Satellite Internet Forum

[esm]

Hi,

It's been a while since I have been here, but I'm finally ready to align my Hughes dish and get the DW 6000 going and I have some questions regarding the commissioning process.

1  Can I select the satellite and point my dish to it or does Hughes Network assign me a satellite and then I align?

2  During the alignment procedure, does the DW6000 show which satellite I'm pointing to or is the SQF the only thing that is displayed? If that is the case, how do I know if I'm pointing at the satellite that I (or Hughes) have selected?

3  I got used equipment and the DW 6000 says that it is commissioned. How could that be?

Thanks for all the help.

Ed

[SYNDESIS]

1. Your actual satellite/transponder assignment is configured during the commissioning process, but that's sort of a chicken and egg thing. Installers have a list of which satellites and transponders to install certain products and configurations, a list not ordinarily available to the general public. You can actually commission a DW6000 on most Direcway-leased transponders. But the odds you'll then have to repoint to your permanently assigned satellite/transponder are high. Can't guarantee how accurate this info is, but last I heard was that new installs were currently being assigned to IA8.

2. With the DW6000 connected to your Ethernet port, the info you are looking for will be at http://192.168.0.1/fs/advanced/advanced.html

3. You might want to phone Direcway Billing department. Some users abandon/sell their equipment with their account in arrears, or before satisfying the minimum service commitment. Modem serial numbers in this category are blacklisted, and cannot be (re)commissioned till the account discrepancy is rectified. You need to call them anyway, to get your SAN and PIN. They're the ID and password needed as part of the (re)commissioning process.

[esm]

That's exactly the info I was looking for! How does one get to this screen form the modem homepage? I tried everything but didn't find that. Do you have any more of those "secret" pages?

Before I call I would like to, at least, get a decent signal to make sure everything works as it should.

Thanks a lot!

Ed

[SYNDESIS]

That "advanced/advanced" should get you in the ballpark. From there I think it's on to "setup".

Finding Direcway signal is a challenge to the uninitiated, especially without any electronic assistance in the form of a signal meter, O-scope, spec anny, et cetera. There is a "signal quality" indicator within the DW6000 user interface, but there's a significant processing delay in reproducing the graphic. You should only move the dish a fraction of an inch at a time, and wait at least 10 seconds for the move to show up as a gain or loss on the DW6000 graphic.

Without the proper alignment tools, it's a frustrating and time-consuming job.

[esm]

I realize that it's going to be a drag and I might have to resort to a professional for the fine-tuning.

BTW, has anyone any experience with CopperHead?

Wondering if it's worth the money?

Ed

[SYNDESIS]

I personally don't frequent pay forums, considering it illogical and inequitable to be charged for dispensing advice/assistance. But obviously I don't spend much time on satellite forums as a recipient, so your mileage may vary.

In the case of Copperhead, I get the feeling that the cost of membership is closely related to the "free" utilities available to "members only".

[esm]

Hi Gentlemen,

I'm in the middle of aligning my dish and I seem to be getting nowhere. I am wondering how precise the elevation scale on the dish mount is? I am trying to hit the 4R bird and the DW6000 tells me it's at an elevation of 55.

I know for a fact that my pole is plumb in all directions. I got one of those cheap "satellite finder" gadgets connected inline and I don't get anything at the 55 elevation, sweeping slowly left and right. Only when I lower to about 52.5 I pick up a signal and the modem signal strength shows about 29 when it peaks. When I take out the OPI and connect directly, the signal goes down to 14.

Does anyone have any experience how precise or imprecise the elevation scale is?

Thanks,

esm

[Digital101]

When your DirecWay modem showed signal strength going up to 29 maximum that was satellite power being measured. You were peaked up the wrong satellite or the wrong polarization.

If it had been the correct carrier the number would have jumped into a new range from 31 - 99. This range means the modem has locked on to the correct carrier and the meaning of the numbers is now signal quality.

There is a special case. If the number gets stuck at 30 this means that you have locked onto a carrier which is the wrong carrier but a carrier which is very similar to the wanted one. You are on the wrong satellite or wrong polarization.

Given your situation go back to the position where it peaked at 29 and mark that position carefully so you can repeatedly go back to that start position. Rotate the polarization and see if the receiver locks up. If yes, your polarization was wrong. If not, then wrong satellite.

