AFN Satellite Setup in Afghanistan

[gmcclintock]

Captain Jack, I don't know much about PowerVu either so I don't know how to scan the channels all I know how to do or try is to change the channels individually and see if any comes in, none does. As far as old information I don't think so because the guy at the AFN Help Desk had me do a "Factory Reset" of the Decoder a few days ago because he thought the same thing.

 

[gmcclintock]

Signal quality = how "clean" the signal is from noise
Signal strength = how "strong" the signal is (be it noise or actual satellite signal)

Think of is as having a hard rain shower but if the rain is full of dirt, you wouldn't drink it, would you? OK, it's a crap analogy but you get the idea.

From what I've experience the higher signal level I get the better the quality, just saying....but I do understand what you are saying to an extent.

 

[Lazarus]

I didn't say no signal strength, I said no signal. Please check earlier discussion for explanation of quiescent readings.

And I asked you a question about Lock because I am not a mind reader - Your sarcastic response isn't terribly useful: Don't forget you still have your problem despite all your efforts (and ours) and Members here are doing there utmost to help you - which is not an easy task without being on the ground in front of your system.

As for higher strength = higher quality, I'm afraid that ain't necessarily so. But I shall not bore you with the reasons as I cannot imagine from your tone that you would appreciate it anyway. But I repeat, it is Quality that counts.

 

[gmcclintock]

I didn't say no signal strength, I said no signal. Please check earlier discussion for explanation of quiescent readings.

And I asked you a question about Lock because I am not a mind reader - Your sarcastic response isn't terribly useful: Don't forget you still have your problem despite all your efforts (and ours) and Members here are doing there utmost to help you - which is not an easy task without being on the ground in front of your system.

As for higher strength = higher quality, I'm afraid that ain't necessarily so. But I shall not bore you with the reasons as I cannot imagine from your tone that you would appreciate it anyway. But I repeat, it is Quality that counts.

Ok thanks for your help, I am just trying to understand why its locking and still not working thats all I'm trying to do. I asked a question "if something is obstructing my line of sight will I still obtain a lock or any signal level for that matter" but no answer to that question, why is that?

 

[ralphmagno]

hello,
if you get a lock that means the box is on the proper satellite .
your lnb may ne bad.
i have seen a bad lnb give me a lock and had a 2 quality.
changed lnb without moving the dish and it jumped to 7 quality.
if you get a lock now exit out and see what the screen says.
the pentagon channel is in the clear channel 8 and if it comes in yo are good to go.
if the box is new and never activated you will not get a picture for 30 min.
if you get a message (no authoration key) means the box is not activated.
it will activate in 30 min.if not call afn and check again.
new boxes do not come activeated.
pentagon will be free and you will see it even if the box is still off.
send us a picture if your set up.
change the lnb if it is old.
broken cap or old lnb will cause low quality
ralph

 

[smoggy07]

From what I've experience the higher signal level I get the better the quality, just saying....but I do understand what you are saying to an extent.

you could have 50% signal strength and 60% quality and get a lock but have 90% signal strength and 40% quality and get no lock, I think that is what he is getting at.

When you put the new info into the PV box, it should scan that transponder freq and pull in the channels, if there is nothing there or the box isnt getting the lock on that frequency, it wont bring in the channels so the box wont do anything

On the decoder you can change channels on, has this been set up for the new satellite or has it been left set up for hotbird?

Could you take your meter to another camp or dish set up that works and plug the meter into a known working set up, that way you can see the strength and quality you should be aiming for, if you can, how about taking your decoder along aswell and setting it all up on their dish so that you can just plug it in back at your camp and the channels will all be there for when you fine tune the dish, obviously I know you`re in a war zone and it might not be practical dragging a meter and decoder about with you but it`s an idea that might just help.

 

[Captain Jack]

..."if something is obstructing my line of sight will I still obtain a lock or any signal level for that matter"....

Depends on what the obstruction is. If it's nearby trees then you may still get a low lock... If it's a building, then far less likely to get anything.

I still think you need to scan the channels in. Have you tried a "Factory Reset" with the dish where it is now?

 

[Lazarus]

Ok thanks for your help, I am just trying to understand why its locking and still not working thats all I'm trying to do. I asked a question "if something is obstructing my line of sight will I still obtain a lock or any signal level for that matter" but no answer to that question, why is that?

I can't speak for others, but this is a hobbyist/voluntary Forum, not a Help-desk. Members come and go and have other things to do.

