Help!!

[theferengi]

Hi,

Some 10 or so years ago I installed a 1.5 mtr IRTE Prime Focus Dish and it has been fine till a few days ago when we had a mini twister which has thrown the dish out of its original arc. It is linked to a Fortec Magic World Receiver and an 18" actuator on the Dish. It is locked onto a 5" Diameter pole set in concrete so that did not move, but I think the IRTE collar did hence it will not scan the Clarke Belt properly. It gets Hotbird and those near with no probs, but either end of the belt and 1west it does not see. What I need to do is reset it and this is my problem as I cannot find the settings for my location. Long/Lat are 52:10:45N [52.1791 and 1.17:55W [-1.2987] UK Grid Ref SP480536. What I need are the Elevation and Azimuth for I assume 1W to set the centre and then swing it East and the West to get other sats? The other problem is what is the magnetic variation or do I not need this?
Any help that any one can give to get the dish up and running again would be appreciated.

Many Thanks

Peter

 

[GotMyBusPass]

Hi

You could try http://www.satsig.net/ssazelm.htm or even http://www.hansa-electronic.com/satcalceng.asp as well as http://www.igp.net/Antenna_Alignment/Index.php

 

[Channel Hopper]

First , before any undoing of important bolts, move the dish on its motor to the last position you were looking at, and ask another member of the family to keep an eye on the TV

Then by undoing (ONLY) the four bolts that hold the canister onto the pole (and maybe a fifth locking bolt that sits above the pole), slightly twist the dish east and West. There is a good chance the picture will return.

I think its a 4" post used on Irte dishes, they really are about the best dish of that size, corrosion of the feedrods seems to be their only problem

 

[Channel Hopper]

I forgot to mention that in high winds, its quite often the post retaining clamps (the ones that hold the three legs onto the post) that give up their positions. It might be preferable to loosen all six of these (13mm) rather than attempt the 17mm canister bolts.

 

[theferengi]

Hi Folks,

Thanks for the great advice. I started with Channel Hoppers words of wisdom having checked the three legs as suggested which were rock solid, so I adjusted the 5 bolts in total on the pole/collar and moved the Dish by 3 mm East on the pole and reset the receiver to manufacturers settings. Then set automatic East/West limiter and when finnished it locked me onto .08 West [Thor] with a clear signal. Then went through the setup of each satellite and starting from as far East as I could get to as far West and then worked my way inwards. Now it works a treat. The advice also given by GotmyBusPass, was also very helpful. Thanks to you both as you were life savers. Also had time to put up the new quad LNB and to set up the new Sky+ box which replaces the worn out Digibox using the Sky Dish. It was a breeze and is well worth the £199 it cost for the box plus a bit of cable and the half an hour up a ladder.

Cheers again and keep up the good work.

Peter

 

[GotMyBusPass]

Glad that you have got a positive result. Don't forget the 5th rule of acquisition

 

[Channel Hopper]

Good to hear exerything is now working well

It may be just me, but I much prefer to have the five bolts slightly loose anyway, which will allow the dish to fall out of alignment in an extreme high wind, rather than the whole force of the movement transfer to twisting the six concrete blocks on the felt roof. Ten years so far and no damage, only half hours incinvenience the following morning