Sat-Scan

Nokia Sat-Scan Installation In the old days, when Nokia was still in the satellite business they used to sell a satellite dish rotor called Sat-Scan in Europe. This motor is powered and controlled by the same antenna cable which is used to connect the LNB to the tuner.
Later models of the Sat-Scan motor were controlled through DiSEqC. This page only describes the early models which are controlled by a very simple protocol.

Specifications

DC Voltage
11.5 - 20.0 Volt
DC Current
270 mA
DC Current (t<100ms)
475 mA
DC resistance input to output
<0.1 Ω
Switch tone frequency
22 kHz ±2 kHz
Switch tone amplitude
650 mV ±200 mV
Switch tone duty cycle
50 % ± 10 %
Motor force
150 Nm

Modulation Protocol

Sat-Scan Sequence

Commands are sent to the motor by burst-modulating the 22kHz pilot tone. Normally the 22kHz may be on or off, selecting the high or low satellite band. The Sat-Scan command is started by a pause of 10ms, followed by the command itself. The command is sent twice, with a 10ms pause in between. Finally a 3rd pause of 10ms follows the repeated command before the 22kHz pilot tone is restored to its original state.

Sat-Scan Pulse Train

A command consists of 9 bursts of the 22kHz pilot tone. The first burst lasts for 3ms and is followed by a 3ms space. The next 8 bursts represent the 8 data bits, starting with the MSB. A logic '0' is represented by a 1ms burst, followed by a 2ms space. A logic '1' is represented by a 2ms burst, followed by a 1ms space.

Sat-Scan Modulation

Commands

CommandHEX Code
Start - West$20
Start - East$80
Stop$60
Go To Antenna Position (0..31)$00..$1F
Store Antenna Position (0..31)$E0..$FF
Store Global Position$6D

Please note that the Start-West and Start-East commands must be followed by a Stop command, otherwise the motor will run all the way to its West or East limit.

Pre-Programmed Satellite positions

PresetSatellite namePosition
1Astra 119° E
2Eutelsat II-F316° E
3Hotbird/Eut. II-F113° E
4Eutelsat II-F210° E
5Eutelsat II-F47° E
6Sirius/Tele-X5° E
7Telecom-2C3° E
8Thor/Intelsat 7071° W
9Telecom-2B, 2D5° W
10Telecom-2A8° W
11Intelsat 70518° W

PresetSatellite namePosition
12Intelsat 51521° W
13Intelsat 60127° W
14Hispasat30° W
15Orion37° W
16Kopernikus 323° E
17Arabsat 2A26° E
18Astra 228° E
19Kopernikus 228° W
20Arabsat 2B30° W
21Turksat 1B31° W
22Turksat 1C42° W

Presets 23 to 29 are spare and can be assigned freely to any new or existing satellite.

Preset 30 is used to set the East limit, while preset 31 is used to set the West limit. Be careful because the motor can turn all the way to its mechanical limit when set to presets 30 and 31.

Selecting preset 0 will reset the motor, this means that the motor is calibrated to its center position. Sending the Store Global Position command ($6D) directly after selecting position 0 will restore all factory settings, except for the East/West limits.

Polarmount Adjustment Map For Astra

Polarmount adjustment map

Polar Angle
Polar Angle

Direction to Astra
Direction to Astra

Elevation Elevation