Advice Needed Received a Channel Master 1.2m - slight damage to face & what are my motor options

[Manikm909]

Just got a CM 1.2 for 30 quid - bargain - couldnt resist, even though i don't really need it.
Came with polar mount \ pole and brackets.

However, and sadly - there is a tiny bit of damage to dish face (see pics) - looks like its been pranged from the rear...

See pics

If you guys dont think it would matter too much to signal, - what are my options for motorised, i see there is a Moteck H180 option, where i though i'd need an Actuator Jack...forgive the ignorance, have only been used to DISECQ motors until now.

Presume i'd need a VBOX of sorts also.

They're NOT as heavy as everyone makes out and thats with the polar mount installed.

Gibertini 1.25 is much heavier from memory, when i NEARLY bought one, but wouldnt fit in car - DOH

 

[ozumo]

Get the back of the dish cleaned up and painted, the paint tends to wear off over the years and the exposed fibreglass absorbs water. I wouldn't worry about the damage, perhaps fill the cracks with PVA to try to prevent flaking - as you can see the fibreglass on the face is very thin.

Don't buy an old Echostar receiver with integrated positioner - I've had two that have only lasted a few hours after not being used for a few years.

 

[Manikm909]

Thanks mate - did you mean paint the BACK of the dish or the front or both?

 

[ozumo]

The back, no harm painting the face but you can see the difference on the rear where the dirt gets engrained and the fibres become exposed.

 

[moonbase]

Personally, I dont think that small prang to the dish will have much impact on signal level. It is a very small area with respect to the surface area of the dish.

If you got the polar mount with the CM 1.2m dish all you need is an actuator and a v-box.

The moteck H180 is an H-H motor that replaces your polar mount and actuator so all you would need with a moteck H180 is a v-box.
Normally, the moteck H180 ships with the Channel Master adapter plate that allows you to bolt the CM onto the moteck.

If you could locate a second hand Jaeger 1224 H-H motor in good condition it would be your best option but they are not so common nowadays and tend to go for decent money.

 

[Channel Hopper]

It looks like somebody transported it on top of some other bits (like the backplate).

Tap the damage back down with a mallet (over something like the side of an ice cream carton) until it looks flat, then fill the damage on the rear with Isopon P40, to a distance of about 50mm all round.

 

[Manikm909]

ok, some questions...

first what paint to use at the back, and front (dont want to degrade signal)

second, what PVA should i use for repair? can you link something.

third - is an 18" actuator capable of whole arc - 53e to 53w ? or would i need a 24...is this preferable to the moteck H180 motor
does the actuator go left to right, or up to down when fitting (a new world to me)? thinking about location and roof etc.

i might need a longer 3inch pole.

thanks all!!!

 

[Channel Hopper]

With the standard polar mount setup of the 1.2 it is going to be difficult to get much beyond 45 degrees either side of true south with any motor.

Like precision of the same size the standard offset at the rear of the mount coupled with the plain bearings will force the motor shaft too close to the top earring on the extended side.

Have a look at the distances and angles involved on paper, and choose some angle iron to move the motor away from the polar mount, then determine the maximum length of travel to the end limits .

 

[ozumo]

I use Wilko general purpose garden/exterior spray paint, nothing gloss or metallic, probably need two cans per side. General purpose PVA like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/501-Universal-PVA-Bond-admixture/dp/B0013B11AI/

Arc depends on which hole you use on the bar. The hole closer to the mount gives more arc per inch of movement but less clicks per degree. With the motor on the east side & outer hole I'm currently getting 46E to 30W with an 18" actuator without reaching the limits, I haven't tried further as line of sight is limited.

 

[Manikm909]

thanks very much

 

[Satfaca]

I was reaching 108 degrees (63E-45W) with my first 120 cm polarmount and an 18" actuator. This was in early 1990.
24" heavy-duty arm extended reach to 141 desgrees (83E-58W), I later upgraded to 180 cm. This was in 1995.
I've been operating H2H motors only ever since 2000.

