Thread: Powertech DG-240S

Thanks beer4life

(1)On the Mast Bracket or the DG240 bracket both sides markings only have ELEVATION only. No marking for Latitude. Its already set at 38 degree.
(2) The model of my offset dish is AZ-85A1-3L, which is 85cm offset antenna with rolled lips edges with strong Az/E1 mount.

Is the declination angle (Dish Bracket) still confirm 35 degree less declination angle 6 degree, thereby 29 degree.

Let me check the cables, receiver to see if there is an issue with the cabling.

Thanks

OK I just called melbournesatellites.com.au where I bought 2 yrs ago the 85cm offset dish & the Powertech DG240. The technician told me they are compatible & that Mount Bracket should be btw 50-51 degree whilst the Dish bracket should be , if in Melb less 5 degree, hence Dish bracket 45-46 degree. I ask about True North, he mention is 11.5 from magnetic North . Does this mean anything? I will give this settings a try but True N you earlier mention 8 dgree from C1, is it now 11.5 from C1??

Thanks

Originally Posted by rmt6668

OK I just called melbournesatellites.com.au where I bought 2 yrs ago the 85cm offset dish & the Powertech DG240. The technician told me they are compatible & that Mount Bracket should be btw 50-51 degree whilst the Dish bracket should be , if in Melb less 5 degree, hence Dish bracket 45-46 degree. I ask about True North, he mention is 11.5 from magnetic North . Does this mean anything? I will give this settings a try but True N you earlier mention 8 dgree from C1, is it now 11.5 from C1??

Thanks

rmt6668,

Quoting your lat/lon coordinates pinpoints your exact address.. not sure if you intended to have that known, but it does allow me to give you more-accurate alignment figures. BTW, is that a C-band mesh dish in your back yard?

From your location, C1 elevation is 44.7 deg and azimuth is 17.5deg true north and 5.7 deg magnetic north.

Magnetic north is continually changing over time, and currently about 11.5 degrees east of true north. (that's why C1 is closer to magnetic north than it is to true north).

Bearings will differ depending on location, but the above are calculated for your address.

Remember, you may still need to make some fine adjustments to the dish azimuth and elevation.

The figures are a starting point, don't get bogged down with them, as you will need to sweep the dish around side to side/up-down to peak the signals.. your meter/decoder will show you when you have the best possible signals.
It literally only takes me seconds to find a satellite using that 'sweeping' method, rather than trying to align a dish by calculations, but they do help as a starting point for those who are not experienced with dish alignment.

With motorised dishes, it's always best to align everything in relation to true north, as that's the point your motor and dish MUST be aligned to, otherwise as the dish is turned by the motor, it will not track the Clarke Belt, which is the arc where all the geostationary satellites sit over the equator.

Or in simple terms, if you don't have the motor installed pointed to true north, you won't receive any sats as it rotates the dish.

Thanks for this instructions.
Yes thats a C band dish at the back yard, the KU is just above it on the roof.
Confirm now the Mast Bracket ie the DG240 is set on ELEVATION 44.7 degree
The Dish Bracket is 44.7 less 5 =39.7 degree
On the DG240 tilt the motor to 11.5 degree East & then swing the dish mount to point at Optus C1 @ 156 deg E. Then lock the mask bracket & when the DG 240 turn to 0 deg, that is True North.

Have I got this correct? Please correct me. Thanks for your help

Thanks Heaps guys, very much apprciated, I will give that a try tonight. Hope I have a lock & I will update further

Mast Bracket= 44.7
Dish Bracket= 29
DG240 tilt to 17.4 Deg East & swing dish towards Optus C1 @ 156 deg East & set receiver on 12367 V Austar 27800 3/4.

Originally Posted by rmt6668

Thanks for this instructions.
Yes thats a C band dish at the back yard, the KU is just above it on the roof.
Confirm now the Mast Bracket ie the DG240 is set on ELEVATION 44.7 degree
The Dish Bracket is 44.7 less 5 =39.7 degree
On the DG240 tilt the motor to 11.5 degree East & then swing the dish mount to point at Optus C1 @ 156 deg E. Then lock the mask bracket & when the DG 240 turn to 0 deg, that is True North.

Have I got this correct? Please correct me. Thanks for your help

It seems like you are confusing the motor settings, the dish settings, where north is, where C1 is and how they relate to each other... other than that, all is fine

Let's try again....

First, you have to set the motor body to your latitude, which is 37.8 deg. Forget about the elevation scale on the motor body.

The front of the motor (with the shaft) MUST be facing due north. You do not move the body of the motor in any direction... it must stay fixed facing true north.

When your dish is mounted on the motor tube in the 0 position, it will also face true north.

Here's the tricky part.... the recommended elevation angles for many dishes don't work, as they don't take into account the angle of the dish mounting tube on the motor, which for the DG240 is about 20 degrees

At your location, C1 is 17.5 deg from true north, so that's 17.5 deg to the east from where your dish and motor are facing when in the 0 (true north) position on the motor scale, above the dish mounting tube.

Now, using the buttons on the motor (or via your receiver) drive the motor to 17.5 deg east which is where C1 should be.

Now adjust the elevation of the dish until you get signal.

As per my previous example, if the dish was on a pole without a motor, the elevation would be 44.7 deg, but in this case, you need to deduct the angle of the motor tube, because it's not vertical, it's about 20 deg, so that would give you an approx dish elevation of 24.7 deg, when it's mounted on the motor shaft and pointed at C1.

As I said, don't get bogged down with too many settings.

The critical things are to set the latitude on the motor body of 37.8 deg (38 deg will be close enough) and ensure the mounting pole is perfectly vertical (plumb) and that the front of the motor is pointing true north.

Then when you move the shaft to approx 17.5 deg east, it should be pointing to C1. Then just move the dish elevation up/down until you get the best signal. You may also need to make slight adjustments to the azimuth setting.

Use your meter/decoder to locate the best signal rather than relying on calculations alone.

Originally Posted by beer4life

He needs to set ~ 45 on mast to motor bracket.
Tube bend is 35, therefor 35 minus 6 = 29 on dish bracket.
My apologies for breaking in.

It seems there are some variations with DG240's then.

One I have here has both latitude and elevation scales, that being the case of elevation only, I agree with 45 deg for the motor mounting bracket.

The tube angle on mine is 20 deg, hence the variation in figures.

Thanks.

The DG240S 's manual have a tube angle of 35 degree, beef4life s correct, as I just bought the motor last week perhaps a newer version. I will give it a try now.

Rgds

No success. I confirm again on the both side of the DG240 mast bracket is written Lattitude but the Manual says Elevation. The manual says"Setting Elevation Angle"- Adjust the motor elevation angle using an inclinometer or Lattitude scale on one side of the Motor according to the Lattide of your location. Hence my location is minus 37.8074 degree. Please confirm should I lock this 38 degree?

Originally Posted by rmt6668

No success. I confirm again on the both side of the DG240 mast bracket is written Lattitude but the Manual says Elevation. The manual says"Setting Elevation Angle"- Adjust the motor elevation angle using an inclinometer or Lattitude scale on one side of the Motor according to the Lattide of your location. Hence my location is minus 37.8074 degree. Please confirm should I lock this 38 degree?

Yes, set it to 38 deg.

Originally Posted by beer4life

No, if it's an Elevation Scale, set at ~ 45.

But it's not an elevation scale... he said it's a latitude scale on the bracket that being the case he needs to set the latitude (which is 38 deg).