SatSig topic:

BentleyWalker HX50 Iraq W6

(Read 6677 times)

Jan 2^nd, 2011 at 11:38am

Hello gents,

I've seen quite a few posts on this, and have tried to follow on the solutions posted. I hate to post a new thread, but I'm not having much luck contacting anyone in the old threads.

That said:

I have:

HX50 Modem
LNB Model NJR2537S
BUC P/N ( I think ) 1500286-003

Last used in Feb2010, everything supposedly works according to BW and the guys I bought it from.

We moved it about a mile, its attached to a bracket on top of a t-wall. I'll link pictures of everything.

I am aiming towards W-6, and I'm guessing this is a difficult shot for everyone based on what I'm seeing online.

From my location, 30.9399 N 46.1536 E I get:

219 Azimuth
45.3 Elevation
54.42 Polarization

This is from BW support staff. I also looked it up using the tool from this website, and got similar results.

At those exact coordinates I get absolutely nothing, including searching up down and side to side several degrees.

At 219 and about 30 degrees elevation I get a good solid signal, of course it peaks out at 29 so I'm guessing its wrong.

According to what I've read I need to go up and left, or down and right. Don't seem to see anything very close to my coordinates at all.

I'm lost and frustrated, and polarization is very confusing, does anyone have a similar setup in iraq that can help me figure it out? Anyone got pictures of a working setup? I'd appreciate it.

here is the link to all the pictures. Note, my dish is not adjustable for polarization, as some are.

https://picasaweb.google.com/Badger32d/Satellite

Jan 2^nd, 2011 at 1:15pm

Quote:

At 219 azimuth and about 30 degrees elevation I get a good solid signal, of course it peaks out at 29 so I'm guessing its wrong.

It is highly likely that this is the correct wanted satellite. Your reading of the elevation scale may be wrong due to lack of a reference mark.

The maximum of 29 shows that you are peaked up on powerful satellite. Likely things wrong are the polarisation and configuration settings.

Polarisation:
(1) There are four possible starting positions, with the LNB arm up or down (Horizontal receive polarisation name start positions) or with the LNB arm either side (Vertical receive polarisation name start positions).
(2) Having set a start position, apply the adjustment amount. For example: +35 deg polarisation adjustment means turn the feed assembly clockwise by an amount of 35 deg, as viewed with you facing towards the satellite in the sky. Use the scale markings to count the amount along the scale. The numbers on the scale may go backwards from 90, so a clockwise movement amount of +35 deg may result in a scale reading of 55.

The image above shows the LNB to the upper left.
The polarisation (set as shown) is either:
Horizontal polarisation with + 55 deg clockwise applied.
or
Vertical polarisation with -35 deg anticlockwise applied.

Remember clockwise and anticlockwise refer to you facing towards the satellite in the sky. When the LNB is at the top that is Horizonantal polarisation start position.

Check your location and pointing angles here:
https://www.satsig.net/maps/satellite-dish-pointing-iraq.htm
If you can see your buildings/walls then compare with blue line showing the azimuth pointing direction.

Configuration:
Since the site was last operational the outlink symbol rate may have been changed. Ask BW for latest W6 symbol rate and tuning frequency etc.

Your NJR2537S has 10 GHz local oscillator and is suitable for receiving outlink signals in the range 10.95-11.7 GHz.
wxw
Best regards, Eric

Jan 2^nd, 2011 at 3:50pm

Thanks so much for the quick response Eric! I realized from how you explained polarization that I was completely backwards on it. I still think the satellite signal and symbol rate are wrong in my modem, but I cannot make changes stick. I enter them, hit save and the modem restarts and goes back to the default settings. Any idea's on how to make them change?

Anyone know the vxworks login for an HX50? I'm very comfortable poking around in routers, its what I do for a living. Aiming at little metal chunks in the sky, not so much.

I'll most certainly update as soon as I get a good link, thanks again for the help.

Jan 2^nd, 2011 at 4:20pm

You should have a recent (pdf - paper) configuration sheet from Bentley Walker which will include your site ID, satellite, tuning, symbol rate, name of receive polarisation, IP addresses etc.

If you can't make the new tuning and symbol rate stick then copy onto paper the all existing settings off the screen. Then apply the Reset to Factory default option (command rf, I think). Not sure how/where to apply it. Having done that the power LED may flash all the time till the modem successfully updates its software from the hub when commissioned.

This manual, while not referring specifically to the HX model, has much that is also applicable to HX modem:
https://www.satsig.net/bentley-walker/HN7000S-HN7700S-Remote-Terminal-Installati... Note 9 Mbytes pdf file to download.

If a modem is left operational for a long time it will automatically receive broadcasts of any impending changes in tuning or symbol rate.

Best regards, Eric.

Jan 2^nd, 2011 at 4:33pm

Eric, I do have the sheet with updated info, however I cannot telnet into the modem, don't know the vxworks login, and google has not been helpful. I emailed and asked Bentley Walker support for the login and have not received a response yet.

And, as I stated above, if I enter the updated information into the web config, it restarts and keeps the old parameters.

Jan 2^nd, 2011 at 6:28pm

What happens when you open a browser and try https://192.168.0.1/fs/advanced/advanced.html ? I'm thinkin' you should see an INSTALLATION option in the left column. Click it and select SETUP from the dropdown. Since you're the installer, that's the option you want next

Or have you done all that and are still stuck?

//greg//

Jan 2^nd, 2011 at 8:14pm

Greg,

I've gone through all the setup links on the modem and got nothing - till I finally figured out how to telnet into the beast.

telnet 192.168.0.1 1953 (for port 1953, the port that the web front end is running on)

I then rf'd it, and started anew, was able to plug the correct information in, now I'm about to jump on that t-wall again. I'll let you all know how I fare.

Jan 3^rd, 2011 at 12:28am

Excellent news all,

I got the updated Symbol rate and Frequency from BW, reset the modem and re-entered all the information. When the modem restarted I was at 75%, now I'm at 91%!

I let it update, and now I'm about to start peaking it up. Thanks for all the help and an awesome forum.

Notes:

My dish would not rotate, so I rotated the BUC/LNB. Eric, your help in figuring out polarization was awesome, thank you.

Occasionally it seems the HX50 does not want to take updated information from the web login.

telnet 192.168.0.1 1953 and then enter rf to restore to factory settings, this let me put in the correct information, and then reconnect to the bird.

Thanks again for the quick responses and this forum, it is by far the best satellite recourse I've found.