Dish pointing questions.

[Anonymous]

Hi
Received the Lifetime Ultra system with 36" dish a few days ago. My goal
is the Telstar5. Site Lat 38.797 , Long 94.520 for Belton, MO. So this gives
a Telstar pointing location of EL 45, AZ 183.1, and skew 3.1 . I have been
able to jury rig an indicator that allows me to scan the dish 1/2 deg at
a time from right to left. And yes the mounting pole is plumb!!
For the elevation indicator I attach the angle finder to the center bottom
of the feed bracket, the angle finder also matches the indicator on the
dish bracket, but much easier to read. OK.

Here's where Iam confused-- Scanning the dish from right to left at the
elevation of 45deg there is no change of the signal meter needle it is
just flat and steady sweeping the dish from 170 to 220 AZ..
Now dropping the elevation down 1 deg and scanning the dish right to left
at each change, the signal meter does not start to move until I get to
41 deg and seems to peak at 38 deg. A sweep of the dish at the EL of
38 deg the signal meter indicates 6 to 7 strong signals between 170 and
220 AZ.
My test setup is at the dish 13" TV along with Lifetime Ultra receiver and
SF-95 inline using the universal feedhorn. I have not been able to acquire
any quality lock scanning at those strong signals at the elevation of 38 deg.

Do you have to remove the signal meter once the signal is peaked
before the receiver can get a bit stream lock??

Any Help will be appreciated.
Dave In Belton, MO.

[dtsexpert]

I would remove the sat meter and use the Utra signal meter to peak the dish.
You also need to +/- magnetic deviation to the azimuth.
Make sure you use active transponder when tuning the dish.
Michael

Originally Posted by lintond

Hi
Received the Lifetime Ultra system with 36" dish a few days ago. My goal
is the Telstar5. Site Lat 38.797 , Long 94.520 for Belton, MO. So this gives
a Telstar pointing location of EL 45, AZ 183.1, and skew 3.1 . I have been
able to jury rig an indicator that allows me to scan the dish 1/2 deg at
a time from right to left. And yes the mounting pole is plumb!!
For the elevation indicator I attach the angle finder to the center bottom
of the feed bracket, the angle finder also matches the indicator on the
dish bracket, but much easier to read. OK.

Here's where Iam confused-- Scanning the dish from right to left at the
elevation of 45deg there is no change of the signal meter needle it is
just flat and steady sweeping the dish from 170 to 220 AZ..
Now dropping the elevation down 1 deg and scanning the dish right to left
at each change, the signal meter does not start to move until I get to
41 deg and seems to peak at 38 deg. A sweep of the dish at the EL of
38 deg the signal meter indicates 6 to 7 strong signals between 170 and
220 AZ.
My test setup is at the dish 13" TV along with Lifetime Ultra receiver and
SF-95 inline using the universal feedhorn. I have not been able to acquire
any quality lock scanning at those strong signals at the elevation of 38 deg.

Do you have to remove the signal meter once the signal is peaked
before the receiver can get a bit stream lock??

Any Help will be appreciated.
Dave In Belton, MO.

[Anonymous]

Hi Michael

I just tried your suggestion and still have the same problem.
That is a an EL of 45deg sweeping the dish 1 deg at a time.
There is no variation of the signal level it stays at 75. It will
change if a different tp is selected to say 78. Doing a dish sweep
with that tp set, the signal level does not vary. I dont know how
to get past this point. Even at 38deg elevation with a signal level at
90 sweeping the dish you do not see a change in the signal level meter in
the OSD. You do see the SF-95 swing wildly. Is this normal. Whats next.
Dave IN Belton, MO.

[dtsexpert]

1. Make sure you set correct LO accordingly to the type of lnbf.
2. Make sure you pick active transponder when tuning the dish.
If possible, try another cable. Double check all th cable connectors.
How about skew?
Michael

Originally Posted by lintond

Hi Michael

I just tried your suggestion and still have the same problem.
That is a an EL of 45deg sweeping the dish 1 deg at a time.
There is no variation of the signal level it stays at 75. It will
change if a different tp is selected to say 78. Doing a dish sweep
with that tp set, the signal level does not vary. I dont know how
to get past this point. Even at 38deg elevation with a signal level at
90 sweeping the dish you do not see a change in the signal level meter in
the OSD. You do see the SF-95 swing wildly. Is this normal. Whats next.
Dave IN Belton, MO.

[Anonymous]

Success

Well guys sorry to say your suggestions didn't help, but I want you
to know they are really appreciated. Its great to have moral support on
a project of this nature.
Here is what happened; I decided to try one more time at the elevation
of 38deg and a different sat AMC4, I found the TP settings were wrong
in the receivers tables. Within about 30 seconds I found a nibble at the
quality bar setting and it peaked up just fine 65 to 75.

