Satellite Dish Help

[Flossy]

My KVH dome appears to have stopped working so I picked up a used Winegard dish. This is the portable one mounted on a plastic sled. I have no experience with satellite TV in the motorhome so I'm not even sure the dish is the correct one to use. I tried pointing it today and go nothing. Anyway can someone tell me if I have the correct dish for DirectV?

It's a Winegard 18 inch round dish. The LNB has the following identification:

US-DBS - LNBF
Model 160073-2
Gain 56 db
Input 12.2 - 12.7 GHz
Output 950 - 1450 MHz
Noise 1.1 db
VDC 11.5 -24V

Second question - can someone give me directions on the ins and outs of pointing the thing?

Thanks

Dave

[twalton]

Hi Dave,

KVH has a great tech support staff, you might try contacting them if you haven't already. They can guide you through re-programming your old dome. As for aming you new antenna there are a number of devices to assist you with that, Camping world has some and others can be found at http://www.satellitedish.com/cata0046.htm Hope this helps.

[Jim Stewart]

This may be alink to the manual for the one you have. Not sure!, take a look!

http://www.winegard.com/kbase/upload/2451148.pdf

[Bill Adams]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flossy My KVH dome appears to have stopped working so I picked up a used Winegard dish. This is the portable one mounted on a plastic sled. I have no experience with satellite TV in the motorhome so I'm not even sure the dish is the correct one to use. I tried pointing it today and go nothing. Anyway can someone tell me if I have the correct dish for DirectV? It's a Winegard 18 inch round dish. The LNB has the following identification: US-DBS - LNBF Model 160073-2 Gain 56 db Input 12.2 - 12.7 GHz Output 950 - 1450 MHz Noise 1.1 db VDC 11.5 -24V Second question - can someone give me directions on the ins and outs of pointing the thing? Thanks Dave

That dish will work just fine. To start, be sure to run a cable directly from the antenna to the back of the receiver to Sat. In. Do not attempt to use any of the coach's existing wiring until you get this part right.
Use the receiver to enter your location and then use the Elevation and Azimuth numbers (you need a compass) to point the dish in the correct general location and then while someone watches the TV signal meter, slowly sweep the antenna East and West. If you don't find the satellite, raise or lower the elevation and try again. Repeat until you get a good signal and you can watch TV. With that done you can start a new topic about how to get the signal from a ground dish to your receiver. Give us the coach type and year and that might help.

[Flossy]

Thanks to all for the info. I did manage to get a signal on the portable dish but couldn't tune it in.

Anyway, better news. I had not had service with DirecTV since it was first installed in Yuma. As soon as re hit the road we had nothing. DirecTV techs worked everything over and pronounced my KVH dome dead. Today I pulled up the manual I had an electronic copy of and looked into troubleshooting. Lo and Behold! it said if you move your location and cannot get a signal to reboot the system. This is done by turning on the satellite system while holding down the satellite select switch. Continue holding down the select switch for a few seconds. This resets the system to factory settings. After I did that I turned on the DirecTV box and the dome immediately found the proper satellite and I finally have TV again.

I'm hoping this experience can help otherswith similar problems. I kind of feel bad about badmouthing Direct but their mobile service still sucks.

All's well that ends well!

Thanks again

Dave

[Jim Stewart]

Usually, if you say something bad about someone or something, you may not be accurate, but you are usually right!

[hamguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flossy Thanks to all for the info. I did manage to get a signal on the portable dish but couldn't tune it in. Anyway, better news. I had not had service with DirecTV since it was first installed in Yuma. As soon as re hit the road we had nothing. DirecTV techs worked everything over and pronounced my KVH dome dead. Today I pulled up the manual I had an electronic copy of and looked into troubleshooting. Lo and Behold! it said if you move your location and cannot get a signal to reboot the system. This is done by turning on the satellite system while holding down the satellite select switch. Continue holding down the select switch for a few seconds. This resets the system to factory settings. After I did that I turned on the DirecTV box and the dome immediately found the proper satellite and I finally have TV again. I'm hoping this experience can help otherswith similar problems. I kind of feel bad about badmouthing Direct but their mobile service still sucks. All's well that ends well! Thanks again Dave

What is the 'satellite select' switch? My KVH quit locking about 3 months ago and am scheduled for service next week. Mebbe u can save me some $$.

Thanx
Dean

[twalton]

Dean,

before you take it in for service contact KVH support. They are extremely helpful.

[Flossy]

My coach has two switches in the overhead cabinet just to the rear of the copilot seat. One switch turns the satellite on and the other is a momentary type switch that will cycle the dish from satellite to satellite if it locks on the wrong one. This is the section in the manual that describes the operation:

3.5.3 Resetting the System to Factory Default
To reset the system to the factory default, in which the antenna
searches for a different satellite whenever the SAT SELECT
button is pressed, follow the steps below.
1. Turn off the TracVision system.
2. Press and hold the SAT SELECT button while
turning on the TracVision system.
3. Continue holding the SAT SELECT button for
five seconds, until the Status indicator flashes
quickly five times. When you release the SAT
SELECT button, the antenna starts up in the
factory default mode.

Hope this fixes the problem.

Dave