This is part of the Blockstream Satellite Kit setup guide.
To receive broadcasts from the Blockstream Satellite network, you will need to ensure that your satellite antenna is pointed exactly at the satellite nearest to you. The satellites stay in the same place in the sky thanks to their geostationary orbits.
Antenna alignment is the most difficult part of the Blockstream Satellite Kit setup, but with the help of some gadgets and a little patience, anyone can achieve a signal.
Tip: If you want to get your Blockstream Satellite Kit up and running with as little tinkering as possible, you may prefer to contact a professional satellite dish installer to provide assistance.
Understanding Azimuth, Elevation, and Polarity
Before starting antenna alignment, it's important that you first understand some of the basic concepts and terminology associated with the process.
Azimuth: Rotating the antenna from side to side.
Elevation: Pointing the antenna up and down.
Polarity: Twisting the LNB or Flat Panel clockwise and counterclockwise.
Roughly Set the Alignment
Now you need to get the antenna pointed roughly in the direction of the satellite.
1.
Prepare the elevation, azimuth, and polarity figures recorded during the antenna installation.
2.
Roughly set the elevation of the antenna. Use the guide on the antenna mount itself.
Standard Satellite Dish
Flat-Panel Antenna
3.
Roughly set the azimuth of the antenna. Download the Satellite Pointer app (Android, iOS) if you have not done so already. Open the app, tap Azimuth, place the phone on top of the dish parallel to the dish arm, then adjust the antenna from side to side according to the on-screen guide.
4.
Roughly set the polarity of the antenna. This can be done in one of two ways:
- Use the physical markings on the LNB or Flat Panel Antenna.
- Use the Satellite Pointer app: tap Polarization to determine how to rotate the LNB or Flat Panel Antenna.
Fine-Tune the Alignment
With the satellite antenna pointing in roughly the right direction, you can put away the smartphone and begin to fine-tune the alignment based on the audio and visual feedback produced by the satellite finder. Fine-tuning the alignment is a trial-and-error process, so patience is key.
1.
Make sure your satellite receiver (TBS5927 or S400) is plugged into a power outlet and switched on.
2.
Disconnect your long coaxial cable from the LNB, and reconnect it to the Receiver port on the satellite finder.
3.
Use your short coaxial cable to connect the LNB to the Satellite port on the satellite finder. The satellite finder should now be connected to both antenna LNB and the satellite receiver. You may notice the satellite finder starting to make a noise.
Tip: If the noise from the satellite finder is really high pitched and it's showing a 100% signal, you should reduce the device's sensitivity by pushing the left ATT button.
4.
To set the azimuth, slowly and carefully rotate the antenna left to right in single-degree increments (this is known as "sweeping"). The satellite finder will emit a higher-pitched sound the stronger your signal is. It will also display the signal strength on its built-in screen. Optimize the signal before moving to the next step.
5.
To set the elevation, sweep the antenna up and down in single-degree increments until the satellite finder indicates the signal has been optimized.
Tip: If the Satellite Finder is not giving any feedback, then your antenna is probably not aligned closely enough to the satellite. Try sweeping the elevation in more broad movements first, then the azimuth. If that still doesn't produce a signal, double-check the elevation, azimuth, and polarity are set correctly, then retry aligning again. The satellites aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, so you have time!
6.
To set the polarity, slowly sweep the LNB or Flat Panel Antenna by twisting it clockwise and counter-clockwise until the satellite finder indicates the signal has been optimized.
7.
Your satellite finder should be showing a really strong signal now. To confirm that you've locked onto the correct satellite, leave the satellite finder where it is and check that the Blockstream Satellite utility on your computer is also showing a signal.
Verify the Satellite Lock
If you’ve aligned your dish or flat panel antenna with the correct satellite, the following should occur depending on which kit you are using.
Tip: If your satellite finder is showing a strong signal but your receiver software is not showing a lock, then it's likely that you have aligned the antenna to the wrong satellite—unfortunately, this can happen quite easily. We recommend you first restart the alignment process, and if that doesn't solve the problem, then you'll need to engage in a bit of trial and error, moving the antenna around until you get another lock. Patience is key.
Basic Kit
Confirm that the blocksat-cli terminal output shows details of your lock on the satellite. The important part of the log is the Lock = True information, which says that the receiver is locked.
The output should look like this.
2020-10-23 14:32:25 Lock = True; Level = -47.98dBm; SNR = 11.30dB; BER = 0.00e+00;
Note: If you switched off your receiver between the Configure the Basic Kit Receiver step and aligning the antenna, you will need to open the Terminal and runblocksat-cli usb launchagain. If you switched off your computer, you will need to run bothsudo blocksat-cli usb cfgandblocksat-cli usb launchagain.
Pro Kit
Use the blocksat-cli standalone monitor command to monitor the output of the Pro kit unit. The important part of the log is the Lock = True information, which says that the receiver is locked.
The output should look like this.
2020-10-23 14:32:25 Lock = True; Level = -47.98dBm; SNR = 11.30dB; BER = 0.00e+00;
Next Steps
If your Basic Kit or Pro Kit receiver is showing a lock, great work! The hardest parts of the Blockstream Satellite Kit setup are done.
You should now disconnect the satellite finder and, using the long coaxial cable, reconnect the LNB to the satellite receiver directly.
After that's done, move on to installing the custom Blockstream Satellite node software so that you can receive Bitcoin blocks from space!