Help with Fortec Star

billsherri · #1 (**permalink**) 10-11-2007, 09:23 PM

I am a Communication Technology teacher installing a Fortec Star at our high school in Southern Minnesota. It is wall mount true South with a DG240 powertech motor. Everything seems to be working great as I successfully located the T-5 Satellite today (manually). I have the dish elevation at 35-6.6
(from the table) and set at 28.4. The motor elevation I understand is supposed to be set at the same as my longitude.

My question is how do I get aimed to the G10R satellite? I now my system will adjust East - West but what about elevation? Does the motor adjust for that as well? I am having a hard time finding the G10R but the T-5 was a piece of cake.....

Thanks for any help you could provide.
billsherri

lumpkin666 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-11-2007, 10:54 PM

If you followed the setup instructions for the dish/motor install, it will track the Clarke belt fine. The east to west movement also drops in elevation as it moves from the middle most point to achieve the correct elevation.

One note, motorized installs on a wall mount can be problematic unless you have mounted the dish far enough away from the wall. As the dish moves from east to west, it will turn inward towards the wall, and may end up being obstructed by the wall unless you have a significant amount of space behind the dish (between the dish and the wall)

wejones · #3 (**permalink**) 10-12-2007, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billsherri

.... The motor elevation I understand is supposed to be set at the same as my longitude.
...

That's NOT "motor elevation" and it's not set to same as your "longitude".
Most motors have a "latitude" setting {NOT LONGITUDE}, which is 90 minus the elevation. There is sometimes confusion because some motors also have an elevation scale, and if you set this scale to your latitude, it won't work. But your motor most likely just has a latitude scale.

However, to confuse you more, it is better to use about 0.6 degrees LESS than your latitude rather than your actual latitude, and this will result in your dish elevation being about 0.6 degrees higher (ie you'd use a declination 0.6 degrees less than the incorrect declination found on the tables).