DG-280 H_H Motor Won't go to 15 deg W

[spongella]

I have a good one for the group: Using USALS, my DG-280 motor will not turn beyond 30 degrees West. How do I know? Well, when I tried to have it turn to Telestar at 15 degrees, the FTA receiver gave the message that the dish was moving, but in reality is was not. So, I did a motor reset, even a factory reset, and again, it would not turn W of 30 degrees. Even sats at 27.5, 22, etc, it would not turn for.

Rather than take a hammer to the thing, which was really my inclination, I called Fortec Customer Service, told them of my problem, and they said basically I had done pretty much everything, and had never heard of the problem before.

Wanting to get Telestar, I tried one more thing, DiSeQC. I turned the dish using the Move function until I saw a good signal on the Satellite finder, then hit stop. Then, using the step move function until I got the best signal, then did a power scan. Matched the channels received up with the Lyngsat table and voila, it was Telestar 15 deg.

So I keep Telestar in the DiSeQC mode, and have no problem. As a matter of fact, I am beginning to prefer DiSeQC to USALS, at least I can adjust the dish a little either way.

The receiver I use is the one from the M2 Package, the Fortec Dynamic with the Dynamic Software. Used just as new from the package, no mods, no nothing.

Lots of fun, and Telestar 15W has some good shows.

[Vitruvius]

I am at longitude 77.7, where are you? I get Sat 30 fine. I then tried to fgo for Sat 15 as you did... but it scanned all the channels from Sat 30, so I figured it reached it limit for me at Sat 30. Perhaps I will try what you did with Disceq. Yes, I sometimes use Disceq to fine tune.

I know the DG280 has a limit of about 60 degree east and west. 78 - 60 equals 18, so I may not be able to get there. So, what are your coordinates?

[spongella]

Vitrivirus:

I am at 74.8N, 40.4W. Now, if as you say you are setting your dish at 15W but it is bringing up transponders for 30W (Hispasat) then you have the same problem as I had. Your dish is actually at 30W, and has not moved, even though the software says "Moving to Satellite Position." Try using DiSeQC for your Telestar at 15W and see if the dish moves. In my case, it did, but only in DiSeQC. USALS did not work.

I am using DiSeQC more and more, it allows you to make small incremental changes in the dish, while USALS does not. At least with my receiver.

Telestar 15W is well worth receiving. Hope this helps.

Sponge

[BYX]

Originally Posted by spongella

Vitrivirus:

I am at 74.8N, 40.4W. Now, if as you say you are setting your dish at 15W but it is bringing up transponders for 30W (Hispasat) then you have the same problem as I had. Your dish is actually at 30W, and has not moved, even though the software says "Moving to Satellite Position." Try using DiSeQC for your Telestar at 15W and see if the dish moves. In my case, it did, but only in DiSeQC. USALS did not work.

I am using DiSeQC more and more, it allows you to make small incremental changes in the dish, while USALS does not. At least with my receiver.

Telestar 15W is well worth receiving. Hope this helps.

Sponge

You did it pretty much the right way.
I found long time ago that to go past the USALS limits of my SG2100, I had to switch to Diseqc and enter a manual memory for the 15°, and I made it.
I am at ZIP 33023 and I can see anything east of 30° using diseqc.
By the way 15°W is the lowest satellite in the horizon I can see.

[Vitruvius]

Thanks for the info... I am 3 or 4 degrees past you Spongella so I may not be able to get the 15 degree Sat. But if BYX is getting it in Florida which is even further west of me then maybe I should get it. I will try the Disque once I get my system working again.. I got zapped by lightning again last weekend. Bastard lightning....

[BYX]

Originally Posted by Vitruvius

Thanks for the info... I am 3 or 4 degrees past you Spongella so I may not be able to get the 15 degree Sat. But if BYX is getting it in Florida which is even further west of me then maybe I should get it. I will try the Disque once I get my system working again.. I got zapped by lightning again last weekend. Bastard lightning....

Try to cadweld a #6 to the antenna mast and connect it to the house ground or a copper rod next to the antenna.
If you don't have access to cadweld buy #6 stranded wire and compression aluminum lugs to crimp to the cable, the fasten to the mast and connect to a ground rod or the house ground.
It is prefered to have the ground rod also connected to the house ground.
In addition you can ground the coax with an line grounding kit.

[Jim-S]

Grounding Satellite Dish and Lead-In Cables
Just FYI

[Vitruvius]

Great help guys. Thanks. Good references. My setup does ground the RG6 into the house. The thing is that my dishes are about 150 feet away from the house. I have a shed with a metal roof next to a steel pole set into concrete for a big dish. I have two small dishes mounted on the shed roof and the cable goes to the steel pole in the ground.
Even though I have the steel pipe sent into 3 feet of concrete, I think I will need a grounding rod set next to the pole to help take away any static charge build up near all the dishes.

Thanks

[Jim-S]

Originally Posted by Vitruvius

Great help guys. Thanks. Good references. My setup does ground the RG6 into the house. The thing is that my dishes are about 150 feet away from the house. I have a shed with a metal roof next to a steel pole set into concrete for a big dish. I have two small dishes mounted on the shed roof and the cable goes to the steel pole in the ground.
Even though I have the steel pipe sent into 3 feet of concrete, I think I will need a grounding rod set next to the pole to help take away any static charge build up near all the dishes.

Thanks

The way I did mine, I have a 10'x2" rigid conduit for a mast 3' in the ground. I have an 8' ground rod at the dish grounding the mast and with a continous #6 copper ground wire, it is also grounded to the main electrical panel ground in the house. My dish is about 65 running feet from the house, and 30' as the crow flies. When we have a lightning storm I usually disconnect all satellite and computer equipment....I have been hit twice by lightning not fun, not me but the electronics and my underground sprinkling system. Very costly. Also, I have a ground block on the coax.