Operating SeaTel Antennas

The DAC 2200 Controller

The Seatel DAC 2202 and DAC 2200 have 4 menus controlled by the touch panel on the right of the front panel.

Pressing the NEXT button one cycles through the following four menus.
STATUS shows version numbers , errors, and status
SHIP shows latitude, longitude and heading.
SATELLITE shows satellite longitude, threshold, frequency, baud, LNB volt and NID.
ANTENNA shows azimuth, elevation, AGC, relative azimuth and polarization.

In each of these menus, one can drill down to greater detail by pressing the ENTER button.

To edit any particular item, press the left arrow to move the cursor under the character that you wish to change, and use the up
and down arrows to change to the required value.

Targeting the satellite

If the antenna is not tracking the satellite, or is tracking the wrong satellite, you may need to point it back at the target satellite
during troubleshooting. To do this you need to tell the antenna, once again, which satellite to point to.

Press the NEXT button to cycle through the menus until you see the SAT menu.

Press the ENTER key once to enter the SAT menu.

Press the left arrow to enter edit mode, as if you were going to change the satellite
longitude.

If the displayed satellite longitude is correct, it is only necessary to press the ENTER key again to target the satellite. If the
satellite information is incorrect, you would use the up and down arrows to edit each digit before pressing enter.

You can now press the NEXT button a few more times and return to the AZ EL (Antenna) menu. Make note of the Azimuth and
Elevation after the antenna has settled down.

When targeting the satellite, the antenna calculates the target azimuth and elevation using the ships latitude, longitude, and
heading, and the satellite longitude and then points to a location in the sky 10 degrees above where the satellite ought to be. It
knows that there can be no satellites in this location, so it measures the off-satellite signal strength or AGC. Once it knows what
the signal strength is off satellite, it adds about 100 counts to this AGC and sets the THRESHOLD. The antenna then moves
down 10 degrees in elevation to where it expects to see the satellite, and looks for a signal level or AGC that is above the
THRESHOLD.

If it finds a signal above the threshold, it will go into TRACK mode. If id does not see an AGC above the threshold, it will go into
SEARCH mode and start a spirally increasing search pattern until it finds the satellite or reaches a preset limit.

Turning off the Error light

A red error light on the front of the antenna controller indicates that there has been an error condition since the controller was last
reset. An error light does not necessarily mean that there is currently an error. The error may have long since cleared, or it may
still be current. The light will stay on until the error status is cleared by the user.

To clear the error light, press NEXT until you get to the SEATEL STATUS menu. Then

press ENTER about 3 times to get to the ERROR screen.

The number on the right of the screen indicates the error that has occurred.
To clear the errors and the error LED, simply press the left arrow, to go into edit mode, and press ENTER. The errors should clear
and the LED should go out. If it does not, the error still exists, and needs to be addressed.

The numbers on the left of the screen indicate how many errors have occurred. It is quite normal to have numbers showing on the
left of the screen and it is even OK for these numbers to increment slowly, perhaps about once per minute. This indicates that
minor errors have occurred, like packets being dropped, and should not be of great concern, unless the number continues to
increment regularly.
 SeaTel DAC 2202 Status Menu
Status Menu
The status menu is the first of four menus accessed by pressing the NEXT button. It is
also referred to as the SEATEL menu
The first screen of the status menu gives you the model number of the antenna and the
software version of the PCU.

Press reset to see DAC model and version

To see the antenna controller model and version it is necessary to press the reset
button. The screen will scroll through the DAC model, version, and on the latest software
the CommIF version and SCPC or DVB tuner version.

Control Tracking screen

The control screen shows you the status of the antenna. It could be TRACKING,
BLOCKED etc.
With older software, or with tracking display set to 0000 this screen also shows the type
of tracking C, X, KuLo and KuHi.

Tracking Display set to 0130

With newer software, and with track display set to 0130 (for example), this screen
shows the band of a quad LNB (B1, B2, B3 or B4) and the LNB pol selected, either
Crosspol (Xp) or Copol (Co).
SMW QUAD LNB Type R
B1 = Europe: LO 10.00 GHz (13V, No Tone)
B2 = Americas: LO10.75 GHz (13V, 22kHz Tone)
B3 = South Pacific LO 11.30 GHz(18V, No Tone)
B4 = LO 9.75 GHz(18V, 22kHz Tone)
Most satellites are Xpol (cross pol), where the transmit and receive are on oposite pols, but there are regions of Asia and the
Pacific that use copol, where both the receive and transmit are on the same pol, either vertically or horizontally polarized.

Control Search Screen

This screen allows one to turn Searching on and off and is seldom used.

Status Error Screen

Typical errors are as follows:
The number on the left indicates the number of errors that have occurred and the
number on the right shows the type of error.

It is quite normal for the number on the left to gradually increase the error count, about once per minute. This is could be due to
missed packets or some other minor issue, and is no cause for concern if the antenna is otherwise functional, and there is no
error type on the right.

An error on the right indicates the type of error that has been received since the last reset. The error may or may not still be
current.

An red error light on the front panel of the DAC indicates that an error code exists in this screen.

These error codes can be added together when multiple errors exist. For instance, Error 16 and Error 4 result in Error 20 which
usually occurs when power to the antenna has been reset.
If you have an error 20 and a rapidly increasing count on the left, it may mean that the antenna is shut down and has no power or
the receive coax has been disconnected.
Error Code Meaning
Satellite out of range. You have either moved far away from the
0128
target satellite, or the GPS thinks it is somewhere else.
Pedestal Error: Could be anything related to the antenna. Indicates
0008
that there is a general problem with the antenna.
0004 Communications failure between antenna and controller
0016 Dishscan is off
0020 Antenna has been powered off (16+4)
0001 Gyro compass error

Remote Aux
This screen is seldom used.
 SeaTel DAC 2202 Ship menu
Lat - Lon Menu
The Ship menu, also referred to as the Lat Long Menu is accessed by pressing the NEXT
button until LAT LON is displayed.

The Ship menu displays the latitude and longitude of the vessel from the internal GPS in
the antenna, and the heading from the ships gyro compass.

These should automatically update as the vessel moves. If the GPS or gyro compass is out of service, the Lat, Lon and Heading
can be manually updated in this menu.

The heading display on the left is the input from the compass and the display on the right is the acknowlegement from the above
deck PCU.

The antenna uses the ships position to determine the azimuth and elevation of the satellite and the ships heading to determine
the relative azimuth to point the antenna.

Checking GPS and changing Latitude and Longitude

The easiest way to check if you are receiving position updates from the GPS is to slightly
change the position and see if the GPS will update and change it back.

Press the ENTER key to enter the Ship menu. The screen will change to display only the
latitude. Press the right arrow to edit mode where you will see the cursor flashing below a digit. Press the up or down arrow to
change this digit, and ENTER.

Press NEXT to return to the top of the menu and see if the LAT has been corrected. If not, then the GPS may have malfunctioned.
If the GPS is not functioning, you may still enter the Latitude and Longitude manually to restore operation.

Checking and entering Heading.

