My SAT-playground

[Captain Jack]

You can always set a reminder in Enigma2 rather than do a channel change.

 

[RimaNTSS]

Reminder will not help if I am not at home.
Another option would probably be, in case of using 2 actuators, just to keep one of them (which changes only elevation) always in lower position (antenna would simply look down).

Add: I have seen plugin or it was in settings, that each time when receiver starts it stars on one certain channel. So, if that would be possible to turn this channel on after receiver is turned off, that would do the task. Basically, when receiver turns off, than artificial channel with elevation -10* is on and antenna goes down. For PFA that would even be better, will not collect any snow at winter time.

 

[hairybadger]

Reminder will not help if I am not at home.
Another option would probably be, in case of using 2 actuators, just to keep one of them (which changes only elevation) always in lower position (antenna would simply look down).

If you have a linux system couldn't you set a command in cron (cron is the system for scheduling recurrent tasks in unix systems)? Finding the right command would be the trick....

Edit: thinking about it, you could cron a call to wget that GETs a webif streaming resource on a particular satellite, thus moving the dish. This would be a bit of a hack, though. There is probably a better way.

 

[RimaNTSS]

If you have a linux system couldn't you set a command in cron?

Thanks, will remember that and try to do some research later.

 

[RimaNTSS]

Did not really need antenna, but Quad LNB. Was offered everything on the picture for only 20 bucks. Set is from Norway, almost new and unused. Pick-up address 15 minutes from my place. Did not even bargained.

 

[Captain Jack]

1) How many dishes do you have in total?
2) How many dishes mounted but unused?
3) How many dishes are in the RimaNTSS's warehouse?

 

[RimaNTSS]

In one word 1), 2), 3): Too many. But at least now I always have some presents for friends I visit.

 

[Captain Jack]

You're always welcome in England

 

[RimaNTSS]

Brought home Triax TD64 and rest of stuff. LNB Quad is also Triax. Everithing is unused, except maybe receiver, which has Canal Digital card in.

 

[RimaNTSS]

Found one shop where they do powder coating. They said they can paint my 180cm PFA from both sides for about 50 bucks in color I choose. So I must prepare surface, which is quiet dirty job. Pictures of progress of backside.

 

[Captain Jack]

Can you not get it sandblasted? I had two of my heavy duty ground mount stands sandblasted to free it from paint and rust as well as prime it. All I have to do is spray it with a colour of my liking from a spray can.

 

[RimaNTSS]

Sandblast, I did think about that. I even have cousin who has sandblasting camera at work. Unfortunately camera is to small to accommodate 1,8m antenna. Perhaps I will sandblast polar-mechanism.

 

[hairybadger]

Found one shop where they do powder coating. They said they can paint my 180cm PFA from both sides for about 50 bucks in color I choose. So I must prepare surface, which is quiet dirty job. Pictures of progress of backside.

I notice you're using a sanding disk on an angle-grinder. How about fitting it with a wire brush?

 

[RimaNTSS]

You mean that one from picture #2? I used it for places where is not easy to reach. Brush actually makes surface of aluminum too smooth which is maybe not so good for powder coating. Guys in the shop said that sandpaper is the way.

 

[hairybadger]

You mean that one from picture #2? I used it for places where is not easy to reach. Brush actually makes surface of aluminum too smooth which is maybe not so good for powder coating. Guys in the shop said that sandpaper is the way.

Ah! It's already a steel wire brush My brain misinterpreted the photo - I thought it was a sanding disk. I was thinking more of the type where the "hairs" of the brush point down rather than out - these make short work of removing rust etc over a large area, but I take your point about them rendering the surface too smooth. At a push you could remove the old paint with the wire, then roughen the surface with sandpaper. Anyway - am looking forward to seeing the final result

 

[RimaNTSS]

I was presented THIS today. Not really sat-related, but who knows, maybe one day I will make something useful for antennas on this lathe. Seems it is quiet old, all nuts and bolts pipe-treaded. Of course, some restoration job is needed here. And, yes, it is environment-friendly, needs no electricity at all. Already did little bit of cleaning, just a little. Heavy stuff, perhaps about 50 kilos, mostly metal and some wood.

 

[Huevos]

Perhaps stupid question, [...] that way, antenna would be always away from direct sun-light and will not burn LNB

I'm sure you are on a wind-up. How are you ever going to burn an LNB? Your only about 1km from the North Pole. The only time there is any chance of burning the LNB is when the sun is on the Geo-arc (-7.5º declination at your location). That only happens twice a year (February and October) for a few minutes each day (if the dish is parked). In your location, on those dates the sun's maximum altitude is only 24º.

 

[RimaNTSS]

Thanks Huevos! Yes, I know, and I exactly speaking about those 2 periods during year. Sorry, did not get what you mean by "-7.5º declination at your location". Do not sun position goes all across Clarke belt and declination changes 0*E -23*S-0*W. There is actually all winter when is better to keep antenna (especially prime-focus) lowered as much as possible to not collect snow, you know, only 1km from North pole sometimes snows ({}) .
However, if it goes like this, when time is just flying, I will never have time to build my dream-system and all those ideas will always stay as ideas only.

 

[Huevos]

did not get what you mean by "-7.5º declination at your location".

You are at 57ºN. At 58ºN the arc is at -7.5º declination. If you move to the equator the arc would be at 0º declination, and if you moved to 57ºS the arc would be at +7.5º declination.

Anyway, if you leave the dish parked on, for example, Hispasat 30ºW that satellite is lower than 10º elevation. The heating effect at that elevation is going to be minimal, maybe just 3 or 4 watts for a few minutes a day, and certainly not enough to "burn" an LNB. To me this is a bit like the myth you can start fire by rubbing two sticks together. The reality is though that, while it may be possible in theory, no one has ever started a fire by rubbing two sticks together. And if you try it you will find they barely get warm.

 

[Captain Jack]

To me this is a bit like the myth you can start fire by rubbing two sticks together. The reality is though that, while it may be possible in theory, no one has ever started a fire by rubbing two sticks together. And if you try it you will find they barely get warm.

Tom Hanks will disagree with that.