10E from Mosul

A satfinder initially operates as an L band, wideband, total noise power measuring device so it will detect and allow you to peak up accurately on any and all satellites.  A satellite with a few carriers will give a low maximum reading (e.g. 41).  A satellite with many carriers will give a very much higher composite maximum reading (e.g 80).  The actual value of the maximum value is not important to you.  What matters is peaking up to the exact peak, 41 is better than 40 or 39.

The satellites are in a curved line across the sky.  Once you have found a satellite, mark the scales on your mount so that you can always get back to that starting position.

You are unlikely to be able to detect sidelobes using a satfinder and VSAT dish.  It is much more likely that you have found the next satellite.  Peak up and see if that is the satellite you want.  Once peaked up, you can easily turn the polarisation 90 deg to see what is on the other polarisation.

The satfinder also has a carrier recognition mode.  The meter may be pre-programmed with an L band carrier frequency and symbol rate and text name for the satellite.   If the L band carrier input matches, the meter will say "satellite found".  This recognition process will only work if you have the correct LNB local oscillator frequency, the correct polarisation, correct satellite and the carrier is still in service.  Once locked to an L band  carrier, the display changes to "signal quality" or "BER" which relates to the power spectral density of just the wanted carrier.  The display is no longer "total composite noise power".

The indoor modem, which also needs to be programmed with an L band frequency and symbol rate, also locks up and displays "signal quality" on its management screen.

Spend at least 30 minutes peaking up.  A good trick to get to the centre is to physically half the distance between two equally degraded measurements either side of the peak.  If your dish uses a big azimuth screw with two large nuts, move the nuts apart slightly and gently rest the dish against each alternately several times, adjusting one nut till the two degraded levels are identical, then wind both nuts in by the same number of turns and flats.  In elevation, count the turns and flats via the peak and then back off to the centre.  Mark a flat with a felt tip pen. 

To avoid damage to Hughes 7000 or HX modems/LNB or BUC:  The multiway low voltage DC power cable between the power supply module and the modem should stay connected at all times.  Always power on or off at the AC mains wall switch.  Power off before connecting or disconnecting the coax cables.  

Best regards, Eric.

Is the wire pin of the F connector properly inserted into the SAT IN socket on the modem ?

Please say what name (nominal) polarisation you are trying to receive from the 10E satellite ?.  We know you need a +36.6 deg clockwise adjustment but I don't know from which starting position (LNB at top or LNB at the side).

Have you programmed the modem with tuning information provided by Bentley Walker ?  If so, what L band frequency and what symbol rate have you set?.

Send me a copy of your configuration document to eric@satsig.net

If the modem tuning and symbol rate are wrong, please say what they are ?.  I can see both polarisations here using my on-line spectrum analyser.   Maybe you are tuned, by accident, to a TDMA downlink that varies in level all the time.  

What is the type and model number of your LNB ?

Best regards, Eric.

I changed the parameters in accordance with BW specifications about two weeks ago when I bought the system. I have forwarded that document to Eric. Please feel free to share with USN.

So, I do have the dish pointed at the correct satellite?

All I needed is to correct the polarization and I should have a signal?

I did adjust the polarization and am still seeing the frequency pulse up and down between 7 and 15. Could the possibility of a slight electric flow through my roof be causing a problem?