FTA Dish Installation Help.... - Page 5 - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

Kraven · 2012-04-18, 01:12 PM

Folks, regarding actuator arms, I see there are a few sizes available: 18 and 24inches..... which one would best suit a 6 footer? IIRC, my kit weighs 44lbs

Cheers, K

cyberham · 2012-04-18, 01:17 PM

Dr. Sat says 18" will do for 6- or 7.5-footer.
Read here: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=142993

Kraven · 2012-04-18, 01:46 PM

Thanks for the heads up.

Cheers, K

vondertrenk · 2012-04-27, 03:18 PM

I just installed my Fortec 6 footer, it is working perfectly with an 18" linear actuator. It gives me more than 90 deg swap

Kraven · 2012-04-28, 11:49 AM

Good stuff! BTW, to settle a debate on another thread, what do you get on anik f1r?

Also, do you have any pics of your setup to share?

Cheers, K

Kraven · 2012-05-11, 11:01 AM

New Topic: Actuator arms and positioners.

Does the positioner (Vbox for example) control the AA via RG6 or through another set of wiring/cables? IIRC, RG6 can support 18v, whereas the AA needs 36v. Interesting enough I can't find this info anywhere.

Cheers, K

majortom · 2012-05-11, 10:18 PM

the Vbox, and Gbox take Diseqc commands and convert them to the required 36Vdc, ya need to push the actuator. I don't have one nor have ever seen one in action but I'd guess you'd hook it up the same as if it was an older analog receiver.
You will need control cable to connect between the actuator arm and the VBOX (or whatever you decide to use).

e.g. + & - 36 VDC for the motor, a sensor wire for position feedback, and a ground wire.

Edit: a little google action returned some specs for CBAND Ribbon Cable.
Look around for Commscope 8136
Roughly $1/ft + shipping the first place I looked. Probably more in Canada

Quote:

C Band Ribbon Cable, Dual RG6, Direct Buriable

This is the perfect All-in-One Cable for your C band big dish setup. It has 3 conductor-20 gauge stranded for Feedhorn, 2 conductor-16 gauge stranded for dish mover power, 2 conductor 22-gauge stranded plus bare wire for dish mover sensor, 2 RG sweep tested coax, one for C-band, one for Ku-band.

classicsat · 2012-05-12, 12:52 PM

The Vbox/Gbox does not convert the 18V to 36V. They have their own power transformer inside, and that is used to power the motor.

The Vbox/Gbox is installed inside where it can be plugged in, and a 2+3+3 cable (two power conductors, likely 18 or 16 awg, and two sets of three 22 AWG signal conductors in a foil shield, plus a shield drain wire)

I have used most of a 10-18 (10 of 18 AWG conductors) cable, for my actuator when I had a C-band dish. I used a Ham-IV rotator cable (2-18, 6-22) for a whip from the actuator to my 10-18 cable, and 3 wire thermostat wire for the polarotor, with regular rotor wire as the whip for that.

Kraven · 2012-05-13, 02:49 PM

Got an actuator and vbox in the mail, but none of them mentioned anything about the wiring. All the FTA equipement sites Ive been on, Ive never seen anything regarding actuator wiring/ribbons.

Cheers, K

majortom · 2012-05-13, 06:19 PM

that's because they are probably only concerned or expereinced with little pizza dishes and diseqc motors.
The actuator and vbox must have come with some instructions eh?

http://www.geo-orbit.org/sizepgs/tun...l#anchor490473

classicsat · 2012-05-14, 10:13 AM

Actuators are simple. Two power wires (the aforementioned 18/16/14 pair), to the motor (there may be limit switches in the motor), and one of the 3 wire set for the pulse sensor. A reed sensor uses just one signal and a ground. The drain wire connects at the box end. A Hall sensor also has a +5V connection as well.

The other 3 wire cable is for the polarotor, which has a pulse signal, ground, and +5V. The polarotor uses a red/white/black wire set, which is +5V, pulse, and Ground respectively.

mc570 · 2012-12-13, 05:41 AM

Hello folks. I have a Geosatpro 1.2m dish and a DG 380 motor. My latitude is 122. My longitude is 45. My

closest satellite is at 123 degrees. The offset of the dish is 27.3 degrees. Can someone please tell me what

setting I set the bracket on the motor and the setting on the dish bracket also? Like I say; this is an offset

dish of 27.3 degrees. I think I subtract that number from somewhere in calculating the settings, but do not

know where. I presume I set the motor for 45 degrees. Then do I set the bracket on the dish for 37.6 minus

27.3 to get it aimed at that satellite? The number would be about 10....is that what I set the dish at?

