Hughes HughesNet Ka-band User manual

1037663-0001
Revision A
March 26, 2008
Ka-Band Antenna Pointing Guide

Copyright © 2008 Hughes Network Systems, LLC
All rights reserved. This publication and its contents are proprietary to Hughes Network Systems,
LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the written
permission of Hughes Network Systems, LLC, 11717 Exploration Lane, Germantown, Maryland
20876.
Hughes Network Systems, LLC has made every effort to ensure the correctness and completeness
of the material in this document. Hughes Network Systems, LLC shall not be liable for errors
contained herein. The information in this document is subject to change without notice. Hughes
Network Systems, LLC makes no warranty of any kind with regard to this material, including, but not
limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.
Trademarks
Hughes, Hughes Network Systems, and SPACEWAY are trademarks of Hughes Network Systems,
LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Revision record
Revision Date of issue Scope
A March 26, 2008 Production Release

• Contents
1037663-0001 Revision A iii
Contents
Chapter 1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Scope and audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Related instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Antenna pointing overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Pointing tools and user interfaces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Global Positioning System (GPS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Local User Interface (LUI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
DiSEqC Antenna Pointing Tool (DAPT) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Squinter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Pointing procedure summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Entering installation parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Coarse pointing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Fine pointing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Pointing validation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Chapter 2
Pointing the antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Prerequisites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Entering installation parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Coarse pointing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Fine pointing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Attaching Squinter type A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Attaching Squinter types B and C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Pointing validation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Acronyms and abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

• Contents
iv 1037663-0001 Revision A

• Figures
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Figures
Chapter 1
1. DiSEqC Antenna Pointing Tool (DAPT) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
2. Squinter types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Chapter 2
3. Connecting the installer laptop to the IDU (HN9000 shown) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
4. Icon to Installation screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
5. Advanced Configuration and Statistics Installation screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
6. Terminal Pointing Info screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
7. Installing the DAPT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
8. Adjusting the antenna position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
9. Attaching squinter type A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
10. Positioning the squinter properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
11. Attaching squinter types B and C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
12. Weatherproofing the cable connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

• Figures
vi 1037663-0001 Revision A

• Tables
1037663-0001 Revision A vii
Tables
Chapter 2
1. Installation parameter B Codes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
2. Installation parameter C Codes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
3. Determining which squinter to use. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
4. DAPT display messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

• Tables
viii 1037663-0001 Revision A

Chapter 1 • Introduction
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Chapter 1
Introduction
Scope and audience This document describes the HughesNet Ka-band antenna
pointing procedure. This document is written for professional
installers who have experience with installing and pointing
satellite antennas.
Related instructions This pointing guide discusses the antenna pointing procedure
only. For an explanation of mechanical adjustments on the
antenna, see the specific installation guide for the antenna you are
installing. A Ka-band radio assembly must be installed with the
antenna before pointing.
This guide applies to the following HughesNet System Ka-band
antennas: 0.74 m, 0.98 m, 1.2 m, and 1.8 m.
Antenna pointing
overview
The antenna pointing procedure is a critical part of the
HughesNet antenna installation process. If the satellite modem
antenna is not properly pointed toward the satellite, it cannot
communicate with the satellite to its full capacity, resulting in a
degradation of system performance.
The basic requirement when pointing a HughesNet antenna is to
accurately aim the antenna at the satellite to within 0.2 dB
maximum loss of reception and 0.45 dB maximum loss of
transmission. The HughesNet system uses a narrow Ka-band
beam which can be sensitive to pointing errors, and therefore it is
critical that the antenna is pointed properly and accurately. Be
sure to follow the procedures in this manual exactly as written to
achieve this goal.
The antenna pointing process is divided into three tasks: coarse
pointing, fine pointing, and pointing validation. Under normal
conditions and circumstances, a single professional installer can
perform this process alone (the one exception is when pointing
the 1.8m antenna, which requires two people to install, due to its
large reflector.)

