Getting the Pointing Parameters and Confirming Polarity

There are a few things you should do to prepare to point to 121 W. First, you must use Point Dish, to get the pointing parameters (magnetic azimuth, elevation, and skew) that will be used.

Note if the polarity will change, from the current setup. For example, a feed arm will often ship, with polarity set for vertical, because it is easier to fit it in a box that way. However, all assignments on 121 W will need the feed arm set to horizontal. This will be discussed later.

You should also get a copy of the satellite parameters for your modem.

Using The Point Dish Utility

Point Dish will give you the angle of elevation, magnetic azimuth, and the skew/polarity settings for your current location. Shown above are the results for the Yuma, AZ Foothills.

Use the following steps to determine the pointing parameters, for your location:

Reconfiguring the BirDog

If you have a BirDog satellite meter, you will need to download a new configuration that includes the 121 W, Echostar 9 profiles. This is described in the BirDog appendix.

StarBand identifies the transmitted polarity, horizontal in the case of 121, to designate the polarity assignment. Since all assignments on 121 are horizontal, there will only be a KH profile, in the Named Services section.

If the transmit polarity is horizontal, then the receive polarity will be vertical. Most of the satellite industry identifies the received polarity, to designate assignment, so the appropriate “generic” profile will be KV.

You should add the following profiles to the configuration file:

• KH StarBand Echo-9 121 West - Named Services Section
• KV Echostar 9 121 West - Top Section

The generic profiles are not related to specific services, but to the satellite itself. In the event that the StarBand network operations center (NOC) were offline because of bad weather, the generic profile would still allow you to “ find ” the satellite.

The BirDog web site provides many resources for BirDog satellite meter owners. More detailed photos and drawings of these steps are in the BirDog manual, which is available on the www.birdog.tv web site.

Erecting the Tripod and Plumbing the Mast

Use a compass to erect the tripod and antenna for the approximate direction of the magnetic azimuth, which was provided by Point Dish. Ensure the mast is plumb, by checking it with a level.

Changing the Polarity to Horizontal

If you currently have a vertical polarity assignment, it will be necessary to change the polarity setting from vertical to horizontal. This is something that typically occurs only during the initial installation.

The larger photo above illustrates the polarity, when set to vertical. In the blowup, you can see the “V” for vertical polarity, lined up with the zero. Note that the LNB is on the top, rather than out to one side.

The arrow indicates that the entire assembly should be rotated 90o ... although the arrow shows a clockwise rotation, it can be rotated counterclockwise instead. The “H” marks are on the shoulders next to the Phillips screws.

To see how it looks after rotating to the “H” position, proceed to the next page.

Observing Horizontal Polarity

For a horizontal setting, either of the H marks must be aligned with the zero, as shown above on the right.

Note that the LNB turns with the wave guide when setting polarity or when fine-tuning for cross-pol. This can be seen above, on the left. Note that the LNB is now off to one side, rather than on the top.

The LNB can be turned to either side of the wave guide for horizontal polarity. Both sides have alignment marks to align the zero.

Making the Settings on the Dish and Locating Echostar 9 - 121 W

The satellite parameters for the current location must be set, as follows:

• Elevation - Set the elevation angle on the back of the dish. Add one to two degrees, to the value provided by the Point Dish tool.
• Skew - Set the skew on the back of the dish, per the value provided by Point Dish.
• Magnetic azimuth - Determine the azimuth direction provided by Point Dish, using a compass. Point one tripod leg and the dish in that general direction.

The antenna will be aligned towards 121 W by monitoring the received signal with a signal strength meter, while the antenna is slowly moved in azimuth. If the StarBand satellite cannot be located, increase (or decrease) the elevation by one degree and again move the antenna through the azimuth. Continue increasing or decreasing the elevation in one degree increments, followed by a slow sweep through the azimuth, until the satellite is found. Once the 121 W satellite has been located, continue adjusting in azimuth and elevation, to obtain the maximum signal.

