Dreambox setup with Moteck SG2100

[eurorunner]

Trying to get a motorized system up and running and having spent all day at it and nothing to show for it, I really want to pull my hair out!

Dreambox 7020 S
Motor: Moteck SG2100
85cm Dish – brand unknown unfortunately
LNB: Invacom 0.3dB

1. Using Multimap, I established my location as follows;

Lat: 53:45:49N (53.7636)
Lon: 8:45:40W (-8.7611)


2. I setup the dish/motor – with the angle of the motor set according to the latitude above. The elevation angle of the dish itself is set to 17 – but I don’t actually know what it’s meant to be as the dish manufacturer is unknown.

3. As I have no experience with D’boxes, I decided to find the reference satellite ie. the one nearest South by hooking up to another receiver and using a satfinder on the other end.
I managed to tune in Nilesat (7*W). I realize now that Atlantic Bird 2(8*W would have been the closest to my longitude (8.76*W) and will try using it when I tackle it tomorrow. Should I have been able to pickup most Sats on the arc based on using Nilesat as reference? I couldn’t find a signal for any other sat on that arc.

4. I then tried to setup the Dreambox but when I did an ‘automatic transponder search’ on Nilesat, it came up with nothing. I then manually input the transponders that I had successfully got signal on earlier – but still no signal on the Dreambox.

Where am I going wrong?

[elgemcdlf]

Ok www.sadoun.com under technical support motorized tips explains the process for setting up a motorized system. Basically you set your motor to your latitude align to true south. Tell the receiver to go to your south sat which for you would be 8 degrees providing you can see that bird.

Now slowly adjust east to west until you find a signal. Now peak the dish elevation. In your case since you have no idea what the dish is your settings could be anywhere. You will have to work with both of them to find signal. Your mast needs to be plumb and secure.

[eurorunner]

Originally Posted by elgemcdlf

Ok www.sadoun.com under technical support motorized tips explains the process for setting up a motorized system.

Cheers - will check it out.

Originally Posted by elgemcdlf

Tell the receiver to go to your south sat which for you would be 8 degrees providing you can see that bird.

If I couldnt see Atlantic Bird 2 on 8*W, would Nilesat on 7*West (a difference of 1.7 degrees from my location) still do the job?

Originally Posted by elgemcdlf

Now peak the dish elevation

I suppose this is where I could be going wrong? Whilst I had swung the dish east/west to get the best signal, I didnt rise the dish any higher.

Originally Posted by elgemcdlf

Your mast needs to be plumb and secure.

No problems with this - 100% vertical and secure.

Anyone know why I couldnt tune in Nilesat on the dreambox?

<EDIT> From reading the sadoun tech support motorised tips, I see that they suggest calculating the dish elevation angle as follows;

For SG2100Moteck motor, 30 - declination angle (which according to their declination angle table is 7.6) 7.6 = 22.4. So tomorrow I will use 22.4. does this mean that their method negates the need to know the actual dish brand/manufacturer?<EDIT>

[elgemcdlf]

Originally Posted by eurorunner

Cheers - will check it out.
If I couldnt see Atlantic Bird 2 on 8*W, would Nilesat on 7*West (a difference of 1.7 degrees from my location) still do the job?
I suppose this is where I could be going wrong? Whilst I had swung the dish east/west to get the best signal, I didnt rise the dish any higher.

No problems with this - 100% vertical and secure.

Anyone know why I couldnt tune in Nilesat on the dreambox?

<EDIT> From reading the sadoun tech support motorised tips, I see that they suggest calculating the dish elevation angle as follows;

For SG2100Moteck motor, 30 - declination angle (which according to their declination angle table is 7.6) 7.6 = 22.4. So tomorrow I will use 22.4. does this mean that their method negates the need to know the actual dish brand/manufacturer?<EDIT>

The sat you use really makes little difference as long as you use USALS to drive to it. This puts you in the proper location of the sat in question programming wise now you simply need to align manually for signal.

You most likely can not get signal with the Dreambox due to lnbf settings. Dish elevation as with all settings are only approximations. You use those settings to get you close to where you need to be but to track the arc really well there will be modofications to the settings you start with.