"Bill (Adopt)" <adopt@billsimpson.com> wrote in message
news:4ec41b41c2adopt@billsimpson.com...
> 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
>
> --
> Adoption InterLink UK with -=- http://www.billsimpson.com/
> Domain Host Orpheus Internet -=- http://www.orpheusinternet.co.uk/
For what it will cost me Bill I might just see if I can mount it on a pole
in the garden. if not, nothing lost. Do you think I need a bog dish if I am
having a motor? I wonder if I will get away with a 60cm dish if its
motorized?