If the ship heading from the gyro compass is in NMEA format, the heading should update
automatically. If the heading source is in a Step-By-Step or Synchro signal you may need
to enter an initial heading when the antenna is first powered on, afterwhich the heading
will be updated automatically, as the vessel turns. If power is reset to the DAC, you will
need to re-enter the heading, if it is not a NMEA serial input.

To check if the vesel is receiving a NMEA heading signal from the compass, press ENTER three times until the screen shows
only HDG on the bottom line. Press the left arrow to edit mode and you will see the cursor under a digit in the left hand screen.
Use the up and down arrows to change the heading one digit and press ENTER. Watch to see if the heading is corrected by the
input from the compass. If not, the heading may not be functional.

Consult with the compass on the bridge and enter the heading manually. This will allow the antenna to find the satellite initially,
but if the vessel is underway Sat Reference mode will need to be turned on for the antenna to continue tracking.

Save Parameters
Parameters must saved to NVRAM after changes are made,
otherwise the changes will be lost when the DAC is reset.

To save parameters, briefly press the left and right arrows together
until SAVE NEW PARAMETERS is displayed. Press the left arrow
again to edit mode, and ENTER.
PARAMETERS SAVED will be displayed. Press NEXT to return to the main menus.
 SeaTel DAC 2202 Satellite Menu

Satellite Menu
The Satellite Menu is accessed by pressing the NEXT button until SAT is displayed.

The Satellite menu contains tracking information for the target satellite. The first screen
displays the selected satellite longitude, the threshold, the tracking frequency and the
satellite ID decoded from the satellite.

SAT: Satellite Longitude

This is the longitude at which the geostationary satellite is 'parked' above the equator.
The antenna needs this input, and the ships location and heading, to calculate where to
point the antenna.

To change the satellite longitude, press ENTER. Only the SAT longitude will be displayed in the top left hand corner. Press the left
arrow to edit mode and the cursor will appear under one of the digits. Use the up and down arrows and left and right arrows to
change the digits to the correct satellite longitude and to change to W or E as appropriate. Press ENTER to target the new
satellite.

You can use the same procedure to retarget the same satellite if the antenna has tracked off onto something else. When re-
targeting the same satellite, there is no need to change the digits, but you do need to use the left arrow to go to edit mode, as if
you were going to change the satellite and then ENTER to begin the targeting.

THRS: Threshold
Threshold tells the antenna when it is on and when it is off satellite. When the receive
signal level (AGC) is above the threshold, the antenna will assume that it is on satellite
and begin tracking. When the receive signal level is below the threshold, the antenna will
continue to search and target until it finds a signal stronger than the threshold.

If Auto Threshold is set in the setup menu, the antenna will automatically adjust the threshold based on the off-satellite and on-
satellite signal levels it sees, each time it targets the satellite. If Auto Threshold is set to 0000 (manual) then the threshold can be
set manually in this screen.

In most situations, the setting is not critical as long as it is well above the noise floor and well below the satellite peak to keep
operating in variable conditions. If the threshold is set way too low, the antenna will happily "track" the noise in every direction,
whereas if it is set above the on-sat AGC it will continue to search even after it has found the satellite.

To set the threshold manually it needs to be between the on-sat and off-sat AGC levels. Subtract the off-satellite AGC from the
on-satellite AGC. Divide this delta by two (or by three) and add this to the off-satellite AGC as the threshold.
Example:
On-Satellite AGC 1800 minus Off-Satellite AGC 1620 = 180
divided by two = 90.
New THRS = 1620+90 = 1710

Some manual tweaking may be necessary, especially if there is a strong signal on an adjacent satellite. Bear in mind that
the noise floor and situation can change over time, and with location requiring the manual threshold to be revisited. Auto
Threshold is therefore clearly the mode of choice, as this will adapt with each retarget, as conditions change over time.

FREQ or MHz: Tracking Frequency

If the FEC is set to SCPC the tracking frequency will display as MHz.
If the FEC is set to AUTO or any other ratio the display will show FREQ.
In either case this is where one enters the tracking L-Band frequency in MHz provided by
your VSAT satellite operator or calculated from TV frequency listings on the web.
Sometimes with VSAT they will have you track the same carrier that you are communicating on, but if this is a small signal it is
often better to use a large TV carrier on the same satellite. Unless you know the origin of the signal, there is always the risk that
the carrier might me removed or changed without your knowledge.

For TV listings it is necessary to deduct the LNB local oscillator frequency from the listed Ku-Band frequencies to obtain an L-
Band tracking frequency. For example a Ku-Band Frequency on 101W of 12297 MHz less the LNB local oscillator of 11250 would
give you a tracking L-Band frequency of 1047 MHz.

It is important to note that SCPC (narrow band) tracking will only work correctly with an SCPC tuner. Many TV DACs and some
older VSAT DACs only have a DVB tuner installed.

The AGC signal on the bottom right is the receive signal strength of the signal.

Baud or KHz
Again, if FEC is set to SCPC, this screen will display the KHz part of the frequency. If
your VSAT provider gives you a frequency of 1234.235 MHz, the decimal portion 235
KHz goes here as KHz 0235.

If the FEC is set to AUTO or any other ratio, this field will display as Baud which is essentially the width of the carrier. The
TV Baud rates are available on sites like lyngsat.com or your VSAT provider can recommend a baud rate for the carrier that they
suggest to track.

Having the correct baud rate is important if you plan to use satellite NID to positively identify that you are on the right satellite.
Otherwise, if you are just tracking an unknown carrier, it can be reduced to a point where you get the maximum difference
between on-satellite and off-satellite AGC. If you do not know what the correct baud should be try 08000 or 10000.

Tone ON/OFF- 22KHz

Tone controls certain multi-band LNBs, and multiswitches.

The VSAT, SMW quad band LNB can be controlled from the DAC with tone on older
VSAT systems. The newer systems do not pass tone from the DAC through the FSK
modems, but rather regenerate the tone in the antenna. With this type of system the tone is controlled in the STATUS menu with
the band selection. For example B1, for Europe, is with tone OFF, and B2 for USA is with tone ON. Older systems can achieve
the same result using the tone from the DAC in this menu.

TV LNBs are also controlled by the tone in this menu and the voltage in the next menu. With 22KHz tone the LNB switches to
high band, and with tone off the LNB switches to low band. (13VDC switches to vertical and 18VDC horizontal polarization).

The same is true via a multiswitch for European 4 channel LNBs. This setting on the DAC is critical if the DAC receives the
tracking signal via a multiswitch.

Volt: HORZ, VERT, RHCP, LHCP

With TV antennas and older VSAT antennas, this 18 Volt/13 Volt setting can control
certain multiband LNBs and multiswitches. This has no effect on the newer VSAT
systems that generate the LNB voltage in the antenna. For the Volt setting to have
effect the LNB voltage must be supplied by the DAC (System Type must include 64)
directly, or via a multiswitch.

Single band VSAT LNBs should be set to the higher voltage setting of HORZ or LHCP to Band Volt Tone LO
VERT LOW 13V OFF 9750
provide 18 VDC to the LNB, although it seems to work OK with the lower, 13V setting too.