But the answer to your question is, unsurprisingly, it depends.

eg Clearly a solid obstruction would just about kill the signal. But, something like seasonal foliage (which many of us suffer from) can have effects ranging from very little to quite a lot. eg Weak satellites will be more affected than those with a decent EIRP. Also, with foliage, it is the Quality that is predominantly degraded as the signal scatters a little and is not as coherent as it should be when arriving at the LNB. Strength, however, might appear unaffected. If Quality is degraded in such a way, it may, or may not, result in loss of lock.


Edit: It seems the Captain is on the ball again!

 

[gmcclintock]

Depends on what the obstruction is. If it's nearby trees then you may still get a low lock... If it's a building, then far less likely to get anything.

I still think you need to scan the channels in. Have you tried a "Factory Reset" with the dish where it is now?

Ok then I don't think I have anything to worry about when it comes to "obstructions" there is a mountain range about 10-15 miles away from my location that I thought might be the problem, there is a tree but I moved the dish so that I would clear that. Trust me guys I've been at this for 1 year and I've heard everything and tried just about everything else, did all the possible troubleshooting that I could think of (comon sense stuff) but I just can't seem to get this thing to work.

As far as the factory reset the dish hasn't moved much from its current location but I will do a factory reset right now and see what happens. Scanning is my problem because there isn't a "scan" button or scan option on this decoder the only think I could do is change the channels manually don't know if that works the same as scanning though. I'll see what I can figure out though, thanks again.

 

[Lazarus]

Well you are not alone - a new Thread has just been Posted by someone having problems with AFN in Israel.

 

[smoggy07]

Ok then I don't think I have anything to worry about when it comes to "obstructions" there is a mountain range about 10-15 miles away from my location that I thought might be the problem, there is a tree but I moved the dish so that I would clear that. Trust me guys I've been at this for 1 year and I've heard everything and tried just about everything else, did all the possible troubleshooting that I could think of (comon sense stuff) but I just can't seem to get this thing to work.

As far as the factory reset the dish hasn't moved much from its current location but I will do a factory reset right now and see what happens. Scanning is my problem because there isn't a "scan" button or scan option on this decoder the only think I could do is change the channels manually don't know if that works the same as scanning though. I'll see what I can figure out though, thanks again.

scanning and changing channels is 2 different things, when you enter the freq and so on, enter all details on that menu and press ok, continue or what ever it tells you to get out of that menue appart from cancel and it should scan or do something else to drag the channels in

 

[gmcclintock]

Well you are not alone - a new Thread has just been Posted by someone having problems with AFN in Israel.

Lol I'm sure i'm not, this whole base has been without AFN for at least a year, and we've been relying on the AFN Help Desk since then hoping that they would get use sorted out/squared away but we are still here trying. But I do appreciate all the help you all are providing, most of my questions are being answered and to me that is progress. Thanks

 

[Spencer513]

Well you are not alone - a new Thread has just been Posted by someone having problems with AFN in Israel.

Yes, that is me. Proof that I am reading the other threads!!!

 

[Captain Jack]

Have you looked at this? Seems like there may be some useful information there.

_http://www.afneurope.net/tabid/1995/Default.aspx

 

[gmcclintock]

Spencer513 I guess our only alternative is to get a local resident to come and square us away lol, but i'm sure you'll get your going before mine. Good luck and enjoy the game lol.

 

[Spencer513]

Spencer513 I guess our only alternative is to get a local resident to come and square us away lol, but i'm sure you'll get your going before mine. Good luck and enjoy the game lol.

I still haven't found a local tech. that has ever used Eurobird. They only use hotbird here. I'm on my own with this one, so far...

Every time I move my dish left or right my signal level gets worse. Are you having the same issue?

 

[gmcclintock]

Have you looked at this? Seems like there may be some useful information there.

_http://www.afneurope.net/tabid/1995/Default.aspx

yup I sure have, this was the first site I visited, I'm going to re-read though because I usualy miss things the first time lol.

 

[Captain Jack]

If you dish is on Hot Bird, move it to the right (when stood behind it) very slowly, your signal will get worse before it gets better. A few centimetres is all that's needed. Also, you need to slightly nudge the dish upwards.

 

[Captain Jack]

Well, it looks like the scan is done when you press exit - the "Acquiring network" message. Also, it says signal quality must be at least 4 for it to work, so I guess that's your issue.

 

[martinuk]

yup I sure have, this was the first site I visited, I'm going to re-read though because I usualy miss things the first time lol.

Did you reconfig your box like in the vid on that web site mate you need to put freq settings in then line dish up