HELP, HX Install problem in Iraq

I'm currently in Iraq at COB Speicher and am trying to get this SAT dish aligned.  I have tried to do what you prescribed for SGT Herra in the Forum, but to no avail.  The best I've gotten so far is with a Polarization of -41, Azmiuth reading 234 or so ( supposed to be 228.4 MAG N), and I have the elevation as yourecommended 34.1 Degrees or damn close ( used you 10 1/16th inches Guide). With these settings I reached a 71 on the Horizon SAT meter. but can get no higher and have no Q rating on it.  What am I doing wrong?  Could really use your help.  I can send pics of the assmebly if you need them to give a better pic of set up. Please take a look at them and give me and adivce you can.

Well done Erik =))

actualy about an hour after that posting I got it dialed in, lil inexperience, lil inpatient should be good now.

Vega, determine your az, el and polarisation here:
https://www.satsig.net/maps/satellite-dish-pointing-iraq.htm

Add +3.5 deg  to the polarisation angle.  The adjustment required is positive for Iraq and the W3A satellite to the south west.

If you have an Andrew 1.2m dish, send photo to confirm assembly.   The HX downlink signal on W3A satellite at 7 east is Horizontal polarisation, so the polarisation starting position is with the LNB at the top.  The polarisation adjustment required is +, which means a clockwise rotation, while you face towards the satellite.


This image above shows a new 1.2 f/d=0.8 Prodelin dish with mode match feed and  HX terminal as in Iraq, aimed at W3A satellite at 7 East.  The entire dish is rotated 45.5 deg clockwise for polarisation, while facing the satellite.  Set the pol adjustment angle exact for your site. Add +3.5 to the calculated result.

If you havn't got an inclinometer to apply to the polarisation plate behind the Prodelin dish then the measurements are revised as follows:
Elevation=33 deg.      Distance=26.7 cm.
Elevation=34      Distance=26.4
Elevation=35      Distance=26.0
Elevation=36      Distance=25.7
Elevation=37      Distance=25.3
Elevation=38      Distance=24.9
Distances are in cm.  Hook the measuring tape over the edge above the top of the elevation screw T bar and measure down to the underside of the cross piece above the lower nut.  The distances assume that the main azimuth bolt is reasonably tight, but loose enough to permit azimuth movements.  If too loose, the dish sags down a bit and you need perhaps 5mm shorter distance to pull it up.

Alternatively read how to make an inclinometer.

Best regards, Eric.

I forgot to mention that 15 was my "peak" number in the HX modem software. If I moved the dish in any direction the number would actually decrease. Considering 15 is suppose to show that you have no connection at all, I though that was strange. 15 corresponds to the "peak" alignment I had with the sat meters and nothing I did would get it above 15. This makes absolutely no sense.

Eric,

My polarization is correct. My dish looks exactly like yours in your picture. I double then triple checked the settings entered into the modem. They are as Bently Walker prescribed. Using the sat meter I peaked up pretty great. Using HX W3A at 9.75 Ghz, I got up to 80 dB and 99% on the second quality bar. Could I ever get such a reading if I was pointed to the wrong satellite?

If I turn on the modem right here on my desk with no cables attached, I get a reading of 15. If I plug in the modem to the peaked signal LNB, I still get a reading of 15. Using the exact same cable as I did with the sat meters. If I then move the dish ever so slightly out of alignment, the signal will go from 15 and actually drop to a lower value and eventually zero.   

There is only three possibilities I can think of. One: I am pointed at the wrong satellite. I don't know how I could be getting such a stellar signal from a W3A 9.75 Ghz config if it's the wrong sat, but maybe you could explain more into that. Two: Bently Walker has given me wrong modem initilization parameters. Thridly: the modem hardware and/or software is damaged in some way.

Any more light you could shed on the solution to this trouble is greatly appreciated.

BW here, IT Support have spotted the problem its the frequency and symbol rate thats wrong , if you change them now you should get signal, please always liase with our support team and we will post this information on this site as well =))

Eric,

     Thanks again for your help. As soon as I typed in the new parameters, I instantly got a 95 signal strength. I hope that is fairly good. I just wish BW had given me the new parameters before I wasted many hours this weekend trying to figure what the heck was going on . I guess some things slip through the cracks.
     Steve over at BW had to unblock me but now it's running pretty good. On the office 2000 corporate I was seeing about 180 Kbytes/sec download. I mentioned to Steve about a display error with the HX web settings page and he is aware of the error about displaying wrong settings.

-James