Need Help in Setting up to Thor

[judge]

Well, I've been up and down that ladder like a fiddler's elbow today, I'm knackered! Hot bath and beer awaits!!!

If you have an android phone, an app like DMSatFinder might save you some of those trips up the ladder..

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pl.extraweb.android.dmsatfinder&hl=en

Enable the beeper & stick your phone in your pocket...

 

[Dicpenderyn]

Hi Judge,

I'v got an iPhone now - I do have 2 apps for the phone....

Don't think I'd wanna be a satellite engineer! Hahaha

 

[Joe_90]

Hi Tony,

I've set my long and lat into the box, got the co-ordinates from dishpointer.

From my motor manual, it says that for my latitude (53 degrees) I should have an Elevation angle of 37 (scale on motor I think) and dish bracket angle if 27.4.. If these are set incorrectly am I right in thinking that it won't track the arc correctly?

Sould I be able to get more channels that the small amount I've been getting even with a decent signal on some satellites??

I'll give what you've suggested a try tomorrow Tony - very delicate stuff!!!!

Cheers,

Dicpenderyn

Well - the latitude setting on the motor depends on the motor. On mine I set my actual latitude 53 degrees. On others it's 90 - latitude, which would be 37. The dish bracket angle is only an initial setup guide because the markings are fairly crude. Assuming your motor markings are correct (remind me of the motor model) then you should tweak your dish up or down slightly to maximise the signal quality on 5W. Once you do that then the motor will track to any satellite near to 5W without issue - you should easily get any sat. from 10E to 15W without a problem. If your motor latitude setting is right and your pole is plumb then you should be able to get 28E to 30W without problems. Some transponders on 26E (BADR4) are tricky so you may have to tweak the LNB skew and focus (in/out) to get it right.

judge is right in that if you have an app you can read the signal quality yourself while up the ladder. What I do is have youngest son looking at the screen (using the sat finder plugin) calling the signal strength and quality (SNR) to me over the mobile while I tweak the dish on the ladder.

 

[Dicpenderyn]

The motor I have is an Icecrypt DM200.

If I manage to get it bang on, on 5w with a high SNR, can I forget about the angles on the dish/motor?? Should it then just go to the other satellites providing the pole is plumb?

Cheers

 

[Joe_90]

I couldn't find the manual for your motor, but assuming you've set the elevation on the motor correctly, then tweaking the dish elevation to peak the signal/SNR should sort out you chances on hitting the other sats providing the pole is plumb.

 

[Dicpenderyn]

Okay great, I'll get on it first thing inthe morning!!!

Here's hoping!!!

Thanks for your advice!!!

I'll update tomorrow,, hopefully with success!!!

Dic

 

[Dicpenderyn]

Hello Again Chaps,

I tuned into 5w with an SNR of 82% - this number fluctuates when I scroll through the transponder list at the bottome of the page, sometimes I got 100%.

When I did a blind scan I could see loads of channels!!

I then went to hotbird 80ish% and astra 28.2 I got 100%. It's some of the other satellites that I can't hit so I guess that the pole is not 100% plumb.. Close but not close enough!


I've got some inclinometer apps on my iphone and I'm going to try to reset the whole thing on Weds afternoon!! Even getting my scaffold pole put on a lathe because I'm getting false readings from either side of the pole - that should fix that...

I have a question about pointing the dish and motor!! Because my latitude is 53.252, in the motor booklet, it says that for that latitude, my elevation angle should be 37, dish bracket is 27.4 and declination is 7.6 - Is it meant to be pointing 7.6 degrees off what true shouth should be? If so is it to the east or west?

Thanks for all your help lads,

Regards,

Dic

 

[abu baniaz]

Get a spirit level. Make sure you are plumb in both dimensions.

What are the markings on your motor? If latitude, set it to your location. Never ever touch it again unless you move location.

 

[Joe_90]

As abu says, just set your motor latitude to 53 (or 37 if that's the only markings). A close-up photo of your motor scales would help - both sides! If you actually set it to 37 when it's meant to be 53 (or vice versa), then it's unlikely you will be able to get the actual dish elevation right - they only have a limited range of settings. Declination is a dish setting where it points down slightly to compensate for the fact that the satellites are not on the actual equator but are orbiting high above it. It's not really relevant to your setup - and nothing to do with pointing East or West.

As regards your dish elevation - again I would tell you that the markings on the dish are just a guide. They are not that accurate. Set it to 27 degrees to start with. Go to 5W and tune in one channel. Then you must nudge the dish up or down a degree or two to get the SNR as high as you can - ignore the actual scale on the dish. Twist the LNB in its holder slightly to get the SNR as high as you can. Twist the whole motor and dish assembly on the pole slightly left or right to peak the SNR.

What channels are you getting on 5W - France 2? Use it to get your signal on 100%. Then go to a weaker transponder on the same satellite and tweak that. If you can move to 28.2 and get 100% and also go to 30W and get 100% then you are reasonably sure you have the pole plumb. If you are hitting problems on BADR4 (26E), then you are in good company. The MBC channels are tricky enough and will require some tweaking of the LNB in its holder to get right. Try moving the LNB in and out slightly to get best focus. On a 1.1m dish I have issues getting MBC on 26E without breakup, particularly if it's raining.

 

[Dicpenderyn]

Hello Again Guys,

Here's a pic of the scale in the motor booklet.



Hope thic pic's uploaded okay.

Can't get actual motor pic until tomorrow.

On the pic, you'll see that for 53 Latitude my elevation angle should be 37 and dish angle 27.4 - I saw something on the web that suggested that I should subtract the declination angle from the dish bracket angle - not sure if this it true though??? If it was that'd mean that I set the dish angle to 19.8.