Chapter 1 • Introduction
21037663-0001 Revision A
Pointing tools and
user interfaces
The antenna pointing process makes use of several tools that are
used both separately and together during the procedure. These
tools are described in the following sections:
Global Positioning System
(GPS)
Use a GPS (not supplied) to determine the exact latitude and
longitude coordinates of the antenna site. These coordinates are
used to determine the correct azimuth and elevation information
for the antenna to point at the satellite from its location.
Your GPS receiver must be accurate to within 15 meters. (Most
receivers on the market will meet this requirement. Units
employing Wide-Area Augmentation System [WAAS]
technology provide accuracy to 3 meters.)
The GPS must display latitude and longitude information in the
format DD MM.mmm, where DD = degrees, MM = minutes, and
mmm = fractional minutes (the unit must display fractional
minutes to three significant digits).
Local User Interface (LUI) The LUI is the satellite modem interface. It is used to enter
installation parameters required for pointing the antenna. The
LUI also displays the beacon signal strength for monitoring
purposes. To access the LUI, you must first connect your laptop
to the indoor unit (IDU), then you will use a standard Internet
browser (Internet Explorer 6 or higher, or Mozilla 1.8 or higher)
to navigate to the LUI. See Entering installation parameters on
page 8 for the exact procedure.
DiSEqC Antenna Pointing Tool
(DAPT)
The DAPT is a two-way digital satellite equipment control
(DiSEqC) tool. It has a large back-lit display and three buttons
that enable the installer to step through the antenna pointing
procedure. Figure 1 shows the DAPT.
Figure 1: DiSEqC Antenna Pointing Tool (DAPT)

Chapter 1 • Introduction
1037663-0001 Revision A 3
The three buttons on the DAPT can serve different purposes
during different phases of the pointing process. In most cases,
however, they function as follows:
•Back (button 1) – Used to return to a previous state.
•Toggle (button 2) – Used to toggle between signal filters.
•Advance (button 3) – Used to begin a process, proceed to the
next state, or respond Yes to a prompt on the DAPT display.
Squinter The squinter is an antenna pointing aid used to electrically
fine-point the antenna once coarse pointing is completed. When
placed on the antenna feed horn, the squinter inhibits a portion of
the RF signal, thereby capturing the satellite signal from different
portions of the antenna reflector surface. The squinter is placed
alternately in four different positions: two for measuring azimuth
and two for measuring elevation. As shown in Figure 2, there are
three different types of squinters, each designed for use with
specific antennas.
Note: Be sure to use the correct squinter for the antenna you are
pointing, as described in Figure 2.
Figure 2: Squinter types

Chapter 1 • Introduction
41037663-0001 Revision A
Pointing procedure
summary
The antenna pointing process consists of four main steps:
•Entering installation parameters
•Coarse pointing
•Fine pointing
•Pointing validation
This section provides a brief overview of each of these processes.
For details, see Chapter 2 – Pointing the antenna.
Entering
installation parameters
After completing physical installation of the satellite modem
hardware, the installer connects a laptop to the satellite modem
and accesses the LUI using a standard Internet browser. The
installer then enters the satellite modem and antenna installation
parameters. These installation parameters include:
•Terminal site name (satellite modem ID)
•Satellite orbital location, or A Code
•Antenna size, or B Code
•Outdoor unit (ODU) power, or C Code
•Satellite ID, or U Code
•Latitude and longitude of the antenna site
Once the installer submits these parameters, the satellite modem
enters Pointing mode. In this mode, the LUI displays the
calculated azimuth, elevation, tilt angle, and antenna polarization
information required for coarse pointing the antenna.
Coarse pointing After entering the installation parameters, you can begin the
process of pointing the antenna at the satellite. Using the proper
azimuth, elevation, and tilt coordinates obtained from the LUI,
you will point the antenna in the general direction of the satellite
to obtain initial acquisition of the satellite signal.
When the demodulator locks onto the satellite beacon signal, the
signal quality factor (SQF) of the received signal-to-noise ratio
(SNR) pointing signal appears on the DAPT display in the form
of a numerical value from 2 to 255. This value is then used to
coarsely find the peak signal level.
Note: Azimuth measurements are calibrated relative to true
north, not magnetic north.
Note: Do not attempt to point the antenna manually by
pulling on the antenna reflector or the feed support arm. This
can cause permanent damage to the antenna.

