Bizarre ..silly ..or Just Plain Daft ?

[sonnetpete]

How many dishes on your property now VS? Five?....just checking cause if it is I'll need to put up my sixth LOL

 

[Vipersan]

Any one else find this disconcerting ..??

Its obviously meant to be ...but it doesn't half upset the sensibilities when setting up..

I hate things which dont look plumb..

I assume this is normal and I havent got a duff bracket

;)

The blue line is the edge of the bracket ..the yellow line the edge of the pole..

..and the green arrows indicate the variation down the length of the bracket..

rgds

VS

 

[Vipersan]

How many dishes on your property now VS? Five?....just checking cause if it is I'll need to put up my sixth LOL

Actually Pete ...if you include the TD88 at the rear of my dads property ...its 6 ..
As CH says not yet a farm ..but definately a menagerie
;)

 

[Vipersan]

Now that the dish is mounted higher ..I think I've managed to see and photograph the pole mount bracket problem..

And possibly the reason anyone mounting this motor on a 3 inch pole has problems.

If you are mounting on a 2 inch scaffolding pole ..then no probs ..

both bracket fit around the pole and the bracket and dish will be almost plumb /vertical.

If however you are using a 3 inch pole ..the motor bracket leans at an alarming angle ..thus upsetting any chance of the entire assembly starting plumb.

The reason ..the top bracket bites with 2 teath into the pole ..

The bottom clamp bracket has 4 teeth either side ..and is designed to follow a pole with a smaller diameter..

..Thus the bottom of the bracket only _bites_ with 1 tooth either side ..and stands OFF the pole thus causing the tilt..

The chances of _ever_ getting the motor to follow the arc accurately are greatly reduced as a result..

Take a good look at the 2 photos I'm posting and you'll see what I mean..

My intended remedy ..

Remove the dish/motor and bracket again ..and grind off the last 2 teeth ..bottom bracket/clamp...either side..

Comments welcomed.

rgds

 

[Captain Jack]

That sucks. But then it wouldn't be fun, would it?

Yeah, file the offending teeth off and you should be good to go.

 

[Llew]

That's exactly what I had to do when I had the Moteck on my 3" pole VS. I never got it exactly right though, as the top teeth were simply not man enough to firmly clamp the pole in an exactly plumb position in any case on a 3" pole without it shifting under the motor/dish load.

That motor was a waste of time and money in my estimation. Probably can't send it back now because of that 'mod' I did to the clamp.

 

[Vipersan]

Thanks guys ..
I figured it was bad design regarding pole fixing..
Just took the angle grinder to the 4 tooth and edged the third ..si still there but better suited to gripping a 3 inch pole ..
We shall see ..
No reference to these complications in the manual ..
How do they get away with making and selling this stuff..??
rgds
VS

 

[wod]

Does it not have a flat lip thing on the bracket so the motor sits level on the pole.

The 1224 has this on the mount and the motor stays level.

I thought the moteck was a copy of the 1224 ?

can you now see 36e ?

 

[Captain Jack]

There's a 1224 on eBay up for grabs

 

[aceb]

Does it not have a flat lip thing on the bracket so the motor sits level on the pole.

It does, plus if you set the angle using an inclinometer on either of the black casing parts that fix to the main silver bracket (next to the badly indicated elevation scale) the angle of the brackets themselves are kind of irrelevant. That said, the QC on these things is shockingly bad, fortunately mine has been performing well since I aligned it.

 

[Vipersan]

Does it not have a flat lip thing on the bracket so the motor sits level on the pole.


The 1224 has this on the mount and the motor stays level.


I thought the moteck was a copy of the 1224 ?


can you now see 36e ?

Yes there is a flat lip atop the clamp Wod ..but it does not extend fully accross a 3 inch pole thus it can dip as it falls short of reaching accross.

It would however span a section of scaffolding ..

Thus re-enforcing my theory that this motor was designed to fit on a 2 inch pole not a 3 inch.

I've not got the motor on the pole as yet wod ..and now I've altered its vertical/plumb aspect ..I'll have to readjust EL & DEC all over again..

I'll let you know about 36 east when get there

rgds

VS

 

[Vipersan]

..As well as modding the clamp teeth ..I also intend to make a circular 3 inch disc to cap the 3 inch pole in either ally or steel ..to help with the lack of span and dipping problem.
rgds
VS

 

[Vipersan]

...Well for all you 'Neil' watchers ...the plan is coming together ..

No serious tweaking as yet ..

But have modified the teeth/clamp assembly so the H180 sits more vertically ..though not perfect ..close enough perhaps.

Made a steel cap for the pole so the right angled lip at the top of the clamp doesn't dip into nothingness..

These are my results so far ..and I'm pleased..

can now see 36 East to 30 West easily...and not as yet peaked to the max.

Here are some piccies..

rgds

VS

 

[Vipersan]

Just had a quick tweak at 0.8W ...and got BBCnews up to 17.2...with the result that 30E and 30W dropped by 5db ..so declination tomorrow ...providing the weather holds..
Time to go watch TV now ...Dr Who about to start..and its too dark to see anyway..
rgds
VS

 

[RimaNTSS]

Hi! I think that for motorized antenna (polar-mount or any other motor) it is very important to get it first- vertically, and second- pointed directly South to get maximal possible arc. With original antenna fixings not always possible to tune antenna very precisely or it takes lots of time and pain. I have one device which allows to get antenna dead plumb and also turn it horizontally very precisely by turning one bolt. Now I have adjusted this device under my Kathrein 120cm prime-focus antenna.

 

[Vipersan]

Nice Device Rima ..
Very nice indeed .
Totally agree ..with the approach method ..
Vertical first ..
Azimuth second ..
Check two fixed points equidistant on the arc ..
In my case 30 East & 30 West ..
adjust azimuth till signal are maxed and roughly equal ..
Adjust Elevation at 1 West to max ..
Adjust declination at 30 East then 30 West ..
return to 0.8 west adjust Elevation again..to max ..
return to 30 east & 30 West ..adjust declination for max signals ..
Rinse and repeat..
The arc should follow ..eventually..

rgds
VS..
btw ..slutchy old prof Cox ..getting a cameo on DrWho..
Nice ...

 

[Vipersan]

Got up early to get some tweaking in before the storm hits ..
Currently the numbers are thusly..

AlJaz 30W 14.9db
BBC News 0.8W 17.1db
Maptv testcard Skylogic 33 East 16.1db

There may well be a fraction more to be had ...but need to lock Neil down before the storm ..
Damned close to accurate tracking of the arc ...at least up to 40 deg either side I suspect..and the modifications and extra height made this possible.
rgds
VS

 

[Vipersan]

Did a quick check on Al-Iraqia sports at 36 east ..not the best I've had but healthy enough at 7.5db

My conclusion is that this motor is NOT for amateurs or even professionals wanting a quick installation..
Too many mods required ..and many quirks due to oversights at manufacture.
rgds
VS

 

[Vipersan]

Just got back from my daily walk ..sadly only a mile these days ...one helluva comedown for someone who used to run marathons..
Noticed the wind picking up a bit ..so wanted to quickly try Hellas @39East ..
BONUS ...Orthodox TV booming in at 15 db..
Nice ;)
rgds
VS

 

[sonnetpete]

VS, I don't know how useful this might be but using the 1.2 Laminas and the F15, I get 17.8 dB on Orthodox @39°E and 10.9dB on Al Iraqia @ 36°E. Any others you want a reference for? (my westerly arc ends well before 30°W)