| Author |
Message |
CoryDane RTSII (66.155.188.51)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 6:31 pm: | |
I carry a remote Satellite dish with its silly little tri-pod and a special meter that help to find a satilite for aiming. Usually takes 10 minutes, sometimes 45 minutes or more. Not a big deal and the Satellite programming is sure great away from home. I use Direct TV, I beleive a Huges product.
Well if you know me, and even if you don't, I like the toys and have looked for an easier way to aim the remote Satellite dish.
I found, by accident, a rotor, meant for a type of Satellite dish, that comes with the remote for manual scans and since it looks for Hughs as well as other satalite signals, will actually find the Satellite signal in scan. It is suppose to fine tune by itself but I always go to manual when the signal is found and fine tune my self.
This product is, in reality, a failed product that came out in 1998 called "THE FUTURETRAK SPACE SCANNER" and had the ability to follow the satellite signal while the van or rv was in motion. My best guess was this unit sold for around $1800 when introduced to the market.
I am mentioning this for those who carry a remote Sat Dish because you can get this rotor for about $90, no dish but mine came with a mount for the dish. I added an rv folding chair tripod base and so far it has made the job of finding the Sat signal much easier.
You can find it a WWW.SurplusCenter.com and in the box for "Search for" type in 5-1459 . hit "go" or enter and you will see the rotor (globe), control box and remote.
As this is not a new sale item, sold as is I did not feel this would go against Ians store products, correct me if I am wrong. I found this to be cool just for the tinkering and when I found it worked, I was just tickled.
Hope this can help anyone who carries the Satellite around for remote use.
"Imagine Your Dreams"
cdcd |
Michael J Ryan (Mjryan) (68.124.71.128)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 8:21 pm: | |
Wow, thanks CD for the information
Michael |
pete32174 (209.165.4.4)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 9:22 pm: | |
heads up guys --> you may want to read about the unit--> http://www.bootkeyharbor.com/good_&_bad_co's.htm
-hmm you may have to cut and paste addr because of the '
www . bootkeyharbor.com/good_&_bad_co's . htm |
Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (12.231.173.242)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 10:31 pm: | |
I'm not sure I'd consider this guy as the ultimate reference, He badmouths some fairly credible names, Including Raytheon, Hummingbird and Post Marine.
His review on the lewmar is credible, but on the other hand, I pay full-price, and smile, when It comes to anchors. I have a Bruce and a 65lb Danforth and a 100lb danforth (that's almost two grand). a buying a "copy" is...unadvisable.
Gary |
BrianMCI96A3 (65.40.247.135)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 - 1:05 am: | |
I figured out a simple easy and fairly painless way to aim a satelite dish and get a signal anywhere in the US... or Canada.
The DDS satelite is in the southern sky in geostationary orbit somewhere over the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Texas.
I took a map of the US, and at a point about a hundred miles off the tip of Texas, I made a mark for the satelite.
I then marked a point on the map for where I was in the US.
I took a pencil and made a faint line between the two points.
Using a compass with a flip up peep sight, with the needles facing north/south, the compass sitting on the map... map and compass agreeing at north, I turned the peep sight parallel to the line I'd made on the map.
Then I went outside with the compass making sure the peep sight didn't move.
Facing in a southerly direction with the dish in front of me and the needles of the compass facing north/south I looked throught the peep sight and picked out a landmark that lined up in the sight, one I could easily pick out by eye.
Then I lined the dish up with that landmark.
First time I tried it the signal on the receiver was @ 80%, 2nd time was 76%, and the third time I tried it, 90%.
At any of those readings you could easily fine tune the signal from there, but 90% is pretty optimal.
Of course you need to have the dish angle set and the dish level...
Brian |
jmaxwell (66.81.45.215)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 - 10:43 am: | |
Brian: You got extremely lucky, all 3 times! All the satellites, and I've lost count of exactly how many are up there, are located over the Equator, not the Gulf of Mexico. And they are strung around the earth in approx. 75mi. allocated spacing, which is a mere speck from this vantage point on earth, approx 323k mi. away. Complicating that is the fact that there relative position to any point on earth changes as you change the point on earth from which you are aiming. Looking SE on the West Coast means looking SW on the East, for the same satellite.
After that, throw in the change of angle of elevation for each minute of Latitude change. Then just to complicate matters a little more, subscribe to DISH 500, where u must aim at two satellites at the same time in order to receive the full spectrum of programming for which u may be paying. If that ain't enough, throw in an Internet Satellite link. After you've done that, get in the bus and move 275 miles the next morning! At $100, this device that Cory found in surplus could well be a goldmine and certainly worth it's price just to play with. |
Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy) (24.196.191.70)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 - 11:20 am: | |
I bought a little meter, from Radio Shack I believe, that hooks in line with the coax at the antenna. Although I only had to use it a couple of times, I found the signal with no problem. Think the cost was under $50.00.
Richard |
jmaxwell (66.81.45.215)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 - 12:32 pm: | |
Richard: Those signal level meters are an indispensable item for the travelling bus nut. I noticed a couple of weeks ago that the price of them has fallen to around $17-18 this year at the swap meets. Just another of one of those little goldmines that should be standard equipment in all buses. |
Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (12.231.173.242)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 - 12:42 pm: | |
I got you guys all beat.
