help on Lifetime and sg2100

ar485 · #1 (**permalink**) 02-02-2004, 12:00 PM

Could anyone give me a detailed step-by-step instruction (I really mean button-by-button instruction) on how to use the USALS feature of Lifetime receiver to control sg2100 motor?

What I have done is:
1)mount and aim my dish to true south as close as possible (with correct elevation angle) while sg2100 is at 0 degree.
2) On the receiver, click buttons in the following order: menu->satellite setup->scan mode: all->T5->LNB: standard; LOF: 10750; 0/12V: off; diseqc: off;LNB power: on; positioner: USALS->in USALS menu, input my Logitude and latitude-> save->move(the motor moved my dish)->manually nudge the dish position east-west and up-down to get strongest signal. After all this I did a scan on T5 and saved channels.

Now my question:
If I want to scan AMC4, what are the steps? I suppose that I should:
menu->satellite setup->scan mode: all->AMC4->LNB: standard; LOF: 10750; 0/12V: off; diseqc: off;LNB power: on; positioner: USALS->in USALS menu, input my Logitude and latitude-> save->move
In the move line, it showed how much the positioner was gonna move the dish from true south. If current dish position is at T5, do I need to move the dish back to 0 first and then move the dish to AMC4?

People say that sg2100 will automatically aim my dish. when does this happen? it is when I press the move button in the USALS menu after I input logitude and latitude and save them?

One more question is if I want to do hardware reset, do I have to move the dish back to 0 degree first?

I appreciate it if someone can give me a detailed instruction on how to setup my system. By the way, I am mainly interested in T5 and AMC4 and my logitude is 92.3W.

dtsexpert · #2 (**permalink**) 02-02-2004, 01:48 PM

Please read Sadoun instruction of how to set up the h-h mount:
http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Installati...stallation.htm
Your true south is T6 @ 93W. Check out the link above, set the Diseqc 1.2 mount and Dish elevation, find T6.
USALS only works once:
1. Correct LAT and LONG are keyed in.
2. H-H mount and Dish elevation are both correct.
3. Get lock on true south.
Please spend some time to read the instruction. It's straight forward. If you are still confused, let us know.
Regards,
Michael
PS: Remember to use active transponders for tuning the dish.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ar485

Could anyone give me a detailed step-by-step instruction (I really mean button-by-button instruction) on how to use the USALS feature of Lifetime receiver to control sg2100 motor?

What I have done is:
1)mount and aim my dish to true south as close as possible (with correct elevation angle) while sg2100 is at 0 degree.
2) On the receiver, click buttons in the following order: menu->satellite setup->scan mode: all->T5->LNB: standard; LOF: 10750; 0/12V: off; diseqc: off;LNB power: on; positioner: USALS->in USALS menu, input my Logitude and latitude-> save->move(the motor moved my dish)->manually nudge the dish position east-west and up-down to get strongest signal. After all this I did a scan on T5 and saved channels.

Now my question:
If I want to scan AMC4, what are the steps? I suppose that I should:
menu->satellite setup->scan mode: all->AMC4->LNB: standard; LOF: 10750; 0/12V: off; diseqc: off;LNB power: on; positioner: USALS->in USALS menu, input my Logitude and latitude-> save->move
In the move line, it showed how much the positioner was gonna move the dish from true south. If current dish position is at T5, do I need to move the dish back to 0 first and then move the dish to AMC4?

People say that sg2100 will automatically aim my dish. when does this happen? it is when I press the move button in the USALS menu after I input logitude and latitude and save them?

One more question is if I want to do hardware reset, do I have to move the dish back to 0 degree first?

I appreciate it if someone can give me a detailed instruction on how to setup my system. By the way, I am mainly interested in T5 and AMC4 and my logitude is 92.3W.

ar485 · #3 (**permalink**) 02-02-2004, 04:35 PM

Hi Michael, Thanks for your reply. However, my question is more regarding how to operator the receiver. I think I mounted my dish well enough because I could lock T5, AMC4 and G10R manually (using the push button on the motor itself). I would like to use the USALS feature of the receiver and had some questions about it. It will save me a lot of time and work if i can use that feature. Could you answer my specific questions in my original post? Thanks.

dtsexpert · #4 (**permalink**) 02-02-2004, 05:39 PM

What the heck was I thinking when reading your post???
No wonder I barely passed English classes in colleage...:-), excuse me for not reading your message carefully.
Back to your question, the answer is NO, you don't need to move the dish back to your true south. The mount is smart enought to calculate the "click" from the current sat location to the next one.
How accurate the USALS feature is??? It very depends on how accurate your true south is. If you need to "nudge" the dish just a little bit, it's OK. But if you have to "nudge" the dish like 2 or 3 degs to get lock, the mount is not setup precisely, meaning you will get some of the sats but not all.
I recommend you to move the dish back to 0, try to get lock on T6, then use USALS. I did not mention if the dish is actually locks on T6.
Hopefully, it's clear up some of your questions...:-)
Don't hesitate to post your questions if you are still confused.
Michael

