Advice needed please

Hi I recently purchased the 1.5m gibby from the bargain satellite thread on fleabay

Anyhoos I plan to mount the C band LNB i have just purchased onto the rail as shown in the picture along side the Ku LNB (and will require additional advice on that may have to start a new thread)

Now the dish has a linear actuator and I cant figure out in my head how you set up this actuator, does it piggy back off the existing actuator or do i need to run a new cable to it

Also how do i control it (using a PC setup TBS5520se), I take it this is a lot easier using one of the fancy controllers which does the lot cant think of the name the one with the digital display

Is there a way to control both actuators (ie without using your hand/remote)

I am planning to drop my existing dish 1.2m channel master (or may leave it up but am tight for space) and mount the new dish

Its all fun and games as usual....









I will learn how to upload images on here one day

For dual positioning it is probably cheaper to run a second length of cable to the elevation motor and use a burglar alarm battery .

If it does all work when put together, I would suggest bolting the Cband feed close above the Ku LNBF and cut out a corresponding section of the scalar horn.

I got two spare brand new actuators also in the package so that side of things is no worry

Can you elaborate and the C band feed please

Not really.

How would i bolt the C band feed above?

Mine was a PF and I put the other LNB to the side but the principle's the same.
Retro-fitting C-band to an old IRTE 1.5m PF
Instead of moving round the arc, you could use inclination to switch between C & Ku in CH's method.
You could use/modify/make something like 100% aluminium C Band Dual LNB holder can install 2pcs C band LNBF-in Radio & TV Broadcast Equipments from Consumer Electronics on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group
Also, have a look at the other multi-feed bits on Alixpress you may find something that works for you.

gap30 said:

Now the dish has a linear actuator and I cant figure out in my head how you set up this actuator, does it piggy back off the existing actuator or do i need to run a new cable to it

Click to expand...

Do you mean to ask if you can use your existing actuator, when you are using a by-rider (sideways offset) LNB on your movable dish?
I think you can.
The byrider LNB should be slightly higher than the central LNB, when the dish is aiming due south.

Never done it myself, though.

greetz,
A33

In my opinion a 1.5 metre dish may be too small for "C" band, (2 metre would be better) it all depends on the satellites "C" band transponders output level, some are a bit stronger then others, satbeams.com could tell you if your within a strong one or not.

And the "C" band LNB looks like it came with a prime focus mount (scalar ring), it would be tricky to try and mount it on that bar, the ring may block the LNB's on ether side of it.

The c band is for 40.5w mainly

Ignore the other LNB's I will be using the invacom/gibby feedhorn only (or may try the CM feedhorn I have on my 1.2 existing)

Everything I have learnt so far I have had to do the hard way, everyone speaks in riddles on the internet just need someone to say yay or nay do x,y or z

S band, martin-f, barney, Dave5118 and st1 are the only people in two years who have actually given me solid information that has served a purpose and stuck with me

I am not trying to reinvent the wheel

The KISS principle (maybe the stupid bit applies to me)

I am sure I will work it out like I usually do

To make it more complex , use a lnb revolever .
Not all conicle scalarings were aivalable at that time .

gap30 said:

I will learn how to upload images on here one day

Click to expand...

It really is very easy. If you're replying to a post or creating a new thread then, below the text input box, there are three buttons one of which is "Upload a File". Clicking on this allows you to upload a file - this is not just for photos.

Only jpegs (or pngs or gifs if you're awkward!) are allowed for photos and there is a maximum file size (not entirely sure what, I think about one or two MB ). You can also choose whether the photos are to be placed in-line or full width.

gap30 said:

The c band is for 40.5w mainly
Ignore the other LNB's I will be using the invacom/gibby feedhorn only (or may try the CM feedhorn I have on my 1.2 existing)
Everything I have learnt so far I have had to do the hard way, everyone speaks in riddles on the internet just need someone to say yay or nay do x,y or z
S band, martin-f, barney, Dave5118 and st1 are the only people in two years who have actually given me solid information that has served a purpose and stuck with me
I am not trying to reinvent the wheel
The KISS principle (maybe the stupid bit applies to me)
I am sure I will work it out like I usually do

Click to expand...

gap30,

The rotating LNB feed unit that "Trust1" uploaded pictures of would allow you to get whatever LNB you wish at the correct focal point of your dish. I think that "Trust1" used to make these units to order for forum members so if you were interested in this solution as an option you could ask if he can make one for you. If I recally correctly from the original forum topics about the rotating LNB holder "Trust1" created a design for a Gibertini 1.5m?

