HX troubles in Afghanistan

Please send pictures of your system to me eric@satsig.net
Ideally..
View of dish and feed system from the front.
View of the dish from the rear.
View of the dish from the side. make sure camera is in line with dish sides and the pole visible. The camera needs to be level to measure your elevation angle.
Closer view of the feed system showing the LNB and how it is attached.

The LNB type and model number.

Please send the pdf file page that shows the parameters etc that you have been told to use.

Please send a screen shot of your configuration page (from the HX modem).

Please say if you have input a sbc.cfg file. Do you have other sbc.cfg files ?  Send the file you have used if possible.

Please list out all the options on the LNB pull down menu.

Please say if you have detected any changes at all in the signal level indicator.  This should give readings in the range 0 to 29 on any and all satellites.  It will also give a reading when the dish is pointed at the ground or at the sky. Does the reading change ? If you get no changes under any circumstances then:

Power off at the mains wall switch before working on the coax cables.
Use just one coax cable, from LNB to HX modem RX in. Walk along the cable to make sure it is not crossed over.
Check the centre pin sticks out 1mm proud of the rim of the plug.
Check the braid makes good contact both ends.
Check for braid fragments that may short circuit the connectors.
Screw in the connectors properly, firm finger tight - not using a spanner ! The centre wire should go into the hole and not just push back the cable end.

This page https://www.satsig.net/maps/satellite-dish-pointing-afghanistan.htm shows a blue line for the azimuth direction.  Compare this with the alignment of your buildings to get a good idea of the direction to point.

The +39.8 deg clockwise polarisation adjustment is as seen while you stand behind the dish and look forwards towards the satellite in the sky.  There are two possible polarisation starting positions: with the LNB upwards or with the LNB sideways. One of these starting positions is correct.
If you have a fixed frequency LNB such as NJR 2784 (LO=10 GHz) then to set Vertical receive polarisation the starting position is with the LNB at the side. In this case I suggest the left side, as seen with you behind the dish and viewing towards the satellite in the sky. The adjustment is then upwards and the LNB won't hit anything like the yoke base.
If you have a Universal LNB (HughesNet part number PN 1501882-0002) then to set Vertical receive polarisation the starting position is with the LNB F connector upwards or downwards.
In either case, then apply the adjustment amount +39.8 deg clockwise polarisation adjustment is as seen while you stand behind the dish and look forwards towards the satellite in the sky.
wxw
Best regards, Eric.

Inclinometer


When you use the inclinometer the thread should dangle from the centre of the circle in the top left corner, like the red line which I have added to your photograph. The small circle has a cross. Thread the thread though at the exact centre and stabilise with sticky tape on the back.

I think you are peaked up on the wrong satellite, about 5 deg too low and to the right of your wanted satellite. Go 5 deg up and then to the left

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Antenna


For vertical receive polarisation the starting position is with the Universal LNB cable connector pointed directly downwards. In this image the feed support arm will be directly to the right hand side.
Now apply the +39.8 deg clockwise adjustment. the feed support arm comes down by an amount of 39.8 deg - more or less as shown.

I am not sure what will be the polarisation scale readling. I think it will start at -90 and go down to -50 ( 40 deg amount of movement).

Signal readings.

Small changes in the reading like 16- 17 - 18 - 19 suggest that the LNB is working. It will go up when you get near a satellite, or point at the sun or the ground or hand.

An increase to a maximum of 29 shows that you have found a powerful satellite. If your elevation is correct by measurement you are most likely on the correct satellite. If not, it will be only one satellite wrong along the orbit. Try up left or down right for the adjacent satellites either way. Try up left first since the 4 polarisation bolts (when slightly loose) allow the dish to sag slightly.

Once you are peaked up on 29 the problem is in the modem configuration, wrong polarisation, wrong satellite.

When you have peaked up on a 29, mark the az and el so that you can always get back to that satellite. The next satellites are either up left or down right in a diagonal line.

Best regards, Eric.

Thanks to both of you for helping me out with this. Through the various trouble shooting steps, I've managed to move from a predominant 15 to a steady 92. I couldn't have done it without y'all!

I'm in NE Afghanistan, I'll post some pictures of the setup tomorrow.  System has been working, I'm just waiting on a sat meter so I can try to get our signal above 80... right now that's where it peaks doing it by hand and having someone watch the modem signal meter.

VSAT Return Path:                        Inroute           Inroute      
Satellite Longitude in degrees:          36                36            
Satellite Hemisphere:                    East              East         
VSAT Longitude in degrees:               70                70            
VSAT Longitude in minutes:               29                29            
VSAT Longitude Hemisphere:               East                      
VSAT Latitude in degrees:                34                34            
VSAT Latitude in minutes:                23                23            
VSAT Latitude Hemisphere:                North             
Satellite Channel Frequency:             19588 (x 100Khz) 
Receive Symbol Rate:                     10000000 Sps      
Receive Polarization:                    Vertical          Vertical      
Transmit Polarization:                   Horizontal         
LNB 22KHz Switch:                        Off               Off          
DVB Mode:                                DVB-S2-ACM            
Frequency Band / Modulation:             Ku / QPSK         
DVB Program Num for User Data:           20500             
DVB Program Num for DNCC Data:         40000