The dual band VSAT SeaTel LNB 124917 requires 18V HORZ for high band 11050 VERT HIGH 13V ON 10600
MHz and 13V VERT for Low band 10300 MHz LO. HORZ LOW 18V OFF 9750
The European quad TV LNB requires 18V HORZ for horizontal transponders and 13V VERT HORZ HIGH 18V ON 10600
for vertical transponders. LHCP 18V
RHCP 13V
FEC: Forward Error Correction
If the DAC has an SCPC (narrow band) tuner, the FEC must be set to SCPC.

If the DAC has a DVB tuner (wide band TV) then the FEC can be set to AUTO where the
tuner will automatically adjust to the correct FEC ratio. You can also enter the specific
FEC for the carrier you are tracking if that information is available. This information should be available from your VSAT provider
or from the TV listings on websites like www.lyngsat.com.

FEC or Forward Error Correction is a special way that data is coded to prevent and reduce errors due to noise or weak signals.
This is used in satellite TV broadcast signals and it is important to have the correct setting if you are tracking a TV signal, for the
DVB tuner to lock on to the carrier and decode the NID. When set to AUTO, the tuner will automatically identify the FEC ratio, and
this is most commonly used. For example, the FEC for 101W is 6/7 and for 95W it is 2/3. The available FEC settings are 1/2, 2/3,
3/4, 6/7, 7/8 or AUTO.

You will notice that some FEC settings in the DAC have an asterisk. These are for a special function described later. Scroll
through the options until you find the required setting without the asterisk.

Skew
Most satellites are aligned square with the equator and the local polar meridian, but
some satellites are deliberately offset to minimize the polarization offset at the target
area of reception.
(For example, a satellite at 28.2E targeting the UK at 0E might offset the satellite
skew so that the polarization in the UK area is close to zero).

This Skew adjustment on the DAC 2202 allows one to adjust the polarization for each particular satellite, without changing the
antenna POL OFFSET setting in the setup menu, which will effect all satellites that the vessel can target. The Skew adjustment is
normally set to zero and the POL OFFSET is adjusted in the setup menu for all satellites. The Skew adjustment only changes for
satellites that have this special satellite skew.

The Skew adjustment is for each particular satellite whereas the POL OFFSET is for all satellites.

On vessels using automatic beam switching, (ABS) and openAMIP protocol between the modem and the antenna controller, the
Skew setting can also be included in the modem option file so that Skew is updated for each satellite, when automatically
changing satellites. This setting is included by the Network Operation Center (NOC) when they create the option file for the
modem.

This would only apply to a VSAT antenna with linear polarization where the pol angle alignment with the satellite is critical to avoid
interference with other carriers on the opposite pol.

Adjusting the skew only applies with POLANG TYPE set to auto (0072). The skew setting adds or subtracts to the target polang
that is calculated by the DAC based on the vessel position and the satellite longitude. Each digit represents one degree on pol
angle.

NID: Target Satellite Network ID

It is very important that this NID is disabled by setting it to 0000, unless you are using the
NID received from the satellite as a positive identification that you are tracking the correct
satellite.

If the antenna does not receive a matching NID from the satellite, it will assume that it is not on the correct satellite and continue
to retarget every few seconds to try and lock onto the correct satellite with the required NID.

If you are tracking a known carrier from a satellite with a known and reliable NID, you can enter the NID here. It is important that
all your satellite settings match the satellite you are tracking so that it will decode the NID.

The NID on this screen is the target NID setting, whereas the NID displayed on the main satellite menu screen (at the top of this
page) is the NID received and decoded from the satellite. Make sure that you are receiving a steady and reliable NID before
entering anything in this field. The NID is in hexadecimal digits (ie 0-F). For example, the NID from the satellite at 101W is FFFE
and appears to be extremely reliable.

This only applies to DVB TV tuners. On VSAT installations the NID must be set to 0000 to avoid re-targeting, and to allow external
network lock to be supplied by the VSAT modem.

In SCPC mode the "decoded" NID on the main satellite screen will show up as a pseudo NID of 1234 or ABCD.

NID FFFE on Galaxy 95W FEC 2/3*

For DirecTV in the Caribbean the NID from 95W (which should be FFFE) is not always reliable, so the NID can be left at 0000 or
one can use the forced/pseudo NID by using and FEC of 2/3* (with the asterisk). This will generate a pseudo NID of FFFE only
when the correct frequency, baud and FEC are detected. This can be used to positively identify the satellite.

Forced or Pseudo NID (FEC*)

Forced NID applies to the FEC settings with the asterisk * (or star). This feature applies
only to DVB tuners and is rarely used. This is only necessary if the antenna repeatedly
tracks off onto an adjacent satellite and the target satellite does not have an NID, but
does have a unique combination of frequency, baud rate and FEC. The available forced
FEC rates are 7/8*, 6/7*, 5/6*, 3/4*,2/3*, 1/2* and AUT*.

With the FEC set to the appropriate rate with an asterisk *(star), the antenna will generate a pseudo NID, only if the DVB tuner
achieves a lock on a carrier with the required frequency, baud rate and FEC parameters. This pseudo NID can then be set in the
target NID field. If the antenna tracks off onto the wrong satellite, that does not have the unique frequency, baud, FEC
combination, then the pseudo NID will disappear (just like a real NID) and the antenna will retarget.

The pseudo NIDs generated by the antenna are FFFE for DSS signals and FFFD for DVB signals.

Save Parameters

Parameters must saved to NVRAM after changes are made, otherwise

the changes will be lost when the DAC is reset.

To save parameters, briefly press the left and right arrows together until
SAVE NEW PARAMETERS is displayed. Press the left arrow again to
edit mode, and ENTER.

PARAMETERS SAVED will be displayed. Press NEXT to return to the main menus.
 SeaTel DAC 2202 Antenna Menu

Antenna Menu
The Antenna or AZ-EL menu shows the direction that the antenna is pointing and the
AGC or signal level received. This is the screen most commonly viewed while
troubleshooting or controling the antenna manually.

The azimuth and elevation can be driven manually from this screen using the up and down arrows for elevation, and the left and
right arrows for azimuth. This is useful for manually searching for a satellite while watching for an increase in AGC.

One can also drill down into the menu by pressing the ENTER button and enter the Azimuth, Elevation or Relative settings
manually.

The pol angle can also be manually adjusted in this menu if the polang type is set to manual (0009) in the setup menu.

AZ: Azimuth
Press ENTER from the main Antenna menu to go into the Azimuth menu. Only the
Azimuth will be displayed in the top left corner and the AGC in the bottom left corner.

The azimuth is the horizontal direction of the satellite, or the direction of the antenna, in a
clockwise direction from from true north. Azimuth includes the relative azimuth (angle from the bow) and the ships heading.

Press the left arrow to enter edit mode so that the cursor appears below the digits.

Use the left and right arrows and up and down arrows to change the azimuth to the required setting, and then press enter to
command the new azimuth.

