Now I can see why my dish won't align

[Vipersan]

Hi friends ...
I've just wrestled my TD110 down from the motor ..
This is the dish I've been desperately trying to line up to correctly track the arc all summer ..
I thought at first the pole wasn't plumb ...
it was fine..
I then thought the dish had moved around the motor stub ...
I realigned but no improvement ..
I then figured the motor was misaligned (not at true south) ..
..more hours wasted ..
nothing I did would get the assembly to track the arc properly both East and west ..
If I got it right from 45W to 19E ..I'd lose 45E ...and vice versa ...
Now I have the dish down and flat I can see where the error lies ..
The clamp which holds the dish and bolts to the mount is out of shape ...
..I can only assume constant buffeting by winds ...
..and we've certainly had some in the last 2 years ..
So this is not about mounting big heavy dishes on small motors ..which can be a problem ..
..but more about shoddy design by the dish maker ..
If I'd fix mounted this to pole ..the same would still have happened.
Hopefully they rectified this on later models.

There is a picture below to show the degree of deviation..
Has anyone been down this road before ?
..more to the point ..did they find a solution ?
Is it possible to buy a new bracket ..or repair and modify the one I have ?

cheers m8's
VS

 

[satelliteman]

Throw the Triax away and buy another dish. The El bracket on these are notorious for throwing out the alignment as you tighten them up. You might be able to bend it back but a replacement would be a better option

 

[Vipersan]

I'm inclined to agree with you Satelliteman...problem is more a question of funds ...
In the last few months ..have already replaced 24 inch actuator on my 1.8 dish ..plus a V-box positioner for the same ...plus C band LNB ..
..and for the KU install ...new pole/brackets/bolts/cable etc ..
..and this morning took delivery of the replacement motor (***** superior dark)...

Funds are dwindling a bit atm ..so was hoping to at least re-use the dish.
rgds

 

[Robbo]

There seems to be a bit missing from the bracket?, the Td110 has a strengthening piece that slots in there.

Yes I agree with SM, the Triax elev bracket can be tricky, but once you get the hang of them, it can be allowed for without problem.

Having the bracket slightly off like that would not prevent you tracking the arc properly though, as it can be compensated for, it just takes a little longer to get right. I.e, don't put the dish on the motor straight.

 

[Vipersan]

Thanks for the info Robbo ...
This dish was bought some years ago ..and it is possible the extra strengthening piece was added later ..as there wasn't anything else supplied..
rgds
VS

 

[Lazarus]

There seems to be a bit missing from the bracket?, the Td110 has a strengthening piece that slots in there.

I've just looked out of the window at mine and you are quite right - there is a chunky reinforcing section that is designed to prevent the damage Vipersan had.

Racking my mind (a difficult task these days ....) , I do recall puzzling over quite how to insert that piece when I first mounted my TD110.

Generally v.happy with my TD110 in terms of robustness and performance, but as I've said before, if I were to start again, I'd have got a Gibertini 1.04 if only to save weight!

 

[Vipersan]

...How is the Gibertini on 7West Tivù ?

I know its only a few cm ...but its fringe reception at best here so the more dish surface area the better ..
rgds

 

[Robbo]

One of these days I'm going to get a Gibby 1m just to compare with the Td110,as at the moment I'm not convinced it would perform better. I have tried a couple of other dishes like the Orbital 1m and a Fibo 90cm and the Triax is better for 7W. I have also fitted a Gib 1m, and it again wasn't as good as the Triax, but it was about 20 miles west of my location.

 

[Lazarus]

...How is the Gibertini on 7West Tivù ?

I know its only a few cm ...but its fringe reception at best here so the more dish surface area the better ..
rgds

Don't know - haven't got one!

I only just get Nilesat Verticals here oop North with the TD110, so imagine I'd be on a hiding to nothing with the Gibertini in that respect - but Nilesat isn't something I'd miss anyway.

Actually, when it comes right down to it, my 80cm gets well over 95% of what I ever watch. The truth is, the 1.1m only comes into its own (for me, anyway) for Feeds - and until I get 4:2:2 facilities, even that pleasure is diminishing.

BTW, where is "here" ............. ?? I'm sure you've mentioned it somewhere along the way, but only "UK" appears in your Profile

 

[satelliteman]

7W verticals ok on the Gib 104cm in the Midlands. From what I've seen and the signal measurements taken, the Gibertini just tops the Td110 on some of the weaker sats.

 

[Vipersan]

...Just out of curiosity does anyone have a picture of this 'chunky reinforcing section' ...?
Maybe I could construct something to replace it ..
rgds
VS

 

[Vipersan]

BTW, where is "here" ............. ?? I'm sure you've mentioned it somewhere along the way, but only "UK" appears in your Profile

'Here' is about 5 miles out of Manchester ..so ..oop North applies here also ;)
rgds
VS

 

[Vipersan]

7W verticals ok on the Gib 104cm in the Midlands. From what I've seen and the signal measurements taken, the Gibertini just tops the Td110 on some of the weaker sats.

I suppose the debate will go on ...but if the Gibby is as good as you claim ..then I am a little tempted .
I just can't get rid of the gut feeling that downsizing (even a few cm) means a reduction in gain..
cheers m8
VS

 

[satelliteman]

The Td110cm is measured as 100 x 105cm.

 

[Vipersan]

..Hmm ..now Im a bit confused SM ...
I've just taken a tape measure to my TD110 ..
it measures 102cm x 112cm

rgds

 

[Robbo]

(TD110)Mine's 101 x 112cm !

What's the actual size of the Gibby SM?



EDIT,

Ha Ha! just read the post above, went and re-checked, still made it 101cm wide,

Took a photo while I was at it, but it's dark, here's the insert:-


LOL, The photo shows my dish not centred on the motor.(Gets the arc OK though)

 

[satelliteman]

Little bit difficult to measure the Gibertini right now

Well, haven't actually measured a Td110cm to be fair, was going by the Triax pdf doc.

 

[Robbo]

If it's bigger, I'm gonna get one!

 

[Vipersan]

(TD110)Mine's 101 x 112cm !

What's the actual size of the Gibby SM?



EDIT,

Ha Ha! just read the post above, went and re-checked, still made it 101cm wide,

Took a photo while I was at it, but it's dark, here's the insert:-


LOL, The photo shows my dish not centred on the motor.(Gets the arc OK though)

Thanks for the picture Robbo ...
Definately never had one of those 'extras' ..Im guessing it was made as a modification/add on ..to fix the problem ..
Probably wasn't issued with the early dish sales ..until the complaints started coming in

with regard to the deviation caused by a bent bracket or being off centre ..Im assuming the error would be magnified the further away from the fulcrum you get.. and would easily account for the 3-4 degrees inaccuracy I was experiencing when trying to set up usals.

finally ..I've re-checked dish width again ...you are correct Robbo ..101 cm..
Like you I was trying to measure in the dark ..and may have had the tape at a bit of an angle ;)
rgds
VS

 

[Robbo]

Yeah, I guess it would be more obvious the futher away from the fulcrum. But as I said, when checking the arc, you can swivel it bit by bit the other way, until the arc is no longer lopsided ( not to be confused with not centred)