Help needed ???

[Born2RV]

We get out new Winegard Trav'ler installed on Wednesday, and I'm drawing up the wiring diagram - but we have one VERY IMPORTANT question!!!

All the Dish Network instructions say to run the coax directly from the satellite dish to the dish receiver - but we'd like to either:
1) Install an A/B switch on the coax BEFORE it enters the dish receiver so we can also use a portable dish outside when needed, or.....
2) Run the coax from the roof satellite dish to the Winegard Video Control center, THEN to the Dish Network receiver - using the video control center like an A/B switch. There are enough inputs and outputs to do everything we need to do for the three TV's and the two HD dish receivers, a solo 211 and a duo 622 DVR.

I hope you can help us!!! I want to make sure the installer does it correctly.

Thank you!!

[Bill Adams]

You can install one or 2 A/B switches but you cannot run to the video control center. The coax(es) from the Trav'ler must go directly to the receiver.

[Born2RV]

Thank you for responding, Bill. So we can fun a coax from the satellite dish to each receiver - and put in an A/B switch BETWEEN the satellite dish and the dish receiver? Thank you!

[FlyingDiver]

Yes, you can put the A/B switch(es) between the dish(es) and the receiver. Just make sure it's a high quality one rated for the higher satellite frequencies. Look for one rated for 1GHz.

joe

[Born2RV]

Thank you, Joe! Where might I find an A/B switch like that? I purchased two of them from Radio Shack for $7.99, but I can't find where it says anything on the package about it's rating??

[Clay L]

I am using a Radio Shack PN 15-1217 that I used for years with my SD setup.

Specs don't give the frequency rating so when I upgraded to HD I recorded the signal strength on all transponders on all 3 satellites and then added the A/B switch and checked the signal strengths again. There was no difference. Although that is not a really accurate way to measure the comparative signal strengths I think it is good enough in this case.

[FlyingDiver]

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the Shack publishes specs. So I'd do like Clay suggests - check all the transponders on all the birds and make sure it's not attenuating signal significantly.

joe