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Satellite >> Digital Bits..... >> Bit of help reqd to remotely peak dish signal
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Message started by filmfan on Mar 12^th, 2007, 6:00pm

Title: Bit of help reqd to remotely peak dish signal
Post by filmfan on Mar 12^th, 2007, 6:00pm

What I would like to do is replace the declination rod on my polar mounted dish with an actuator of some sort with perhaps 3mm movement at the max so I can set the position and then remotely peak the dish for max signal strength.Some sort of feedback will be reqd that is more sensitive than a reed switch.
Does anybody have any ideas?

Title: Re: Bit of help reqd to remotely peak dish signal
Post by Steve on Mar 12^th, 2007, 9:13pm

I've seen one or two homemade jobs with stab motors and two boxes to control east<>west and elevation, would be great to catch 20w with but I wouldnt know where to start!

Title: Re: Bit of help reqd to remotely peak dish signal
Post by invalid on Mar 12^th, 2007, 10:47pm

only thing i`ve seen is a 1224EL Supermount with inclined orbit jack,so unless you can find some sort of motor with arm & bodge it yourself you will have 2 go with a ready made job.
Will let you know if i find owt else out as i`m thinking of having a go @ my dish & don`t fancy paying 4 a proper job (tight git)

H.

Title: Re: Bit of help reqd to remotely peak dish signal
Post by filmfan on Mar 13^th, 2007, 5:22pm

I am a tight git as well Invalid but you get more sense of satisfaction when your designed bodge works.Hopefully.

Title: Re: Bit of help reqd to remotely peak dish signal
Post by filmfan on Mar 16^th, 2007, 10:57am

A bit more info.The idea is now ok.Talked it over with m8 in pub last night and he straight away gave me an idea.Tell on here in case somebody else wants to try.As I only need a few mm adj at the most to take into account inaccuracies in my polar mount design and construction and my shoddy installation which is always a bit of a compromise in that you try to peak signal on the popular sats and may miss signal efficiencies on others.

As I need fine control as an 1/8 of a turn on the declination rod thread made a hell of a difference on Nilesat well 3% signal and that change hammered the signal on other sats pulling the tracking out more.
As you havn`t got fine control over a screw jack actuator he suggested using a actuator to push a very slow taper through a gap in a cut declination rod held together with a couple of springs.Hence if the taper is fine a few turns on the jack could equate to a few thou of movement.
This is obviously encased.Working on the design at the moment.
May take awhile to do but if interested when its done I could take some photo`s(if it works ::) )