SatSig topic:

Extremely slow-- iDirect-- Spin Boldak Afghanistan

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Oct 3^rd, 2009 at 1:18pm

We've recently purchased a system that we've installed.

While installing, best possible signal strength we've received has been 14 out of 25. We are locked to the satellite.

Currently, with only a handful of people on the satellite, we're receiving about 2KB/s average. Web pages time out. It is generally unusable.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Oct 3^rd, 2009 at 1:44pm

If you have peaked up the signal by pointing the dish (up/down/left/right) and still have a poor signal then the problem maybe that you have not set the correct polarisation angle.

Use this page satellite dish pointing Iraq. Select your named satellite orbit position, the name of the downlink polarisation you were told and find your location on the map. The map starts with Iraq-Iran area; drag the map image to the left till Afghanistan and your location appears. This particular dish pointing page has an extra feature which shows you approximately what your polarisation should look like as viewed with you standing behind the dish and facing forwards towards the satellite in the sky. Note the angle of the LNB side arm. (Tiny black and white image of the feed horn window and the LNB side arm)

Once you understand what polarisation angle is about apply the calculated angle accurately. An inclinometer put sideways across the BUC or LNB may help. The polarisation starting position, before adjustment, will be either with the LNB arm upwards (Horizontal name) or at one (either) side (vertical polarisation name).

Repeak the antenna pointing (azimuth and elevation). Try to get to the exact centre of the beam by mechanically halving the distance between equally degraded angles either side. The transmit beam is narrower than the receive beam.

Please tell us the outcome.

Your service provider should test your site and verify if you have set the polarisation angle correctly (+/- 1deg) and also check your BUC output power. The lower your BUC power the better your pointing and the more fade margin in your system before outage during very heavy rain.

Best regards, Eric.

Oct 3^rd, 2009 at 3:13pm

Sir

If you dont resolve this let me know and I will arrange a free test on our Network, we have a lot of systems in Afghan with good Satellite coverage and a Guarnateed grade of service covered by an Service Level Agreement. contact me directly

anthony@bentleywalker.com

Oct 4^th, 2009 at 9:15am

Eric:

We spent a few hours last night repositioning and still couldn't get above 14/25. I confirmed all of our positioning from your dish pointing guide with our previous data.

We actually get better speed test results on upload than download.

As far as our "service provider" verifying anything, they don't seem inclined to answer the phone these days.

Any other ideas? Thanks.

Anthony: I've sent you an email.

Oct 4^th, 2009 at 1:06pm

If your polarisation (rotation of the feed/BUC/LNB assembly in its yoke) is correct then it looks like 14 is the best downlink signal you can get. It would be helpful if your service provider could tell you if 14 was normal, below average or above average. If below average and poor then I would suspect too small dish or some dish assembly problem, like reflector distortion, wrong holes used for feed arm struts, focus distance ?. Does the feed horn point more or less towards the centre of the reflector ? Does the lower edge of the dish have a clear view of the sky towards the satellite ? Put your eye behind at the lower edge of dish and sight through the feed assembly - can you see the sky, or a wall perhaps ?

You really do need your service provider's help as your problem may be on your transmit side and they need to test your BUC power settings - could be far too high or far too low - either would give bad service. Does your service provider know your lat/long location ?

Sorry I can't help further.

Best regards, Eric.

Oct 4^th, 2009 at 1:52pm

Eric:

We've confirmed that it is at the correct polarization angle.

Part of the problem seems to me to be that the satellite is 10 degrees above horizon, so the dish actually looks depressed to me (angled down I mean).

The service provider is in Poland and I've not yet been able to establish good communications with them; they seem to have difficulties answering the telephone.

I know that they consider 15 the minimum to start (from the instruction file that came over email), though they activated us at 13-14.

We'll continue to work at it and go with another company if necessary. The equipment should work with others, right? Thanks.

Oct 4^th, 2009 at 2:22pm

Setting polarisation is a two step process. Step1: set to the nominal named polarisation. Step 2: apply the site-specific calculated adjustment angle amount.

I'm guessing a bit but you may be on 1W satellite:

Spin Buldak (SE of Kandahar) is in the edge region of the beam - so dish size is critical !

In your case the feed system, in its yoke, should have been turned about 57 deg clockwise, as viewed from behind the dish and you facing towards the satellite in the sky. If you still have the LNB straight up (Horiz pol name) or sideways (Vertical pol name) that would explain a poor receive signal.

Offset dish designs vary slightly, but a typical dish will have an offset angle of about 20 deg. So, with the front of the dish upright the beam elevation is about 20 deg. For a beam elevation of about 10 deg the front face of the dish will be tilted forwards by about 10 deg.

The sight line to the satellite is still from behind and just below the lower edge of the dish and through, or possibly just above the feed horn window (circular plastic disk). A more accurate assessment is to use a sloping tube or plank of wood under the lower edge of the dish. Get someone to hold it at 10 deg slope using an inclinometer while someone else looks along the pipe or wood. Can they see the sky - or a wall / tree !

