New house, new dish project

[Captain Jack]

Welp, I think I am done for now. At least with this dish until the spring. Getting colder now and feeling more like just sitting down and watching TV as opposed to making it work!

Last bits done are the T-plate for the C-band LNB - don't think it's better or worse than a simple plate I had in there or pride21's one. Stuck a tupperware lid on it and wrapped in self-amalgamating tape. Also, made up a new, more supportive bracket for the same LNB - no more wobbling in the wind.

Kept the 36" jack on there, despite me managing to free up the pivot ball on the 24" heavy duty one. The 36" one is accurate and quiet enough, so going to the use the HD one for some other project.

The two VBoxes are working in harmony and the switch between Ku and C band is 100% automatic.

Final pics attached...

View attachment 57560 View attachment 57561

 

[hexah]

Looking good.

I used a normal jack with my 2m and it was exposed from most directions and I had no problems with it over the years. You don't get the type of wind storms we have here. So I'd say your extra strong jack should keep its position even if a random hurricane strikes.

 

[Huevos]

The two VBoxes are working in harmony and the switch between Ku and C band is 100% automatic.

So you've stored the position or each and every satellite on both V-boxes?

 

[Captain Jack]

On the VBoxes yes. In reality, the declination control arm only has two positions - one for C and one for Ku. I just programmed every C satellite for C position and the same for Ku - just to ensure that no matter what satellite I pick, the declination arm is in the right place.

 

[Huevos]

In reality, the declination control arm only has two positions - one for C and one for Ku.

So those V-boxes allow multiple positions at the same count number? If you move the dish manually with the remote which position number does it display. For example if you have got two positions saved at the same counter number which does the V-box display if you move it manually?

Have you got any plan how you are going to deal with the remote clash? Also, in this config you can't step east/west using the receiver controls because it steps the other V-box north/south at the same time, right?

Have you tried following any inclined satellites yet?

 

[Captain Jack]

So those V-boxes allow multiple positions at the same count number? If you move the dish manually with the remote which position number does it display. For example if you have got two positions saved at the same counter number which does the V-box display if you move it manually?

If you mean that if I have my dish parked on 5W for Ku on the east-west actuator and then select the C LNB position on the north-south one, then yes, I don't need to change the east-west position. Likewise, to go from 5W C to 11W C, I only need to move the east-west actuator to 11W with the C position already in place. As it happens, when I select 11W, it corresponds to stored position 11 on both Vboxes - again, if I was already on C position previously, only east-west actuator moves.

Have you got any plan how you are going to deal with the remote clash? Also, in this config you can't step east/west using the receiver controls because it steps the other V-box north/south at the same time, right?

Er... yes, I haven't quite figured out how to do that. At the moment, if I need to do any adjustments, I switch off one of the Vboxes on the front (I sit about 1.5m away from my TV) and use the remote control after that. If I want to adjust the other one, I push the power button on the remote, which switches one Vbox off and the other one on, allowing me to control the other one. I never used my receiver to send adjustment commands to VBox, so I am avoiding the problem that way.

Have you tried following any inclined satellites yet?

No... Partially because there aren't many in the sky that I know of. There was one at 50E but the dish starts to get shadowed by the house from around 10E onwards, completely losing signal by 45E (can just about see 42E). Clear view to 50W on the other end though.

 

[Huevos]

Here's what I mean. If the dish is on 5W C-band and you move to 11W C-band the north/south actuator doesn't move, right? If it doesn't move the count number is also the same. That means 2 position numbers are allocated to 1 count number. Let's say that count number is 0035. If you move the dish manually with the remote to 0035 what position number does the V-box display.

Also if you are on 5W C-band and you go to 5W Ku-band the east/west actuator doesn't move, right? Does that mean you have 2 positions allocated to 1 count number on that actuator too?

I'd need to look at the manual but there maybe another way to do this. V-boxes also take 1.0 commands. So your north/south V-box could be set up to respond to the commands being sent to the DiSEqC switch. If you could do that it would do away with a lot of setting up and multiple position numbers.

 

[Captain Jack]

Here's what I mean. If the dish is on 5W C-band and you move to 11W C-band the north/south actuator doesn't move, right?

Correct.

If it doesn't move the count number is also the same. That means 2 position numbers are allocated to 1 count number.

Correct.

Let's say that count number is 0035. If you move the dish manually with the remote to 0035 what position number does the V-box display.

Well, this is interesting, because I originally stored Ku in position 1 and C in position 2 and then copied the respective counts to other positions. If I manually move it to 0035 and it happens to be a C position, it will display P02 - the first stored position with this count.

Also if you are on 5W C-band and you go to 5W Ku-band the east/west actuator doesn't move, right?

Yep, it stays put.

Does that mean you have 2 positions allocated to 1 count number on that actuator too?

