In article <55qvl7F26g0n6U1@mid.individual.net>,
Pat <psweeney@riversway.ac.uk> wrote:
> I am buying a new set up from the Satellite Superstore. Having asked at
> Wizard I found them unhelpful. They asked me to ask on the forums as they
> didn't have time.
> Anyway, I am getting the Technomate 1500 from them, but I need to know what
> LNB to get, also what dish to get (hotbird astras and hispasat etc). For
> these I need to go for a motorised system so will need one of those too.
> Also a decent bracket. The one SS suggested is £59.99 but its a heavy duty
> one.
> Anyone have any good suggestions on a dish, motor, lnb and bracket. A free
> standing one wont do cause of the back garden so will need attaching to the
> house.

> Thanks

First, read all the info you gained in Round 1..! )

> Seconds away, Round 2 Ding Ding

OK! Round 2...:

The Technomate seems excellent. It might even have
USALS that work! )

The motor - which could also be a working Metronics,
such as you've just had, or the name-badged similar
from Myers Satellite perhaps, 1200D or some such...

Don't be frightened of a 'heavy duty' motor; if it
works it's good, if it doesn't - well, you already
know the rest - and to make the obvious first check
before mounting!

What size dish? You can now legally fit up to two
dishes, one of which may be up to 100cm, the other
(if fitting two) up to 60cm (I think?)...

A 100cm dish is significantly larger than an 85cm
dish - like the Fortec(?) one you've just returned
and which, dish alone, would have been very acceptable.
Mind - the extra 15cm of diameter over the 85cm dish
also means a much greater wind loading re inclemement
weather. Correspondingly you may need a heavier mount,
almost (could be good idea anyway) some heavier brackets
support a length of scaffold-pole. If you have a
builder's yard or somesuch nearby, they may be able
to advise - even quickly put up a scaffolding mount
for you if you drop a quiet backhand 'tip'...

A 100cm dish will get you some extra channels - whether
it's worth the extra expense and the extra mountings
is up to you. However, it might be worth it as the
dish and mountings could be a one-time cost. Once up,
they will service any boxes that you may add to your
collection ahead.. )

One thing to be careful about is that the larger the
dish the finer the 'tuning' - it becomes more difficult
to fix your signal without the help of your meter and
or your box's meter...

As for type of dish - some may be better than others.
I've found no problem, after three years, with one
LiDL's (Comag) 85cm dishes. Fortec does have a name.
Up to you, really. Perhaps go with the advice of your
box supplier - including their thoughts about the motor.

If it all goes pear-shaped again, (I doubt it will), then
you can reasonably expect them to assist. If, however,
you ignore their advice, then you will not have the best
of legs to stand upon..!

Other matters mentioned previously still apply:

1. Don't allow your mount to be fixed so high up
on your wall that there's a need for a continual
50.00gbp-a-time 'tradeperson' visit to correct
gale force drift and/or impossible collision
with guttering etc.

If you can possibly do it - no skyscraper nearer
than 10 metres(!) - try and mount your dish where
you can get at it easily - without it colliding
with a passing High Court Judge ..thus..

Making sure that you can reach the motor's reset
button with ease when it suddenly stalls and
refuse to turn in the direction you want.. )

2. Perhaps google Usenet for advice on how to make
sure that your mount is exactly perpendicular -
and that your motor and dish are zeroed exactly
at 'true' south, /before/ you start looking for
your first satellite.

Hint on the zeroing bit: You can 'zero' your
motor, on the ground, just by connecting it to
your box - before you've mounted the dish onto
it. It should have been factory set - but in
checking that it is zeroed, it will give a little
blip - and then smile at you! ..but don't trust
the smile until you know it means you no harm!

Remember.. the checking and initial mounting of your
dish to your motor - including rough setting of the dish
elevation (which will need to be fined up when tuning with
your sat meter) - and the setting of the motor's chassis
mount to your latitude can all be done, on the ground,
before you start hauling things aloft.

It's a lot easier doing this in your kitchen, hallway or
garage before trying to lift it up a height - even your
new lower, more easily reached, height!

...and if you've a trusted tradesperson doing it all for
you - (I had a tame retired TV engineer who was also putting
up his own dish and motor at the same time) - don't be
frightened of reading up on it all first so that /you/ know
what is going on. If you can circle around to it, then you
/can/ get Turksat at 42E ..and Hispasat at 30W or so ..and
a lot even further each side of those two positions.

....and get a copy of "What Satellite and Digital TV" at 3.99
- lots of really useful info in this monthly magazine -
including all the satellites you can reach and their
transponders...

...and still very good luck, Pat. I guess you've passed the
first test of the budding professional with flying colours..

....Persistence!


)

hh...

Bill (Adopt) or ZFC...
e&oe

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