Chapter 1 • Introduction
1037663-0001 Revision A 5
Antenna pointing is supported by two filters that help to smooth
out the effects of short-term random amplitude fading and phase
changes on the received signal, called scintillation. Scintillation
usually occurs due to changes in atmospheric density caused by
fluctuating weather conditions.
The short filter is used to quickly find the peak signal level.
However, when this filter is used, the signal level will likely be
hampered by scintillation. The long filter, used to peak the beacon
SQF after the satellite has been found, can also be used to
dampen the effects of scintillation.
The DAPT enables you to select which of the two filters to use by
pressing the DAPT Toggle button (button 2). The DAPT display
indicates which filter is currently being used with either the letter
S(to indicate the short filter) or L(to indicate the long filter).
Fine pointing After locating the satellite and finding the initial peak signal
level, you will use the squinter and the fine az/el adjustment
mechanism to fine-point the antenna using a dithering method.
Dithering is a pointing method by which SQF readings are taken
from different portions of the antenna reflector. By ensuring that
the SQF readings are the same at opposite points on the reflector,
this method ensures that the entire reflector is pointing directly at
the satellite.
The squinter physically covers one half of the antenna feed horn,
inhibiting one half of the signal beam from reaching the antenna
reflector. With the squinter placed over the feed horn, the installer
takes SQF readings from four positions (two for azimuth and two
for elevation); ensuring that readings from opposite sides of the
reflector match their counterparts.
When the antenna is pointed correctly, the left azimuth reading
will have the same SQF value (within accepted tolerance levels)
as the right azimuth reading, and the top elevation reading will
have the same SQF value as the bottom elevation reading. (It is
not necessary for azimuth readings to match elevation readings.)
If the pairs of readings are not within tolerance, the position of
the antenna must be adjusted using the fine az/el tool. Once
adjusted, you can lock the antenna in position.
Pointing validation After the antenna has been coarse- and fine-pointed, you will
complete the installation process by using the DAPT to validate
and record the azimuth and elevation measurements.

Chapter 1 • Introduction
61037663-0001 Revision A

Chapter 2 • Pointing the antenna
1037663-0001 Revision A 7
Chapter 2
Pointing the antenna
This chapter explains the antenna pointing process, and the roles
that the LUI, the DAPT, and the squinter play in this process. This
chapter contains the following sections:
•Prerequisites on page 7
•Entering installation parameters on page 8
•Coarse pointing on page 13
•Fine pointing on page 17
•Pointing validation on page 25
•Troubleshooting on page 30
Prerequisites Before pointing the antenna, you must perform the following
steps:
1. Assemble and install the antenna at the chosen ODU location
following the procedures outlined in the installation guide for
the specific antenna model being installed.
2. Install the IDU following the procedures outlined in the
installation guide for the specific satellite modem being
installed.
3. Run the intra-facility link (IFL) cable between the SAT OUT
connector on the IDU and the IFL connector on the antenna
radio. For a list of approved cables for the IFL between the
antenna and the satellite modem, see the Hughes FSB, IFL
Cable, Approved List (with lengths) for SPACEWAY
Domestic Installations (FSB 080111_01A). The FSB lists
the maximum cable length for each approved cable type for
all relevant radio types.