After the maximum received signal strength has been obtained, adjust for Adjacent Satellite Interference (ASI), by moving the reflector to the east slightly. These steps for setting up the antenna and peaking the signal are discussed in considerable detail later in this chapter. Right now, the focus is on the initial commissioning.

Substeps 1 & 2 – Assigning an IP Address and Connecting to the Nova Modem

In order to configure your modem, you must first connect to it, as described by the first two substeps.

1. First, you need to give your PC’s Ethernet connection a static IP address of 192.168.1.2 . The modem will use the IP address of 192.168.1.1 . You cannot communicate with the modem when it is offline without assigning a static IP address to your PC. When your modem is online, you can use automatic IP addressing. For details on how to configure a static IP address, please see Appendix C, Configuring IP Addressing .
2. Once you have assigned the static IP address, plug in an Ethernet crossover cable, connecting your PC to the Nova modem. Then, type the IP address of the modem, 192.168.1.1 , in the address bar of your web browser, as shown above and hit the <Enter> key.

Note: Make sure you do not have a browser proxy set. This will prevent you from connecting to your modem.

Substep 3 – Logging in as Installer

When you connect to the modem, you will see the SkyManage Status page, in the Status section. The Status page above is shown as it will appear when you have four lights ON solid, on the modem, and you are online.

The three sections have links across the top and include Status , Tools , and Installer . The Tools section isn’t always available.

Only those functions relevant for the reconfiguration process are discussed here. Functions that aren’t discussed in this chapter will be covered in the next chapter, Help & Troubleshooting Information .

Click on Installer and log in with username = inst and a password = $Sat2598$ .

You will then be shown the Setup page, which is shown later.

Substep 4 – Uploading the General Configuration

Most often, there will be a configuration file available on the training web site, which contains the standard parameters for all devices on a particular service plan and assigned to a given transponder (cluster). This greatly simplifies the task of configuring the modem, since it will correctly configure all but the VSAT ID setting, which must be unique for each site.

When the installer page is displayed, click on Setup from file (A) . The page shown above will then be displayed.

Then click on Browse (B) and navigate to where the configuration file has been saved and click Open . Finally, click Load (C) , to upload the configuration file.

You will be presented with a Windows dialog asking “ Are you sure? ” (D) When you click OK , the parameters will be loaded and you should receive a Succeeded (E) message. Click OK to complete the process.

Uploading the configuration is illustrated above.

Next, you must go back to the Installer Setup page and change the VSAT ID to your unique number, as shown on the next page.

Substeps 5 & 6 – Configuring the VSAT ID and Connecting the Coaxial Cables

You now need to configure your unique VSAT ID and then power down the modem, so you can go on to connect the coaxial cables.

1. Click on Setup on the left and then enter the unique VSAT ID, as shown above. You do not have to type leading zeros. After you have entered the VSAT ID, click Submit , to save the change. As noted earlier for configuring with a file, you will be presented with the Are you sure? and Succeeded messages, which must be acknowledged by clicking OK .

Occasionally, there is no available configuration file and everything must be manually configured on this page. In this case, you will need a list of the satellite parameters, as illustrated on the page entitled, Step 2 - Configuring and Connecting a Nova Satellite Modem . Only the General and Modulation and Coding sections on the manual Setup page are normally changed. The other sections will use the defaults.

2. Power down the modem. You are ready to connect it to the antenna via the coaxial (IFL) cables, as discussed next. Once you have connected the cables and powered on the modem, you can watch the progress of the commissioning on the SkyManage Status pages.

Substep 7 – Connecting the Modem to the Antenna

You must now connect the coaxial cables between the antenna and the StarBand satellite modem. The illustration above shows the location of all cables, for the StarBand Nova modem. Always make sure the modem is powered OFF, before you connect or disconnect the coaxial cables.

• Attach the Tx or transmit cable from the connector marked RF-OUT on the modem, to the Tx connection point, on the Rx-Tx feed assembly.
• Attach the Rx or receive cable, from the connector on the modem marked RF-IN , to the LNB.
• Reconnect the power cable. There is no On/Off switch on the Nova modem.
• Confirm satellite - The Rx light on the modem will illuminate, as soon as the modem finishes its power-on cycling, IF you are pointed at the correct satellite.

