Advice Needed Inclined Orbit Elevation Actuator on Channel Master 1.8m ?

[moonbase]

If your AZ/EL is the same as mine, I have a very easy mod in mind for this, that to you could do yourself just drilling a few holes and a few nuts and bolts , let me know MB if your mount looks like this,

Martin,

The head mount that I would like to get an inclined orbit elevation jack onto is pictured below.

Rgds

 

[Archived-1]

That's great MB, very easy to do, i am better at explaining things by photos, i will post you a plan up tomorrow when i can see in my shed.

 

[archive10]

Sorry if this is all clear to all thread posters, but I think it is worth making this clear:

Modifying the Az/El (Azimuth over Elevation) mount measn motorising the (two) dimensions of Az and El.
Moving the antenna between each satellite position requires adjusting both Az and El.
This is typically done ising an antenna controller, such as the Research Concepts that Martin's got.
Based on the satellite, it will calculate the proper Az and El positions, and adjust the antenna accordingly.
Unless you only do left and right polarised feeds, you also need a third axis, which is LNB skew. This requires an optional daughterboard for the RC machines.

A polarmount works differently, by establishing a thrid axis which is the polar axis. Rotating the antenna around this axis will reach all sats in the Clarke-belt.
This can effectively be done using single actuator, with power controlled by a V-box or similar. Or in the case of small H-H motors, the STB directly.

What Martin started was to modify his Az/El mount to form the basis for a polar mount. This requires many new parts (the new axis).
Modifying the Az/El mount to become a motorized Az/El monut requires less new hardware, but will require an Antenna Controller.
Adding the support for an inclined orbit to the Az/El mount means motorising the El axis - which is what Moonbase is discussing.

 

[Archived-1]

Adding the support for an inclined orbit to the Az/El mount means motorising the El axis - which is what Moonbase is discussing.

I know they wobble left/right a little but I think MB will be ok with just up/down, if its for the racing feeds,

All it needs to mod it is take the rod of the actuator so your left with just the motor. then a 13mm? socket and a short socket extension, cut the short extension down then file it so it fits in the actuators little slot that should move the worm drive,

loosen the bolts so the mount will move up/down easy, the bolts you loosed is where a plate needs to be fitted on the side nearest to the nut we want to move for up/down movement, this plate will hold the actuator,

You might find it moves very quick, if it does just buy a plugin dimmer and turn the power down to the v box and it will move slower/tighten the bolts a little on the mount will slow the movement down, hope this makes sense.

 

[Archived-1]

So actuator will look something like this when fitted please excuse my drawing but it should give you an idea.

 

[Archived-1]

This type of design i made would also work, if the nut size is 13mm ? you can get a sprocket to fit the nut, a sprocket to sprocket would be a better approach in this case, rather than a chain,
https://www.satellites.co.uk/forums/threads/my-actuator-antenna-rotator.162674/

 

[moonbase]

Martin,

Many thanks for the photos and the plan.

Just to confirm if I understand it all correctly, it is as follow:

1. Take the actuator arm out of the actuator sleeve including the worm drive, discard, not required.
2. Cut back the actuator sleeve to give visibility to the slot that the worm drive did fit into.
3. Cut back a short socket extension bar and tidy it up to it fits into the hole left by the removal of the worm drive.
4. Get a 4mm thick metal plate and bolt it to the side of the mount and fix the actuator motor to the plate with a clamp.

Assuming I have the plate on the side of the mount and the actuator clamped to the mount I am now lost/stuck. Where does the 13mm socket come into this, ie, from the actuator motor to the Az-El mount how do the cut back socket extension bar and socket come into play? From your pictures it looks as though the socket is going to fit over the nut on top of the mount and is held in place by the natural compression of the dish wanting to tilt forwards? The elevation is then adjusted using the actuator motor under compression by pressing down on the top plate of the mount to increase elevation and removing pressure the decrease elevation?

Rgds

 

[Archived-1]

2. Cut back the actuator sleeve to give visibility to the slot that the worm drive did fit into.

No need to cut here undo the 13mm nut and slid the worm drive out

Where does the 13mm socket come into this, ie, from the actuator motor to the Az-El

it will just fit over the nut when the actuator motor is bolted it will hold it in place

how do the cut back socket extension bar and socket come into play? From your pictures it looks as though the socket is going to fit over the nut

the actuator motor will turn the nut to raise/lower the dish yes socket fits over the nut

held in place by the natural compression of the dish wanting to tilt forwards

if you look how this is designed it will only move even when loose by turning the nut

The elevation is then adjusted using the actuator motor under compression by pressing down on the top plate of the mount to increase elevation and removing pressure the decrease elevation?

nothing press down as such (as above) it would be just like using a spanner in a type of way from your arm chair

 

[moonbase]

Martin,

I think I understand it now, the socket fits over the nut on the top plate of the Az-El mount, the motor turns the socket, the socket turns the nut and the elevation is adjusted by the turning of the nut.

Rgds

 

[Archived-1]

Martin,

I think I understand it now, the socket fits over the nut on the top plate of the Az-El mount, the motor turns the socket, the socket turns the nut and the elevation is adjusted by the turning of the nut.

Rgds

That's it MB,

I am unsure of your capabilities but I do have the same mount, if you get stuck let me know and I will make you the bits if you get stuck on, if any, but it should be plane sailing, also doing it this way the mount is still in tact. I do have other ways in mind but you would have to do more mods.

 

[BM300]

Very intresting thread.

It is worth noting that at the extreme east or west, the jack functions as changing polarity rather changing elevation.

 

[moonbase]

Very intresting thread.

It is worth noting that at the extreme east or west, the jack functions as changing polarity rather changing elevation.

Yes, you are correct, at the extremes it is changing the polarity skew by altering the elevation angle. The alternative at the extremes is to motorise the declination offset angle and to keep the elevation angle locked. I suppose it depends on the make/size of dish and the head mount as to which option (declination or elevation) is implemented. In this instance for a 1.8m channel master dish that is heavy and not focusing on extreme arc satellites I think the elevation adjustment will be OK.

 

[Archived-1]

Martin,

I think I understand it now, the socket fits over the nut on the top plate of the Az-El mount, the motor turns the socket, the socket turns the nut and the elevation is adjusted by the turning of the nut.

Rgds

Any progress with this MB please ?.

 

[moonbase]

Any progress with this MB please ?.

Martin,

Not this past week, I was busy with the day job and sorting out some electrics in the loft. I hope to get back to this in the next week.

 

[Archived-1]

Martin,

Not this past week, I was busy with the day job and sorting out some electrics in the loft. I hope to get back to this in the next week.

Ok MB thanks please keep us informed, I was in the shed yesterday and noticed the nut is a fair bit bigger than 13mm looks more 17mm, obviously you will measure it.