For the satellites that have both Ku and C channels on there, yes. In this case, I have 5W Ku in position 5 and 5W C in position 6. On the east-west actuator, they have the same pulse count but obviously different on the north-south one.

I'd need to look at the manual but there maybe another way to do this. V-boxes also take 1.0 commands. So your north/south V-box could be set up to respond to the commands being sent to the DiSEqC switch. If you could do that it would do away with a lot of setting up and multiple position numbers.

That's true and would make things easier. I had a flick through the manual and couldn't see anything relating to 1.0 commands. I already send DiSEqC commands to switch between LNBs and the Vbox seems to ignore them. Mind you, my Vbox is actually a Gbox, so maybe only the original Vbox or Vbox II had these?

 

[Huevos]

I had a flick through the manual and couldn't see anything relating to 1.0 commands.

Got a manual here for a V-box III. Anyway not as easy as I first thought. What happens is you can store positions 1-4 and access them via DiSEqC 1.0... but once a DiSEqC 1.2 command is initiated the V-box will no longer respond to DiSEqC 1.0 commands. To reset so it starts responding again requires a power down. Anyway not practical for you after all.

 

[Captain Jack]

Picked up a Jaeger 1224 motor this morning, along with a Precision 90cm dish. My garage is looking like RimaNTSS's! The motor is a bit tatty looking with a ton of deadly spiders inside but mechanically it's pretty solid. It's a hell of a motor. Don't have a Channel Master adapter for it so drilled some holes in angle iron that was already attached to the motor, so it's ready to be bolted to the dish. Won't have time this weekend to play with it but maybe next Weds/Thurs.

 

[Captain Jack]

Spent the morning cleaning the cobwebs and gunk off the bolts - some were seized solid but the gunk/grease kept most of the rust away. No pics yet, but once it's on, I'll post some.

 

[Captain Jack]

It's done! Very happy with the motor - more precise than a jack and, of course, linear count. It's also very sturdy - surprisingly sturdy. More sturdy than my jack, especially with the arm extended at the extreme west. Still need to clean up the rust but other than that, it's all good.

Moved the dish even further up, so now I can get 23E and a weak signal from 26E. I think if I trim the bushy tree to the east, I *might* even be able to see 45E/46E. 42E is the current limit at one end and 50W (C band) at the other.

View attachment 58132

 

[Huevos]

It's done!

Cool!

BTW, what are you going to use for your packed lunch now?

 

[Captain Jack]

BTW, what are you going to use for your packed lunch now?

Yeah, the wife wasn't laughing when she saw her tupper ware being reused in such a fashion.

Managed to get 6.4dB SNR on Prima TV on 45E! And that's with the dish in the tree! Time for a trim I think.

 

[Huevos]

Managed to get 6.4dB SNR on Prima TV on 45E! And that's with the dish in the tree! Time for a trim I think.

I would have thought you could get that on a minidish from there.

 

[Captain Jack]

Err....yes, but if you read from beginning of the thread, you'll see that my eastern view is very limited due to the house in the way...

 

[Huevos]

Err....yes, but if you read from beginning of the thread, you'll see that my eastern view is very limited due to the house in the way...

If the dish is partially obscured by a building, but receiving some signal, moving it or lifting it by a metre or less would get it completely out in the open.

 

[Captain Jack]

I've lifted it high enough - already concious of it being overseen by the neighbours behind the fence. I am waiting for the sun to get behind the Clarke Belt in October, so I can see exactly what can be moved and where. Though at this point, I think trimming the tree will be enough.

 

[Mickha]

Hi Captain Jack,
nice set up, looks very hidden.
I used to use a Jaeger 1224 SMR, before it broke, and if I remember correctly the bottom bracket was loose, didn't move with the motor, seemed more for support.
I am currently using a Moteck H 180, which isn't as good but suits my need, for now, until I finish the landscape gardening, I need to do.

Yeah, the wife wasn't laughing when she saw her tupper ware being reused in such a fashion.

Managed to get 6.4dB SNR on Prima TV on 45E! And that's with the dish in the tree! Time for a trim I think.

View attachment 58266

Nice set up, Captain Jack, very discrete. Doubt anyone will complain about your dish, as it's so well hidden.
Noticed the Jaeger SMR 1224, can I ask how tight you fastened the bottom bracket, if I remember correctly this isn't attached, to the motor, that only moves the top bracket. I was never sure how loose, or tight, it should be, whenI had my Jaeger SMR 1224.

 

[Huevos]

can I ask how tight you fastened the bottom bracket, if I remember correctly this isn't attached, to the motor, that only moves the top bracket.

The bottom bracket is bolted directly to the motor spindle... but it is not splined or crossbolted so all the driving force is taken by the top joint. The top joint is like some sort of cotter pin, and as I see it is a weak link in the design.