AZ EL COMMANDS TO THE ANTENNA

The commands from the DAC to the antenna to change elevation or azimuth can be viewed flashing in the bottom left corner of
this screen. The direction each number represents is similar to the layout of a telephone dialpad (2=UP, 8 =DOWN, 4=LEFT,
6=RIGHT). The numbers only appear when the DAC requires the azimuth or elevation to change in a certain direction, to peak the
signal, for instance.

Pressing NEXT at any time, will return to the main Antenna menu.

EL: Elevation
Press ENTER again to move to the Elevation screen. Only the elevation and AGC will be
displayed.

Elevation is the angle of the antenna, or the satellite, in a vertical direction above the
horizon.

To change to a specific elevation, use the left arrow to enter edit mode. Use the left and right arrows and up and down arrows to
change the digits to the required elevation and ENTER to target the new elevation.

Pressing NEXT at any time will return to the main Antenna menu.

REL: Relative Azimuth

The REL or relative azimuth is the horizontal angle from the bow of the vessel. The
relative azimuth plus the heading of the vessel combine to give the true azimuth.

On unlimited azimuth antennas the REL goes from 000 on the bow, clockwise through
360 degrees.
On limited azimuth antennas, like to SeaTel XX04 series, the relative azimuth rotates through almost two revolutions through 680
degrees, begining at 020 off the starboard bow, rotating clockwise to 360 degrees on the bow and continuing for a second rotation
to 700 degees off the port bow before unwrapping. (see drawing)

In some cases the antenna may not be may not be mounted with 360 or 000 on the bow, due to mounting or access restrictions.
With dual TV antennas, one antenna is usually mounted with REL 360 facing the stern, so that both antennas are not in unwrap
mode at the same time.

With VSAT antennas the homeflag magnet can be rotated to set the homeflag on the bow. A homeflag offset can also be entered
(so that the antenna knows the REL of the bow) or an azimuth trim can be entered. Neither method will actually change the REL
reading, but they will compensate for the offset.

To change the REL on this screen use the left arrow to edit mode, edit the digits and press ENTER. This has the same effect as
moving the azimuth but it does not include the heading.

Save Parameters
Parameters must saved to NVRAM after changes are made,
otherwise the changes will be lost when the DAC is reset.

To save parameters, briefly press the left and right arrows together
until SAVE NEW PARAMETERS is displayed. Press the left arrow again to edit mode, and ENTER.
PARAMETERS SAVED will be
displayed. Press NEXT to return to the main menus.
 SeaTel DAC 2202 Setup Menu

The Setup Menu

To access the setup menu, hold both the left and right arrows
together for 6 seconds.

Pressing the left and right arrows momentarily will show the SAVE
PARAMETERS menu. Continue to hold for 6 seconds until you see
AUTO TRIM or EL TRIM.

AUTO TRIM
This function is only available in the latest versions of software.

The AUTO TRIM function automatically adjusts the azimuth elevation trims, and the auto
threshold value. If the antenna is not tracking a satellite, this feature is not available and
will show AUTO TRIM LOCKED.

To activate auto trim the antenna must be tracking, and if modem lock is activated in the system type the modem must be locked.

Press the left arrow to edit mode. The display will show AUTO TRIM SETUP and press ENTER. Even though the screen shows
AUTO TRIM SAVED, it is still necessary to do a SAVE PARAMETERS, or the new values will be lost when the DAC is reset.

In the latest software 6.08g the elevation will move up 10 degrees to measure the off satellite AGC and then come back on
satellite and measure the on satellite AGC to calculate the new AUTO THRES value. The EL TRIM and AZ TRIM values will also
be adjusted. You can then read the new values in the following two screens.

EL TRIM and AZ TRIM

The EL TRIM and AZ TRIM function allows one to tweak the target elevation and
azimuth to find the satellite more quickly. This can be done automatically using the AUTO
TRIM function above, or manually if your software does not have the AUTO TRIM
feature. This is only necessary if the antenna struggles to find the satellite or requires
assistance to find the satellite.

1. Press NEXT to escape from the setup menu and go to the AZ-EL (Antenna) menu and make note of the Azimuth and Elevation
while the antenna is tracking the satellite.
TRACKING ELEVATION ____________TRACKING AZIMUTH__________
2. Go to SAT menu, and retarget the satellite. Immediately press NEXT a couple of times
to view the AZ-EL (Antenna) menu again. The elevation will move up 10 degrees to read
the off satellite AGC and then come down to the target elevation and begin to search.
3. Make note of the target elevation and azimuth at this point.
TARGET ELEVATION ____________TARGET AZIMUTH__________
If the antenna can not find the satellite, you might need to give it some assistance using the up/down and left/right arrows to drive
it back to the position noted in step 1.

EL TRIM
4. Calculate the difference between the tracking elevation and the target elevation. We need to use the EL TRIM to change the
tracking elevation to read the same as the target elevation, so that next time it targets it will be right on satellite.
For example, If the antenna is tracking the satellite at 2.5 degrees above where it targeted the satellite we need to reduce the
tracking elevation by 2.5 degrees to agree with the target elevation.
5. To do this, go back to the setup menu, to EL TRIM. Press the left arrow to edit mode and use the up and down arrows to
change the EL TRIM.
NOTE THAT THE DIGITS REPRESENT 1/10TH OF A DEGREE (0010 is 1 degree). To get negative numbers simply go below
zero with the down arrow.
So in our example, we would need to subtract 2.5 degrees (-0025) from the existing EL TRIM setting.( If the EL TRIM was -0015
it should now be -0040).
6. Press NEXT to go back to the AZ-EL (Antenna) menu and the Elevation should now read the correct target value that you
noted in step 2, while the antenna is still tracking the satellite.

If the required EL TRIM is more than a few degrees, you may have a problem with the level cage, or level cage motor, or the
antenna may need to be re-initialized.

AZ TRIM
7. Calculate the difference between to tracking azimuth and the target azimuth. We need to change the tracking azimuth to read
the same as the target azimuth using the AZ TRIM.
For example, If the antenna is tracking the satellite a 6 degrees below where it targeted the satellite we need to increase the
tracking azimuth reading by 6 degrees to agree with the target azimuth.
8. Go back to the setup menu, to AZ TRIM. Press the left arrow to edit mode and use the up and down arrows to change the AZ
TRIM.
NOTE THAT THE DIGITS REPRESENT 1/10TH OF A DEGREE (0010 is 1 degree).
So in our example, we would need to add 6 degrees (0060) to the existing AZ TRIM setting.( If the EL TRIM was 0050 it should
now be 0110.)
6. Press NEXT to go back to the AZ-EL (Antenna) menu and the Azimuth should now read the correct target value that you noted
in step 2.

AZ TRIM can can sometimes be a large value depending on how the antenna was mounted on the vessel. With VSAT antennas,
large numbers of AZ TRIM should be reduced by adjusting the home flag magnet or setting the homeflag offset.

With dual, limited azimuth (unwrap) TV antennas, where one is often mounted facing the stern to avoid both antennas unwrapping
at the same time, it is necessary to add 180 degrees of AZ TRIM to compensate.