If the Rx light does not come on, you are likely not locked onto the correct satellite. Recheck all of your settings on the dish.

Warning: Remember to remove your satellite meter and NOT connect it inline with a Nova modem, as the voltages provided by the modem can harm the meter.

Monitoring the Progress of the Download

To monitor the progress, just click on the Status link at the top of the SkyManage page and then click on Telemetry on the left.

The bottom bar shown above is the download status bar. It is only visible when a download is in progress. The download normally takes between five and 10 minutes. When the download reaches 100%, click on Status on the left and you will see the page shown above with all of the green check marks.

When you first view this page, not all of the green checks will be present. There is a correspondence between some of these green checks and the status lights on the modem. For example, the Rx light will be on, when Outbound - Locked has a green check. Likewise, the SYNC light will be on, when the Sync - Synchronized green check is present.

When all four of the modem lights are on and all of the green checks are present, it is time for you to check the alignment and finish commissioning the modem.

The modem should start cycling. It will take several minutes and the modem may power cycle several times before it finally gets all four lights on.

If the ONLINE light doesn’t come on, even after waiting at least 30 minutes, power cycle the modem. If it still doesn’t come on, technical support may be needed.

Checking Alignment with CVACS

After all of the installation steps have been completed, CVACS is called. The Antenna Alignment Main Menu option, Check Alignment submenu option is used first, to obtain the co-pol, cross-pol, and ASI values. If the CVACS criteria is met, you can go on to the next step, getting the Confirmation number, which is only ever done once.

If the site does not meet the criteria, finer adjustments to the antenna pointing will be required in the azimuth, elevation, and/or polarization axes. The co-pol or cross-pol (or both) will be adjusted with the corresponding Alignment Menu submenu options. There is also an ASI adjustment option, but it is not yet functional. A web-based interface for checking the alignment is under development.

How to adjust your setup when it doesn’t meet the criteria is discussed in great detail later in this chapter.

Here is an overview of the adjustment process:

• When fine-tuning the skew to reduce the cross-pol value, if you turn the feed assembly clockwise and the numbers you hear from CVACS are further from meeting the criteria (i.e., larger) adjust it again, twice as much in the opposite direction (i.e., counter-clockwise).
• Always wait for at least one or two readings from CVACS, before you again turn the feed assembly, to allow for the normal fluctuations that occur.
• When adjusting the co-pol, follow the procedure described earlier for peaking the signal, while listening to co-pol values from CVACS.
• Continue adjusting, 1 degree or less at a time, until you have the best possible values and can easily meet criteria.
• Adjust for ASI, by moving to the west slightly. It is sometimes necessary to also move it downward slightly.
• Tighten everything.

Note: Minimum acceptable co-pol value is 23.0 dB, maximum acceptable cross-pol value is 3.0 dB, and maximum acceptable ASI value is 5.0.

Obtaining the Confirmation Number.

The commissioning process is completed by obtaining the confirmation number. CVACS will again measure the co-pol, cross-pol, and ASI values, to verify the antenna is within the specified limits.

The values will be recited, along with an indication of whether or not the setup meets the criteria. If any of the measured values do not meet the criteria, the message will tell you which one does NOT meet criteria. You will then need to adjust further, until your setup meets the criteria.

When your setup meets the criteria, a confirmation number is generated. You should make a note of this number. It will be used in the next step, registering as a StarBand member.

Note: You should never again request a confirmation number. Although it doesn’t usually hurt anything, it can cause the CVACS Notification Number to become invalid in CVACS. You then have to ask your dealer for another one.

Confirmation Page

You should then see the page shown above. If you do, enter your confirmation number and click Continue .

If you don’t have the confirmation number or if CVACS doesn’t recognize the number, you will have to wait about 30 minutes. Whether you enter a confirmation number or wait 30 minutes, you should see the StarBand member service agreement after you click Continue .