Chapter 2 • Pointing the antenna
81037663-0001 Revision A
Entering
installation parameters
This section explains how to obtain the proper azimuth and
elevation coordinates to point the antenna at the satellite from the
antenna site, using the LUI to enter the necessary parameters.
1. Use your GPS to determine the latitude and longitude of the
installation site, and record them in the spaces provided
below.
Latitude: ________Degrees _____Minutes _____Fractional mins
Longitude: ______Degrees _____Minutes _____Fractional mins
2. Using an Ethernet cable, connect your laptop to the indoor
unit (IDU) LAN port as shown in Figure 3.
3. On your laptop, open a web browser (Internet Explorer 6 or
higher, or Mozilla 1.8 or higher).
4. Type 169.254.0.1 in the browser address bar and press
Enter.
5. At the LUI System Control Center home page, click the small
icon near the upper right area of the screen, as shown in
Figure 4.
Note: The laptop must be connected directly to the IDU
(without an intervening router).
Figure 3: Connecting the installer laptop to the IDU
(HN9000 shown)

Chapter 2 • Pointing the antenna
1037663-0001 Revision A 9
The Advanced Configuration and Statistics Installation
screen appears as shown in Figure 5.
Figure 4: Icon to Installation screen
Figure 5: Advanced Configuration and Statistics Installation screen

Chapter 2 • Pointing the antenna
10 1037663-0001 Revision A
6. For each of the following installation parameters, select the
option from the drop-down menu that matches the value
listed on the Installation Reference Sheet.
– Terminal site name. Enter a name for the site up to 20
characters in length.
– A Code (Satellite orbital location). Select 0949505 from
the drop-down menu.
– B Code (Antenna size). Enter the appropriate code for the
antenna, as shown in Table 1.
– C Code (ODU power). Enter the appropriate code for the
radio transmitter, as shown in Table 2.
– U Code (Satellite Unique Word ID). The system supports
four Unique Word sets, identified as A, B, C, and D.
Contact the field service office (FSO) for the site
configuration.
Table 1: Installation parameter B Codes
B Code Antenna size
0749 .74 m
0988 .98 m
1208 1.2 m
1804 1.8 m
Table 2: Installation parameter C Codes
C Code Nominal ODU power
000103 1 W
000281 2 W
000501 4 W
001305 10 W (power booster unit
used only in certain special
configurations)

Chapter 2 • Pointing the antenna
1037663-0001 Revision A 11
7. Enter the site latitude and longitude values you recorded from
your GPS in step 1.
8. Click Submit Installation Parameters. The IDU saves the
information and enters Pointing mode. The Terminal Pointing
Info screen appears on the installer laptop as shown in
Figure 6.
Note: You may overwrite any pre-existing values, but be
aware that pointing metrics will be deleted if you change any
of the following installation parameters from a previous
installation:
– Site latitude
– Site longitude
– Satellite orbital location (A Code)
– Antenna size (B Code)
– ODU power (C Code)
– Satellite Unique Word ID (U Code)
Pointing metrics are also deleted if the satellite modem is
uninstalled, although not when it is unregistered.
Note: Do not change the Antenna Pointing Indicator Delay
value.
Note:
1. If you modified any existing parameters, the modem
reboots first, and the Terminal Pointing Info screen appears
following the reboot.
2. To return to the Installation screen at any time, click
Modify Installation Parameters.

Chapter 2 • Pointing the antenna
12 1037663-0001 Revision A
9. Make a note of the following values shown on this screen.
You will need this information to point the antenna and
complete the installation.
–Azimuth
– Elevation
– Tilt angle (.74m antennas only)
– ODU polarization setting (LHCP or RHCP).
Figure 6: Terminal Pointing Info screen
Note: The initial SQF value listed on this screen will most
likely be either 0 or 1, indicating that the demodulator is either
initializing or searching for a beacon signal, respectively.
Once the demodulator acquires the beacon signal, the SQF
value will be greater than 1.
Note: This is the true polarization setting. Ensure that the
polarizer on the antenna radio matches this setting.