SatSig topic:

iDirect Dish pointing and setup.

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Mar 8^th, 2008 at 10:58am

Hello all,

I need some help in pointing a dish in Iraq to AM22. My 3000 series has the options file loaded and using iSite software dish pointing I can only get 2.5 volts while pointing. Using a Horizon sat meter for Afg 11.3 Ghz I also can not get a lock and the strongest signal I can get is 69 dB.

I have a andrews 1.2m dish and confirmed with bently walker that I have the correct BUC and LNB. They even sent me a picture of a working iDirect in Iraq and my dish setup looks exactly like it. I have double checked the elevation, azimuth and polarity ten times but still connect get a strong signal. I have pointed antennas and set up systems to W6 and W3A etc so I am not a newbie when it comes to this. Can anyone provide any insight as to what might be the problem?

Mar 11^th, 2008 at 3:54pm

Do u have any objects blocking ur line of site ? atleast 20-25m away from any building and if that is clear i want u to check ur ARC RANGE on the modem parameters and send it to me maybe i can do some diagnose for you.tunde300us@gmail.com

Mar 11^th, 2008 at 4:34pm

No objects blocking dish, it is up high. Also, where do I check for the ARC RANGE? Is it in iSite or do I telnet in?

Mar 11^th, 2008 at 5:30pm

Hi from BW,

My colleague has sent you some additional details with regard to the alignment and checking some parameters in the modem. Please kindly check on the points raised and advise.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for further assistance.

james@bentleywalker.com

Mar 15^th, 2008 at 9:30pm

Hi,
The ARC-RANGE is in ur options file and unless ure good with isite u mite not be able to recognise it when u see and opt file at first.When u download an opt file and upload again then it will be very easy to check the arc range.
Its just one of the options to check when troubleshooting

Mar 16^th, 2008 at 5:51pm

What is your look angle to the AM22?

Mar 18^th, 2008 at 1:12pm

The modem software and all settings where checked by Raja over at BW as correct. I still went to align the dish and it still does not go above 5v pointing at AM22. The sat meter says its AM22, the elevation (48.5 deg), the Azimuth (163 deg) and the polarity (-13.4) are all correct and have been checked an untold many times.

Tunde, I do not see anything in my options file that says arc or arc range. TDMAMike, if you mean my elevation, it is a clear 48.5 deg which should be great.

Mar 18^th, 2008 at 1:29pm

If you sent me the option file, I can edit the arc range for you and sent it back to you.
my email is doselk@gmail.com

Mar 18^th, 2008 at 1:34pm

Hello, thanks for the offer. The file has been sent. Just curious, what does changing the arc range do to help in laymens terms?

Mar 18^th, 2008 at 4:03pm

I have replied with the edited opt file.

Mar 20^th, 2008 at 8:12pm

Hi,
Do u mind if u just send me the opt file so that i can go through it,and i will explain to the best of my knowledge what the arc range does and maybe share soemof my own opt dile with u too so tht u can see the differences.I am sure ur experiences with this site will surely expose u to so many more knowledge of vsat installation.I had something similar that is why i was asking for the opt file to be sent to my email addy tunde300us@gmail.com

Mar 23^rd, 2008 at 8:07am

Thanks for the option file doselk. I still can only get a maximum of 5 volts, increasing the arc range did not appear to change anything.

Would anyone else have an idea why it would be this hard to get the proper voltage? Could I have bad equipment?

Mar 23^rd, 2008 at 11:55am

Do you have another modem or LNB you could swap in to test with? If so, I would recommend it.

Mar 23^rd, 2008 at 2:06pm

If I had a bad LNB, would I not show strong signals with the sat meter? I do get strong signals.

Also, I have a question about the iSite antenna pointing software. When I start it up, it says to start the sweep 20 deg off of planned azimuth. I sweep the dish over and I find the sat but only 5 volts at peak up. Now if I shut down iSite and start her back up and with the dish not moved, the same sat will show .3 volts or baseline. Is that normal?

Mar 23^rd, 2008 at 2:43pm

Interesting. I agree with you that your LNB is more than likely good, but if you had a spare laying around, it obviously wouldnt hurt to swap it in. With those voltage fluctuations, I would consider looking at any cabling to LNB, the LNB, and the modem...in that order (if the cabling is easy to tackle, that is...)

I know you arent new to pointing, but are you absolutely certain you are POLed correctly?

What about a spare modem? Do you have one?

Mar 23^rd, 2008 at 8:31pm

Sorry, no spare modem. I am certain that I have the polarity correct, and I have tried other polarity settings just for the hell of it. No luck.

Mar 23^rd, 2008 at 9:10pm

Update: I hired a local tech here on the camp to come over and take a look.

He had a different kind of sat meter then I have but also found AM22 in the same location I had. He tested both 30m cables with a voltmeter leading to the dish and all four leads tested good. He double checked some settings on the modem and in iSite, options file etc.

Like I, he could not get a lock with the modem. No green lights and only 5 volts in iSite antenna pointing. Needless to say, the issue is not resolved and I am out some money.

So what would you all think are my options? Could the modem iteself be bad? Bently Walker offers iDirect also on W6. I could swap out the LNB and BUC. I know for sure I can get W6, I have a DVB-S2 system running on this same dish before. But if the modem is bad, obviously switching satellites won't change a thing.

Mar 24^th, 2008 at 5:09am

30 meters? Isn't that a long cable run? Have you tried moving the modem to the dish with 10m cables? If that works, you'll want to replace the RG6 with 30m of RG11.

There are different qualities of RG6, the best is quad with solid copper center. The 30m still seems too long to me.

Mar 24^th, 2008 at 6:08am

This is the standard 30m cable that Bently Walker sells with their kits. Does the cable length for resistance have to be programmed into the modem or set in the options file?

Mar 24^th, 2008 at 12:07pm

The cable lenth properties in the iBuilder GUI are just for reference and have no logical value in the overall scheme of how your system operates. They are just reference numbers for Hub Network Operators.

You might want to consider that swing to the W6...just to get a look at how your system performs when pointed to another spacecraft.

For all we know that demod on your satellite router could be shot. That is why I recommended a possible modem swap just to rule it out. I think you are on target in asking for a W6 options file just for a second shot at another craft.

Mar 29^th, 2008 at 7:42pm

Do you have any firewall software enabled ? Last time I did a pointing, I got no signal and did test everything to found that my new NOD32 blocked the iSite traffic Cheesy

By the way, If anyone would explain more regarding the ARC Range, I will be thankful to him, I would like people to share the knowledge just like Mike and Eric, They are the best on this and I am so respectful for them. Thanks in advance.

Mar 29^th, 2008 at 11:02pm

Hi all,i dont think its a firewall problem cos if isite isnt working it wont bring any voltage at all just blank.But like mike said he better try a new modem or better best try pointing to another satellite W6 and check to know if he can get a receive lock.
Cos presently i have an issue with AMC12 not pointing well and when i get a receive lock it just goes off as the wind blows even before i try to fine tune the dish and i wont get it again until after several attempts but alas it will just bounce off as usual.Is the receive frequency that narrow?cos i have pointed AMC12 before and nev had dis kinda problems