AFN Satellite Setup in Afghanistan

gmcclintock

Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2011
Messages
49
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
45
My Satellite Setup
AFN over Eurobird 9A
My Location
Afghanistan
Ok guys here are the photos you've been asking for, they are all labled so please read their labels to know what you're looking at. I cannot get a lock using the bigger (gray/Patriot) dish so I am focusing all my attention on this smaller dish because it provdes more hope for us here on this base. I've also included a picture of a known working AFN dish setup (read picture lables) I did not take an individual picture of the older LNB because I forgot but its attached to the 41" dish, I can't get channel 8 for those of you that will tell me to go to that channel and look for the pentagon channel. As I type this message I'm looking at the screen and I notice that the sig level is going up to 68 and sig quality to 2 but still nothing as usual. If you need any other pictures or anything else just let me know, oh my local guy hasn't shown up yet, I'll be sure to let you all know what happens when he shows if he does. Thank you

@ Tvmanas I've been calling the in country guys for weeks now and the camp commandant have been emailing them also but they aren't answering the phone or responding to emails. I don't know about the email because I haven't actually emailed them but I have called their Bagram, and Kandahar office and none of them would answer the phone so I gave up and turned to this site for help.
 

Attachments

  • Bigger Dish.jpg
    Bigger Dish.jpg
    116.2 KB · Views: 130
  • 41 Inches.JPG
    41 Inches.JPG
    553.9 KB · Views: 115
  • New LNB.JPG
    New LNB.JPG
    557.8 KB · Views: 138
  • Sig Lock with OLD LNB.JPG
    Sig Lock with OLD LNB.JPG
    598.4 KB · Views: 118
  • Signal Lock with NEW LNB.JPG
    Signal Lock with NEW LNB.JPG
    624.4 KB · Views: 163
  • This is a pic of a KNOWN working AFN dish setup..JPG
    This is a pic of a KNOWN working AFN dish setup..JPG
    557.2 KB · Views: 129
  • 41'' dish.JPG
    41'' dish.JPG
    554 KB · Views: 134

Captain Jack

Burnt out human
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
11,797
Reaction score
7,980
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
See signature
My Location
North Somerset
41 inch dish = 104 cm. That's faaaar too small for Eurobird for your location. I am surprised you're even getting a lock. How big is the Patriot dish? You need to concentrate on getting a signal using that. You're fighting a losing battle with a small dish.
 

Lazarus

Retired Moderator
Joined
May 29, 2009
Messages
27,078
Reaction score
8,664
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
80cm Motorised.
Several small Dishes.
Much else.
My Location
North York Moors
Yes, I think we have established that 1.5m or more is the appropriate size for your approx. location.
 

ralphmagno

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2005
Messages
994
Reaction score
17
Points
18
Age
74
My Location
naples italy
well as big as i can blow up the pictures one lnb is upside down.
one is off to the left and non look skew correctly
ralph
 

ralphmagno

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2005
Messages
994
Reaction score
17
Points
18
Age
74
My Location
naples italy
ps please note that lne lnb should have a mark on top at 0 and should line up with the 0 on the plastic holder
ralph
 

gmcclintock

Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2011
Messages
49
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
45
My Satellite Setup
AFN over Eurobird 9A
My Location
Afghanistan
Ralph the Techs af AFN told me to skew the LNB that way because they have found that this is the only way to get it working in my region. As proof to ME the only way that I manage to obtain a lock is with the LNB skewed that way (cable at about the 4-o-clock position) go figure. But thanks I'll keep working at it until I get too frustrated and angry with it.
 

sonnetpete

Grumpy Old Retired Moderator and quiz inquisitor..
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
8,948
Reaction score
3,491
Points
113
Age
73
Website
wordpress.com
My Satellite Setup
Laminas 1.2M fibre dish with an IBU, on a Clarke Tech USALS motor, covering 57E - 24.5W to an Octagon SX88. Displayed on a 20" Dyon LED TV.

Seperate 80 cm dish on 28E with a Humax Freesat for SWMBO.
Free Sat V8 meter. Sony Bravia 46" LCD, Sony BluRay and Home Cinema.
My Location
Normandy, France
Looking at the photo of the Patriot dish, the LNB feed arm looks to have a pretty big dent in it. I doubt that with that dent the LNB will not be focusing on the dish center. You could try and take the arm off the dish and straighten it but I reckon it'll be a tough job due to it's square section. As Ralph says, the LNB needs turning so that the cable connector is pointing roughly at 10 o'clock.
 

Captain Jack

Burnt out human
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
11,797
Reaction score
7,980
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
See signature
My Location
North Somerset
I don't think the LNB being upside down makes a difference. The skew looks correct to me for his location.
 

sonnetpete

Grumpy Old Retired Moderator and quiz inquisitor..
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
8,948
Reaction score
3,491
Points
113
Age
73
Website
wordpress.com
My Satellite Setup
Laminas 1.2M fibre dish with an IBU, on a Clarke Tech USALS motor, covering 57E - 24.5W to an Octagon SX88. Displayed on a 20" Dyon LED TV.