Quote:

Originally Posted by ar485

Hi Michael, Thanks for your reply. However, my question is more regarding how to operator the receiver. I think I mounted my dish well enough because I could lock T5, AMC4 and G10R manually (using the push button on the motor itself). I would like to use the USALS feature of the receiver and had some questions about it. It will save me a lot of time and work if i can use that feature. Could you answer my specific questions in my original post? Thanks.

orac · #5 (**permalink**) 02-02-2004, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtsexpert

How accurate the USALS feature is??? It very depends on how accurate your true south is. If you need to "nudge" the dish just a little bit, it's OK. But if you have to "nudge" the dish like 2 or 3 degs to get lock, the mount is not setup precisely, meaning you will get some of the sats but not all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ar485

Hi Michael, Thanks for your reply. However, my question is more regarding how to operator the receiver. I think I mounted my dish well enough because I could lock T5, AMC4 and G10R manually (using the push button on the motor itself). I would like to use the USALS feature of the receiver and had some questions about it. It will save me a lot of time and work if i can use that feature. Could you answer my specific questions in my original post? Thanks.

I'll add further to what Michael said, since I went through this about a month ago. The best way to get things to work smoothly is to physically point your dish to a real true south. I mean precisely. You want to be able to point to any satellite in the arc using the receiver's USALS "move" menu option alone - no nudging with the receiver or button pushing on the motor to get it exactly right. When the motor moves the dish to the satellite using USALS, it should be pointing exactly right on its own with no further input. (By the way, I found that nudging using the motor's buttons is far more precise than nudging using the receiver's menu options.) That's my experience, anyway.
___
Neil

ar485 · #6 (**permalink**) 02-20-2004, 04:41 PM

I relocated my dish from roof to my backyard so that it would be easier for me to work on it. I followed Sadoun's instruction and I think I have a pretty acurrate mount. But my problem sill exists. I did hardware reset on the SG2100 motor while it was at 0 degree. While the dish is at its true south, with the USALS "move" function I successfully moved my dish to AMC4. Without nudging the dish at all, I got a 91% quality signal. I scaned in some channels and saved them. I decide to set up T5 next. However the USALS "move" won't move the motor any more.

I fully understant the importance of a accurate mount as has been pointed out already. But even the mount is not accurate, USALS "move" function should still move the dish, even though the receiver would report a"no signal" error. Am i right? My question is why the USALS "move" function won't move the dish after it did it successfully the first time. Help please!

dtsexpert · #7 (**permalink**) 02-20-2004, 08:16 PM

How good the dish tracked the arc before it was moved to the new place?
Have you tried Diseqc 1.2 instead of USALS yet? I have not tried USALS with SG2100, so I don't know how the accurate the mount reacts. One of my system is Fortec 786v3 with SG2100, I use Diseqc 1.2, the dish tracks the arc from Pas9 to Telstar7 without any problem.
Michael
Double check your LAT and LONG to make sure you are all correct when using USALS.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ar485

I relocated my dish from roof to my backyard so that it would be easier for me to work on it. I followed Sadoun's instruction and I think I have a pretty acurrate mount. But my problem sill exists. I did hardware reset on the SG2100 motor while it was at 0 degree. While the dish is at its true south, with the USALS "move" function I successfully moved my dish to AMC4. Without nudging the dish at all, I got a 91% quality signal. I scaned in some channels and saved them. I decide to set up T5 next. However the USALS "move" won't move the motor any more.

I fully understant the importance of a accurate mount as has been pointed out already. But even the mount is not accurate, USALS "move" function should still move the dish, even though the receiver would report a"no signal" error. Am i right? My question is why the USALS "move" function won't move the dish after it did it successfully the first time. Help please!

ar485 · #8 (**permalink**) 02-20-2004, 10:59 PM

When the dish was on the roof, I think it tracked arc ok. Because when I use the manual button I can lock on T5, AMC4, and G10R. But at new location I believe I did better because now I get sigal of 91% quality from AMC4, compared with 65% quality before.

I did not try Diseqc 1.2, bacause USALS is so much easier as other people have said so many times. I assume the precedure would be (with the current dish position pointing to AMC4):
1. menu->Antena setup->AMC4->positioner setting: 1.2->current position: #27->store->save the setting
2. pick T5 form the satellite list. Go to back yard, manually move the dish to 97W as accurate as humanly possible.
3. positioner setting: 1.2->current position: #28->nudge east/west until I get the strongest signal->store->save the setting
4. repeat 2 and 3 for other satellites.