So to try again tomorrow, I'm gonna

1 - spend time on the pole to get 100% plumb
2 - set motor to 0
3 - set motor angle
4 - set dish angle
5 - point to most south pointing satellite

I will do as you suggest Tony with 5w and 28e etc...

Once I set the motor to 0 - is there something in the box that I need to tell that the motor's set to 0? Goto 0 / Goto X?

Thanks,

Dic

 

[abu baniaz]

You may be getting yourself in a muddle. Have a look at this thread, it may make things easier.
http://www.world-of-satellite.com/showthread.php?18087-Fruitballs-Motorised-Installtion-Guide

1. Make sure pole is plumb.
2a. If motor has latitude set it to your geographic value. Do not touch it again.
2b. If motor has elevation marking, set is as per the chart. Do not touch it again.
3. Make sure motor is straight on pole.
4. Your tyuner config should be simple, positioner with your co-ordiantes entered. Set co-ordinates on your receiver. 53.x North 4. West. I have assumed you the 4 value. But you are definitely in the west
5. Transfer a channel list
6. Select a channel/transponder on 5w. Motor will move.
7. Rotate assembly around pole/adjust dish angle till you get best signal on 5W.
8. Select another channel on 5W adjusting if necessary so that you get best signal.
9 Send motor to another satellite and repeat tweaking.

 

[Joe_90]

I absolutely endorse all that abu is saying! You're overthinking it, dic! My motor manual (they're all very similar) say set motor to 37 degrees, but there are two scales on either side of the motor. 53 degrees on one side is the same as 37 on the other. DO NOT SET YOUR MOTOR TO 0 - see 2a and 2b above!!! Adjust the dish up and down slightly to get the best signal and rotate slightly around the pole as per 7 above to get the best signal. I you've been accurate in your initial setup, you won't have to move the dish much. You will see that even with the bolts reasonably tight, if you grasp the bottom of the dish and push up or down the signal quality will change or the same if if you grasp the side of the dish and try to twist left or right. It's that sensitive - believe me.

 

[Dicpenderyn]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your valuable information and patience!

I had another go at it today.

I took a fair bit of time on the pole to get it as plumb as I could using a spirit level! The inclination apps were sh!te...

I set the motor angle to 53 degrees.


Set the dish elevation and pointed it at 5w. I got a good SNR ranging from 100% to 74% on different transponders.

I then pointed it to 28.2 and got 100% to 83% on different transponders. Unfortunately when I drove it to 30w I didn't get an SNR at all.

These are the satellites that I can get.

46e - 43% SNR
45e - 74%
42e - 45%
39e - 49%
33e - 72%
28.2e - 100%
21.6e - 40%
19.2e - 87%
16e - 74%
13e - 63%
9e - 72%
0.8w - 54%
5w - 82%
11w - 29%
12.5w - 49%
15w - 56%
22w - 54%
24.5 - 31%
27.5 - 69%

I did try to make small adjustments by turning the motor direction slightly, but as it helped the signal on say 46e it'd have an effect at the other end of the arc and vice versa..

Any ideas guys?

Thanks,

Dic

 

[Joe_90]

Well the fact that the motor adjustment said LATITUDE on the side confirms that you should be setting your latitude - 53 degrees. So that's good.

I'm still not convinced that you are lining up the dish correctly on the first satellite (5W). I suggested you tune in France2 and tweak the dish up and down slightly to get the SNR at its max. Similarly twist the motor and dish together on the pole left and right to maximise the SNR. You can't do this by driving the motor using the remote control on the box - it has to be done while on the dish hardware itself. 28.2 and 19.2 and 13E are all very powerful signals so you should be getting 90% plus on them.

 

[Dicpenderyn]

Dear Gents,

Sorry for dropping off the radar and not updating you with was going on..

This was due to a combination of things really - spending most of my recent free time on the sat system, the nights drawing in, fairly understanding missis looking after small children by herself and me starting a new job...

I am able to get 100% on 0.5w, 98% on 19.2e and 97% on 28.2e.

I am able to drive the dish to other satellites 30w 85%, 0.8w 77% 13e 86% amongst others.

I am able to drive the dish to 4.8 with a low snr, like 39%. Some channels are 88%. Would you say that this is normal?

I am unable to get satellites like 39e unless I edit the longitude and change it from what it's meant to be...

The system seems be okay and I am very happy with it from what I have seen.

I'd like to say a massive thank you to you all for assisting me, and sharing your knowledge.

Dic

 

[Alec]

Dear Gents,

Sorry for dropping off the radar and not updating you with was going on..

This was due to a combination of things really - spending most of my recent free time on the sat system, the nights drawing in, fairly understanding missis looking after small children by herself and me starting a new job...

I am able to get 100% on 0.5w, 98% on 19.2e and 97% on 28.2e.

I am able to drive the dish to other satellites 30w 85%, 0.8w 77% 13e 86% amongst others.

I am able to drive the dish to 4.8 with a low snr, like 39%. Some channels are 88%. Would you say that this is normal?

I am unable to get satellites like 39e unless I edit the longitude and change it from what it's meant to be...

The system seems be okay and I am very happy with it from what I have seen.

I'd like to say a massive thank you to you all for assisting me, and sharing your knowledge.

Dic

One of the reasons for using Thor if it in your arc, is if you can see behind the back of it, that the dish, motor and LNB are in line ( if you can look over the top in the center they are lined up. That is why some people do it this on the floor, because it is very hard to see this in the air. Also when you put in a program details , you should be able to pick up the Sat without the pole being plumb or the long, lat is correct, because it can be like setting it up as fixed dish, but it is when the motor moves to another Sat that the pole, long, Lat , and the dish, motor, LNB are needed to be set up correctly.