It is necessary to SAVE PARAMETERS after changing the EL TRIM or AZ TRIM or the new settings will be lost when the DAC is
reset.

AUTO THRESHOLD
The threshold is the preset AGC signal level that determines when the antenna is
tracking the satellite and when it is off satellite.

If AUTO THRES is set to 0000 then the threshold can be manually adjusted in the SAT
menu. The AUTO THRES setting will determine how many AGC counts above the off-satellite noise floor the theshold will be set.

Each time the antenna targets the satellite, the elevation moves 10 degrees above where it expects to see the satellite (confident
that there are no satelites up there), to measure the background, off-satellite AGC. It then adds the AUTO THRES value to that
level and sets the new THRESHOLD. So if the off-satellite AGC reading was 1640 and the AUTO THRES was set to 0100 then
the new THRESHOLD will be 1640 +0100 = 1740.

The THRESHOLD should be set to about midway (or slightly less) between the on-satellite and off-satellite AGC levels. The
default setting of 0100 is usually sufficient in most circumstances.

In the latest software the AUTO TRIM will adjust the AUTO THRES automatically.

EL STEP SIZE 0000

This is not used for Dish Scan and should be set to the default 0000

AZ STEP SIZE 0000

This is not used for Dish Scan and should be set to the default 0000

STEP INTEGRAL 0000

This is not used for Dish Scan and should be set to the default 0000.
(This was used for legacy step tracking)
SEARCH INC, SEARCH LIMIT and SEARCH DELAY

After losing track of the satellite, the antenna will wait for the time specified in the SEARCH DELAY before retargeting the satellite.

If it does not find the satellite it will begin a search by moving up one step of the SEARCH INC size in azimuth, followed by a step
up in elevation, followed two steps down in azimuth, continuing to increase in a spiral patern until the satellite is found (AGC goes
above threshold) or the preset SEARCH LIMIT is reached. If it has not found the satellite it will then return to the center (or to the
target) and begin to search again after the preset SEARCH DELAY period.

SEARCH INC (0010 or 0020) is the size of each step increment that the antenna makes when searching for the
satellite. Depending on the antenna the unit is 12 or 24 units per degree.
SEARCH LIMIT(0100) is the maximum size of the search box before returning to the target
SEARCH DELAY (0030)is the time in seconds that antenna will wait befor initiating a search.

SWEEP INC 0000

SWEEP INC is used for special search patterns for inclined satellites and searching without a compass input. This should be left
at the default 0000

SYSTEM TYPE
The system type turns various options on and off. It is set during installation and should
not normally need to be changed. The options are added together to result in the system
type number that is entered in this screen. So, for example a system type of 7 includes
1=Auto Sat Load on reset, 2 Enable modem Lock, and 4 Auto Sat load after search
failure.

SeaTel System Type Calculator

The SeaTel System Type Calculator allows one to include and remove features to automatically calculate the number to enter as
the SeaTel System Type. Including a 1 in the system type will cause the antenna to target the satellite when the system first
initializes, and also when the reset button is pressed. Without this, the antenna will wait for the operator to manually target the
satellite.

1. Auto Sat Load On Reset:

Including a 1 in the system type will cause the antenna to target the satellite when the system first initializes, and also when the
reset button is pressed. Without this, the antenna will wait for the operator to manually target the satellite.

2. Enable Modem Lock:

Including a 2 in the system type will cause the antenna to look for a signal that the modem has receive lock, for confirmation that it
is on the correct satellite. NID must also be set to 0000. If it does not see the signal from the modem, it will assume that it is not
on the correct satellite and retarget the satellite continuously every 20 or so seconds.
 This signal is passed from the modem console port on the RJ45 cable pin 2, or on the external AGC connection on the terminal
mounting strip. By default, the antenna expects this signal to go LOW (0 volts) when the modem is locked and HIGH (15V max)
when the modem is unlocked, which is the case for iDirect and Comtech modems. With a Hughes modem, the signal is reversed
(HIGH=modem lock). In this case 128 needs to be added to the system type to reverse modem logic.

1. Auto Sat Load On Reset:

SeaTel System Type Calculator

128 Reverse Modem Lock

64 Power to LNB from DAC
32 REL in AZ entry display
16 Reverse Blockage Output
Reverse Tx Pol Logic (>
8 ver 6.08g
Auto Sat load after search
4 failure
2 Enable Modem Lock
1 Auto Sat load on reset
System Type

4. Auto Sat Load after Search Failure:

Including a 4 in the system type will cause the antenna to retarget the calculated target satellite at the end of an unsuccessful
search. Without this enabled, the antenna will return to the center of the search pattern, which may not be the calculated target
satellite.

16. Reverse Blockage Output:

Including a 16 in the system type will reverse the Tx mute blockage output on SW2 or on pin 7 of the RJ45 connector
(HIGH=BLOCKED). By default, the output is low (TTL closed) when the antenna is blocked, searching or mispointed by 0.5
degrees. This is needed for an iDirect or Comtech modem that require a HIGH=MUTED signal. The Hughes modem does not
require this option as it uses a LOW=MUTED signal.

64. Power LNB from the DAC:

Including a 64 in the system type causes the DAC to provide DC power to the LNB on the receive coax. The VOLT setting in the
SAT menu determines the voltage. HORZ/LHCP=18V and VERT/RHCP =13V. Older VSAT systems require LNB power from the
DAC while the newer systems generate the LNB power in the antenna controlled in the STATUS menu (Xp B2). TV systems using
a multiswitch require the DAC to provide "LNB" power to be able to select polarity on the multiswitch (VERT=13V, HORZ=18V) for
tracking purposes.

8. Reverse Tx Pol Logic (AFC on old NBIF tuners)

On the recent 6.08g DAC software, including an 8 in the system type will reverse the Tx Pol logic. By default Tx Pol of 0002 is
Vertical and 0004 is horizontal. Including system type 8 will reverse this. This could be important with systems using automatic
beam switching, as the modem will command Tx Pol using the standard polarities. It is important to remove the 8 from the system
type when upgrading DAC software above version 6.08g.

On the old 4003s and 9797s the narrow band DVB tuners had an automatic frequency control (AFC) in NBIF mode where the
tuner would adjust the frequency every two minutes. This was also activated using an 8 in the system type.

The old default Marlink system type of 95 includes an 8 which should be removed when upgrading a DAC 2202 above version
6.08g.
128. Reverse Modem Lock Logic
This is required for modems, like the Hughes modem, that send a HIGH signal when the modem has receive lock. System type 2
(Modem Lock) also needs to be activated.

32. Display REL in AZ entry display:

In the Azimuth Entry screen (second screen of the Antenna menu), including a 32 in the system type will cause the REL to be
displayed in the bottom left hand corner, rather than the Azimuth and Elevation commands. This i9s a feature seldom used.

GYRO TYPE
The most common gyro compasses today put out a NMEA 0183 heading signal or or
have converters converting to NMEA or stepper. Gyro Type 0002 covers both NMEA and
step-by-step.

Other gyro types are various types of Syncro with A/D converters and Gyro Type 0 for no compass input to activate a special
Azimuth Search sweep to find the satellite.

