Motor / positioner

[pan1300]

hi guys

(again) looking for a new challenge, so here it goes.

Thinking of going motorised (perhaps can get a dish of 1,8 - 2m) - think I need an actuator and a motor.

So, my questions (in combination with my 9700 and mvision 270):
- any suggestions of actuators, and need it to be 36V?
- any suggestions of motors? I saw the moteck v-box ii (and iii: what's the difference between the ii = for Reedcontact ; and the iii = for Hallsensor?). Any reviews of experiences with this (moteck and/or the Superjack).
- will all of this work properly with the protek and the mvision?

Sorry, but really new on the motors. Thanks anyway for your replies.

[digicon]

Re: Motor / positioner

All Superjack actuator motors are 36v, you wont need the Vbox3 as actuators have no need for the '5th' sensor anymore only 4 core cable is needed sensor +/- and Motor +/-

have a look for a Alsat Gbox cheaper and far superior to the others.

As for actuators try and source an Official Superjack Actuator and not one of the cheap clones as the official brand will last years compared to the copys.

On a 2m dish dependant on polar mount i would probably go for a 24" heavy duty actuator

[pan1300]

Re: Motor / positioner

hi digicon

thanks for your very useful answer (as always btw!)

about the gbox: do you mean the model Gbox V3000? So better than the v-box ii, right?

about the actuator: that's also what I've found: 24" heavy duty, Jaeger SuperJack - but seems really hard to find in stock somewhere (Belgium - or close countries).

Yet, I'm facing the next problem:
We still have to make the mount (on a pole about 1m above the ground). We wanted to make a copy of another one (angle and so), but the other one is a dish of about 1,2m and (not sure yet) a smaller actuator (probably 12" or 18").
So my question: can we make exact the same mount or not (as my actuator best needs to be 24" and heavy duty)??

And (sorry, dumb, but 'motorised' is like Chinese to me): can someone explain the difference between DiseqC 1.0, 1.2 and USALS? My boxes support these, so can I program and turn my dish with the remote control of my satboxes??

Thanks in advance!

[Mobley3]

Re: Motor / positioner

Hi pan1100, I will leave the mount question to digicon as he will have a lot more knowledge than most on this subject, Toby can probably also offer some advise on larger dish mounts. USALS is a lot easier for most people, as,once you enter your longitude and latitude position the motor will be able to find the other sats ,with Diseqc you have to locate and store each sat separately, this takes a lot longer to achieve but you can do fine adjustments if your arc is slightly off, you can not store fine adjustments in Usals. Once set up either will work seamlessly. Hope this helps.

Regards Mobley3

[toby69]

Re: Motor / positioner

hi pan1100
take alook here, (you might have already seen) might help alittle, only quick post my team kick-off in 15 minutes.

> http://www.satlover.eu/forum/satelli...eqc-1-2-a.html

this a c/p from there.

Advantages of USALS

If the dish is not initially aligned perfectly to face due south (in the Northern hemisphere) then the search for satellites is normallt problematic. However, with USALS, this inconvenience no longer exists because the program calculates the positions of all "visible" satellites, on the basis of latitude and longitude of the installation site, with a precision of +/- 0.05 degrees. This is possible because the USALS program also decides the direction of rotation.

With DisEqC1.2 a manual search and memorisation of every satellite position is required. However, with USALS all you have to do is point the dish towards a satellite at the centre of the arc and USALD will automatically find and store the rest.

With DisEqC1.2, the user is obliged to seek the help of an expert every time a satellite position has been changed or a new one activated. However, with USALS, you need only to add the name of the new satellite to the list, and its orbital position. The motor will move to the new position without need for further programming or alignment!

As the user doesn't need to carry out complicated adjustments or programming, the risk of making a mistake is greatly reduced. This is unlike standard DisEqC1.2 where a small error can require the installation procedure to be started from the beginning.

i have set my own motor the DisqC1.2 way, starting due south 0.08, then nudge facility finding next nearest sat, digion is the main man on the forum as he seems to fit daily, and always spot on.

[kontoni]

Re: Motor / positioner

first of all dear pan1100 you should decide what dish size you want to motorize.

diseqc1.2 and usals automation are ok for offset antennas up to 1.2m (and very risky up to 1.4m)

if you want larger 1.8m + then actuator of 24 inches and polar mount plus vbox is the one way solution

[pan1300]

Re: Motor / positioner

hi kontoni

dish is about 1,8 - 2m ; both gbox v3000 and v-box ii seem only to support DiseqC 1.2 (not Usals)

[kontoni]

Re: Motor / positioner

hi kontoni

dish is about 1,8 - 2m ; both gbox v3000 and v-box ii seem only to support DiseqC 1.2 (not Usals)

dear pan1100 yes usals is a system of sat position autolocation for diseqc motors with single cable passing instructions to motor

bigger dish use positioner interfaces cause they use more cables and different technique to send instruction for movement

[gianni253]

Re: Motor / positioner

... what's the difference between the ii = for Reedcontact ; and the iii = for Hallsensor?).

Reed contact is a mechanical switch that is triggered by a magnet.
Hall sensor is a solid state sensor (triggered by a magnet, as well) that drives a relay circuit.
Of course hall sensors are better (and more expensive) than reed contacts.

[digicon]

Re: Motor / positioner

I am afraid that using a Dish over 1.2m in size really does require a polar mount and a V/Gbox and the use of Diseqc 1.2 only, USALS is and can only be used with a cheap Diseqc motor which is not suitable for any dish over say 1.1m in size.

[gianni253]

Re: Motor / positioner

... using a Dish over 1.2m in size really does require a polar mount and a V/Gbox and the use of Diseqc 1.2 only....

Absolutely true !
And remember that the first rule for a successful installation of a polar mount is the mast pole that must be perfectly perpendicular to ground.
If this condition is not satisfied all your effort in tuning (declination adjustment, latitude adjustment and true north/south alignment) will be vain.

[pan1300]

Re: Motor / positioner

thanks guys

doesn't seem simple at all, but we'll probably try it anyway

another question ...:
- If DiseqC 1.2 is used with a V/Gbox: receivers support DiseqC 1.2: changing channels of different sats can be done just by using the remote control of the satbox, right? So zapping to a channel of another sat will go automatically without having to use the remote control of the V/Gbox?
- Same question, but instead of the V/Gbox we'd use an old (analogue) Echostar -> probably the 'sat change' can only be done by the Echostar itself, right? (this is somewhere els with another setup).

[digicon]

Re: Motor / positioner

You are correct the GBox and i also some brands of the Vbox2 will allow you to connect the LNB to the Gbox then from the Gbox to your receiver so you will only need your one receiver remote control to use both devices as they work in tandem

[pan1300]

Re: Motor / positioner

thanks, any idea if this could work also with the old analog Echostar (I'm afraid it won't)?

[bokkie]

Re: Motor / positioner

I very much doubt it. Maybe a good excuse to get a nice shiny new box