Seperate 80 cm dish on 28E with a Humax Freesat for SWMBO.
Free Sat V8 meter. Sony Bravia 46" LCD, Sony BluRay and Home Cinema.
My Location
Normandy, France
If you compare it with the working dish it's diagonally opposite where that one is. Maybe the other LNB is offset in it's configuration, I don't know. Where he's located, 66°E is his due south sat, therefore 10°E (which will be West of his location) has got to have a significant amount of skew, certainly more than for example Hispasat in the UK. Quite willing to be proved wrong though!!
 

smoggy07

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2008
Messages
945
Reaction score
384
Points
63
Age
40
My Satellite Setup
Sky minidish and Sky + HD 250gig Anytime+ box with full ish appart from sports and movies, Dreambox DM500s clone (Pli Jade3 max var F/W), Motorised 1.1Meter Dish
My Location
middlesbrough, teesside, northeast coast, uk
Use the bigger 1.6 dish, you will have to work twice as hard to find the bird because the signal recieved at the dish is more focused but once you have the satellite lined up your signal and quality should be ok and the channels should be there

Dont ask why lining up a bigger dish is harder or why the signal is more focused, it just is and takes more messing about to line it up than it would a smaller dish but quality and signal will be way improved

One would have thought alligning a smaller dish would be harder but thats often not the case

Also can you get rid of where it says on the screen AFRTS Hotbird Europe? start a fresh with no variables or anything in any of the boxes on screen? so you have to enter everything again, I dont know why but I`m not liking the fact it`s still mentioning Hotbird onscreen
 

gmcclintock

Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2011
Messages
49
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
45
My Satellite Setup
AFN over Eurobird 9A
My Location
Afghanistan
Ok the local guy just left here and I must say that I'm watching AFN now (picture attached) I also attached a pic of the screen with his decoder/receiver attached as he was trying to find the signal for me. And this is whith the 41" dish you all say will not work for my location, so of course you know what I would say about that lol......thanks for the information thouth, ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL? I'm so happy right now lol..... Tomorrow I'll be using the same guy and his receiver to align all of our other Dish on base so hopefully we'll be all set in the very near future.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0190[1].JPG
    IMG_0190[1].JPG
    608 KB · Views: 135
  • IMG_0191[1].JPG
    IMG_0191[1].JPG
    553.9 KB · Views: 110

Lazarus

Retired Moderator
Joined
May 29, 2009
Messages
27,078
Reaction score
8,664
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
80cm Motorised.
Several small Dishes.
Much else.
My Location
North York Moors
Intelsat @ 33E?

Glad it's going - what did he do that you didn't?
 

gmcclintock

Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2011
Messages
49
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
45
My Satellite Setup
AFN over Eurobird 9A
My Location
Afghanistan
He actually didn't do anything I did all the adjustments, he basically was doing exactly what I was doing but he was skewing the LNB in the oposite direction than I was, he was also searching for hotbird trying to find the Pentagon channel I don't think he understood eurobird so I just took over and maxed out the signal for 12342 and made sure it was locked on his receiver then I hooked up mine and it came in. So I would say for future users in my area "try to get a different receiver" and use that to max your signal quality and make sure it locked. Be sure to get a receiver that allows you to input the freq of AFN the receiver this guy have he said cost $13 and I will be purchasing one next week for future use.

Also I'm not getting any signal Quality on the AFN decoder but I still am receiving picture and sound/channels so go figure....
 

Lazarus

Retired Moderator
Joined
May 29, 2009
Messages
27,078
Reaction score
8,664
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
80cm Motorised.
Several small Dishes.
Much else.
My Location
North York Moors
Ah, well: All's well that ends well.

Enjoy your Telly!
 

Analoguesat

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Messages
50,739
Reaction score
11,220
Points
113
Location
Scottish Borders
My Satellite Setup
TM 5402HD
Sky+ UK.
My Location
Scottish Borders
Excellent news - hope you and your buddies enjoy the tv.

They should be standing you a few beers now :)
 

gmcclintock

Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2011
Messages
49
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
45
My Satellite Setup
AFN over Eurobird 9A
My Location
Afghanistan
No than you guys for all the helpful information, and about the guys they don't even know I was able to get AFN yet, since this is in my personal room not the TV room (bigger dish lol) but tomorrow me and my guy will be working on there's and I'm very confident that I can get them woring within 30 minutes and probably more stable than I have. Thanks guys
 

martinuk

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2010
Messages
193
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
44
My Satellite Setup
1.2M Channel Master, C120 Invacom 0.3 LNB & Feedhorn, with Tm.Vbox &Technomate 5402HD
My Location
uk-stoke-on-trent
gmcclintock said:
No than you guys for all the helpful information, and about the guys they don't even know I was able to get AFN yet, since this is in my personal room not the TV room (bigger dish lol) but tomorrow me and my guy will be working on there's and I'm very confident that I can get them woring within 30 minutes and probably more stable than I have. Thanks guys

Good news mate well done :)
let us all know how you get on when you do other dish mate
 

ralphmagno

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2005
Messages
994
Reaction score
17
Points
18
Age
74
My Location
naples italy
hello to all,
good to hear.
although a 1 meter dish could work on a good day and clear night.
the maps say 120 cm to 150 cm.
so if it works don't touch it and when the rainy season comes in if it brakes up you will have to get a bigger dish.
ralph
 

gmcclintock

Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2011
Messages
49
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
45
My Satellite Setup
AFN over Eurobird 9A
My Location
Afghanistan
@ Martin I will let you guys know how the bigger dish turns out, I'm anticipating higher signal quality but nothing else lol.

@ Ralph I won't do much else to it I may add a few sand bags to keep if from blowing away in a sand/dust storm but thats about it. As far as the rainy season as long as it doesn't stop me from watching football (American) I wouldn't give a damn lol

Thanks to all of you and I'll keep you posted on our other setup.
 

Llew

cerca trova...
Staff member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
16,226
Reaction score
4,197
Points
113
Age
81
My Satellite Setup
Triple Dragon, Dreambox 8000, Echostar AD3000ip, TBS6522,6925,6983 PCie cards.
Gibertini 1.25m motorised dish driven by the AD3000, with either Inverto BU Quad or Norsat / XMW Ka LNBs . SMW 1.05m + 3 other dishes. Speccy: Promax HD Ranger+
My Location
The Flatlands of East Anglia
Good to hear you're up and running. Enjoy the game :-righton
 
Top