Accepting the StarBand Member Agreement

After you “Click here to get started” and possibly enter your confirmation number, you should see the StarBand member agreement. Among other things, the service agreement states your monthly service fee and length of the contract. It also lists exactly what your membership includes.

Just scroll down to the bottom and click “ I accept ” to continue.

Setting Up Your StarBand.net Member Account

You should choose a member name to be used for your primary account. Remember that you get up to 10 email accounts, but only one is your primary account.

On this page you should enter the following information:

• Username - You will enter only the username (without @starband.net) when you log into the member web site. If the username you select is already taken, you will get an error message asking you to select a different username. Usually, you can just add a number to the end of the requested username to make it unique.
• Password - You will need to enter the password you want to use twice
• Secret question - You can select one of several secret questions. Choose one that you will always know the answer for. Then, if you ever forget your password, you can take the “I forgot my password” option and you will be prompted with the secret question. As long as you answer correctly, your password will be emailed to you.
• Secret answer - Type the correct answer to the secret question.

Note: It is suggested that you reserve your primary account only for logging into the StarBand member web site and for official emails from StarBand. You should set up at least one secondary account for normal email usage, as shown later in this document.

Activating Your StarBand Membership

After you complete the registration, you should see the message shown at the upper left of the graphic above.

If you try to access your account before the account has been fully created, you will see the message shown at the lower right. If you see this message, just try again a little later.

Logging into Your StarBand.net Account

After you register for your StarBand account and wait about 10 minutes, you can go to http://portal.starband.net and login to your account. The login page is shown at the lower left of the graphic above.

You will then be presented with a page similar to the one shown behind the login screen.

To set up a secondary email account, just click on Manage Account , circled in red in the graphic.

You can also go to http://www.starband.net and login with the primary account, to access all of the functions of the portal and more. You can also login here with any of the secondary accounts you create. Just click on any account-related function and the login page will be presented.

Note: The login page shown is for logging on with the primary account. To log on with a secondary email account, click near the bottom, where indicated (circled in red).

Setting up Secondary Email Accounts

Shown above is the page displayed when you click Manage Account . From this page, you can create multiple email accounts, delete them, change the password, or go to the web hosting area, if you want to set up a personal web page.

To set up a secondary email account, just enter the requested information and click Enter .

To change the password on the primary account, click on My Account . You can also update your billing method, view billing information or pay your bill online from here.

Also accessible from this page and from most pages on portal.starband.net is web mail ( E-mai l), and useful How-to information ( Support ).

Click Logout , when you are finished.

All of these functions are also available on http://www.starband.net, after you login. You must login with your primary account, in order to access most functions, including viewing your current bandwidth usage. Web mail and support information are available to all logins.

Note: This concludes the first time setup and commissioning information. The rest of this chapter covers how to set up your mobile Starband system, every time you move.

The Point Dish Utility

Use the following steps, for using the Point Dish utility, to determine the angle of elevation, azimuth, and skew/polarity settings for your location:

Setting up the Tripod and Offset Adapter – The Wrong Way!

As stated earlier, it is very important to correctly orient the tripod legs and offset adapter, to ensure a stable and successful setup. This page shows what you should NOT DO!

The photos above show the top and side views of an incorrectly oriented tripod and mounted offset adapter. You can see that neither the rear tripod leg nor the offset adapter are aligned with the azimuth direction.

Additionally, the arrangement shown above is not balanced. It would not be a safe setup. The tripod could easily fall over in the wind, because it is not stable.

Get Ready and Plumb the Mast

1. Install the Reflector/AZ/EL Skew Cap Mount
2. Adjust the Elevation
3. Adjust the Skew/Polarization Setting
4. Install the Rx-Tx Feed Assembly
5. Re-check the Plumb
6. Add the Ballast

Step 1: Getting Ready and Plumbing the Mast — Using the Built-in Bubble T-Level

A bubble T-level attached to the offset adapter will help make your setup even easier. The T-level was calibrated to a plumb mast when it was attached. Simply adjust your tripod legs, until the T-level shows “Level” in both directions.

