centre).

ok i am stuck now where to set the dish, ive looked through C/J thread and just cant get my head round it :-(,

my lat is 53.34 and my long is -1.38 what should i set the fixings to please.

For 53.3N your polar angle is 54º. Set the mount to that. Move the motor until the dish is dead square with the mount and then move 5 or so counts to the east (to the left if you are standing behind the dish). That should get you in the right place for 1ºW in relation to your location. Now choose a strong transponder on 1W and move the dish around the pole and the declination adjuster up and down until you zero that transponder. Once you've done that all the other sats should just fall into place.

 

[aceb]

@ aceb i am not using any settings in the stb only 1.2 thanks i need to know the above please,

I know, that's why the photo of your mount that I posted had the angles added to it for your location. If you can get access to a digital level or phone app it will be a lot easier. I used one on my phone to set up my 1.8 and it took less than an hour from start to finishing the fine tuning.

 

[Archived-1]

thanks again, i think its the latitude thats a mile out ? from what i can make out this should be set to 29.1?

and just a little tweek on the other setting,

 

[aceb]

Looks about right to me, both are marked for your latitude as opposed to dish elevation. The mounting pole is Absolutely plumb vertical isn't it? You have had a lock at some point so know the rest of the installation is working correctly?

 

[RimaNTSS]

To save some time spent for polar-mount installation I would say it is better to replace actuator with some kind of tool. That could be treaded bar, or something similar I have. It gives possibility to move antenna from most-East position to most-West just in couple of seconds. And when Clarke belt is found, actuator can be easily attached. Mechanical stop for antenna is also no so bad idea.

 

[Archived-1]

thanks lads, ive got a lock at last :-), i am sure i can work it out from here now (i hope) ive used 1.2 settings before and got it ok, its just getting the first lock,

i have had to set it to 56.5 ive not started tweaking yet ive had enough for one day,

a big thanks for all the help :-).

@ aceb yes everthing is plumb thats the easy bit for me, what is a weak tp on 1 west please.

 

[Mickha]

You can't just forget your settings. The polar angle and declination need to be in the ball park otherwise you will just get 1ºW and nothing else (getting worse as you move away from centre).

With a 36V motor the settings are usually in the ball park as you set the dish on your nearest true south satellite, the second adjustment is to fine tune the arc.
Every 36V motor, I've set up on my Channel Master 1.2M dish. has always found all the satellites just not the maximum signal quality, until the fine adjustments are made.

 

[aceb]

@ aceb yes everthing is plumb thats the easy bit for me, what is a weak tp on 1 west please.

Can't think of any really weak signals on 1W, you might find it easier to drape a wet cloth over the LNB to pad down a stronger one. I always use the BBC on 11862H for signal checks but it's purely personal preference.

 

[Huevos]

With a 36V motor the settings are usually in the ball park as you set the dish on your nearest true south satellite, the second adjustment is to fine tune the arc.
Every 36V motor, I've set up on my Channel Master 1.2M dish. has always found all the satellites just not the maximum signal quality, until the fine adjustments are made.

Ok, if the mount is second hand the chances are it came from a similar location so the polar angle is going to be pretty close. But if it is from there and you brought it down here it would be a mile out.

 

[Mickha]

Start tuning the satellite in on BBC World 11862 H 28000, you should quickly get the maximum signal on this then try something like Digi Sport 1 12607 H 27500.

 

[Archived-1]

i fetched the dish from around 30 miles away, but the chap has properties in france and other places, i was quite sure i had everything right apart from the settings on the dish, ive always set my own dishes up but am far from an expert :-(,

but as it turned out thats what it was the dish settings,

anyway i am locked atm and its been another learning curve, i will be moving the dish in the next 1/3 days to its resting place,

my new lnb should be with me tomorrow it was dispatched today and i need to go out and fetch the new cable and have a plate made up for how i am going to mount the dish, more pics to follow and i am getting locks on some showtime channels on 7w :-),