The option to get the LNB at the correct focal point for the dish makes it simpler than using LNB's spread along a horizonal or vertical plane where they are picking up a "non central" signal. It would allow you to keep your dish aligned correctly on the arc and then select whatever frequency band you wished to use simply by rotating the correct LNB to the focal point.

I can vouch for the quality of work that "Trust1" produces, I have had a few items made by him and shipped to the UK, its high quality stuff and is good value.

To return to your original questions about the control of the actuators, one of the units that controls both Azimuth and Elevation actuators is called a Research Concepts RC2000 unit. A few of the members on this forum have one if you were ever to go down that route. As you plan to use a PC based setup you should be able to setup DiSEqC in your PC satellite software that will move the dish to the relevant satellite you wish to select. You would select a channel or satellite in the PC software and it would send a DiSEqC command to the dish positioner (v-box or your other unit) to move the dish to that satellite. You would not need to manually use the dish positioner remote control or press buttons on the dish positioner.

Rgds

moonbase said:

gap30,

The rotating LNB feed unit that "Trust1" uploaded pictures of would allow you to get whatever LNB you wish at the correct focal point of your dish. I think that "Trust1" used to make these units to order for forum members so if you were interested in this solution as an option you could ask if he can make one for you. If I recally correctly from the original forum topics about the rotating LNB holder "Trust1" created a design for a Gibertini 1.5m?

The option to get the LNB at the correct focal point for the dish makes it simpler than using LNB's spread along a horizonal or vertical plane where they are picking up a "non central" signal. It would allow you to keep your dish aligned correctly on the arc and then select whatever frequency band you wished to use simply by rotating the correct LNB to the focal point.

I can vouch for the quality of work that "Trust1" produces, I have had a few items made by him and shipped to the UK, its high quality stuff and is good value.

To return to your original questions about the control of the actuators, one of the units that controls both Azimuth and Elevation actuators is called a Research Concepts RC2000 unit. A few of the members on this forum have one if you were ever to go down that route. As you plan to use a PC based setup you should be able to setup DiSEqC in your PC satellite software that will move the dish to the relevant satellite you wish to select. You would select a channel or satellite in the PC software and it would send a DiSEqC command to the dish positioner (v-box or your other unit) to move the dish to that satellite. You would not need to manually use the dish positioner remote control or press buttons on the dish positioner.

Rgds

Click to expand...

.. Seconded

The question over the advantage of swapping over dishes would be my first, if more than one focal solution to the LNB placement is apparent.

gap30 said:

...Now the dish has a linear actuator and I cant figure out in my head how you set up this actuator, does it piggy back off the existing actuator or do i need to run a new cable to it...

Click to expand...

gap30,

I forgot to address your question about the actuators in my previous reply.

If you do use two actuators then each actuator will require its own cabling. You have two dish positioners, a v-box and a DP6600, one actuator would be connected to the v-box with its own cabling and one actuator would be connected to the DP6600 with its own cabling. Please note that you will only need two actuators if you wish to track inclined orbit satellites or if you opt to place an LNB in a vertical plane above or below the LNB at the dish focus.

If you have no wish to track inclined orbit satellites and are not going to place an LNB in a vertical plane above of below the focal LNB then you only need one actuator and one dish positioner. Looking at your pictures, I would opt for the Moteck v-box as the dish positioner. I have one of these and have found it to be reliable over a number of years.

What are the makes and models of your actuators?


Rgds

Thanks for replies in work ATM will post back later

moonbase said:

gap30,

I forgot to address your question about the actuators in my previous reply.