I send my wife out to position the thing, takes her five minutes or less. No compass, no map no fancy signal doohicky.
I just say--"Ok Babe, south is like over there somewhere" and she's got it done in a matter of seconds.
Dammned if I know how she does it.
Gary |
BrianMCI96A3 (65.40.247.135)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 - 12:55 pm: | |
Jmax, well I think it is a testimony to the size of the DSS satellite footprint, rather than luck...
The DSS satellite is over the equator as you've mentioned at 101 degrees Longitude West (approximately the tip of Texas) although at a mere 22,300 miles it is not out beyond the moon as you suggest.
The method I described will work where ever you are in North America, you have to re-establish your location on the map each time.
This satellite finding method is a simple and easy way to find the satellite with no other tools available other than map and compass, using the receiver itself to fine tune.
It would even be more accurate if you drew a line north/south through the tip of texas to the equator and located the mark for the satellite there... But who has maps of the US that include the equator?
While the angle of the satellite overhead, or the declination will change with latitude, there are charts that can tell you the exact angle to set your dish wherever you are in the US.
However, you have to remember that even though the satellite is not out beyond the moon, 22,300 miles is still pretty high and the angle of the dish is not going to change all that much as you move north and south within North America sort of like the tilt of your head when viewing the top of the world's tallest building from three blocks away, or four blocks away.
It's going to be around 38 degrees in the north and somewhat higher in the south.
Brian |
BrianMCI96A3 (65.40.247.135)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 - 12:56 pm: | |
Better yet, borrow Gary's wife!
Brian |
Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (12.231.173.242)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 - 1:00 pm: | |
Uh--Your way is cheaper.
Gary |
madbrit (67.136.219.191)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 - 1:16 pm: | |
Ah, but does she do windows?
LOL.
Peter. |
CoryDane RTSII (66.155.188.94)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 - 1:51 pm: | |
Hey I like Garys' way to find the satellite. However does she do that??.
I have used the method that BriMCI has shown us. It is similar to the graph in the DSS manual and in the "Satellite Programming" in the control box.
All these methods work, and Yes I have the little meter for finding these elusive signals. Of course you have to add the confusion if there are any TREES in the area that can cause a problem too. LOL
My aggrivation is usually trying to move the dish side to side or up to down. My dish does not have the simple thumb nut adjusters so you have to mess with attachment bolts/nuts, get it just loose enough not to throw the whole thing off as you move it but not too lose that it moves by itself when you let go. Hmmm, I see, you've been there, done that! We ALL have been there, these are the JOYS of TRAVELING in an RV or Bus Conversion. Ain't This The Life?
The Space Scanner, after you set it up, takes all but storage concerns away.
I found that it will indeed look for the DirectTV signal, does a nice job. Note here that it has found two DIFFERENT Sat signals, not far apart from each other. One sets your receiver to Transponder 18, and you will note has somewhat "controlled" transmissions.
As I mentioned before, once the "SCAN" finds the signal, I put it on manual and fine tune myself with the remote "INSIDE THE RV". At first you may want to watch the Scanner to get bearings but setting up the Dish is now, more like fun than a chore.
I had searched this device out and the only thing I found was it had a history of stopping the Sat signal from passing to the receiver. They also mention a non-tested fix, I think it was a switchbox, let the Scanner find the signal, then switch off the power to the rotor and switch the signal to the receiver. Since we dont track the satellite as we travel(which is what this device was designed for), this would certainly be an easy answer.
The alternet fix would be to hook switches to the motors to allow manual up/down and left/right (this is more or less what was in mind when they device was sold since the original Manufacturers Dish is no longer available) and just hook the coax from the dish to the receiver, using the receivers signal meter.
The Scanner is being sold for "Hobbyists" and any additional function that we might find for it is a big plus. They do sell the Scanner, WITHOUT the control box or remote for about half price if you are interested in that route. Whatever the case, it has made setting up my dish very easy, well not as easy as Garys' WIFE, but easier than it was. If you like this kind of stuff, its cool and you can also mount a camera on the mast and pan your camping area....hmmm ideas flourish here. LOLOLOL
Well I hope I was helpful in some way
"Imagine Your Dreams"
cdcdcdcdcd |
Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (12.231.173.242)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 - 3:08 pm: | |
Peter: "Ah, but does she do windows?"
Yes, 2000 and XP.
Gary |
madbrit (67.136.219.191)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 - 3:24 pm: | |
Very good, 10 points for that answer.........
LOL.
Peter. |
jmaxwell (66.81.213.81)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 - 5:06 pm: | |
Brian: You are correct on the elevation; my mistake. I have been a hobbyist of satellites for nearly 30 yrs. now, since reading a how to build your own system article by Arthur Clarke in a PM issue. Usually, I can just walk out and point to the satellite I'm looking for, about 7 different DSS satellites and several c and ku bands that I occasionally check out, but every now and then I can't find the one I'm looking for if it were parked in a tree in front of me. That one time makes all the gadgets worth their weight in gold to me. I'm not blessed with Gary's good fortune, since my wife can't even seem to turn on the power to the receiver. I'm sometimes amazed that she even operates the remote without switching the source signal. |
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