Note: The tripod legs can settle into the ground, especially after rain. It is a good habit to check plumb from time-to-time, to assure a good signal and prevent a lost connection.

Step 1: Getting Ready and Plumbing the Mast — Using a Mast Level

Make sure the tripod legs are firmly planted in the ground, to hold it in place. On hard surfaces, you will need to keep the legs from spreading with chains or other restraint.

Before installing the antenna, plumb the mast (vertical tube) of the offset adapter using a mast level, as shown above. Check along the azimuth angle and at 90 degrees to it. At this point it does not have to be exact, but make it close to plumb. Later you will make adjustments, to ensure a plumb mast in the final set up.

Step 2: Installing the Reflector/AZ/EL Skew Cap Mount

Install just the reflector/AZ/EL Skew Cap Mount assembly onto the mast, at this time. Make sure the assembly tab aligns with the notch in the adapter, if the notch is present. This is shown in the figure above, on the left. The Rx-Tx feed assembly will be added later.

Tighten the clamp bolts on the mount assembly, as indicated in the center above.

Use the compass to align the reflector/AZ/EL skew cap mount, mast, and the front tripod leg to the azimuth, as illustrated in the graphic, on the right.

Note: The Phase III dish which comes with the Nova may have either the Phase II AZ/EL skew cap mount or the Phase III design. The newer design includes an azimuth fine-tuning adjustment feature, which isn’t really needed with tripod setups. With a tripod-mounted dish, the entire antenna assembly is swiveled on the tripod, to achieve fine-tuning of the azimuth.

Step 3: Adjusting the Elevation

Use the following steps to adjust the angle of elevation, to the recommended value plus one to two degrees. Refer to the figure above, for the location of each adjustment:

1. Loosen the elevation lock bolts one-half turn. These bolts are located in the curved slot on each side of the AZ/EL Skew Cap Mount.
2. Loosen the pivot bolts a quarter turn. The pivot bolts are also located on each side of the AZ/EL Skew Cap Mount.
3. Now, turn the elevation adjustment bolt clockwise, to decrease elevation. Turn the bolt counterclockwise, to increase elevation.
4. Align the edge of the bracket with the appropriate elevation mark on the AZ/EL housing.

Note: Remember to add 1 to 2 degrees, to the recommended elevation setting provided by the Point Dish tool.

Step 4: Adjusting the Skew or Polarization Setting

The skew or polarization is probably the most critical setting. It is this setting that should be validated via the CVACS cross-pol test, after each move. In this step, you will adjust the setting, per the Skew/Polarization value provided by the Point Dish utility.

Later, you will use CVACS to check the alignment. If your settings do not meet the criteria, you will fine-tune the skew setting, with the help of CVACS.

Complete the following steps, to set the skew. Refer to the figure above, for the location of these adjustments:

1. Loosen the four skew locking bolts, until they are just finger-tight. These bolts are located on the AZ/EL skew cap mount, where the mount is attached to the antenna.
2. Rotate the AZ/EL skew cap mount, to align the indicator mark with the correct number on the skew scale. The scale is marked in two-degree increments.
3. Tighten the skew locking bolts. Don't over tighten.

You may need to fine-tune this setting later.

Step 5: Installing the Rx-Tx Feed Assembly

Some two-way satellite users prefer to perform the settings discussed in the earlier steps at a table, and then mount the dish. The approach recommended here was chosen, because it is easier to make the adjustments, with the dish mounted on the tripod. In either case, it is recommended that the settings be made and the dish mounted, before the Rx-Tx feed assembly is attached.

Use the following steps to install the Rx-Tx feed assembly. Refer to the figure above, for details:

1. Remove the hardware that attaches the feed support arm to the dish.
2. Insert the feed support arm into the notch on the bottom of the reflector.
3. Secure the feed support arm to the reflector, with the hardware that you removed in Substep 1.
4. Don't over tighten.

Note: The figure above shows a Phase III setup on the left and Phase II on the right.

