Where do I point to for HughesNet?

[CenterFreq]

After moving my family 350 miles west of our previous location, I called HughesNet to ask which direction to point my antenna to. I called in the early afternoon, so I was a little surprised to find my call being answered in Mumbai. I asked the technician to give me the magnetic azimuth of the HughesNet satellite closest to about 225 degrees from zip code 93955. I offered him some possibilities that I had found on a list of HughesNet servicing satellites:
AMC3, AMC9, G3C, G11, G16, G26, G28, HOR1, SM5, SM6.
There were other birds listed, but some required a "Vertical Shim Kit", and others only listed one transponder each for broadcast and receive, which didn't sound like enough to me. At first he said that I needed to point at L1ZR, or something like that, but before I could verify the name, he said that I needed to call in a qualified HughesNet technician. I told him that I didn't want to call in a tech, because here in Monterey County, that could easily cost over $200.00. He went on to tell me how hard it is to point an antenna, but I cut him off and told him that I had already pointed a 10' C-band antenna for my oldest son, and a 1.2 meter Ku-band GeosatPro for my wife's FTA shows, but he was unimpressed. He just repeated the whole noise about requiring a HughesNet tech. I finally told him thanks but no thanks, and got off the phone.
We live on part of the street that is down in a wide gully, so to speak. I have a decent compass, so I determined the lowest area of sky that I could see was from about magnetic 215 degrees to about magnetic 240 degrees. Can somebody tell me which magnetic azimuth to point at in order to hit one of those satellites mentioned above from 93955? OR, am I totally off base, and the only satellite that will work for me is the one that was aimed at during my modem's commissioning?
Thank you for your help.

[grohgreg]

Just because you move, it doesn't mean your satellite account moves too. Tens of thousands of RV'ers and truck drivers pick up their dish and move every day. When they stop, they just repoint to the same satellite and reconnect. Unless you decommissioned your account for some reason, your account is still assigned to the same satellite/same transponder/same gateway. It's all still stored in your modem. Whichever satellite you were pointed at 350 miles ago, just tell your modem where you are currently located - and do it again.

//greg//

[CenterFreq]

I have not decommisioned the account. They still take $59.95 a month out of my bank account... not the problem.
For some reason, I can't get to the point where I can offer a new zipcode to the modem. The big problem I think I see now is the gully we moved into. With trees to the east and southeast, I don't think I can hit that satellite any more. I may be wrong about that.
I thought that if I could hit another HughesNet bird, it will "update" my account and let us use the new satellite. Is any of this possible?

[grohgreg]

Line of sight has nothing to do with your ZIP code problem. You get to the ZIP code part by starting here:
http://192.168.0.1/fs/advanced/advanced.html

Look at the left hand column, and click on Installation, select Setup. This PDF
http://kb.hughesnet.com/pf/12/webfil...076-0001_d.pdf


may help.

You cannot reassign yourself to another satellite or transponder. That has to be done at the Hughes end. Once they do that, you're given new satellite parameters specific to your reassignment. Only then do you reorient the dish to the new satellite assignment and start the process of re-registration.

//greg//

[CenterFreq]

Thanks, Greg.
I'm going to try this late Wednesday night, our time. I'll update when I have something to report.

[CenterFreq]

I think I hit something wrong, because the software tried to download some update, but couldn't finish. Three hours later, it was still sitting on the same screen. I know it was dumb, but this is the first time I have tried to move my HughesNet.
Okay, let's skip updating zipcode because getting online is most important right now.
...
I need to know how to find the satellite that was at magnetic 259.9 when I was located in Las Vegas, 89115. I know that the bird is several thousand miles up, so maybe it is located at the same magnetic azimuth, but I'm not sure. I am now in Seaside, 93955, which is, as stated earlier in this thread, about 350 miles west of my previous location. Does 350 miles matter when the satellite is, like, 22,000 miles up there? What magnetic azimuth should I now be aiming at?

Thanks for your patience.

[grohgreg]

Okay, let's skip updating zipcode because getting online is most important right now.

Won't work. The modem needs to know where it's physically located. That's the baseline for establishing time and distance to satellite. Without that, it can't range properly. Failure to range means failure to pass ACP. Failure to pass ACP means failure to re-register.

Your former and current locations mean nothing to me, unless/until I know to which satellite you are assigned. That info is on that Satellite Statistics Summary page I gave you earlier. Look on the line that says Carrier Info. Once you realize which satellite you have to find, it's a matter of using any standard satellite pointing angle software. If you have trouble getting your new Az/El/Pol, I can help. But it's better to learn on your own, than have somebody give it to you on a plate.

//greg//

[CenterFreq]

You know, I have learned an awful lot by going through this same type of experience with my Ku band and C band stuff, so I agree with the method. It's just that I can only communicate with you and other satellite guys right now, from my computer at work, so it makes *me* impatient.
...
Okay. So I am now at work, but I can remember the Az/El/Pol that I saw on the screen. It was 259.9/46.5/16. But that must be the old info from before we moved because that is the last time that the modem would have been updated. As for my efforts to enter a new zipcode, I have seen dozens of screens now, mostly based around that //192.168.0.1/fs/advanced/advanced address you gave me, but I have not found a single field that I could edit and enter my new zipcode. BTW: I have been printing your replies and taking them home with me to try out. I am more than willing to learn, but I think I messed up something and it is hard for me to figure out what to report back to you.

[grohgreg]

Like I posted on the 1st: "You get to the ZIP code part by starting here:
http://192.168.0.1/fs/advanced/advanced.html

Look at the left hand column, and click on Installation, select Setup. This PDF
http://kb.hughesnet.com/pf/12/webfil...076-0001_d.pdf


may help."

I guess you also forgot to look at the Carrier Info to tell us to which satellite you're assigned.

//greg//

[CenterFreq]

I did what you said on Dec 1st. I went to Installation, then Setup. And that's where the program doesn't work. I can't get a zipcode in there. I downloaded and printed the pdf manual. I saw that whole page of info you mentioned but I am at work, 8 miles away, and I can't remember it. I don't remember if LZ1R was on the page, but I believe that was the name the technician mentioned. I told you that I was doing some update and that it never completed. Did YOU not read that???

Is every freakin thing my fault?? I'm done with this BS for now. I'm going home.