Investigate slightly left and right and find the adjacent satellites. The satellites will be in a line which slopes, unless you are facing approx due south, in which case three satellites will be in a more or less horizontal line.

A 2.5 deg error in the elevation scale is not unusual. Is the feed support arm correctly attached? If the arm is sagging down the beam will be higher than you expect.

[SYNDESIS]

Obviously, the scales assume the mast/mount/pole is perfectly plumb and level. I'm starting to wonder about your LNB.

Prior to actual commissioning, all you're supposed to have to do is tell the user interface which satellite and transponder you're going to point at. That forces the modem to set the frequency and polarity in the outdoor equipment. From that point, you''re supposed to be able to lock on to ANY Direcway signal on ANY satellite - which means getting a good signal up to 90 or so - at which point you perform the initial ACP/manual test. If/when that step is successful, you then proceed to the provisioning (commissioning) phase by connecting to one of their WebSetup servers.

Like I said before - the commissioning process establishes your account AND makes the permanent satellite/transponder assignment. If you're lucky, the assignment is on the same satellite, and you should land on the right transponder. But if the assignment is to a different satellite, you have to start the pointing  process all over again (less the provisioning step).

Getting a signal of 29 still suggests pointing error. But I guess it's now also time to consider the possibility of a bad LNB. That's one of the pitfalls in buying used equipment.

[esm]

I see the 29 only with the OPI in line, if I take it out and connect directly, this number goes down to 18! It's like the OPI works as an amplifier.

According to the statistics in the modem, the entire setup has worked correctly before I purchased it.

Is there any test to find out whether the LNB works or not?

Thanks,

Ed

[USN - Retired]

I see the 29 only with the OPI in line, if I take it out and connect directly, this number goes down to 18! It's like the OPI works as an amplifier.

I assume you're using the OPI at the LNB where you see the 29, then remove it and see 18 at the PC. I'd attribute that to cable loss. 11 points is a lot, but that's nothing I want to address now - till you get something more than 29 at the LNB.

According to the statistics in the modem, the entire setup has worked correctly before I purchased it.

Given the archival nature of the DW6000 statistics, I'm not sure that's a valid conclusion - at this point anyway.

Is there any test to find out whether the LNB works or not?

Osciloscope or spec anny in place of the LNB, but you won't find many Direcway installers with one of those on the truck. Field expedient method is to simply swap it out with a known good one. Unfortunately, they're shielded. So it's probably not a very good idea to borrow one in from your satellite TV dish.

[esm]

Actually,

I'm seeing the 29 on my PC, OPI inline, 18 on my PC without OPI.

Looks like I'm screwed with my LNB. Is this a spare part that can be purchased?

BTW, I have a scope. Where can I find out what I'm supposed to see on the scope?

esm

[esm]

Hi Guys,

I may have found the problem! I was messing around with the dish when I noticed that the arm looked like it was sagging. The bolt was tight but the "plastic" piece that holds the bold had cracked to the point that the wire mesh under the arm around the hole was noticeable The arm pointed only a couple of degrees down but that was probably just enough to bring the LNB out of focus, hence the poor reception.

When I first installed the dish, the elevation screws were not really tight and the entire arm assembly came sliding down until the elevation bracket hit its end point hard. That's probably when this thing cracked.

Luckily, the lower lip of the dish has enough "meat" around the bolt hole. I need to make a steel brace to support the arm and tighten it to the dish.

[CZWabc]

The OPI is also referred to as a repeater, it repeats (displays) info so you don't have to take the computer out to the dish, but when comparing one to a different other, I don't. The azimuth, elevation, & tilt are approx and be aware when tightening the bolts you must compensate the azimuth a little because your adjustments will shift when tightening. Break it down, ABC.... dish, junction, modem. If the dish is peaked and let say 2 different modems display approx the same then hows the quality or integrity between the dish port to the modem port including those ports.

[LarryGB]

From the Hughes Outdoor Pointing Interface (OPI) Operating Instructions:

If using your OPI ensure the 22khz blocker is installed in-line between the LNB and OPI.

Also: The OPI display is updated four times a second
0-29 indicates that the dish is not locked to the satellite,
30 indicates it is locked to the wrong satellite,
31-99 indicates it is locked to the right satellite,
1xx indicates you are waiting for the cue of xx before,
2xx indicates you are crosspoling and looking for max xx.

Also check DW6000 Series Installation Guide.