SatSig topic:

Satellite TV dish polar mount set up

(Read 11969 times)

Sep 21^st, 2005 at 9:52pm

Hi, Eric, USN and Co. Its been a long time. Hope all is well.
Anyway, I have finally setup my Dish but have a little problem.
I view some channels presently thanks to you guys but I noticed that some stations which I would love to watch show a quality of 30% and so dont show. I feel this might be due to the angles I couldnt set.
From the diagram you gave me at https://www.satsig.net/images/axi-symmetric-polar-mount-nigeria.gif
I found it easy to adjust the tilt angle to 1 deg but since the pole mount is cemented to the ground I cant adjust it to the elevation angle of 6.7 deg. Can I simply adjust where I was meant to set as 1 deg to 7.7 deg as it is the only adjustable part of the dish setup.
Or am I translating what you told me to do wrongly(i.e i am not meant to tilt the pole holding the dish to 6.7 deg)
Thanks

Sep 22^nd, 2005 at 12:07am

It is to be expected that signals from some satellites will be took weak to be displayed - even if your mount is set up OK.

Is these any chance you could take several close up photos of the mount mechanism and actuator motor so we can understand better?. There is much variety in polar mounts. Reduce the jpg file size to about 25k-35k for transmission.

Your actuator may have two alternative positions. On one side or the other. In each case it may swing the dish perhaps 120 deg or so. In your location almost 180 deg of movement is involved as you swing from the east horizon, via almost directly overhead and down to the horizon in the west.

Best regards, Eric. eric@satsig.net

Sep 22^nd, 2005 at 10:07am

I have sent pictures of my setup to your e-mail address i.e eric@satsig.net. I tried to take them in a way that you will understand the 3dimensional placement of the dish.
Thanks
Tosin . tosinomonijo@yahoo.com

Sep 22^nd, 2005 at 4:16pm

Have a look here https://www.satsig.net/polar-mount-5.htm
I don't know if I have got the idea yet but maybe getting nearer...
Does the bracket make sense ?
Best regards, Eric.

Sep 22^nd, 2005 at 5:09pm

Believe me your construction was great. Now I got that 1deg tilt perfectly but the 6.7 deg tilt is the problem. The head unit attached to the polar mount is T-shaped and fits into the pole straightaway without any oppurtunity of adjusting it. I sent a picture of it now to your e-mail.
How do I get to tilt the head unit just as you did in the diagram(the pink diagram) as the pole is fixed to the ground and that unit can't be adjusted.
If it really can't be adjusted, can I just let the dish tilt 7.7 deg adjusting A in the diagram ?

Thanks

Sep 22^nd, 2005 at 8:19pm

I've added a picture of the L shaped metal at the top of the pole. https://www.satsig.net/polar-mount-5.htm

I don't understand how this L shaped metal is fixed to the pole. What are the two bolt heads for ? What can't it be tilted up at the right hand side ?

Has anyone seen one of these before ?

Best regards, Eric.

Sep 23^rd, 2005 at 12:11am

Your diagram from the actual pictures I sent to you have solved all the problems I had. I thought that joint was a T- joint that should not be adjusted and rather the head unit as a whole.I now know where to tilt to 6.7 deg on the main bearing.God, I am very grateful. I will put al I have todo as you have shown me. I owe it to you and how much you have been helping us. The result will be out as soon as possible (latest on Saturday).
I owe you one. God bless.
Thanks
Omonijo Tosin

Sep 24^th, 2005 at 12:51pm

Eric Thanks. I tried out what you said and presently get about 100 FTA stations(whoa) while about 30 are scrambled.
Thanks once again. I hope others use my situation as a case study in setting up theirs.
By the way, on NSS 7 there are many FTA stations within my coverage area. I get all of them except a stattion called 2M Maroc (4.055R, 27500).What could be the problem.
I was hoping to help record sports programs as indicated on your website and this station is listed among the stations needed and I am sure I am within its coverage area and on www.satcodx.com it was recorded as active even today.
Thanks

Oct 6^th, 2005 at 2:32am

This forum has helped me in trying to setup my dish but there was no mention of instruments used.I have just a question. Can a regular protactor from a mathematical set be used to set the Polar Mount Main Angle properly if I dont have an inclinometer?Or any other tools usable.
God bless.

Oct 6^th, 2005 at 12:17pm

A protractor from a mathematical set will do fine.

I suggest you draw a line on a piece of cardboard, with a tic mark near one end. Then use the protractor to make a mark at the angle you need. Then draw the angle line and cut out the cardboard angle. Check the angle and write on the card what is the angle. Take the cardboard angle to the dish.

Alternatively you might make a tiny hole at the centre of the protractor and put a thread through it with a small weight (nut) on the end. Hold the flat edge of the protractor against the metal and read off an angle. You may have to read the scale backwards, subtract from 90 etc. Use common sense.

Using a large square card you can make a giant protractor of your own. Together with thread and weight this can be more accurate than many small inclinometer gauges which have scales that are too small to read clearly.

Sometimes attaching a long thread and weight to somewhere on the antenna and measuring the sideways distance to some metal part and the vertical length and then using tan calculation is a good way of measuring angles accurately on very large antennas.

The small downward tilt angle on some polar mounts is best set up by using tan calculation. https://www.satsig.net/pol_ex1.htm

All Microsoft PCs have an Accessories Calculator which will do tan calculations in View Scientific mode.

Best regards, Eric.

Feb 2^nd, 2006 at 12:42pm

Quote:

It is to be expected that signals from some satellites will be took weak to be displayed - even if your mount is set up OK.

Is these any chance you could take several close up photos of the mount mechanism and actuator motor so we can understand better?. There is much variety in polar mounts. Reduce the jpg file size to about 25k-35k for transmission.

Your actuator may have two alternative positions. On one side or the other. In each case it may swing the dish perhaps 120 deg or so. In your location almost 180 deg of movement is involved as you swing from the east horizon, via almost directly overhead and down to the horizon in the west.

Best regards, Eric. eric@satsig.net

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