Unknown heavy duty polar mount

[jonathan1964]

Hi fellow SATTV enthusiasts, I have an unknown polar mount I'd like to identify. It is quite old and I suspect came from an old 3.2m C-band dish manufacturer but I'm not sure. It is just perched on a 3" tripod at the moment to enable me to photograph it but it requires a 4" ground post. The plate at the top is made from 8mm steel and the whole polar mount must weigh about 15kg.

Does anyone recognise it? I believe it is well worth restoring. I'm trying to understand how best to attach it to a precision dish that has a mounting ring.

Jonathan, South Northants

 

[Channel Hopper]

What is the interier of the clamp section , guessing 3" from the image.

Levick ?

 

[jonathan1964]

What is the interier of the clamp section , guessing 3" from the image.

Levick ?

Hi Levik, It's 4" - It needs to be on a 4" pole.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Thread '1.6m Prime Focus'

Mar 16, 2010

Just picked up a 1.6m Prime Focus dish. Waiting for a new LNB for it but thought I'd post a couple of pics. Any one able to Identify it ?

• Rick

It is slightly different to this smaller polarmount (Picture 1)

Thread '1.6m Prime Focus'

Mar 16, 2010

Just picked up a 1.6m Prime Focus dish. Waiting for a new LNB for it but thought I'd post a couple of pics. Any one able to Identify it ?

• Rick

 

[jonathan1964]

Thread '1.6m Prime Focus'

Mar 16, 2010

Just picked up a 1.6m Prime Focus dish. Waiting for a new LNB for it but thought I'd post a couple of pics. Any one able to Identify it ?

• Rick

It is slightly different to this smaller polarmount (Picture 1)

Thread '1.6m Prime Focus'

Mar 16, 2010

Just picked up a 1.6m Prime Focus dish. Waiting for a new LNB for it but thought I'd post a couple of pics. Any one able to Identify it ?

• Rick

Thanks Rick. Yes quite different. I was hoping to establish the brand but it is perhaps 30 years old... It is heavy duty and certainly capable of pairing with a large dish. I was hoping to be able to understand what is missing with the mount i.e. how the elevation mechanism worked mechanically. I know this forum has many experts.

Jonathan

 

[a33]

I was hoping to be able to understand what is missing with the mount i.e. how the elevation mechanism worked mechanically. I know this forum has many experts.

Welcome to the forum, @jonathan1964 !

For the assesment of the elevation mechanism: can you also post some pictures from behind and above, and also from the other side?
The pivot (rotation point) for the elevation setting is clear in view now, but for the rest it is difficult to picture the 3 dimensional view....

Greetz,
A33

 

[jonathan1964]

Welcome to the forum, @jonathan1964 !

For the assesment of the elevation mechanism: can you also post some pictures from behind and above, and also from the other side?
The pivot (rotation point) for the elevation setting is clear in view now, but for the rest it is difficult to picture the 3 dimensional view....

Greetz,
A33

Thank you Greetz, Here are a few more pictures. I believe the top section also had a counter balance that was attached to the hole in the top with a bar and a weight. If you can imagine the weight going off the last picture to the left, I believe the elevation adjustment might have attached to that tab with a hole at 90 degrees to the top. I am interested to know how originally the adjustment might have looked. I imagine I could make an L bracket with two holes and have a length of threaded bar. The bottom end that attaches to the threaded rod that sticks out from the pole mount bit could have a rod end bearing attached. I must mention again that it is designed to sit on a 4" pole, not the 3" tripod I've placed it on just to take the pictures. It is quite a beast... Jonathan

 

[Channel Hopper]

Thanks Rick. Yes quite different. I was hoping to establish the brand but it is perhaps 30 years old... It is heavy duty and certainly capable of pairing with a large dish. I was hoping to be able to understand what is missing with the mount i.e. how the elevation mechanism worked mechanically. I know this forum has many experts.

Jonathan

Rick stopped posting on this forum just over a decade ago

 

[a33]

So, to me it looks like this mount has been used with an offset dish, as length A is much longer than length B.
Dish declination setting at the bottom of the axis, then (length B ).



I would think that for the axis elevation setting, a tunbuckle or so was used, where I put the red line.
In that case, I assume the L-bracket side-with-the-free-hole-in-it would have been at the center of the top plate; so I think it should be rotated on its present bolt.
But maybe there are other ideas here, on the forum.

Greetz,
A33

 

[a33]

I would think that for the axis elevation setting, a tunbuckle or so was used, where I put the red line.

Or, a "bolt" like in this video: xxx.youtube.com/watch?v=Afyr8B2Psxs

 

[jonathan1964]

Or, a "bolt" like in this video: xxx.youtube.com/watch?v=Afyr8B2Psxs

Thank you for your help. The link was helpful as are all comments on this mount. I've now understood how this may have originally been used. Something as simple as this would work to set the elevation:


I was trying to understand if this mount ever had a motorised declination adjustment. I'm beginning to think not. I understand how the declination is set with the huge lower bolt which is clearly adjust and lock off. It's certainly a good mount and I will enjoy refurbishing it back to working condition.

 

[Channel Hopper]

So, to me it looks like this mount has been used with an offset dish, as length A is much longer than length B.
Dish declination setting at the bottom of the axis, then (length B ).

View attachment 169373

I would think that for the axis elevation setting, a tunbuckle or so was used, where I put the red line.
In that case, I assume the L-bracket side-with-the-free-hole-in-it would have been at the center of the top plate; so I think it should be rotated on its present bolt.
But maybe there are other ideas here, on the forum.

Greetz,
A33

That sleeve (additional metal each side) is an Alcoa adaption. Similar design but did they make offset reflectors ?