Advice Needed Motorising a Zone 2

ozumo

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I was thinking that. It doesn’t look wide enough. Wonder how they have adapted it to fit.
Some DiSEqC motors appear to have a narrower diameter tube. No idea if they are still available anywhere, would quite like one myself.
 

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I’ve worked out what I need to regarding the brackets etc.

Do I stay with the Sky LNB?

I have seen mentioned you are better off sticking with the one Sky provide as it’s matched to the shape of the dish. I did see Purplesat using a black ultra though.
 
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ozumo

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Raven mk2 zone 2 x4, Channel Master: 90cm x3, 1.2m x2, 1.8m PF. CM polar mount x2, Az/El x3.
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Do I stay with the Sky LNB?

I have seen mentioned you are better off sticking with the one Sky provide as it’s matched to the shape of the dish.
If the feed isn't matched (i.e. circle shape) and the Sky LNB can be skewed in the holder it can be used. Due to the motor skewing the dish, the Sky LNB will need to be rotated to compensate, therefore if the feed is matched it will then be in a suboptimal position and in effect no longer matched. Unless you're going to chop off the matched feed and reposition it a universal LNB will probably be better, no harm trying the Sky LNB though - it may perform well enough anyway.
 

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Some DiSEqC motors appear to have a narrower diameter tube. No idea if they are still available anywhere, would quite like one myself.
How narrow do they go? I have a 90cm stab that I bought as a backup for my technomate which I think is about 40mm.
 

ozumo

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How narrow do they go? I have a 90cm stab that I bought as a backup for my technomate which I think is about 40mm.
I don't know but a 40mm one could work if there's still space to fit a U-bolt in. I seem to remember thinking a 1.5" pole would fit which is around 38mm.
 

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I don't know but a 40mm one could work if there's still space to fit a U-bolt in. I seem to remember thinking a 1.5" pole would fit which is around 38mm.
I might try motorising a spare zone 2 I have one day on that motor. But having said that, I still need to do finish my bisat. :-rofl2
 

cwsat

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If the feed isn't matched (i.e. circle shape) and the Sky LNB can be skewed in the holder it can be used. Due to the motor skewing the dish, the Sky LNB will need to be rotated to compensate, therefore if the feed is matched it will then be in a suboptimal position and in effect no longer matched. Unless you're going to chop off the matched feed and reposition it a universal LNB will probably be better, no harm trying the Sky LNB though - it may perform well enough anyway.
I think it will be a MK4 I go for so they have an adjustable skew. They don’t have a matched feed horn too as far as I am aware.

I will give the standard Sky quad a go and see how it performs. I have a spare IBU so I can hold that towards the dish and see how it performs before ordering a 40mm adapter.

The good news is the rear of his house is due South and he has absolutely no obstructions.

I’ll start the hunt for a Zone 2 for him and put some photos up when I have ‘created’ a way of mounting it to the diseqc motor.
 

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How narrow do they go? I have a 90cm stab that I bought as a backup for my technomate which I think is about 40mm.
 

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I might try motorising a spare zone 2 I have one day on that motor. But having said that, I still need to do finish my bisat. :-rofl2
The easiest way is to retain the existing standoff bracket, though the dish will sit some 200mm to one side of the motor.
For the Triax pole mount Zone 2 the rear of the dish mount does need to be widened slightly.
 

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cwsat

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Is Sky News International (12418v) a good TP to use when on Thor setting up and tweaking the Zone 2 on the motor?

Or is there something stronger?
 

Lazarus

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Is Sky News International (12418v) a good TP to use when on Thor setting up and tweaking the Zone 2 on the motor?

Or is there something stronger?


That's fine. The usual choice.

Of course, the last bit of tweaking should really be done with a weak signal but I bet few of us bother!
 

cwsat

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That's fine. The usual choice.

Of course, the last bit of tweaking should really be done with a weak signal but I bet few of us bother!
It wouldn’t shock me if most of the TP’s on 0.8W are weak on a Zone 2:eek:
 

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The easiest way is to retain the existing standoff bracket, though the dish will sit some 200mm to one side of the motor.
Is that for the zone 1 or 2?

I did motorise a zone 1 before by following @ozumo's diagram.

 

cwsat

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Is that for the zone 1 or 2?

I did motorise a zone 1 before by following @ozumo's diagram.

Interesting.

That looks easier than the current plan I have.

Basically my plan is to fasten 2x 50mm clamps to the back of the existing minidish mount by removing the 4 nuts. Then use 2x more 50mm clamps for the motor.
 

cwsat

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Is that for the zone 1 or 2?

I did motorise a zone 1 before by following @ozumo's diagram.

The TM2300 looks wider to me. Hmmm
 

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Interesting.

That looks easier than the current plan I have.

Basically my plan is to fasten 2x 50mm clamps to the back of the existing minidish mount by removing the 4 nuts. Then use 2x more 50mm clamps for the motor.

How ferret did it? I used a pole-to-pole clamp before to attach a zone 2 to a scaffold pole. But ferret's method seems simpler and more discrete.
 

cwsat

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How ferret did it? I used a pole-to-pole clamp before to attach a zone 2 to a scaffold pole. But ferret's method seems simpler and more discrete.
Yeah pretty much.

My issue with the other method is widening the rear bracket so the diseqc motor will clamp correctly.
 

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Is Sky News International (12418v) a good TP to use when on Thor setting up and tweaking the Zone 2 on the motor?

Or is there something stronger?
From my own recent experience, the 12130 H transponder that broadcasts the Hungarian channel Galaxy 4 was the strongest transponder carrying FTA material, with 12418 V being a little weaker.

For tweaking with a weaker transponder (but still likely to get with a Zone 2 on a dry day at least), I'd then go for 11389 H which carries several Swedish & Norwegian Christian stations FTA.

YMMV.
 
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