POLANG TYPE
With Polang Type set to 0072 the polarization will adjust to the correct setting for the
satellite, calculated from the ships position and the satellite longitude.

For manual mode the Polang Type is set to 0009. This allows the Pol angle to be
changed in the Antenna menu. Manual mode can be used during a polang lineup with the NOC, or it can be left in AUTO mode
and adjusted using the polang offset.

POL OFFSET
For most VSAT antennas the default Pol Offset is 0040 with a center of travel at pol 130
(40+90).

TV antennas use a Pol Offset of 0030 with center of travel at 120 (30+90). It is usually not
necessary to adjust the pol offset for TV antennas if the feed is correctly installed.

The Pol Offset is added to the polarization that the antenna calculates as the target Pol. The Pol Offset does not modify the Pol
reading in the Antenna screen that comes directly from the polang potentiometer on the feed. It changes the angle that the feed
moves to when targeting the satellite. If the antenna calculates a Pol angle of 90 degrees, the target Pol will be 90 + the Pol offset
or 40 = 130.

When doing a crosspol lineup with the satellite NOC, it is easiest to adjust the Pol Offset in Auto Pol mode (0072) rather than
going to manual. Leave the system in Auto mode and go to the POL OFFSET screen. When the NOC asks you to rotate the feed,
give them the starting point as a reference (example 40) and then adjust the pol offset one degree at a time. Use the left arrow to
edit mode and set the cursor under the last digit. Use the up or down arrow to change it 1 degree and press ENTER. Allow 5
seconds for the feed to settle, and then tell the NOC the new reading. Continue to adjust the pol offset up or down under direction
from the NOC until the optimum pol angle is attained. Exit by pressing NEXT and then SAVE PARAMETERS.

To visually check the Pol Offset, set the TX POL to 0002 and target an imaginary satellite at the ships own longitude. If the
longitude is 80W set SAT=80W. The target light will come on an the Pol angle in the Antenna menu will go to about 130. Go to the
antenna and verify that the feed (and LNB) is (square or at right angles) with the antenna. If it is not, the Pol Offset needs to be
corrected, or if it is way off, the polang pot will need alignment.

One should always conduct a crosspol test with the NOC after making any adjustment to the feed angle.

POL SCALE
Pol scale is almost always 0090. This is the amount that the Pol count in the Antenna
(AZ-EL) menu changes when the feed is rotated 90 degrees.

Some obscure, older antennas could have a pol scale of 60 depending on the polang
potentiometer.
AZ LIMIT 1, AZ LIMIT 2 and EL LIMIT 12
AZ Limit 1 =3370, Az Limit 2 = 0200
BLOCKAGE ZONES: The azimuth limits describe the area of relative azimuth (REL) where
the antenna is blocked by the mast or other obstructions on the vessel. It is also used to
prevent the antenna transmitting (Tx Mute) in certain directions, perhaps where ship's
personnel would be in danger of radiation. In the case of dual antennas with an arbitrator it
indicates that the antenna is blocked and that the arbitrator should switch to the other
antenna.

The blockage zones correspond with the REL (Relative Azimuth) readings in the Antenna
menu. If the antenna is not mounted with the home flag on the bow of the vessel, then this
will need to be compensated in the blockage settings. If at all possible, VSAT home flag
magnets should be adjusted accurately on the bow to simplify blockage angle calculations,
especially on dual VSAT installations. This is not possible on limited azimuth, TV antennas.

Blockage angles are set in 1/10ths of a degree. (example 0900 = 90 degrees)

Three blockage zones can be set, always in a clockwise direction, using the beginning
azimuth of the blockage zone (AZ LIMIT 1) set from REL 0000-3600, the end limit of the
blockage zone (AZ LIMIT 2) set from REL 0000-3600, and the elevation of the blockage (EL
LIMIT 12) set from 0000-0900 degrees. The elevation defaults to 0900 or 90 degrees which
would be total blockage from say a tall mast, but if the blockage only extends up to say, 45
degrees, then this could be changed to 0450 to allow the antenna to operate above this level.

On limited azimuth, TV antennas where the Relative actually rotates from 0023 through 0687
the blockage zones are still set from 0000 to 3600 with 360 being the bow of the vessel. In the case of dual TV antennas, the
second antenna is often mounted 180 degrees off, with REL 360 facing the stern, to avoid both antennas being in unwrap mode
at the same time. In this case the blockage zones of the second antenna will need to be compensated 180 degrees.

The second and third blockage zones are set in the AZ LIMIT 3 & 4, EL LIMIT34 and AZ LIMIT 5 & 6, EL LIMIT 56 menus.
Blockage zones can be set to overlap, where one blockage zone is at one elevation and another blockage zone is at another
elevation.

It is best to set blockage zones by checking actual performance on different headings, as antennas can often see
past surprisingly large blockages.

5V OFFSET, SCALE

TX POLARITY
Tx Polarity switches the polarity by 90 degrees from horizontal to vertical and vice versa.
On most antennas, Tx Polarity of 0002 is vertical and Tx Polarity 0004 is horizontal.
Some earlier antennas have this reversed, depending on how the feed was set up.

The receive pol will, of course be the opposite.

Note that from DAC 2202 software 6.08g the system type including 8 will cause the Tx Pol to be reversed.

One may need to switch Tx Polarity when changing satellite beams.

TRACK DISP
TRACK DISP 0130 Xp/Cp Quad band

TRACK DISP 0000 Legacy systems

Track Display changes the options in the Status Menu to accommodate the newer
antennas that provide LNB power and tone switching for multi band LNBs in the
antenna rather than via the coax from the DAC. It also allows switching of LNB coax
relays using the Aux signal.

For a quad LNB with copol and crosspol options the default Track Display is set to
0130. The Status display will then show Xp B1, Co B2 etc.
On legacy systems that provide LNB power from the DAC, the track display should be set to 0000. The Status Menu will show
KuHi/KuLo/C or X options. These are used to switch coax relays on pedestal on multiband antennas.

The Aux signal on controls the selection coax switch in the radome to select LNBs and SW1 on the TMS.

SAVE NEW PARAMETERS

Parameters must saved to NVRAM after changes are made,
otherwise the changes will be lost when the DAC is reset.

To save parameters, press the left arrow again to edit mode, and
ENTER.
PARAMETERS SAVED will be displayed.

REMOTE COMMANDS
Remote commands control the setup of the pedestal control unit. These should normally not be changed except during setup and
diagnostics.
 Remote Commands
REMOTE COMMAND
The Remote Command screen sends diagnostic and configuration commands to
the Pedestal Control Unit (PCU) in the antenna. The incorrect commands can easily
corrupt the programming and cause harm to the antenna, so they should be used only
when necessary and with extreme caution. It is preferable to use the DacRemP
diagnostics program which provides better insight into the system with less room for operator error.

There are a few remote commands that can useful for troubleshooting.

EMOTE MONITOR
The Remote Monitor screen is where you read the result of the Remote Command
request.