Does this procedure look right to you? Please help me verify it carefully. I just wish the manual is clearer on how to operate the motor. Thank you very much.

dtsexpert · #9 (**permalink**) 02-21-2004, 02:42 AM

Yes, the steps you describe are accurate, but we need you to provide us how good of the signal you get for you true south? In my opinion, the best way to set up h-h mount is to follow the "standard" procedure (true south first, then furthest East/West). If you can get good lock on these 3 satellites, you will get the rest in between.
Michael

Quote:

Originally Posted by ar485

When the dish was on the roof, I think it tracked arc ok. Because when I use the manual button I can lock on T5, AMC4, and G10R. But at new location I believe I did better because now I get sigal of 91% quality from AMC4, compared with 65% quality before.

I did not try Diseqc 1.2, bacause USALS is so much easier as other people have said so many times. I assume the precedure would be (with the current dish position pointing to AMC4):
1. menu->Antena setup->AMC4->positioner setting: 1.2->current position: #27->store->save the setting
2. pick T5 form the satellite list. Go to back yard, manually move the dish to 97W as accurate as humanly possible.
3. positioner setting: 1.2->current position: #28->nudge east/west until I get the strongest signal->store->save the setting
4. repeat 2 and 3 for other satellites.

Does this procedure look right to you? Please help me verify it carefully. I just wish the manual is clearer on how to operate the motor. Thank you very much.

kalamar · #10 (**permalink**) 03-25-2004, 07:40 PM

[quote="dtsexpert"]Please read Sadoun instruction of how to set up the h-h mount:
http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Installati...stallation.htm
Your true south is T6 @ 93W. Check out the link above, set the Diseqc 1.2 mount and Dish elevation, find T6.[quote]

Can an "expert" please tell me how to find true south at Crystal River,Fl ? I have a SG-2100 motor and need the starting info (elevation and true south) it would save me much time if someone could supply this for me.
thanks

And what satellite is "true south of me ? :?:

dtsexpert · #11 (**permalink**) 03-25-2004, 09:46 PM

Would you please spend some time to read the link?
Tell me your Long and Lat.
Your true south sat is the one located at your Long
http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Installati...Calculator.htm
Sadoun posts very nice instrucation of how to set up h-h mount. Once you done reading, feel free to post your questions here.
Michael

[quote="kalamar"][quote="dtsexpert"]Please read Sadoun instruction of how to set up the h-h mount:
http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Installati...stallation.htm
Your true south is T6 @ 93W. Check out the link above, set the Diseqc 1.2 mount and Dish elevation, find T6.

Quote:

Can an "expert" please tell me how to find true south at Crystal River,Fl ? I have a SG-2100 motor and need the starting info (elevation and true south) it would save me much time if someone could supply this for me.
thanks

And what satellite is "true south of me ? :?:

kalamar · #12 (**permalink**) 03-26-2004, 06:37 PM

hi
my long is 82.33 and the lat is 28.55 so the true south sat would be Nimiq 2 and the footprint for that one is Canada only :shock: so what next ?
PS; I did read,and I have been using a hh motor for about a year,It took a lot of fiddling around to get it lined up the first time ,I just replaced the motor and now I must adjust it all over ,just thought maybe someone would help.

:cry:

dtsexpert · #13 (**permalink**) 03-26-2004, 07:07 PM

You have 2 choices for finding truesouth:
1. Nimiq1/2 do cover the US. I receiver both of them fine in N.California. So if you have a spare DishNetwork/DirectTV, you can use it to find Nimiq2 which is your truesouth. Remember to set the LO at 11250. This approach is actually easy to find the sat than using linear lnbf.
2. If you don't have DirectTV/DN lnbf, you can pick AMC5 @ 79W or AMC9@85W as your starting point. Use USALS to move the dish to either of them. AMC9 does not have 24/24 active transponders so AMC5 is a better sat to pick. check this http://www.lyngsat.com/amc5.shtml for active trasponders on AMC5.
Skew is set at 0 when dish parks at true south.
Let us know if you have any other questions.
Michael

Quote:

Originally Posted by kalamar

hi
my long is 82.33 and the lat is 28.55 so the true south sat would be Nimiq 2 and the footprint for that one is Canada only :shock: so what next ?
PS; I did read,and I have been using a hh motor for about a year,It took a lot of fiddling around to get it lined up the first time ,I just replaced the motor and now I must adjust it all over ,just thought maybe someone would help.

:cry:

kalamar · #14 (**permalink**) 03-28-2004, 12:47 PM

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