Adjusting true north for azimuth rotator.
I am planning to install my G5400 rotator inside a tower having a welded rotator shelf. The tower is not installed yet and will have one face against the side of my house which is positioned about 28 degrees northeast (Per Google Earth).
I assume when I drill the rotator shelf, I can adjust for the gross 28 degree offset of the tower. However how important is it to do this at all? Does the rotator have to be installed exactly toward true north or can I make up the difference when clamping down the antenna mast assuming the antenna is oriented true north? Note I will be using a Trakbox and need the ADC to center on true north.
Secondly does anyone know if the ruler function in Google Earth points true north? It seems pretty handy that a fire plug in front of a neighbors house is at about north point.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Joe Leikhim" rhyolite@nettally.com To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Saturday, September 03, 2011 10:42 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Adjusting true north for azimuth rotator.
I am planning to install my G5400 rotator inside a tower having a welded rotator shelf. The tower is not installed yet and will have one face against the side of my house which is positioned about 28 degrees northeast (Per Google Earth).
I assume when I drill the rotator shelf, I can adjust for the gross 28 degree offset of the tower. However how important is it to do this at all? Does the rotator have to be installed exactly toward true north or can I make up the difference when clamping down the antenna mast assuming the antenna is oriented true north? Note I will be using a Trakbox and need the ADC to center on true north.
Secondly does anyone know if the ruler function in Google Earth points true north? It seems pretty handy that a fire plug in front of a neighbors house is at about north point.
-- Joe Leikhim
Leikhim and Associates Communications Consultants Oviedo, Florida
www.Leikhim.com
JLeikhim@Leikhim.com
407-982-0446
Hi Joe ,
Your rotator have to be installed exactly toward true north.
First of all using the traching program rotate manually your azimuth rotator until its pointer schowes exacly the azimuth and elevation of the Sun at a selected time preferably near noon.
Now quicly clamp down the antenna rotator to the mast until the antennas are aligned exacly toward the Sun.
Now your Antenna system is calibrated as well toward the North.
73" de
i8CVS Domenico
Joe,
I'm going to disagree and agree with my friend Domenico.
If I understand your setup correctly, the azimuth rotor is on a shelf inside the tower with a vertical mast going through the top of the tower, hopefully using a thrust bearing. (This is how my setup is configured.)
With this configuration, it doesn't matter what direction the azimuth rotor *case* is mounted, because you can tighten the clamps on the G-5400 azimuth rotor around the mast. Do use Domineco's procedure for pointing the antennas with the shadows cast by the Sun. Both Nova and SatPC32 (using the SuM program) will point the rotors at the sun.
73, Steve N9IP -- -----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of i8cvs Sent: Saturday, September 03, 2011 7:24 PM To: Joe Leikhim; Amsat - BBs Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Adjusting true north for azimuth rotator.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Joe Leikhim" rhyolite@nettally.com To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Saturday, September 03, 2011 10:42 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Adjusting true north for azimuth rotator.
I am planning to install my G5400 rotator inside a tower having a welded rotator shelf. The tower is not installed yet and will have one face against the side of my house which is positioned about 28 degrees northeast (Per Google Earth).
I assume when I drill the rotator shelf, I can adjust for the gross 28 degree offset of the tower. However how important is it to do this at all? Does the rotator have to be installed exactly toward true north or can I make up the difference when clamping down the antenna mast assuming the antenna is oriented true north? Note I will be using a Trakbox and need the ADC to center on true north.
Secondly does anyone know if the ruler function in Google Earth points true north? It seems pretty handy that a fire plug in front of a neighbors house is at about north point.
-- Joe Leikhim
Leikhim and Associates Communications Consultants Oviedo, Florida
www.Leikhim.com
JLeikhim@Leikhim.com
407-982-0446
Hi Joe ,
Your rotator have to be installed exactly toward true north.
First of all using the traching program rotate manually your azimuth rotator until its pointer schowes exacly the azimuth and elevation of the Sun at a selected time preferably near noon.
Now quicly clamp down the antenna rotator to the mast until the antennas are aligned exacly toward the Sun.
Now your Antenna system is calibrated as well toward the North.
73" de
i8CVS Domenico
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From: domenico.i8cvs@tin.it To: rhyolite@nettally.com; amsat-bb@amsat.org Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2011 01:24:18 +0200 Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Adjusting true north for azimuth rotator.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Joe Leikhim" rhyolite@nettally.com To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Saturday, September 03, 2011 10:42 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Adjusting true north for azimuth rotator.
I am planning to install my G5400 rotator inside a tower having a welded rotator shelf. The tower is not installed yet and will have one face against the side of my house which is positioned about 28 degrees northeast (Per Google Earth).
I assume when I drill the rotator shelf, I can adjust for the gross 28 degree offset of the tower. However how important is it to do this at all? Does the rotator have to be installed exactly toward true north or can I make up the difference when clamping down the antenna mast assuming the antenna is oriented true north? Note I will be using a Trakbox and need the ADC to center on true north.
