Motorise Current Dish

xvegitto

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Hello Everyone

At the moment I have the dish shown in the attached picture and want to motorise to receive FTA channels from other sats.

When I had this installed over 4 years ago, I didn't know much about Sat and still don't.

I know I need a motor - anyone recommend a good one for the dish shown?

I am a bit worried that I keep getting picture breakups as it is now, it is pointed to just Astra 28.2 to receive freesat channels, it looks the installed cheapened out and didn't even use full complement of bolts to secure the pole to the wall (i don't know how i didn't notice that before )(-red).


Will the current pole need to be replaced?

Do I need a new LNB?

Thanks for your help
 

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Lazarus

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That's a poorly installed Sky dish of the type commonly used for Sky (and, of course, Freesat).

Frankly, rather than motorise that, you'd be better advised to get a new dish of around 80/90cm size, some T&K brackets, a section of stout pole (2.5" ish) and a Moteck/Technomate Motor.

The LNB look ok, as far as I can see.

The break-ups you get are almost certainly due to sag and/or sideways shift caused by improper mounting.
 

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That's the wrong LNb for that dish. Well worth upgrading to a decent 80cm if going motorised route.
 

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Ha. Exactly - that's why the LNB is fine if he changes everything else, as advised!
 

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Yes, likely that your picture breakups are due to the way that one has been installed, with the wrong LNB and dodgy mounting. Could also be line of sight issues, so worth cking also, if you intend to go motorised. It would be a bit of a timewaster getting that one motorised though, though it would work.
 

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Tivù said:
That's a poorly installed Sky dish of the type commonly used for Sky (and, of course, Freesat).

Frankly, rather than motorise that, you'd be better advised to get a new dish of around 80/90cm size, some T&K brackets, a section of stout pole (2.5" ish) and a Moteck/Technomate Motor.

The LNB look ok, as far as I can see.

The break-ups you get are almost certainly due to sag and/or sideways shift caused by improper mounting.

Thanks Tivu,

The dish is 80cm i believe, I have sky mini dish installed next to it and it drawfs it, even so, you think i should replace it and go for a whole package minus LNB?
 

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That's a zone2, a 60cm dish.
 

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SM is quite correct in that the "80cm" you have isn't: The shape alone gives it away as a "Sky" dish and they only come in two sizes!

For multi-sat use you really would benefit from a non-Sky dish.

As we said earlier, the LNB is not actually a Sky one, but a 40mm Collar Mounting Universal: That means although it's wrong for the dish it's currently on, it can be properly re-used with a different dish.

I'm a bit bemused why you'd have a Sky Zone 1 and a Sky Zone 2, both aligned to 28E (If that actually is the case).

Freesat and Sky receive (in general) the exact same FTA Channels, so the same installation can be used for either or both (Using a quad LN:cool:.
 

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Hehe...I should know better, you guys are the experts, I will look around and see what I can find for my budget.

Robbo - Provided that I get all the right kit, you said there might be LOS issues, care to explain please?

Thanks
 

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xvegitto

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Forgot to add, what options do i have in terms of location? at the moment it is mounted it on the front of the house, since i have decided to get a new dish and mount it properly, what other locations can I move it to?

Thanks
 

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Looks a pretty good South facing wall. Thor/0.8°W will be slightly West off the front face, so a good arc available. Depending on the roof height / LOS, a rear mount set up maybe possible; again difficult to say without more detail.

[LOS] line of sight issue, referring to the view of satellites without any obstructions in it's path, trees, buildings etc.
 

xvegitto

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satelliteman said:
Looks a pretty good South facing wall. Thor/0.8°W will be slightly West off the front face, so a good arc available. Depending on the roof height / LOS, a rear mount set up maybe possible; again difficult to say without more detail.

[LOS] line of sight issue, referring to the view of satellites without any obstructions in it's path, trees, buildings etc.

Thanks for you help,

I looked around and found this _http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/95cm-MOTORISED-SATELLITE-DISH-DiSEqC-1-2-MOTOR-02-LNB-/360129327541?pt=UK_ConEle_SatCableFreeview_RLhttp://cgi.ebay.co.uk/95cm-MOTORISED-SATELLITE-DISH-DiSEqC-1-2-MOTOR-02-LNB-/360129327541?pt=UK_ConEle_SatCableFreeview_RL which is well within my budget and seems to have everything i need. Anything against it?

if possible i would prefer to move it to the garden as it make installation easier, can i post my co-ordinates without breaking the rules? I dont mind sharing it if it would help.