If you do use two actuators then each actuator will require its own cabling. You have two dish positioners, a v-box and a DP6600, one actuator would be connected to the v-box with its own cabling and one actuator would be connected to the DP6600 with its own cabling. Please note that you will only need two actuators if you wish to track inclined orbit satellites or if you opt to place an LNB in a vertical plane above or below the LNB at the dish focus.

If you have no wish to track inclined orbit satellites and are not going to place an LNB in a vertical plane above of below the focal LNB then you only need one actuator and one dish positioner. Looking at your pictures, I would opt for the Moteck v-box as the dish positioner. I have one of these and have found it to be reliable over a number of years.

What are the makes and models of your actuators?


Rgds

Click to expand...

Just to add a little to @moonbase recommendations re: an inclined tracking actuator, it can be also a useful way to micro - nudge the dish along with your V-box to get the dish aligned up spot on with the bird or any intentional nudge in a given direction to eliminate any interference from a neighboring satellite. Also comes in handy if you are lucky enough to see most of the arc from East to West but your dish tracking is not at it's best when you get to the extreeme ends of travel.

John said:

Just to add a little to @moonbase recommendations re: an inclined tracking actuator, it can be also a useful way to micro - nudge the dish along with your V-box to get the dish aligned up spot on with the bird or any intentional nudge in a given direction to eliminate any interference from a neighboring satellite. Also comes in handy if you are lucky enough to see most of the arc from East to West but your dish tracking is not at it's best when you get to the extreeme ends of travel.

Click to expand...

All the o/p will need then is a mechanical polariser with stepper control.

I endorse what Moonbase and John say here. I had Trust make me the LNB changer and never looked back. I installed a CCTV camera on the boom that holds the changer and LNB's, then you can even see the LNB changer move which is great for both making sure the LNB's are at focus also the ability to see the what part of the sky your dish is pointing, all from the comfort of you chair..

John said:

Just to add a little to @moonbase recommendations re: an inclined tracking actuator, it can be also a useful way to micro - nudge the dish along with your V-box to get the dish aligned up spot on with the bird or any intentional nudge in a given direction to eliminate any interference from a neighboring satellite. Also comes in handy if you are lucky enough to see most of the arc from East to West but your dish tracking is not at it's best when you get to the extreeme ends of travel.

Click to expand...

Wow we are getting somewhere, this guy gets it

I am currently set up with a vbox 3 actuator and 1.2m dish

I now want to change it to a 1.5m dish with elevation control to give some fine tuning on elevation and incorporate a c band lnb

I understand all of the dish set up which is already in place, I know how actuators work, I know how the PC setup works, I know how to .....

Sorry if this is all coming across a bit meh, I have learnt more from this site than anywhere else trust me

18 months ago i set up my first dish a motorised 90cm technomate from scratch knowing nothing, then a 1.2m gibby, now my current setup all with help from here

My original position is this I dont need any advice on dish setup (i can do with my eyes closed now)

What is the best configuration for the setup I want to use now, It will take five minutes to run an additional cable in for the linear actuator if its there i may as well use it for a bit of fine tuning

The setup that Trust1 mentions is probably overkill for my needs, is it you tell me people? (thanks @Trust1)

The C band thing might now even work, the dish might not be big enough it needs to be a simple setup call it a 'test run'

This whole setup is 99.99% for football, I am guessing the only sat that 'suits my needs' is 40.5w (for what I cannot get on KU) which has gone slightly pear shaped since T******g bit the dust, still getting the MOTD feeds

For example the Liverpool game was on 12.5w the other night but was a bit sketchy, I am thinking to myself a bit of elevation control might help? again new to me trial and error I will find out hopefully shortly

I plan to move house after the new year to somewhere with a big back garden, so I am not struggling like fook up a ladder (whilst trying to learn new stuff)

I am gonna end up with a 2.4m/3m dish eventually I know it I am never satisfied, this is now a healthy obsession

Too many points raised now, we/I need to break this down and get a universal solution which everyone agrees is the best plan