Secondly does anyone know if the ruler function in Google Earth points true north? It seems pretty handy that a fire plug in front of a neighbors house is at about north point.
-- Joe Leikhim
Leikhim and Associates Communications Consultants Oviedo, Florida
www.Leikhim.com
JLeikhim@Leikhim.com
407-982-0446
Hi Joe ,
Your rotator have to be installed exactly toward true north.
First of all using the traching program rotate manually your azimuth rotator until its pointer schowes exacly the azimuth and elevation of the Sun at a selected time preferably near noon.
Now quicly clamp down the antenna rotator to the mast until the antennas are aligned exacly toward the Sun.
Now your Antenna system is calibrated as well toward the North.
73" de
i8CVS Domenico
I don't think it matters at all which orientation the Azimuth rotor itself is mounted. Bolt it onto the tower frame what ever way it wants to be, spin the motor around to zero degrees, and then mount the antenna to the shaft so that the antenna points North. What I do then is what Domenico recommends - use the Sun to fine tune the alignment. Most satellite tracking programs will tell you where the Sun is, or you can go on line to places like Heavens Above to find it. Tell the rotor to go to that heading, then align the antenna so that the it points at the Sun. I use the shadow so I don't have to look into the Sun itself. Done.
Greg KO6TH
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You could be interested in reading http://www.vhfdx.info/discuss/truenorth.html
73. Gabriel - EA6VQ _________________________________________________________
-----Mensaje original----- De: amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] En nombre de Joe Leikhim Enviado el: sábado, 03 de septiembre de 2011 22:42 Para: amsat-bb@amsat.org Asunto: [amsat-bb] Adjusting true north for azimuth rotator.
I am planning to install my G5400 rotator inside a tower having a welded rotator shelf. The tower is not installed yet and will have one face against the side of my house which is positioned about 28 degrees northeast (Per Google Earth).
I assume when I drill the rotator shelf, I can adjust for the gross 28 degree offset of the tower. However how important is it to do this at all? Does the rotator have to be installed exactly toward true north or can I make up the difference when clamping down the antenna mast assuming the antenna is oriented true north? Note I will be using a Trakbox and need the ADC to center on true north.
Secondly does anyone know if the ruler function in Google Earth points true north? It seems pretty handy that a fire plug in front of a neighbors house is at about north point.
At 21:42 03/09/2011, you wrote:
I am planning to install my G5400 rotator inside a tower having a welded rotator shelf. The tower is not installed yet and will have one face against the side of my house which is positioned about 28 degrees northeast (Per Google Earth).
I assume when I drill the rotator shelf, I can adjust for the gross 28 degree offset of the tower. However how important is it to do this at all? Does the rotator have to be installed exactly toward true north or can I make up the difference when clamping down the antenna mast assuming the antenna is oriented true north? Note I will be using a Trakbox and need the ADC to center on true north.
Surely it matters not how the rotator is mount, you just clamp MAST so that the antenna are north pointing, the orientation of the physical rotator is unimportant.
Another aspect to consider.... Do you want the center to be pointing North or South??? Sometimes I find that when a satellite passes to the south, my array has to turn around 360 degrees to continue to track. This is a personal choice.... 73, NB2F
-----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of John Wright Sent: Sunday, September 04, 2011 9:10 AM To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Adjusting true north for azimuth rotator.
At 21:42 03/09/2011, you wrote:
I am planning to install my G5400 rotator inside a tower having a welded rotator shelf. The tower is not installed yet and will have one face against the side of my house which is positioned about 28 degrees northeast (Per Google Earth).
I assume when I drill the rotator shelf, I can adjust for the gross 28 degree offset of the tower. However how important is it to do this at all? Does the rotator have to be installed exactly toward true north or can I make up the difference when clamping down the antenna mast assuming the antenna is oriented true north? Note I will be using a Trakbox and need the ADC to center on true north.
Surely it matters not how the rotator is mount, you just clamp MAST so that the antenna are north pointing, the orientation of the physical rotator is unimportant.
_______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
----- Original Message ----- From: "John Wright" ham@g4dmf.co.uk To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Sunday, September 04, 2011 3:10 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Adjusting true north for azimuth rotator.
Surely it matters not how the rotator is mount, you just clamp MAST so that the antenna are north pointing, the orientation of the physical rotator is unimportant.
Hi John, G4DMF
In my opinion the orientation of the physical rotator over the mast is very important because the rotator has limit switches.
If you just clamp mast so that the antennas are north pointing but the rotator do not actuate limit switches when the antennas are looking South than the adjustement will be incorrect.
73" de
i8CVS Domenico
participants (7)
-
Dee -
Gabriel - EA6VQ -
Greg D. -
i8cvs -
Joe Leikhim -
John Wright -
Stephen E. Belter