10 deg elevation is the lowest recommended operating angle for Ku band operation. Excessive rain fading occurs due to the long slant path through the rain. Scintillation, which is up and down signal level variations, occurs for a large proportion of the time due to movement of layers of humid and less humid air. Scintillation is the same as the twinkling of stars that are low down near to the horizon.

I am not sure that your equipment will work with other networks. Some providers 'lock' their modems to their own networks to stop you moving. Other networks may offer you a new modem anyway to take advantage of latest more efficient technologies (e.g. DVB-S2).

Best regards, Eric.

Oct 4^th, 2009 at 4:30pm

Eric:

Thanks again. That is very helpful. Given what you've written, I'm confident that we have the polarization angle correctly set. I'm concerned about the low operating angle, however.

Not sure why someone would put us on a satellite that low. I'm sure scintillation is further exacerbated by the miles of dust that suspends very close to the ground here. We have a smallish dish as well.

I will examine the sight lines more closely, though we have it mounted on top of a building and I'm fairly confident that we are free and clear of obvious obstructions.

I think we'd have far better luck with a system that didn't have a satellite so close to the horizon.

Oct 5^th, 2009 at 8:44pm

Sir

You are very welcome to try our W6 or Sesat service for a week, both are much higher elevation satellites, we will 100% Guarantee what you get on the test is what you get for real afterwards there is no trickery, we have over 6000 VSATs on line all backed with an SLA ...we just need to know what LNB you have ...high or Low band and if you repoint were have you up and running with a very good service, not only that but we will make you a free offer to swap to X3 S2 ..what more can I say ?

By the way, we had 2 other customers today with the same set up asking to move to us ...wonder why =)))

Simply mail me Anthony@bentleywalker.com

Oct 13^th, 2009 at 7:16am

Dear Sir,
We provide stable service on ABS-1 all over Afghanistan, if you are interested, just send me an email.

sales@ceretechs.com

Regards,
Abdul

Oct 31^st, 2009 at 1:58pm

Well, as an update, I can report that we tried the Bentley Walker service and it was much slower than the slow service we had from TS2.

We were told that we'd get a 7-day trial and they turned it off after two days.

We've gone back to TS2, but it hasn't worked at all now for 7 days, with some mysterious "storm" in Greece as the blame. Yesterday, apparently tech support was on "holiday."

So far, I'm very disappointed in our entire experience.

For those of you who arrive at this post while looking for a satellite provider, don't buy anything until you receive actual recommendations from someone that you trust who has actually used a service.

I'll update my post if our experience changes.

Oct 31^st, 2009 at 3:03pm

Dear Sir
We are highly surprised to see your report of slow service, we guarantee to meet exactly our published grade of service.
Our packages are shared packages with quotas and it sounds to me that your site may have been heavily downloading to the point where it was throttled, we have interactive online support by instant messenger and can investigate any speed issues with u live to ensure you are getting your grade of service.

I do not know why you were only give 2 days demo but we do have other customers from TS2 platform that have transfered without complaint, I am quite willing to extend your demo by a further week immediately and rigorously conduct speed tests with you. Bentley Walker has over 6000 VSATs and we work in a professional manner with guarantees. We can even offer you a free upgrade to our iDirect Evolution X3 platform, DVBS2. But we need to find out whats going on first. I have asked Mr Raja Praveen, one of our top IT support Engineers to e-mail you immediately in order to assist you and we will be grateful if you give us a chance to look into this whole matter for you, I am sure and positive we will find a solution.

Please also note I have sent you an email from an extremely satisfied client who migrated from TS, please read it and feel free to contact them for a reference.

Best Regards,
Anthony Walker

Nov 1^st, 2009 at 8:48am

We've managed to get our TS2 up and running again, with some moderate success on speed.

We've paid through this month, but we'll reevaluate at the end of our payment period. Thanks to all who have sent me emails.

Nov 2^nd, 2009 at 11:45am

Hi

We have handreds of Customers in Afghanistan using our iDirect Network with closed coverage on your area .

please send us your requirment and we will be happy to provide you test activation on your set .

Regards

Nov 2^nd, 2009 at 3:19pm

It has quit working again for the last 24 hours.

Nov 2^nd, 2009 at 4:25pm

Dear Mike

I can understand your frustation but look try our service again you can have a free 7 days any package you want and I will guarantee to make it work as per our Grade of service, you need to work with our techiies and they will diagnose any speed issue , in fact with our Accelnet it will go faster than published figures , I think your present issues are to do with the TS2 Satellite platform that has low elevation and may be thats why it cuts out but could software glitch anyhow we will be happy to make this system work and look forward to hearing from you

Nov 3^rd, 2009 at 6:09am

Hi,

I sent you a pvt email yesterday. Please have a look and get back to me.

Bob