9000HD fine-tuning dish position problem

barrykap

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Hi

I have a Spiderbox 9000HD and a Jaeger H-H mount using a V box to position my 1.2M dish.

I have been trying without success to tune the dish to 26E BADR which is a low signal here, but have received it OK before on my other satboxes. The problem arises now because the Spiderbox moves the dish too far each time you press the 'step' button. It seems to shift it a massive 1-2 degrees with each momentary press. Is there any way the pulses sent by the Spiderbox can be shortened so than I can fine tune it better?

And I don't like/use USALS. :)

Thanks.

Barry.
 
if using the controls on the v box directly is still causing the dish to jump 1 or 2 degrees then it looks like you need a longer jack arm. the longer the arm the more sensitive the adjustment, generally speaking although i have used some chinese jacks that won't adjust the dish at anything less than 3 degrees at 24 inch bad design/gears....also check the bolts on the jack & mount are secure & the 2 pivot points are not siezed,,
 
as manic says you can use usals to fine tune the sat by altering "my position"0.2 or even 0.1 degrees of longitude at a time the save position then change back to diseqc 1.2 and save position again.
 
Thanks.

It is not an actuator-type motor, but a polar mount H-H type.

In all the other satboxes I have used on it I am able to get the dish to nudge in very fine steps, but not with the Spiderbox. It really jumps. Even if very quickly tapping the keys. I am not sure if moving the dish 'manually' with the V box positioner buttons will do the job but the trouble here is the V box is many rooms away from the receiver and TV so I can't see the signal quality levels etc.

No, I will NOT use USALS sorry. Hate it. No fun in that method. :)

Barry
 
Just as a bit of information, I just tried USALs, with the intention to just get this one satellite in and proved, but apparantly the V box does not accommodate USALS, just Diseq 1.2. It will not move the dish at all when I set the Spiderbox settings to USALs. So back to the original question.... How to reduce the nudging steps.

Barry
 
you could always switch to std diseqc motor and do away with the V box most will drive 1.2 mt dishes now and will accept usal commands ok.
 
Me again.

I've managed to tune in 26E by constantly pulsing it to-and-fro from East and West sides of the satellite. Eventually one of the large nudging steps happened to drop onto the satellite.

Be nice to have it right for the future though.

Cheers.

Barry.
 
Hi Dick B.

Not after spending about £500 on the Jeager motor, massve stand and V box etc. I prefer to be safe regarding dish mounts. It is extreme windy where I am, being exposed. And certainly would not abandon this just for the sake of one sat. :)

I'm OK now though. Just like to have things exactly right all the time. :)

Cheers.

Barry.
 
@barrykap, your statement "I don't like USALS" worries me as USALS when a dish/motor has been correctly installed works 100%. I have many receivers including a Spiderbox 5000SD and a 9000HD Combo and ALL work with USALS.
Please take a look at the STAB site (they wrote the USALS software) I think what you read there may well put your mind a rest.
I can receive from 45e to 30w without any problems (excepting Nilesat which in my location would need a 2mtr dish).
Please think about USALS as it really does make life a lot easier.
 
hi jimmi, his ref to not likein usals is due to the fact he uses a jack arm & vbox so making usals usless to him he must use disc 1.2.... usals is def the way for any disc motor & for the life of me i cannot understant why any one would choose given the choice anything other than usals disec 1.3. ...problem comes when you need to use a dish over 1.1 meter no quality dish of this size1.2m and over can be fitted to a disc motor so must use jack arm & 36volt positioner. have seen some real bodge jobs to make hh mounted dishes fit usals motors never ever good results, they require hh mounts for very good reasons :)
 
@da ren, yes I totally agree with you. The problem is when a member posts "I don't like USALS" it can influence members new to the satellite game into thinking that USALS has problems when in fact as you know it's a piece of cake when the motor has been correctly installed.
If the initial motor/dish alignment is correct then it makes installing a receiver using USALS simple "plug and play".
 
indeed jimi usals is great remember installing when only 1.2 was available what a pain.... with usals set up pole plum & square set up latitude on motor set up long & lat on stb send dish to thor , fine tune dish/motor lock off job done excellent nothing easier. just like fitting a fixed dish really :) :)
but this thread was about a hh mount when used with spider problem lol
 
Hi all.

Yes, just to clarify I really meant that I prefer to 'hand-point' my dish, rather than do it the lazy way with USALs as it's more fun. But also, in this specific case, I could not use USALs anyway because of the Diseq 1.2 limit problem with a V box. I use the V box to power a heavy duty motor mount (not an actuator), The Jeager 1224 mount, which is a monster and very strong to take up to a 2 metre dish with ease.

My dish is also a solid one so is quite heavy.

Anyway thought I would clarify.

I think if I had a simple Diseq motor with a smaller dish on the Spiderbox then I would almost certainly use USALs given the alignment problems in nudging with the Spiderbox.

Cheers.

Barry.

ps. Dick, the total cost included the dish, motor, stand and LNB/feedhorn too :)
 
barry,
phew thats a bit better,recovered from that price now by the way a lot of spiderboxes (mine included) have known problems with stutter on usals so most just use it to locate the sat then switch to diseqc 1.2 and its then ok.
 
BarryKap, what 1.2m dish are you using, and may I ask did you get the 1224 motor new or s/h?
 
Been thinking a little about 26E problem, and if memory serves, the v box stores the position as a number ie. 18 or whatever, so if you drive the dish to 26E with the spiderbox then go and fine tune it with the v box remote or manual buttons one or two pulses at a time, then restore the position on the v box as the same number that the spiderbox stored it as you should be sorted, providing it is not missing any pulses.
 
Hi Popcorn.

It's a Channelmaster dish. and good idea about mixing V box and spiderbox nudging. As it happens right now it seems to be spot on 26E so I'll leave it as it is for now, but will try that idae if it 'drifts' later on.

Cheers.

Barry.

Ps. Bought the 1224 new about three years ago
 
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