STATUS WORD S0000 - Error 8 Decoding [.83]

Meaning Ref AZ EL CL
@ No Fault 0 0 0 0
A CL 0 0 0 1
B LV 0 0 1 0
C CL+LV 0 0 1 1
D AZ 0 1 0 0
E AZ+CL 0 1 0 1
F AZ+LV 0 1 1 0
G AZ+LV+CL 0 1 1 1
H Az Ref 1 0 0 0
I Az Ref+CL 1 0 0 1
J Az Ref+LV 1 0 1 0
K Ref+LV+CL 1 0 1 1
L Az Ref +Az 1 1 0 0
M Ref+Az+CL 1 1 0 1
N Ref+AZ+LV 1 1 1 0
O Ref+AZ+LV+CL 1 1 1 1
P Stability Limit 0 0 0 0
Q Stab Limit +CL 0 0 0 1
R Stab Limit +LV 0 0 1 0
S Stab + LV + CL 0 0 1 1
T Stab Limit + AZ 0 1 0 0
U Stab + AZ + CL 0 1 0 1
V Stab + AZ + LV 0 1 1 0
W Stab+AZ+LV+CL 0 1 1 1
 X Stab + Ref 1 0 0 0
Y Stab+Ref+CL 1 0 0 1
Z Stab+Ref+LV 1 0 1 0
[ Stab+Ref+LV+CL 1 0 1 1
\ Stab+Ref+AZ 1 1 0 0
] Stab+Ref+AZ+CL 1 1 0 1
^ Stab+Ref+AZ+LV 1 1 1 0
Stab+Ref+AZ+LV+CL 1 1 1 1

Error codes are most easily decoded using DacRemP. If DacRemP is not available, it can be decoded in the Remote Command
menu using the Status word S0000.

To decode an error 8 in the Status Screen without DacRemP, enter S0000 [.83 in the DAC03] in the Remote Command screen,
and then press ENTER again to REMOTE MONITOR to read the status word or S word.

It is important to read the result from the REMOTE MONITOR window, (by pressing ENTER a second time) and not the
immediate response that one gets in the REMOTECOMMAND window, which is sometimes not complete.

New Status Word Calculator

The third letter or symbol after the S indicates the pedestal error. The @ symbol in the word SIH@ indicates no error. The table
shows the fault meanings where AZ, CL, and LV are motor drive limits and Ref indicates Azimuth reference fault or home flag.

The resultant status word can be decoded by the table. A status word of SIHD for instance would indicate that the azimuth drive
limit had been exceeded, whereas a status word of SKHG would indicate a fault with all three axes. This will give some indication
of what to look for when going to the antenna.

The Stab Limit or stability limit indicates that the antenna is not pointing to the intended position that the PCU has been
commanded. This may be the result of imbalance, bearing friction, cable binding, wind loading or a failing motor. A pointing error
of more than 0.5 degrees will activate the Stab Limit alarm condition.

N-Parameters
Do not use N parameters unless you are sure of what you are doing. It is easy to enter the wrong settings, making the antenna
unstable or unuseable.

To interogate the antenna for the current settings the remote command format is NX999 where X is the identifier.

N0999 = PCU system type. This also sets all teh gains for that particular system type.
N1999 = CL gain
N2999 = EL gain
N3999 = AZ gain
N6999 = Homeflag offset.
N7999 = Dishscan phase parameters.
N0 Parameters
N6 Homeflag Offset or HFO
If the antenna is not mounted exactly toward the bow of the vessel, small corrections can be made with azimuth trim, but large
corrections should be made with the home flag offset.

If possible, the homeflag should be adjusted mechanically by moving

the homeflag magnet in the antenna. If not possible, then a
homeflag can be set in the antenna to adjust the antenna offset from
the bow.

When the antenna lands on the home flag sensor the HFO tells it
where it is relative to the bow. It will then continue to count up or
down from that point.

Home Flag Offset is the position of the home flag sensor

relative to the bow of the vessel.

For example, if the antenna lands on the homeflag sensor 25

degrees to port of the bow, (or 335 degrees relative to the bow) then
we tell the antenna that it is at 335 and not 360. Each time the
antenna passes the home flag sensor it will then be reminded that it
is now at 335 degrees relative.

To make things more complicated, the homeflag units are not

divided in 360 degrees in a circle, but 255 units representing 360
degrees. So we need to convert degrees to homeflag units before
entering it into the N6 parameter.

To convert to homeflag units, take the degrees relative to the bow, divide by 360 and then multiply by 255. So in this example, the
antenna stops 25 degrees to port, or 335 degrees to the physical bow of the ship. So we divide this by 360 to get 0.93... and then
multiply by 255 and round it off to whole numbers of 237 (N6237).

Likewise, if the antenna hits the homeflag 25 degres to the starboard of the bow, the homeflag would be 025 divided by 360 x 255
or HFO = 18 (N6018) .

To enter the homflag in the remote parameters, the command is N6XXX where XXX is the HFO value. You need to continue
down the menu to Remote Parameters and save remote parameters, or the homeflag will be lost when the antenna resets.

It is necessary to reinitialize the antenna for the new home flag to take effect.

REMOTE PARAMETERS - Save Antenna Parameters

After making changes to PCU parameters it is necessary to save the antenna
parameters. This is done in the setup menu under Remote Parameters. Press the left
arrow to edit mode and enter. The antenna will respond with SAVED.

Reset Antenna ^0090 [.94]

The most reliable way to reset the antenna is to remove power or shut off the breaker for
a few seconds, for a hard reboot. With a TV antenna, simply powering off the DAC will
reset the antenna, but a VSAT needs the breaker reset.

If cycling the power is not an option, due to the antenna power source not accessible, or the radome access restricted, one can do
a soft reset by entering the command ^0090 and ENTER. You should see an error alarm light on the DAC and the antenna will be
initializing. (Note that a soft reboot will not reset power to the GPS)
REMOTE TILT

REMOTE SAT REF

Satellite Reference Mode is used when the gyro heading source is mostly the correct
heading, but intermittent or unreliable.

It can also be used with no gyro input, entering the heading manually from time to time when the antenna loses track.

If the heading from the gyro signal does not match the heading of the ship, the heading cables must be physically disconnected
so that the compass cannot override the manual heading input.

If the heading from the gyro signal does not match the heading of the ship, the heading cables must be physically disconnected
so that the compass cannot override the manual heading input.

Sat Reference OFF

With a good gyro heading source, Sat reference mode is turned off.

When Satellite Reference mode is OFF, the antenna stability relies heavily on the gyro signal and responds immediately to
changes in heading. If the changes in heading are incorrect or if the heading is not changing with the vessel, the antenna will lose
track very quickly, as the vessel turns.

Sat Reference ON
With Sat Reference Mode turned on, the antenna will only look at the gyro signal after it has lost track and needs to find the
satellite again. It does not use the heading signal for antenna stabilization. Instead, it uses only the tracking signal from the
satellite and the azimuth rate sensors.

In Sat Reference Mode, the antenna ignores the input from the Gyro while it is is tracking. It only looks for the gyro signal if it
loses track of the satellite in order to find it again. After it has lost track you would need to enter the current heading manually in
the SHIP MENU. It should then continue to track, without the gyro, using only the satellite signal as a reference.