Thanks
 

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xvegitto said:
Robbo - Provided that I get all the right kit, you said there might be LOS issues, care to explain please?

Thanks

Yes, I only said that as you said you were getting breakup. Breakup on 28e with a zone 2 should be almost unheard of ever. But given the way it was installed, the bad installation is most likely the cause.
 

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xvegitto said:
Hello Everyone

At the moment I have the dish shown in the attached picture and want to motorise to receive FTA channels from other sats.

When I had this installed over 4 years ago, I didn't know much about Sat and still don't.

I know I need a motor - anyone recommend a good one for the dish shown?

I am a bit worried that I keep getting picture breakups as it is now, it is pointed to just Astra 28.2 to receive freesat channels, it looks the installed cheapened out and didn't even use full complement of bolts to secure the pole to the wall (i don't know how i didn't notice that before )(-red).


Will the current pole need to be replaced?

Do I need a new LNB?

Thanks for your help

You need that dish installing properly to start with.

I can see 3 major faults just from the first pic


1) the dish is only bolted to the wall with 2 bolts

2) the cable connection to the lnb isnt waterproofed and the cable will probably already be ruined from water ingress

3) the cable is flapping loose and in time the conductor will either break or drop out of the f-connector.

Plus - it looks like cable isnt supported on the corner of the house and as it moves around it'll wear through the insulation in no time leading to further water ingress.. Oh and the turn round the corner is too tight.
 

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Robbo said:
Yes, I only said that as you said you were getting breakup. Breakup on 28e with a zone 2 should be almost unheard of ever. But given the way it was installed, the bad installation is most likely the cause.

The breakup was not there at the start but happened over time, which fits the bad installation, I can't remember who i used but if I do in the future i will name and shame.
 

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Analoguesat said:
You need that dish installing properly to start with.

I can see 3 major faults just from the first pic


1) the dish is only bolted to the wall with 2 bolts

2) the cable connection to the lnb isnt waterproofed and the cable will probably already be ruined from water ingress

3) the cable is flapping loose and in time the conductor will either break or drop out of the f-connector.

Plus - it looks like cable isnt supported on the corner of the house and as it moves around it'll wear through the insulation in no time leading to further water ingress.. Oh and the turn round the corner is too tight.

Thanks for the advise mate, I have decided to do it myself from scratch, believe it or not but I actually paid good money to "professional" installer few years ago. If only i knew about this site :)
 

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The aforementioned auction item posted looks okay although you would want to mount it using a TK arrangement. Those L type brackets are not up to much.
 

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xvegitto said:
Thanks for the advise mate, I have decided to do it myself from scratch, believe it or not but I actually paid good money to "professional" installer few years ago. If only i knew about this site :)

Go for it. HOWEVER - only try it if you are confident on ladders AND have safe access and a safe footing for the ladders. Its not worth saving fifty quid if you fall off the ladder and put yourself in hospital!
 

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Thanks for the encouragement
I will have my friend helping me, he is a mechanic and has all the tools, I have been reading up and have got my knownledge of the basics. I have just acquired a DVB-S2 Usb tunner and with the help of some software i can monitor the signal from the PC the sat is connected to from my android phone, that should make the fine tuning job easier.

over the years I have collected a TM-1500 Super , DM500-s and various tuners. But they will all be replaced by the USB Qbox-S2 and DVBViewer :) , maybe i can sell them of to raise money for this setup.
 

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The best tool you can get to begin with is a scruffy old 14" portable tv. It makes signal hunting MUCH easier if you can see a tv whilst you are aligning a dish. So hold on to one of the other receivers for use with any such setup. Any old small second hand tv is suitable - I used a 1979 Mitsubishi B&W for many years until the focus went on it a couple of years ago.

I suggest old as then it doesnt matter if it gets dropped or wet in a sudden rain shower - make sure you use a rcb as well!!!
 
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