SatSig topic:

HX50 In Northern Afghanistan Help Please

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Nov 4^th, 2010 at 11:22am

In need of help please:

I am trying to get locked onto the 36 E Eutelsat W4 W7

What I was given for set up was:

Beam Elevation 36.3 Azimuth 220.0 and Polarization of 34.8

I am in Northern Afghanistan, Mazar e Shariff and I have for 3 weeks now been trying to get my satellite locked in.
Basically here is what I have done. 3 weeks ago I got everything set up and was only able to obtain a signal of 29 nothing higher, I scanned several times but still no luck.

I finally was able to speak with a rep from Bentley walker at the NOC who verified my config settings however we then realized that I did not have the right LNB.

I was then sent the universal LNB 1501882-002 which I installed yesterday. When I got everything back together and powered up I had to so some slight modification but again the highest I could get was 29. After a couple of hours I called back to the NOC who went through my settings agains which there he had me make a couple of adjustments:

Frequency from 19582 to 19588
Rate from 9000000 - 10000000

After this powered the satellite back up and tried to secure something above 30, again no luck. I am really frustrated here and have been reading non stop through these forums and figured my best options like others would be to post my set up and some pictures and hope some of you experts can help me out.

Now I have the 1.2 m dish that I believe requires the 17 degree adjustment and hope someone can clarify this for me as I have tried my beam angle at their suggested 36.3 degrees and incorporated the 17 degree adjustment with no luck.

Unfortunately I do not have a satellite meter and am using the web console to do this alignment. Also there is another unit approximately 300 meters away who is running the dual system their numbers were similar to mine and when they lined theres up and powered on they were already at a 60 or 70 signal strength.

I’m not sure if this matters but the power light on the modem just constantly blinks as well.
Any help would be appreciated !!!!!!

Here is my set up from bw:
Satellite Parameters
Satellite Longitude 36 Degrees East
Satellite Frequency 19582
Symbol Rate 9000000
LNB 22KHz Switch Off
DVB Mode DVB S2 ACM
Frequency Band KU/QPSK
Receive Pol Vertical
Transmit Pol Horizontal
VSAT Parameters
VSAT Long Degrees Your location
VSAT Longitude Minutes Your location
VSAT Long Hemisphere Your location
VSAT Lat Degrees Your location
VSAT Lat Minutes Your location
VSAT Lat Hemisphere Your location
VSAT Return Path Inroute
LNB Type from drop down menu. Please check the model number of the receive LNB ( small white block on the Outdoor Head component For Model beginning with 1500287-0003 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1500287-0003 end_of_the_skype_
highlighting LNB Type = "Standard"
For Model beginning with 1501882-0002 LNB Type = "Universal"
Transmit Radio 2 Watt

Here is what is in the modem:
Current Software Image Executing: Fallback.bin
Creation Date [Release #]: Oct 17 2008, 14:23:44 [5.8.0.35]
NAT Status: Disabled
DHCP Server Status: Enabled on Lan1
Firewall Status: Disabled
VSAT Zipcode: Not Available
=======================================================================
Parameter Value entered Value in use
-------------------------------------- -------------- ------------
VSAT Return Path: Inroute Inroute
Satellite Longitude in degrees: 36 36
Satellite Hemisphere: East East
Satellite Channel Frequency: 19588 (x 100Khz) 19588 (x 100Khz)
Receive Symbol Rate: 10000000 Sps 10000000 Sps
Receive Polarization: Vertical Vertical
Transmit Polarization: Horizontal Horizontal
LNB 22KHz Switch: Off Off
DVB Mode: DVB-S2-ACM DVB-S2-ACM
Frequency Band / Modulation: Ku / QPSK Ku / QPSK
DVB Program Num for User Data: 20500 20500
DVB Program Num for DNCC Data: 40000 40000

Here are the photos of my set up

https://www.brothersofchaos.com/AbnVet/satellite.rar

Nov 4^th, 2010 at 11:47am

Flashing power LED: Running with default (initial) software. Normal when starting an installation.

29 readings: You are pointed at some satellite. Maybe the right one, maybe not. Mark and note the screw settings as you can always then quickly get back to this satellite. Having found one satellite, all the others are in a sloping line - so it is easy to go up and left, or down and right to the adjacent ones.

Universal LNB 1501882-002: The direction of the coax cable connector is the receive polarisation direction. 22kHz tone ON or OFF matters and is important.

