Positioner Setup for TNAP Images

[el bandido]

The Positioner Setup feature in enigma 2 images can be useful for several things. For example, you may use the Positioner Setup to quickly re-calibrate a ku dish motor or c band actuator. The Positioner Setup may also be used in satellite dish alignment.

Autofocus is a feature in Positioner Setup that allows or aides in the calibration of satellite positions. The Autofocus feature works very well for c band actuators, but currently needs more work to be of much use for ku dish motors. In most enigma2 images, Autofocus is extremely slow to the point that it is almost unusable. Autofocus has been sped up considerably in TNAP images, and its accuracy seems to be improved.

There are two speeds for Autofocus. These speeds are automatic and are not user adjustable. The Symbol Rate size of the transponder dictates the speed. Transponders with a symbol rate of 5000 or less should move slower because the Autofocus feature is looking for transponder lock. Transponders with a low symbol rate may take longer to lock, or have an unsteady lock which can cause problems in the Autofocus feature.

The Autofocus feature will create logs that can be stored indefinitely by the user. The default location for postionersetup logs is /tmp of receiver files. Log files should automatically be stored on hdd or usb drives if a folder named positionersetup is created for log storage at one of these locations in receiver files.

Calibration of a satellite position using autofocus may take one to two minutes or Less, depending on how wide the transponder is. Calibration time will be slower on low symbol rate transponders.

Some of the features mentioned here are available in previous versions of TNAP. All of the Positioner Setup features mentioned here will be available in TNAP-5 images.

[el bandido]

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[el bandido]

Attached are some positioner setup logs. Some may find the log information useful, while others may not. These files are Not Permanently stored in the receiver or usb unless you make a folder for them. Positionersetup logs are named like this:
positionersetup_61.1_4535_01-01-2023_16-23-18.log

Here is how the name breaks down:
positionersetup = Name of log file
61.1 = Satellite position
4535 = Transponder Frequency in MHz
01-01-2023 = Month, Day, Year of scan
16-23-18 = Hour, Minute, and seconds of scan
.log (should be self explanatory)

Shown in the log file are count steps in each direction. Each count step will contain the signal strength in %(Quality Reading), and the Lock value. Signal Strength in % value has no effect on Auto focus. Auto focus will continue to run with a signal strength of 0%!. What Auto focus is looking for is transponder lock. Once transponder lock no longer exists, then Auto focus stops measuring steps.

A good actuator that is connected to a satellite dish that does not have a sloppy mount will produce almost identical results each time Auto focus is ran!

Auto focus can be a very useful tool, especially for fine tuning satellite positions. Some transponders may give slightly different results, and it may be a good idea to use the same transponder for each satellite position when running Auto focus. It just depends on what you are trying to do or what needs to be done.

The TNAP Auto focus runs fast, but it should not be fast enough to hurt the actuator or the positioner controller (Dish Mover).

TNAP images are based on OpenPLi and are designed for use in North America. This means the ui file that was modified to add these extra features will work in OpenPLi images that are python 3. TNAP modified files are considered Open Source and can be made available when possible by simply asking for them.. It should also be understood that TNAP files will usually not work in OE Alliance enigma2 images without making modifications due to coding differences.

[sattech64]

May be useful for me to try the new images since I have never been able to get my HH motor to work twice the same way regardless of what I try :)
Be nice to have that working again

[cyberham]

I use Positioner Setup all the time to drive my Ku USALS motor. A peculiarity of my old, ready-to-retire motor is that when using a long length of feedline and simply changing satellites will no longer cause the motor to move. I must go into Positioner Setup and manually use the "Goto position" command to make the motor move. In fact, I must do this on a horizontal transponder since the motor won't move using this method on a vertical transponder.

I know that driving the motor to a horizontal transponder uses 19V rather than 13V for a vertical transponder. This higher voltage is sufficient to drive the motor even with the long feedline. What I don't understand is why the Positioner Setup function works when simply changing to a horizontal transponder using the remote control doesn't.

What is the difference between manually commanding the motor to move and just changing satellites by changing channels?

[el bandido]

I think Positioner setup sends motor commands and keeps repeating them. That would explain your difference.

[cyberham]

That would explain it. If the receiver operated in the same way when changing transponders, then that would be more reliable for me.