Step 6: Re-checking the Plumb

A well-plumbed mast will make your job easy! A well-plumbed mast is probably the single biggest factor, for setups that go smoothly, versus those that are long, tedious, and frustrating. If your mast is properly plumbed, when you have optimized your receive signal, you should pass cross-pol easily.

As shown in the figure above, you should re-check the plumb, using either an attached bubble T-level or a mast level:

• With a mast level, check both along the azimuth angle and at 90 degrees to it, as shown above.
• With a T-level, the bubbles should show “Level” in both directions.

This is an important step, because the tripod legs can flex or shift slightly after the antenna adjustments and with the addition of the weight of the entire antenna assembly.

Once the final plumbing of the assembly is complete, make sure the tripod legs are tight.

You are now ready to add ballast to your completed antenna assembly.

Step 7: Adding the Ballast

Once you have fully assembled and plumbed your antenna setup, it is VERY important to add appropriate ballast to the tripod and antenna. Although the installation seems very stable, it can be upset by strong winds. Think of the antenna as a big sail - a strong wind could easily blow the entire assembly over and damage the equipment.

It is recommended that you add a minimum of 50 lbs of ballast, to the antenna tripod. Examples of suitable ballast include a 5-gallon bucket, filled with water or rocks, or two 25-pound barbell weights, as shown in the figure above.

Make sure that adding the ballast has not affected the plumb of the system.

Note: Always check the plumb again, after adding the ballast!

Preparing for Inclement Weather

If you are going to leave the antenna assembly unattended in an area prone to sudden server weather, or if there are severe weather warnings issued, it is recommended that you remove the Rx-Tx feed assembly and the reflector/AZ/EL Skew Cap Mount assembly, separately, from the tripod adapter. Try not to upset the plumbed mast and tripod, so when you remount them, realignment will be more easily achieved.

In general, always use common sense in evaluating your local weather conditions and the deployment of your StarBand VSAT.

1. Attach the meter
2. Locate the correct satellite
3. Peak the received signal
4. Attach the IFL (coaxial) cables

Step 1: Attaching the Meter

This step assumes a fully charged BirDog or Digisat III satellite meter. When using a Digisat III in self-powered mode, use the 13V setting, to save battery power.

Attach an RG-6 cable from the Rx point (LNB) on the Rx-Tx Feed Assembly, to the connector marked LNB on a Digisat III or to the connector marked Input on a BirDog.

Cable lengths and meter position shown are for illustration purposes only. Actual cable length will be for optimum placement of the meter, for visibility.

Step 2: Locating Echostar 9 at 121 W

Locate the correct satellite, as follows:

• Loosen the offset adapter knob for a tripod setup or the bolts that tighten the dish on the mast for a pole mount, so you can rotate the dish through the azimuth.
• Slowly sweep the adapter through the azimuth, until a signal is found. You should start the sweep much further to the west than the satellite and rotate to the east, going well beyond the expected satellite direction.

The Digisat meter will only locate an unidentified signal - you will not know if it is the correct satellite until you have removed the meter, connected the cables and powered on the modem. If you have a BirDog meter, it will positively identify the correct satellite only.

• If the desired satellite is not found, increase or decrease the elevation setting slightly and repeat the azimuth sweep. Continue to do this, until you locate the satellite.

Step 3: Peaking the Received Signal

Once the satellite is found, peak the signal by making minor adjustments to the antenna:

• Alternate between elevation and azimuth, until no further improvement is detected in signal strength.
• When adjusting the elevation setting, slightly increase or decrease the elevation (plus or minus) in one-half to one degree increments, until the maximum signal strength is achieved.
• When fine-tuning the azimuth setting, very slowly move the adapter (East, then West, then East again, and so on) in small increments (left or right, one to five degrees) until the maximum signal strength is achieved.
• Now, adjust for minimum adjacent satellite interference (ASI), by moving the azimuth slightly to the east (counter-clockwise, from the back), until you lose 1-2% on the percentage scale.
• Tighten the elevation lock bolts, the pivot bolts, and the adapter knob. Use an alternating pattern for tightening the bolts. Don't over tighten.