Polarisation setting:
For vertical name and +34.8 adjustment and Universal LNB the coax cable connector must start off vertical. Then adjust 34.8 deg clockwise, while facing forwards towards the satellite in the sky.

The pictures above shows that you started with the LNB cable to the left side (horizontal name starting position) and then rotated it about 60 deg clockwise.

The LNB cable connector should finish up at about 1 o'clock position as viewed from behind the dish facing forards towardfs the satellite.

Polarisation setting instructions above apply if only you do NOT have "505" marked on the feed horn throat.

This image:

shows the beam elevation set to 38 deg. This should be about right is the baseplate of the mount bracket is level. Since you have found a satellite it is likely that it is the correct satellite, or possibly no more than 1 or 2 satellites either way.

Best regards, Eric.

Nov 4^th, 2010 at 12:40pm

Thank you for a quick reply. When I started the aligning procedures I had the lnb up facing the sky and then while looking at the satelite rotated clock wise till I get my 34.8.

Did you see the pictures that showed my Beam Elevation and the config file. When scanning I have only picked up one major signal within my azimuth i.e my azimuth is 220.9 and I have went left and right 10 degrees of that and not picked up any other signal also while going to the very extreme and lowering and raising the satellite different degree up to +/- 20 degrees.

When scanning I can go left and the signal drop come back to the spot and hit 29 again, go right and signal drops again go back I get 29 again. I have raised it till the signal drops and so on same thing even on the 29 I have drastically changed the polarization and it had very little effect maybe change 1 or 2 on the meter.

I read somewhere that I might want to turn on the 22khz when on the 29, I have not done this yet but last night the NOC even verified that is suppose to be off. I set one of these up when i was in iraq and it took like an hour this has been a nightmare

FYI my feed horn does not have 505 marked on it

Nov 4^th, 2010 at 12:52pm

I think you have found the correct satellite.

The problem lies in these areas:

The name of the receive polarisation:
Facing towards the satellite you have two options.
Start with the LNB cable to the left (Horizontal name) then apply 34.8 clockwise adjustment.
Start with the LNB cable upwards (Vertical name) then apply 34.8 clockwise adjustment.

The 22kHz tone on or off:
The Universal LNB has two alternative local oscillator frequencies and the tone switches between them. I do not know for certain what these two local oscillator frequencies are. Maybe: ON=9.75 GHz OFF=10.75 GHz

Tuning:
The tuning 19588 means 1.9588 GHz

The satellite frequency minus the local oscillator frequency equals the modem tuning frequency.

I don't know what is the satellite frequency for your wanted carrier.

Your sbc.cfg file contained the following:
[RxLnbList]
NetworkLNB=10.60,10.60
Universal=10.6,9.75
Standard=11.3,11.3
[Pointing]
SAT_OTA_Frequency=0
SAT_Rx_LNB_Name=Invacom
SAT_LO_On=9.75
SAT_LO_Off=10.60
SAT_Network_Ref_LO=106000
The "Universal" LNB menu does not match the idea that the Universal LNB LOs are ON=9.75 GHz OFF=10.75 GHz
Much of the rest of the file seems to relate to North American networks. Strange...

Best regards, Eric

Nov 4^th, 2010 at 1:00pm

Quote:

This image:
https://www.satsig.net/afghanistan/sat5.jpg
shows the beam elevation set to 38 deg. This should be about right is the baseplate of the mount bracket is level. Since you have found a satellite it is likely that it is the correct satellite, or possibly no more than 1 or 2 satellites either way.

Best regards, Eric.

Eric - thanks as that has been a big question I have had. My pole is level and I assumed I could use that scale on that plate to get my beam azimuth, but just to reverify. I have been provided a beam angle of 36.3 Does the 1.2 meter dish offset not play a factor. i.e I read something that said the type of dish I was using had a 17 degree offset - do I need to incorporate this into something?

Nov 4^th, 2010 at 1:05pm

Quote:

I think you have found the correct satellite.

The problem lies in these areas:

The name of the receive polarisation:
Facing towards the satellite you have two options.
Start with the LNB cable to the left (Horizontal name) then apply 34.8 clockwise adjustment.
Start with the LNB cable upwards (Vertical name) then apply 34.8 clockwise adjustment.