To turn on Sat Reference Mode

To turn Sat Reference mode on, you need to go to the setup menu by holding the LEFT and RIGHT arrows together for 6
seconds until you see AUTOTRIM. Then ENTER...ENTER...ENTER all the way through the menus until you see SAT REF OFF
(way down near the end of the menu).

Then press RIGHT arrow, UP arrow and ENTER to turn Sat Reference mode ON.

Continue pressing ENTER to REMOTE PARAMETERS then left arrow and ENTER to SAVE PARAMETERS. The DAC will
respond REMOTE PARAMETERS SAVED.

Wrong heading from Gyro

To check if the Gyro heading input, manually change the heading to something else, and if it changes back, the signal is coming
from the gyro.

If the gyro is putting out the wrong heading, you will not be able to manually enter the heading and the antenna will never be able
to find the satellite.

If the heading from the gyro signal does not match the heading of the ship, the heading cables must be physically disconnected
so that the compass cannot override the manual heading input. Sat Reference Mode only works if there is no gyro signal to the
antenna and you have entered the correct heading manually, or if the gyro is putting out the correct heading but only
intermittently.
If the gyro heading from the compass is wrong, you will need to physically disconnect the gyro cables from the TMS (Rx+ and Rx-
) or disconnect the 9 pin ribbon cable from the DAC, to allow you to manually enter the correct heading of the vessel.
 Troubleshooting

Why can't I see the satellite

If the LNB has a DC supply voltage on the coax, of 12V or 18V, you will normally see an AGC of about 0800 to 1600 when the
antenna is off satellite. When the dish is pointed at a satellite, you should see a rise in AGC to about 1200 to as high as 2200. If
you don't see any variation in AGC, you are most likely not pointing at the right place in the sky.

There is not much between the LNB and the tuner in the DAC to prevent one form seeing a rise in AGC, even when on the wrong
satellite, so if no change is seen, the dish is not pointing in the right direction, or there is an obstruction between the antenna and
the satellite.

This could be for several reasons including:

Heading input is incorrect, Azimuth out of alignment, GPS position is wrong, Elevation is out of alignment, Polarization is on
opposite pol, Satellite is blocked. Satellite frequency is wrong, Satellite longitude is wrong. Other satellite settings are wrong.

An AGC below 0400 or thereabouts, indicates that the LNB has no supply voltage, or the tuner has no connection to the LNB.
Having said this, there are some tuner models that have and AGC of about 800 with no signal or supply voltage.

Check your tuner settings

Go to the SAT menu by presing the NEXT button and then press ENTER ENTER to cycle through the antenna parameters. Take
note of each parameter, and compare this with the instructions sent by the satellite provider.

The following is an example of settings on Telstar T11n with a quad LNB. Your required settings may be quite different.

SAT 037.5W
THRS 1680
MHz 1243
khz 0000
TONE ON
VOLT VERT
FEC SCPC
Skew 0000
NID 0000

Check the Gyro Compass input

The gyro heading input to the antenna is incorrect. Gyro compasses can take several hours to settle on the correct heading after
a power outage. Check that you are receiving data from the gyro by pressing the NEXT key until you come to the LAT LON
(SHIP) menu. Pres ENTER a few times to enter the menu and go to the heading screen. The heading on the left of the screen is
the input from the gyro, and the heading on the right is what the antenna is receiving from the DAC.

Manually checking the heading.

Press the left arrow and move the cursor under the heading, and then the up or down keys to change one of the digits to
something else, and press ENTER. If the heading remains at the new setting and does not revert back to the original heading,
then you are not receiving input from the gyro. If it changes back to the original setting, you are receiving data from the gyro.

Go to the bridge and verify the actual heading using a magnetic or hand bearing compass, taking magnetic variation and deviation
into account. If the actual heading from the gyro is obviously wrong, you will need to correct this. If it cannot be corrected
immediately, one can drive the antenna manually to the corrected azimuth to find the satellite. This will work for a while if the
vessel is on a steady course or tied to the dock.

If it cannot be corrected, there are ways to disconnect the heading input and enter the correct heading manually to find the
satellite. The antenna will need to be put into Sat Reference mode to operate without heading input until the gyro can be
corrected.

Check the Azimuth and Elevation Alignment

Manually Searching for the satellite.
Target the satellite again, as detailed above, and note the target azimuth and elevation once the antenna settles down. In the AZ
EL menu, press the left arrow to slowly move the azimuth down about 10 degrees, while watching for changes in the AGC. Then
try going up in Azimuth with the right arrow until you are 10 degrees above the target azimuth and watch the AGC. Return to the
target azimuth. Then try using the up and down arrows to go up and down 10 degrees in elevation while watching the AGC.

Stop if you see a rise in AGC, and try peaking up the signal using the left/right and up/down arrows. Once tracking, check the
receive light on the modem. If you get a solid receive light you can be 99.9% sure that you are on the right satellite. If not, you
may be tracking the wrong satellite.

Point the antenna at the bow

If all else fails, check the heading and change the azimuth to the same as the heading. In other words, point the antenna at the
bow. Then go to the antenna and verify that it is pointing to the bow.

If swinging at anchor, you may need some assistance, communicating by VHF radio or cellular phone to ensure that the azimuth
remains the same as the heading while observing the antenna in the radome.

Point the elevation at 0 degrees

Turn the tracking off, and change the elevation to 0 degrees. Then go to the antenna, and verify thet the antenna is pointing at the
horizon. If not, try and estimate how many degrees it is above or below the horizon and try compensating for this error, manually
when targeting the satellite.

Reseting power to the antenna.

If all else fails, it may be necessary to reset power to the antenna and let the antenna reinitialize. This can solve many problems.
Note that with a VSAT, turning off the power switch on the antenna controller does not reset power to the antenna (with TV
antenna it does). In many cases the power to the antenna is supplied by a UPS somewhere else on the vessel. A way to be sure
that the antenna has been reset, is to climb up in the radome and turn the breaker located on the base of the radome, off and on.

The TV antenna receives it's power from the antenna controller on the coax cable, so turning off the antenna controller will reset
power to both.

Watching the antenna re-initialize

All antennas prior to the 09 series, have a mechanical level cage that contains sensors that tell the antenna how to compensate
for movement of the vessel and and keep the sensors level with the horizon.

The level cage is a small, 50mm x 70mm silver or gold box on the side of the antenna frame that is driven by a small stepper
motor with belt. When the antenna is first turned on, you will hear and see the level cage drive to it's physical endstop. When it
reaches the endstop you will hear it cluck several times as it verifies that it has arrived at it's starting point. It will then move to the
45 degree position, and the antenna will drive in elevation to 45 degrees where the level cage should be level.

After a few seconds, the cross level will drive to make the antenna level from side to side.

The azimuth will then drive the whole antenna in a clockwise direction until it is pointing at the bow. After a minute or two, it will
then drive to target the satellite. (TV antennas are different)

Watching the antenna as it initializes can often show up problems, especially with finding the satellite.