Installation problems with motorized Fortec system

[forget_f1]

Hi

I am sorry to bore you with this, as I am sure you must have heard this a thousand times, but I have passed through all human emotions trying to set up this system.

Firstly, I have a Fortec Lifetime Classic NA, an FSKU-V universal single LNBF, a Moteck SG-2100 motor and a Fortec 90cm dish.

I placed a pole on the south side of the house with a level. Then I mounted the motor and dish according to http://sadoun.com/Sat/Installation/H...stallation.htm
so as everything was pointing in a straight line to South (according to the compass).

Being in Gainesville, FL my latitude is 29.4° N and thus I tilted the motor to the same angle. (yes my motor is mounted exactly as in the manual, not upsidedown). Then with my declination angle being 4.96°, I subtracted 4.96 from 30 as is said on the website for my motor to get 25° as the angle for the dish elevation.

Then I connected the LNBF with an RG6 cable I got from Lowes to the motor and another cable provided in the installation kit from Sadoun for the motor directly to the receiver. The LNBF was set vertical as is stated for motorized systems and not at an angle.

Then I turned on the receiver, went to the menu screen and then the antenna setup as said in the manual. The screen the said the dish was turning to IA 5 Ku at 97°W, but then there was no signal. I put UNI as my LNB type and I tried all TP frequencies but still no signal. Then I went up and micro-adjusted the dish in all possible directions and still no signal. By the way I was using USALS and I did input my coordinates.

Secondly, when I switch satellite in the "scan" section the screen does not say that the dish is moving. When I go to the "positioner" section I can only get the dish to move back to the 0° position by choosing "Goto REF" or to move east-west with the DiSeq option. Basically the receiver never said "moving dish to .... satellite". It only says this message when you firts turn it on and goes to IA 5 KU which is the first one in the memory. Then I tried to go to Nimiq 1 which is at my longitude of 84°W by choosing that satellite in the "scan" section and then by pressing the "Goto REF" which moves the dish to true south and still no reception. Yes, the motor does have power and does move.

Thanks for reading my lifestory and your time and effort is appreciated. Any ideas before I use the dish as big salad bowl for BBQ parties and the motor as an automatic door opener?

[ahoss2000]

Be patient and you will get a signal:

Use AMC5 as your south sat. First with zero position on the motor, adjust your set up for your true south ( orlando is 185 ). Then pick AMC5, then go to position , and select USALS , click on Green button on your remote. It should says it is moving the dish , only slight adjustment. The 3rd tp on AMC5 is very strong for our location, you may select that as well ( I get about 90 quality on this tp). At this time, move your whole set up few degrees right and left until you get some signal. If not , adjust the dish elevation again, and repeat.

You need to have a TV close to you.

Today, I installed my dish on a permanent pole, and ending wasting another 3 hours trying to find AMC5. Somehow, my dish elevation was 7 degrees off compared with my setup on a pallet. I suspected my cables had gone bad on me!

Anyway, keep trying to find AMC5. Good luck.

[pmb1010]

without the rest:

so as everything was pointing in a straight line to South (according to the compass

did you accoiunt for the magnetic adjustment required?
You have to add about 5 degrees to your compass south to get the number to point the motor at when at "reference" position.

That one is important to get right.
Look at the chart mid way down the page here:
http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Installati...Calculator.htm

[elgemcdlf]

Originally Posted by forget_f1

Hi...bowl for BBQ parties and the motor as an automatic door opener?

For some reason some of the Fortec dishes require an higher elevation adjustment that calculated. Usuakky in the 5 to 6 degree range. You have received good advice from a previous post so going with that just slowly and I do mean slowly work your dish to the east and west if no signal go up 1 degree in dish elevation and repeat the east west thing. You will find it eventually.

You do know you can not have the compass near the dish right? A compas is magnetic and the dish will throw off the reading.

[rainman]

don't rule out a lower elevation on the fortec dish also mine is suppose to be 24 degrees ended up at 19 degrees.

[forget_f1]

Thanks guys, unfortunately I didn't get a chance to do anything today due to the rain and work. I will give it a go tomorrow and will let you know how it goes.

[rainman]

keep us posted on how it goes.