1st Time Setup of a Motor

[f1fan]

I'm considering putting a motor on to my TD88, currently it's focused on 9E and I only use it for one channel for a couple of hours a month and seems such a waste.

I've never used a motor before and despite lots of research am unsure how easy it will be to setup with my Openbox S10.

My main concern is that I always read that you have to start by focusing the dish on 0.8W. If not sure with the location of my dish I can get 0.8W. If say the best I can do is around 5E how would I set my dish up?

[toby69]

Re: 1st Time Setup of a Motor

on the bottom of my motor, there is a scale, -degrees/+degrees, perhaps you can preset motor to 5east, mount your dish to receive 5east, but your motor still needs to be pointing directly to due south for correct arc positions.
digicon is the chap for your question, he always helps.

[Mobley3]

Re: 1st Time Setup of a Motor

I'm considering putting a motor on to my TD88, currently it's focused on 9E and I only use it for one channel for a couple of hours a month and seems such a waste.

I've never used a motor before and despite lots of research am unsure how easy it will be to setup with my Openbox S10.

My main concern is that I always read that you have to start by focusing the dish on 0.8W. If not sure with the location of my dish I can get 0.8W. If say the best I can do is around 5E how would I set my dish up?

Hi F1fan, In theory you can set up on any Sat using USALS, The reason 0.8W is used is that it is the nearest due south Sat for accuracy of the arc in the UK. I use 5.0W in Dublin as it is nearest one for me. Whichever Sat you use make sure that your pole is vertical in both planes, this is vital for success.
Regards Mobley3

[f1fan]

Re: 1st Time Setup of a Motor

Hi microchick

I'm a bit confused by that, as I've haven't purchased a motor yet I don't have a device or instructions to look at to help me.

Are you saying that as long as the dish is 100% vertical then the arc will be ok? I think I probably can mount my dish facing due south, I checked on dishpointer and I think I can do it. Dishpointer also gave me this information for a motorised setup, would this be helpful in setting the motor up?

Motor Latitude: 51.2°
Declination Angle: 7.4°
Dish Elevation: --°
Azimuth (true): 180.0°
Azimuth (magn.): 181.6°

Hi F1fan, In theory you can set up on any Sat using USALS, The reason 0.8W is used is that it is the nearest due south Sat for accuracy of the arc in the UK. I use 5.0W in Dublin as it is nearest one for me. Whichever Sat you use make sure that your pole is vertical in both planes, this is vital for success.
Regards Mobley3

Hi Mobley

With the help of dishpointer and your example I understand a bit better now. I can see from Dublin that due south and 5W are almost the same. I used my location and indeed 0.8W and due south are practically in line.

So as long as my neighbours house doesn't block the signal I should put up a new mount 100% vertical, fit the motor in it's 'zero' position then fit the dish and adjust the dish to pick up 0.8W?

One other question, I've had a lot of experience with multi lnb setups and having to set the skew of the lnb, what do you do about the sku of the lnb on a motorised system?

[microchick]

Re: 1st Time Setup of a Motor

@f1fan: Have a look at the following link, there is a lot discussed about the due south. Specially read the comments from people as there's alot been answered.

-http://www.uksatellitehelp.co.uk/2007/08/12/satellite-alignment-calculator-v2/

[toby69]

Re: 1st Time Setup of a Motor

One other question, I've had a lot of experience with multi lnb setups and having to set the skew of the lnb, what do you do about the sku of the lnb on a motorised system?
---------------------------------------
nothing.
you motor will move your dish to the correct postion, i have never had to adjust mine, set lnb to 0 position on skew.

[digicon]

Re: 1st Time Setup of a Motor

It is true you can use any satellite in the ARC to setup a USALS install but you must and i stress this your Motor '0' setting must face true south if it does not you will never track the satellite ARC correctly.

You attach the Dish to the motor stub perfectly in line with your dish LNB arm this must be as straight as possible, next if you have not already adjust the motor latitude scale to your latitude which as you say in your post is 51.2° so set to 51 on the scale and tighten up, also make sure the LNB is straight inline as in 'F' connector pointing straight down which represents '0' skew as Toby69 has rightly pointed out when your dish moves around the arc skew is automatically applied.

