Cant Find W6 satellite, best signal is 29

If the single tick mark and the 505 are directly away from the feed support arm you have the correct orientation of the feed horn and spacer tube assembly.

If you have the filter/LNB away from the feed arm you are set for nominal horizontal receive polarisation with the feed arm at the bottom (zero adjustment).

You have applied a +30.6 deg clockwise polarisation adjustment, as viewed from behind the dish.

I don't know what nominal polarisation you are supposed to be receiving.

If you are supposed to be receiving horizontal then you have done the right thing.

If you are supposed to be receiving vertical just turn the dish a further 90 deg.  It will go all the way round through 360 deg if you want, while staying pointed at the satellite all of the time.   Nominal horizontal is when the LNB is at the top or bottom.  Nominal vertical is when the LNB is at either side.  An adjustment of +30 deg is 30 deg clockwise, as viewed from behind the dish, from any of these four starting positions.

I hope someone in Iraq or Balad Air Base with an HX dish working to W6 can send a picture to help you.

29 is the maximum reading in the initial power detection mode.   You have found a strong signal, probably a satellite (the sun less likely, but obvious as the shadow of the top of the feed horn will hit the edge of the dish where the feed arm attaches).  The signal does not match the tuning frequency or symbol rate.  Check with BW that you have the correct tuning frequency and symbol rate, which may have changed since your documentation was sent.  

You also need the correct type LNB for the particular satellite downlinik frequency.  The modem tuning frequency is the satellite downlink frequency minus the LNB local oscillator frequency.

For example:
Satellite down  = 11.423 GHz
LNB LO freque   - 10.000 GHz  
Modem tuning  =   1,423 MHz (actually input as 14230, in units of 100kHz )

Example LNBs:
NJR2784   LO = 10 GHz
NJR2744   LO = 10.75 GHz
NJR2754   LO = 11.3 GHz

Read more: NJR LNBs   Invacom LNBs   Ku band TRIA

You may be receiving power from the wrong satellite or wrong polarisation.  Once you modem locks, the display now means signal quality and it jumps into the range 30 - 100.

Best regards, Eric.

Eric- I have also CC'd you on this email back to bentley walker -

I turns out that I did have the wrong LNB.  I had the correct one on hand from an receiver that was not being used. 

I put the NJR 2784H LNB that I had on hand on the dish.  The highest signal I was able to get was 23.  I have sent you some photos in a powerpoint document of how I have the dish set up now.  The changes I made to the dish so far where:

1: Remove LNB that came with system
2: Installed LNB NJR 2784H
3: Polarization set at 30.6, Azimuth at 214.3, elevation at 43.3
4: Feed horn was lined up with single notch to single notch, 5-0-5 and single notch where directly above lower support arm. LNB was directly above the lower support arm.

-Tested and received 15 as highest signal strenght

After reading the link you sent, I though I might have set the polarization wrong.  It said that the receive polarization is set to vertical. After thoroughly reading the article, these are the steps and changes I made (which is what the pictures are of)

1: Using LNB that I had on hand (NJR 2784H)
2: I removed the feed horn from the rest of the assembly and rotated it 90 deg, so that the double notches on the cone where lined up with the single notch on the assembly.
3. I rotated the entire assembly 90 degrees so that the 5-0-5 and single notch was directly above the support arm, and the LNB was off to the side, 90 deg to the support arm (this should mean that it is now set for vertical polarization)
4. Set elevation with inclinometer i made from the satsig website
5. Swept a broad azimuth from 208 to 220 deg

- The highest signal I got on the laptop was 29 at one point, but then it dropped to 23

I think that by switching these settings on the feed horn assembly I have tried both vertical and horizontal polarization.  I am at a loss now, back to square 1- I think the LNB that I had (NJR2784H) may be bad, it was off an old LNB that was not in use.  Other than that I have no idea where to go next.

Thanks for the help,

Nate Ramsey