The 22kHz tone on or off:
The Universal LNB has two alternative local oscillator frequencies and the tone switches between them. I do not know for certain what these two local oscillator frequencies are. Maybe: ON=9.75 GHz OFF=10.75 GHz

The tuning and symbol rate:
The tuning 19588 means 1.9588 GHz

The satellite frequency minus the local oscillator frequency equals the modem tuning frequency.

I don't know what it the satellite frequency for your wanted carrier.

Best regards, Eric

Ok my set up instructions from bentley walker have me needing a recieve polarization of vertical so I started with the the lnb cable upward and then I rotate clockwise, looking at the dish? or do I rotate clockwise if I was looking at the sky?

Thank you for your quick replies

I have been speaking with the BW NOC so I assume my service is coming from them

Nov 4^th, 2010 at 1:54pm

The beam elevation angle scale on the bracket behind the dish is what you should use. The way the scale is drawn takes account of the offset angle of the dish. Offset angles vary from one dish design to the next.

If you adjust your dish till the front face is vertical, (dangle a weight on a string down the front) then the beam elevation is the offset angle.

The difference between 36.3 and 38 is nothing unusual. You typically have to try sweeps 1,2 or 3 deg up or down to find the satellite. There is some slackness now in the head unit that allows the dish to sag down a couple of degrees. As you tighten everything up you will need to repeak.

Polarisation adjustments are clockwise (+) or anticlockwise (-) as viewed with you facing forwards towards the satellite in the sky.

It is the amount of movement away from a starting position that matters. Ignore the scale numbers if they go backwards or from 90, 180 or 270. Ignore the scale +/- if they dont agree with the above. It is the direction, clockwise or anticlockwise, and the amount of movement that matters.
There are two Vertical start positions: Universal LNB cable pointing up or down.
There are two Horizontal start positions: Universal LNB cable to either side.
Having set a start position apply the adjustment direction and amount.

If you have set exactly the wrong polaristion you can quickly try the other polarisation by turning 90 deg. e.g. from 10 o'clock to 1 o'clock positions, in this case.

Facing towards the satellite in the sky try two options.
Start with the LNB cable to the left (Horizontal name) then apply 34.8 clockwise adjustment.
Start with the LNB cable upwards (Vertical name) then apply 34.8 clockwise adjustment.

Best regards, Eric.

Nov 4^th, 2010 at 6:12pm

just wanted to follow up. I finally got this thing locked in however I am at 87 but will work on it more tomorrow. My speeds are poor but I am hoping with a work ticket that will be looked in. I have not opened this up to the other 5 people who will be on it 512 /512 but I would think i would get faster than a 6k d/l speed

Nov 4^th, 2010 at 7:41pm

Well done.

What was the final set up that worked ?

Satellite=36E LNB=LNB 1501882-002
Polarisation position ?
LNB type on menu ?
22 kHz tone ?
Tuning Frequency 19588 ?
Symbol Rate 10000000 ?

The transmit beam is narrower than the receive beam so getting the aiming perfect is important. Your download data throughput will be badly affected if your uplink transmit direction is poor.

The outlink carrier towards you is so strong that it is quite easy to get a good receive signal. The problem is to get to the exact centre of the beam so that your transmit beam is also centered on the satellite. This is not easy and you may need to off-point slightly, down to say exactly 75 above and below and on either side of the beam and then centre the dish by counting turns and flats on the elevation screw and by winding the two nuts in equally on the aximuth screw.

The hub will be able to help diagnose any problem. Leave your modem powered and don't work on the antenna on while any software downloads etc are in progress.

Best regards, Eric.

Nov 17^th, 2010 at 1:32pm

Sorry it took awhile to get back been on missions. So here is the current updates:

Satellite=36E LNB=LNB 1501882-002
Polarisation position - 34
LNB type on menu - used universal
22 kHz tone - off
Tuning Frequency - 19588
Symbol Rate - 10000000

Still having a lot of issues with reliable service. Worked with BW tech who had me download a file he stated I was getting the bandwidth I was paying for premium 512 / 512 but it still just doesnt make sense to me.

I have 5-6 users Im utilizing a apple extreme wireless router and most pages take 30 second to 60 seconds to load - Mail apps on ipads and etc... do not work instant messengers like trillian wont connect. Anyway I am going to try to peak this some more right now at 89 and go from there.

Anyway just wanted to follow up thanks for the solid help.