Mount the perfectly in line dish and motor on your pole and point as close to your true south position as you can, tighten up the motor on the pole and set your dish elevation to around 25 this could be higher or lower when aligning but will give you a good starting point.

Connect both cables to motor make sure you get them the right way around 'LNB' & 'Receiver' at this point your motor marker should be on '0' and your dish as true south as possible so go inside and then move the dish with the receiver to 0.8° west go back out and the motor should have moved just slightly off the '0' position so now loosen the motor and twist the whole motor and dish left or right until you get a signal peak as much as possible tighten motor nuts and then adjust dish elevation slightly up or down to peak again once done tighten all up go back inside and try some other satellites.


As mentioned you dont have to align on 1 west you can got to Astra 2 if you prefer or any other sat but your motor must point towards south, after checking other sats you may again have to tweak very slightly the whole install to peak on other sats, best ones to try are your ARC extreme sats in other words as far as you possibly can go east and west normally to around 57° east and 45° west.

best of luck

[odysseas1991]

Re: 1st Time Setup of a Motor

I think there is some boxes that require you to put the position setting into the box at one stage right? For instance, the TMs you can put 51.2 N in under motorised settings... I am not sure how this actually affects the setup but it works.

[cannydo]

Re: 1st Time Setup of a Motor

You will have to put your Longtitude & Latitude in the box to start with odysseas1991 to let the box know where about on the planet you are in location to the satellites.

[McrRed]

Re: 1st Time Setup of a Motor

I would heartily recommend going motorised F1fan but I must say I've had problems setting up USALS with my S11. It's supposed to be almost plug & play but my combination of receiver and motor would just never behave as I expected.
I did setup using disecq and it's fine, seamlessly going between satellites, so disecq is a useful fallback option.

Let us know how you get on and whether USALS works for you.

[Mobley3]

Re: 1st Time Setup of a Motor

Hi F1 Fan, looks like you have a lot of information to digest, The only other piece of advise I can offer you is when you have got it all working, as a final tweak try moving the Lnb in and out of the holder,it will peak the performance, too far in and you loose the full illumination of the dish, too far out and you add noise from over the rim of the dish.
hope this all makes sense, and best lesson of all, Take your time and do adjustments in small amounts and be safe.
Regards Mobley3

[browser5296]

Re: 1st Time Setup of a Motor

Hi F1fan, In theory you can set up on any Sat using USALS, The reason 0.8W is used is that it is the nearest due south Sat for accuracy of the arc in the UK. I use 5.0W in Dublin as it is nearest one for me. Whichever Sat you use make sure that your pole is vertical in both planes, this is vital for success.
Regards Mobley3

Cheers Mobley, that makes more sense to me since i'm based in Kildare. I've been trying to find thor5 at 0.8W but can't. I'll have a go at 5W. I have a dm500s, don't think it has USALS but supports DISEqc. Would i use the same method?

[Mobley3]

Re: 1st Time Setup of a Motor

Cheers Mobley, that makes more sense to me since i'm based in Kildare. I've been trying to find thor5 at 0.8W but can't. I'll have a go at 5W. I have a dm500s, don't think it has USALS but supports DISEqc. Would i use the same method?

Hi browser5296. Sorry I don't know anything about the dm 500s, but I would be surprised if it does not support USALS. however it is your Motor that would be the problem if it is Diseqc only,what make is it ?. with Diseqc you have to find and store each individual satellite, this can take some time to do and usually you would start at one end of the Arc and move from either East or West. Not sure why you can not find Thor .8W, maybe it is listed as 1.0W in your Receiver database, but it is the same Sat. hope this helps.
Regards Mobley3

[digicon]

Re: 1st Time Setup of a Motor

The DM500s is an Enigma 1 receiver and like all Enigma 1 receivers will support USALS as well as Diseqc 1.2 installation, depending on the age of your motor then it should be USALS compatible.

[f1fan]

Re: 1st Time Setup of a Motor

Well the wealth of information has really given me the encouragement to have a go at a motorised setup, I'll be being a new mount as mines isn't 100% vertical and a new motor as soon as I can and will get my TD88 mobile! I'll let you know how I get on and I know where to come if I get stuck!