Next Dumb Journey Issue, External Satellite Hookup

[Old Snipe]

Well, I'm slowly getting all the small issues on line. New issue is the external satellite hook up.

My Journey has the Stationary Auto Find King Dome on it and it works really well with Direct TV.

This weekend, we were in a campsite that we couldn't use the rooftop King Dome, so I dragged out my new Winegard portable dish. Went thru the leveling, angling the dangle, etc and hooked the cable to the "Sat" connector in the electric bay. Went to the Direct TV satellite setup menu, ran through all the steps. But nothing worked.

I have an in-line Sat Finder that is powered by being hooked to the sat system, I have no power. I tried changing the buttons on the Winegard Switch box, no joy.

And the manual does not give any detailed instructions other than the cable location.

SO, am I missing something, or doing something wrong, or is the system not hooked up?

Thanks!

[Old Snipe]

Well, I'm slowly getting all the small issues on line. New issue is the external satellite hook up.

My Journey has the Stationary Auto Find King Dome on it and it works really well with Direct TV.

This weekend, we were in a campsite that we couldn't use the rooftop King Dome, so I dragged out my new Winegard portable dish. Went thru the leveling, angling the dangle, etc and hooked the cable to the "Sat" connector in the electric bay. Went to the Direct TV satellite setup menu, ran through all the steps. But nothing worked.

I have an in-line Sat Finder that is powered by being hooked to the sat system, I have no power. I tried changing the buttons on the Winegard Switch box, no joy.

And the manual does not give any detailed instructions other than the cable location.

SO, am I missing something, or doing something wrong, or is the system not hooked up?

Thanks!

[Tom N]

The external sat coax terminates on the same plate as the roof sat cable. So you have to unhook the cable on the sat receiver from the roof outlet and move it to the external portable outlet on the same plate. At least this is how mine is wired. I have never used or needed my portable dish with this coach.

-Tom

[PHESPE]

Move the coax coming from the back Sat Receiver from its present place (for the King Dome) to the jack that is labeled "Portable Sat input"

That's what necessary on my 05 Journey - and may be the same for your 07 Journey

PHESPE

[SargeW]

The hot ticket is to do what I did. Go to an electronics store and buy a $5 A-B switch and a short piece of hook up cable. Hook the roof antenna to the A side, and using the short piece of cable hook the B side to the "external" jack in the cabnet. Now when you want to use a stand alone dish (as I sometimes do) open the cabnet and push the B switch. No messing with cables, and wondering if you got it hooked up right. (Just remember to put the switch back on "A" when you break camp so you don't spend 20 minutes at the next place wondering why you can't get the roof dish to work )

Sarge

[smlranger]

Sarge has it....I installed an A-B switch and it works like a charm when we need to use the portable dish. My older Journey had no outside 'Sat In' connection so I ran a separate coax from the A-B switch to the front driver's side storage bay.

[Old Snipe]

Wow, that was fast! Thanks for the tips, I'm off to Radio Shack to get the A/B switch.

Appreciate y'all's help!

Best Regards!

[peter griffin]

yep. got my a/b switch at radio shack and a portable dish... when the KVH R-6 can't get by the trees just hit the b button. My rear bay has an input for the dish and then to the left of the tv is the output. Works great just make sure you use rg6 and no cheap wire. Direct tv doesn't like that wire...good luck

[PeteB]

Stupid question from me. I have a 2004 Horizon and the only coax connectors I have are the Cable input in the rear electric bay and the Satellite input and output jacks in the cabinet above the TV. I do now seem to have the Aux. Satellite input that you guys are talking about. Am I missing something?
I would like to hook up a portable dish but am not sure how to do it. Ideas would be appreciated.

[Tom N]

In 2005 Winnebago started to place a satellite input in the utility bay.

-Tom

[PeteB]

Thanks, I guess the easiest way to set one up would be to put an AB switch on the Satellie Input on the back of my receiver and run a new input coax to a convenient spot on the exterior of my coach for the portable. Sound good?

[John_Canfield]

Pete - your '04 Horizon should have the portable satellite dish input in your electrical bay right by the cable TV input. The other end of that is a wall plate with an "F" connector somewhere near your DVD/VHS player. Like the others have suggested, an A/B switch would save a couple of minutes of hookup time.

We rarely use the portable dish and I hate to drag it out and set it up. Don't have an A/B switch either.

[PeteB]

John,
Thanks for the reply. I guess Winne started in 05 as I only have the cable input in the bay. I think I will forgo the portable for the reasons that you mentioned.
Another subject: I am just about to hook up the Xantrex AGS and appreciate your directions on your site. A few questions - Do you start your genny manually with the factory rocker switch when you wish to start it or do you do it thru the Xantrex system panel? Also, do you leave your AGS in manual mode under normal circumstances and switch to auto mode when the need arises? Seems like leaving it in auto mode may be unecessary. You mentioned that you had your firmware updated. Where did you take it to get that done? I am not having any issues but like to stay current. Thanks for your help.
Pete

[John_Canfield]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by PeteB:
John,
Thanks for the reply. I guess Winne started in 05 as I only have the cable input in the bay. I think I will forgo the portable for the reasons that you mentioned.
Another subject: I am just about to hook up the Xantrex AGS and appreciate your directions on your site. A few questions - Do you start your genny manually with the factory rocker switch when you wish to start it or do you do it thru the Xantrex system panel? Also, do you leave your AGS in manual mode under normal circumstances and switch to auto mode when the need arises? Seems like leaving it in auto mode may be unecessary. You mentioned that you had your firmware updated. Where did you take it to get that done? I am not having any issues but like to stay current. Thanks for your help.
Pete </div></BLOCKQUOTE>[OFFTOPIC] Pete - we usually start the gen set manually with the factory rocker switch.

Normally we leave the AGS configured so the gen can start automatically primarily because I have it optioned to exercise the gen for 30 minutes every month.

We still have the old firmware and the current plan is to get it updated when we are in Tucson at Beaudry for the October Datastorm rally. Might be able to find a Xantrex dealer before then, though.

Sorry you don't have the external satellite input
[/OFFTOPIC]