Here is my next question AMC4 elevation setting for my location is
supposed to be 44.6 and it peaked out at 37.5. I know for sure the
mounting pole is plumb.(Spent a whole day on it)

So why the difference? Do you think something in the dish unit
was damaged in shipping? What should I look at first.

Thanks
Dave In Belton, MO.

[dtsexpert]

In my opinion, the dish is not damaged. It's just the elevation scale is not correct...:-)
Michael

Originally Posted by lintond

Success

Well guys sorry to say your suggestions didn't help, but I want you
to know they are really appreciated. Its great to have moral support on
a project of this nature.
Here is what happened; I decided to try one more time at the elevation
of 38deg and a different sat AMC4, I found the TP settings were wrong
in the receivers tables. Within about 30 seconds I found a nibble at the
quality bar setting and it peaked up just fine 65 to 75.

Here is my next question AMC4 elevation setting for my location is
supposed to be 44.6 and it peaked out at 37.5. I know for sure the
mounting pole is plumb.(Spent a whole day on it)

So why the difference? Do you think something in the dish unit
was damaged in shipping? What should I look at first.

Thanks
Dave In Belton, MO.

[Anonymous]

Good Morning Michael

Don't agree with your last statement! Iam using the angle finder
purchased from sadoun. Its attached to the bottom of the feed
horn bracket (center) and the reading of the angle finder and the
reading of the dish elevation bracket matches.

There has to be something wrong!
Dave In Belton, MO.

[Anonymous]

Hi All

Has anyone else had trouble finding a satellite at the published elevation.

Dave In Belton, MO.

[bobkat]

Originally Posted by lintond

Here is my next question AMC4 elevation setting for my location is
supposed to be 44.6 and it peaked out at 37.5. I know for sure the
mounting pole is plumb.(Spent a whole day on it)

So why the difference? Do you think something in the dish unit
was damaged in shipping? What should I look at first.

Don't take the elevation markings on the dish as gospel; they vary widely depending on the dish type and manufacturer; as long as works ... :wink:

I do agree with Michael; he is 100% correct. You cannot use the dish scale as perfectly true; there is variance. When I install a certain brand of FTA dish it always locks in T5 (sorry, IA5 :roll: ) at 39 degrees elevation and for my area the published elevation for this bird is 34 degrees.

And if you use too many of those angle tools and protractors and crap you will drive yourself bananas !!! :shock:

kat

[Anonymous]

Thanks Kat

Goes to show ya what kind of quality we are getting from
the manufacturers. I do agree that some variance in the readings would
be normal.. 7 degrees is way out there.
Dave

[magog45]

This may help or hurt, but I use the old Star Choice dishes for my FTA setup and the large 30" wide by 36" high have 2 scales for elevation depending on which dish is attached to the bracket. The bracket is also used for a smaller 24" x 26" dish and one scale bears no relationship to the other. If the manufacturer of your dish has similiar products that may well be the problem.

[Anonymous]

Hi magog45

Thats is interesting info, got me thinking, the fortec dish is shipped
with one of two different mounting brackets. What really gets me is
a carpenters level does not lie. I use one with a 45 degree bubble.
The face of my dish just does not look like its is pointing at a
45 degree angle. I'am going to buy or borrow a 4ft level soon, so I can
check the angle across the face of the dish.

Dave In Belton, MO.

[dtsexpert]

The reason why the dish does not look like it's aiming at 45deg becuase it's off-set type. The average off-set deg is about 21, meaning if the elevation of the sat is 45 deg, the dish will look like it's aiming at 24 degs. To make it more interesting, if the sat elevation is 10deg, the dish will look like it aims at the ground.
Michael

Originally Posted by lintond

Hi magog45

Thats is interesting info, got me thinking, the fortec dish is shipped
with one of two different mounting brackets. What really gets me is
a carpenters level does not lie. I use one with a 45 degree bubble.
The face of my dish just does not look like its is pointing at a
45 degree angle. I'am going to buy or borrow a 4ft level soon, so I can
check the angle across the face of the dish.

Dave In Belton, MO.

[Anonymous]

Hi Michael

Pointing the dish using the published elevation and the elevation scale on the mounting bracket of lets say 45 degrees. The face of the dish looks
like it is at 45 degrees. What gets me is when the dish is on a satellite that
has a published elevation of 45 degrees for my location and I have acquired a good signal. That dish face looks way off from 45 degrees.
Hell of an illusion!!

[Anonymous]

Ok Michael

Satellite look angle of 45 degrees minus dish offset angle of
24.6 degrees would make the face of the dish at 20.4 degrees. This
now makes sense. Sorry to be a pain in the, you know what!
Thanks
Dave In Belton, MO.

[dtsexpert]

Dave,
Correct.
Michael

Originally Posted by lintond

Ok Michael

Satellite look angle of 45 degrees minus dish offset angle of
24.6 degrees would make the face of the dish at 20.4 degrees. This
now makes sense. Sorry to be a pain in the, you know what!
Thanks
Dave In Belton, MO.