Step 4: Attaching the IFL Cables

You now need to remove the meter and attach the cables from the modem to the Rx-Tx Feed Assembly.

1. Make sure all modem lights are on, except for the Tx light. If this is not true, shut down the modem and then restart it.
2. Dial the CVACS telephone number and when the automatic response system first answers and begins the introduction, hit the number 1 key, for CVACS.
3. When prompted, hit the number 1 key, for English.
4. Respond to the CVACS prompts, to enter your User ID (installer number), your password (passcode), and your Notification (Z8) or Equipment Record Number (ERN). Hit the pound sign ( # ) after each entry.
5. After you have reached the CVACS main menu, Select Option 2: Align the Antenna, Suboption 1: Check Alignment .

Criteria Met – Exiting CVACS

If the recited co-pol, cross-pol, and ASI West co-pol values all meet the criteria, you are almost finished. Just back out of the CVACS menu structure by selecting Option 6 : Return to the Main Install Menu , and Option 4: Return Later . Failure to do this can cause the CON/ON-LINE light on a StarBand 360 or 48x modem to remain out and you may not be able to go online until you contact technical support. On a StarBand Nova modem, the ON-LINE light will often stay out after an alignment check. Power cycling the modem will put it back online.

Criteria Not Met – Fine-tuning Co-pol and/or Cross-pol or Adjusting for ASI

If the response is Criteria Not Met, for the co-pol, cross-pol, or ASI values, then further adjustment to your setup is needed, as detailed below.

Fine-tuning the Polarization/Skew Setting

The photos above show the four screws that must be loosened, to fine-tune the polarity setting. If you have one of the MobileInternetSatellite.com polarity adjustment kits, you will use the T-handled allen wrench included with the kit to do this. Once the screws are loose, carefully and slowly move the polarizer, as described on the previous page. If adjusting cross-pol won't get number below 3.0, check the looseness of the donut clamps. If you loosen the four screws too much, the polarizer can become wobbly and cross-pol values become very erratic.

Checking Alignment Again

Once you have made the adjustments for any values that didn’t meet the criteria, return to Option 2: Align the Antenna, Suboption 1: Check Alignment . Your setup should now meet the criteria. If this is the case, remember to back out of the CVACS menu structure, by selecting Option 6 : Return to the Main Install Menu , and Option 4: Return Later .

If the criteria isn’t met, you will need to repeat Step 6.

Note: Some variations in values will occur on each reading by CVACS. Likewise, the value returned by CVACS in Suboptions 2, 3, and 4 may differ from the values returned in the Check Alignment of Suboption 1.

If you have been adjusting as described in Step 6 for awhile and the numbers returned by CVACS are all the same, the carrier wave is no longer being sent by the NOC. You must disconnect and call again, to resume adjustment.

: Co-pol, Cross-pol, ASI, and Signal Quality Values

Summarizing the Alignment Criteria and How to Adjust to Meet It

The table on the previous page and the following information is from the RovingInternet StarBand Aiming Guide .

1. Remove all outside cables, except the shorter “ pig-tail ” cables attached to the Rx-Tx feed assembly. Leave these connected.
2. Remove the Rx-Tx feed assembly from the reflector/AZ/EL Skew Cap Mount assembly.
3. Remove the reflector/AZ/EL Skew Cap Mount assembly from the tripod adapter.
4. Remove the offset adapter from the tripod. (optional)
5. Collapse the tripod legs.
6. Store all the components in an appropriate fashion.

There are different approaches for storing the equipment. For those with a large basement area, most or all of the equipment, can be stored there. Some mobile users store the dish and Rx-Tx feed assembly separately. As another example, these two items could be stored on the bed, during travel.

Note: When removing the dish from the mast, be sure to step on one foot of the tripod, while you lift up on the dish - even with ballast. Otherwise, you can pull both the dish and the tripod up.

And, NEVER attempt to move your tripod with the dish and feed assembly still mounted.