STAB: Calculating degrees of dish elevation angle?

[wejones]

That number and the calculator number do not match ? Can someone please explain.

Thanks,
Rico

The calculator doesn't give you a number for the motor elevation (or latitude setting, which is 90 minus elevation), so there is nothing to "match". The calculator gives the value for the DISH elevation, not the motor elevation. Below the calculator it says to set the motor to your latitude, which is wrong BTW, but these calculators apparently use that as a close enough approximation. Really, you should be using a value about 0.6 degrees higher than your latitude, but using your latitude is close enough for most people, particularly since the scales aren't that accurate. However when setting the motor angle, err to the high side, not the low side should be a good rule of thumb.

[Rico.]

Thanks a bunch. I did not know that there was an elevation for the motor and another for the dish - rookie me . I have ordered the motorized dish but have not installed it yet and came here to the forum to get some tips from you experienced folks.

You mentioned that there a error in the elevation setting for the motor, so can you double check my numbers for a STAB 90 motor:
Latitude: 28.648
Longitude: 81.298
zip code: 32707 (very close to "ahoss2000" who mentioned that 35 worked but 40 did not)

Dish Elevation (from calculator) : 40.2
Motor Elevation (= Lat + 0.6): 29~29.3

Thanks,
Rico.

[wejones]

..
You mentioned that there a error in the elevation setting for the motor, so can you double check my numbers for a STAB 90 motor:
Latitude: 28.648
Longitude: 81.298
zip code: 32707 (very close to "ahoss2000" who mentioned that 35 worked but 40 did not)

Dish Elevation (from calculator) : 40.2
Motor Elevation (= Lat + 0.6): 29~29.3
....

Use the chart at:
http://www.geo-orbit.org/sizeimgs/modpolanglesr.gif

{Or use a calculator I made, at BJDISCALC2 }

for your latitude on interpolation, the latitude setting you should use (which is really 90 minus elevation) is around 29.25. Of course you can't set the scale to that precision, but aim for a bit more than 29, rather than for between 28 and 29.
Now also from either the chart or my calculator, you get a declination of about 4.16. This should be subtracted from 45, which is the bend in the motor shaft for your motor. This would give you 40.84. The 40.2 number from the calculator assumes a declination of 4.8. Notice that you'd be using a motor elevation that is about 0.6 deg less (latitude angle .6 more) which is compensated by using a dish elevation that is about 0.6 deg more, so for a sat to your south, they both give the same angle. However using these modified numbers, the mount will track better on sats to your east or west, because the Sadoun chart assumes that the declination of sats is the same across the arc, which it isn't. Instead, sats to your east or west have about 0.6 deg less declination.

[Rico.]

Thanks very much wejones , I will be installing this weekend, I'll let you know how it goes.

[Rico.]

after I installed I am getting about 80% level but 0% quality? any suggestions?
Thanks,
Rico

[dmassarone]

Maybe not a problem at all. I got the dish "close" and using a meter and the receiver, I found the meter was "almost" worthless, but the beep kept me company.

I had a signal below the 80% and was able to "tweak" the dish to where I finally found I believe it was 84-85%.

The signal finally went over 80, to about 84 and finally got a quality signal of about 40-50% (I'm sure it'll be more once the leaves are off the trees).

Scanned for my channels and was impressed.

Then...during the early night, I was watching and I have no idea what happened, but my strength went to below 80 and I still have some sort of quality (40% or so) but now I'm not able to lock in the satellite, thus loosing reception.

This is all trial and error at this point and maybe a dear hit the dish which is at about eye level for now to dial it in before it goes up in the air.

I still have to read and re-read about the declination etc...as these numbers are important if the dish has to move about the sky. More questions to come.

P.S. Newbie here so please be patient and hope I'm not posting in the wrong place!!