According to charts; my elevation for that satellite would be 37.6 Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

2012-05-11, 11:01 AM	#66
Kraven Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Shore, QC Posts: 530	New Topic: Actuator arms and positioners. Does the positioner (Vbox for example) control the AA via RG6 or through another set of wiring/cables? IIRC, RG6 can support 18v, whereas the AA needs 36v. Interesting enough I can't find this info anywhere. Cheers, K __________________ 6 ft BUD, motorized 39" KU, S10, Viewsat Ultra, CM 4228, home made SBGH

2012-05-13, 02:49 PM	#69
Kraven Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Shore, QC Posts: 530	Got an actuator and vbox in the mail, but none of them mentioned anything about the wiring. All the FTA equipement sites Ive been on, Ive never seen anything regarding actuator wiring/ribbons. Cheers, K __________________ 6 ft BUD, motorized 39" KU, S10, Viewsat Ultra, CM 4228, home made SBGH

2012-05-13, 06:19 PM	#70
majortom Veteran Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 2,564	that's because they are probably only concerned or expereinced with little pizza dishes and diseqc motors. The actuator and vbox must have come with some instructions eh? http://www.geo-orbit.org/sizepgs/tun...l#anchor490473 __________________ uhf/vhf combo rotor chimney mount homebrew vhf hi hpf ap-8700 preamp 4way split lg lcd dtt901 pctuner mythtv

2012-12-13, 05:41 AM	#72
mc570 Rookie Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 1	Hello folks. I have a Geosatpro 1.2m dish and a DG 380 motor. My latitude is 122. My longitude is 45. My closest satellite is at 123 degrees. The offset of the dish is 27.3 degrees. Can someone please tell me what setting I set the bracket on the motor and the setting on the dish bracket also? Like I say; this is an offset dish of 27.3 degrees. I think I subtract that number from somewhere in calculating the settings, but do not know where. I presume I set the motor for 45 degrees. Then do I set the bracket on the dish for 37.6 minus 27.3 to get it aimed at that satellite? The number would be about 10....is that what I set the dish at? According to charts; my elevation for that satellite would be 37.6 Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. Last edited by mc570; 2012-12-13 at 05:59 AM.

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2012-04-18, 01:12 PM	#61
Kraven Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Shore, QC Posts: 530	Folks, regarding actuator arms, I see there are a few sizes available: 18 and 24inches..... which one would best suit a 6 footer? IIRC, my kit weighs 44lbs Cheers, K

2012-04-18, 01:17 PM	#62
cyberham Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 422	Dr. Sat says 18" will do for 6- or 7.5-footer. Read here: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=142993

2012-04-18, 01:46 PM	#63
Kraven Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Shore, QC Posts: 530	Thanks for the heads up. Cheers, K

2012-04-27, 03:18 PM	#64
vondertrenk Rookie Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 25	I just installed my Fortec 6 footer, it is working perfectly with an 18" linear actuator. It gives me more than 90 deg swap

2012-04-28, 11:49 AM	#65
Kraven Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Shore, QC Posts: 530	Good stuff! BTW, to settle a debate on another thread, what do you get on anik f1r? Also, do you have any pics of your setup to share? Cheers, K

2012-05-12, 12:52 PM	#68
classicsat Veteran Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Kincardine ON. Posts: 3,943	The Vbox/Gbox does not convert the 18V to 36V. They have their own power transformer inside, and that is used to power the motor. The Vbox/Gbox is installed inside where it can be plugged in, and a 2+3+3 cable (two power conductors, likely 18 or 16 awg, and two sets of three 22 AWG signal conductors in a foil shield, plus a shield drain wire) I have used most of a 10-18 (10 of 18 AWG conductors) cable, for my actuator when I had a C-band dish. I used a Ham-IV rotator cable (2-18, 6-22) for a whip from the actuator to my 10-18 cable, and 3 wire thermostat wire for the polarotor, with regular rotor wire as the whip for that.

2012-05-14, 10:13 AM	#71
classicsat Veteran Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Kincardine ON. Posts: 3,943	Actuators are simple. Two power wires (the aforementioned 18/16/14 pair), to the motor (there may be limit switches in the motor), and one of the 3 wire set for the pulse sensor. A reed sensor uses just one signal and a ground. The drain wire connects at the box end. A Hall sensor also has a +5V connection as well. The other 3 wire cable is for the polarotor, which has a pulse signal, ground, and +5V. The polarotor uses a red/white/black wire set, which is +5V, pulse, and Ground respectively.