 

[moonbase]

ok, some questions...

first what paint to use at the back, and front (dont want to degrade signal)

second, what PVA should i use for repair? can you link something.

third - is an 18" actuator capable of whole arc - 53e to 53w ? or would i need a 24...is this preferable to the moteck H180 motor
does the actuator go left to right, or up to down when fitting (a new world to me)? thinking about location and roof etc.

i might need a longer 3inch pole.

thanks all!!!

With the moteck H180 motor the clue is in the name.
In theory it should provide a 180 degree arc or somewhere close to that. It will cover more arc than a general polar mount with actuator.

Any outdoor paint will be OK as long as it is not the metallic type.
I seem to remember spray cans of non metallic car paint being used by forum members in the past?

With the polar mounts I have used the actuator has been fitted on the left side of the assembly if standing at the rear of the dish, ie, the East side if in the northern hemisphere.
The actuator extends to push the dish westward and retracts to pull the dish eastward.
An actuator fitted for up/down movement is generally referred to an an inclined orbit actuator.

With the moteck H180 setup, although it does not use an actuator for East/West movement there is an easy modification to fit an inclined orbit actuator.
Removal of the elevation bolt and replacement with a small actuator adds inclined orbit tracking to the E/W motorisation.

I have attached below a picture of a moteck H180 motor fitted with an inclined orbit actuator that I setup for a client.
The moteck H180 in the atached picture is fitted with the Channel Master plate that is usually shipped with it, the CM 1.2m dish bolts directly onto this plate.

.

 

[Manikm909]

thanks - that H180 looks to be on a 2inch pole, not 3 - i currently have 2 inc pole for current USALS setup...was going to put up a 3inch setup to accomdodate polar mount.

thanks - decisions decisions

 

[moonbase]

thanks - that H180 looks to be on a 2inch pole, not 3 - i currently have 2 inc pole for current USALS setup...was going to put up a 3inch setup to accomdodate polar mount.

thanks - decisions decisions

Yes, I used a 2" pole when testing the setup for the moteck H180.
However, I think it also fits a 3" pole, it should not be difficult to get confirmation.

 

[Captain Jack]

Be aware that H180 motor is woefully substandard compared to Jaegar 1224. It feels flimsy, the construction is questionable, there are no limit switches and there are certainly reliability issues.

Have a read through this:

Setting up a Moteck H180 GTP-1800AM 36V HH motor.

I've finally had time between work, weather and other hobby things to set up this Moteck motor so here's a review on it so far along with some photos and an opinion or two. I bought it from one of the board sponsors RAD for £160 which isn't cheap but probably less than the Gibertini polar mount...

satellites.co.uk

 

[ozumo]

H180 takes 50mm-90mm pole. I'd be inclined get an actuator and wait for an 1224 to turn up if you need more arc.

 

[cokeaddict]

With the standard polar mount setup of the 1.2 it is going to be difficult to get much beyond 45 degrees either side of true south with any motor.

I can get 53°E (dish hits the pole it's mounted on if I try to go further), to way past 45°W with my CM 1.2m and polar mount with 18" actuator.

Never actually picked anything up past 45°W (don't know if the roof it blocking it, or just that there is nothing strong enough for me to pick up).

 

[moonbase]

H180 takes 50mm-90mm pole. I'd be inclined get an actuator and wait for an 1224 to turn up if you need more arc.

If he dont want to wait for a Jaeger 1224 to turn up, I got one 'ere.
All he needs is a wad roll fat enough to choke a donkey.

 

[Manikm909]

haha i want to do this on the cheap! hence only paying 30 quid for dish etc.
actuator seems cheapest - plus my diseq and laminas is working ok currently...its just nice to have the CM as an option down the line.
could sell laminas, but would want a nice price for it on the basis i paid about £250 last autumn
also - assuming the attached pics are the original CM polar mount???
(digger not to scale)

 

[ozumo]

Yes that's a CM polar mount.