Date: Fri, 15 Jul 1994 13:24:17 -0700 From: Mark Parshall Organization: Pyramid Technology Subject: Re: How to Align dish Greetings, I checked out a book from the library that seems to have just about everything you would need to completely install and align a system. The name of the book is "The Home Satellite TV Installation and Troubleshooting Manual" by Frank Baylin and Brent Gale; 310 pages. The edition that I got from the library is 1986 so some of the info is outdated but I called the authors and a newer version exists. This is a SAM's book. The book is really good IMHO, and it has a very in depth chapter on TI and suppression techniques. It also has a complete chapter on multi-receiver systems which covers all kinds of available components on the market and has complete block diagrams of several different arrangements. Note that this book is targeted towards educating someone in the business of TVRO service and installation, but yet it is easily understood by most people with an aptitude for this kinda stuff (like dishheads). The book is co-authored by Brent Gale who, at least at the time of this printing, was president of GeoTrac Corporation. The biography on the back of the book states that he has installed TVRO systems all over the world including one at Arthur C. Clarke's residence in Sri Lanka (I thought that was rather interesting). There is an order form in the back of the book which has the following information: NOTE I called the authors at the number indicated on the order form and they are still in business and they have a much newer addition available (which I ordered). I am not sure about the other titles and prices although the price of HSTVITM is current. My book should arrive in about 5 days, and will be accompanied by a new order catalog. I will forward the orderingcatalog information to the net or anyone else who would like to see it. Since I probably just gave the authors the best advertising they have gotten to date, I decided that it (hopefully) wouldn't heart to include a table from the book called ANTENNA TWEAKING PROCEDURE. Note that the book has a much more detailed procedure for installing and aligning the antenna. This is just a step-by-step procedure that was included at the end of the chapter along with some alignment diagrams which I (foolishly - what a pain) attempted to recreate using ASCII-DRAW (TM) -- they didn't come out too bad, I guess. Regards, Mark-- __________________________________________________________________________ REFERENCE MATERIAL ORDER FORM BOOK UNIT COST The Home Satellite TV Installation $30.95 and Troubleshooting Manual Satellites Today - The Complete Guide 9.95 to Satellite Television ASTI Manual 59.95 The Hidden Signals on Satellite TV 14.95 The World Satellite Almanac 29.95 The Satellite Television Handbook 19.95 The World of Satellite Television 9.95 Please send money order or check to: Baylin/Gale Productions Suite D 1905 Mariposa Street Boulder, Colorado 80302 303/449-4551 _________________________________________________________________________ ANTENNA TWEAKING PROCEDURE 1. Carefully check that the feed system is centered and located at the correct focal distance. Remember that it is important that the feed be peaked before tracking is started. 2. Set the two necessary angles, polar axis angle and declination offset, and align the dish polar axis in a north/south direction as accurately as possible. Remember that it is easiest to adjust the polar axis and declination offset angles on a satellite high in the arc, i.e. near due south [don't forget to account for magnetic variation at your site location when finding true north], and to adjust the north/south orientation during the following step on a satellite lowest or at either end of the arc. Remember, elevation on a high satellite; north/south on a low satellite. 3. Check all connections and turn the power on. 4. Aim the dish at a preset position or slowly track across the arc to find even the faintest picture. 5. Once a picture has been detected, move the dish slightly east and west and adjust the polarity and video fine tune on the receiver to get the best possible reception. Then make any adjustments necessary in the polar axis angle to further improve reception. 6. Move to another satellite, preferably at the far end of the arc, and attempt to tune in a second channel. During this and procedure, having a receiver with a scan setting is very useful. If not, set the receiver channel selector on a channel known to be active on the satellite being targeted. If a channel cannot be located on this satellite, move to another one closer to the first successful target. If three or four satellites in a cluster, but none others can be found, the north/south alignment is probably substantially off and needs correction. 7. Tune in the second satellite as well as possible with the video and skew fine controls and east/west scanning. 8. Next, determine if the dish has to be pushed up or down to improve reception. If neither, move to another satellite at the other end of the arc and try again. In those rare cases when all satellite are targeted accurately, jump to step #10. If adjustment is necessary, consult the tracking figures below to determine which direction to rotate the north/south axis. 9. Make a small movement of this axis in the correct direction. 10. Return to the original satellite and repeat this procedure to further zero in on the arc. It makes sense to do this for one satellite at the far eastern and far western end as well as one in the center of the arc for best results. 11. Next, choose three satellites at the middle and both ends of the arc which have the same polarity format and a common active transponder. Adjust the skew and video fine tune controls one last time to maximize the signal strength meter reading on one satellite. Do not touch these controls until this procedure is completed. Repeat steps 4 through 9 again to get maximum readings on all three satellites. At this point, some adjustment to the declination offset angle could possibly be necessary. 12. As a final test, tune to the weakest transponders in the arc ([outdated Sat info on this]). If excellent pictures can be obtained on these as well as on satellites all across the arc, all adjustments are correct and the arc is well targeted. 13. Tighten all bolts carefully watching to be sure that the signal strength meter maintains its maximum readings. Some small readjustments to elevation may be necessary if the mount pulls up or down on the pole when being tightened. Common Antenna Tracking Problems ARC OF SATELLITES [] [] [] [] [] . . . [] [] . . [] [] . . [] [] . . [] []. .[] []. .[] ELEVATION TOO LOW . . . . . . [] [] . . [] [] . . [] [] . . [] [] . . [] [] . . [] [] . . [] [] . .[] []. ELEVATION TOO HIGH . . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] NORTH/SOUTH AXIS TOO FAR EAST [] . [] . . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . NORTH/SOUTH AXIS TOO FAR WEST . . . . . [] [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] . [] ELEVATION TOO HIGH AND N/S TOO FAR EAST . . . . [] [] . . [] [] . . [] [] . . [] [] . . [] [] . . [] [] . . [] [] . . [] [] . TOO LITTLE DECLINATION -- -m------- Mark Parshall ---mmm----- Pyramid Technology Corporation -----mmmmm--- markus@pyramid.com or {decwrl,hplabs,sun,uunet}!pyramid!markus -------mmmmmmm- VOICE: 408/428-8462 FAX: 408/428-8210