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chunker · 02-22-2020, 04:35 PM

I have DISH and have had for the home and TV for a number of years. Motorhome has Winegard Roadtrip stationary. Previously had Dish as primary at home with second receiver that did double duty as home and motorhome. I would run the "check switch" when moving it back and forth, no issues. A little over a year ago I switched home TV/internet/phone to a newly run fiberoptic cable in the area.

I changed the Dish account to the GF's bay property in her 5th wheel, got a Wally, and a fixed mast dish antennae. Good signal. That Wally also does double duty in the motorhome. After the last trip we took the motorhome to the bay property with the Wally in the motorhome. Now the Wally and Winegard are having trouble keeping in touch with each other. If we are gone for more than a couple days, when I turn on the system it immediately goes to checking switch and I can't stop it. After running that test it finds some odd switch, not SW64, or NO switch at all. It takes 2-3 tries of running the test before I can finally get the correct SW64. Then it goes several minutes to "acquire signal", and another delay trying to load the guide. I've tried turning the Winegard off and find the switch, turning everything on and it makes no difference.

I also tried to connect the mast fixed antenna to the motorhome SAT connection but no signal. PO did some "changes" to things and not sure what is where in some of it. GF's 5th wheel is not down there now so can't check how things connect with her set up. Getting frustrating spending 15-30 minutes each time trying to go through all the checks, rechecks, and etc.

Any suggestions. Yesterday she went down to the motorhome with 2 G-kids and I got a call, "help me". I was able to walk her through but it took 20 minutes and repeated test switch.

chunker · 02-22-2020, 04:47 PM

I haven't called either dish or Winegard yet because not sure which component is the issue. Frankly most prior calls to dish with the off-shore outsourced "service center" is less than helpful.

mjeffrey · 02-23-2020, 12:20 PM

Run a satellite grade wire directly from antennae to Wally (thru window if you have to) and see if you still have the same issue(s).

If problem goes away, you know it is the wires or connections between the two.

If the same results, it is one end or the other.

mjeffrey · 02-23-2020, 12:24 PM

You can also reset the Wally to out of box software version, but I don't know how that might help.

Change only one thing at a time to isolate the problem.

chunker · 02-23-2020, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjeffrey

Run a satellite grade wire directly from antennae to Wally (thru window if you have to) and see if you still have the same issue(s).

If problem goes away, you know it is the wires or connections between the two.

If the same results, it is one end or the other.

The Winegard is directly wired to the receiver and doesn't go through the BOMB, box of many buttons. After I finally get the correct switch everything is OK. It just loses connection and switch info after a few days off. I brought my coax tester from home so tomorrow I'm going to trace and check the coax in the motorhome and find the sat and cable source wires in the entertainment center. If I do get a good wire I'll connect direct to the fixed mast antenna. I'm leaving Tuesday and will be back Thursday so we'll see it it holds it's thoughts on fixed antenna.

chunker · 02-23-2020, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjeffrey

You can also reset the Wally to out of box software version, but I don't know how that might help.

Change only one thing at a time to isolate the problem.

I've tried that and get same results. May try again though.

chunker · 02-24-2020, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chunker

The Winegard is directly wired to the receiver and doesn't go through the BOMB, box of many buttons. After I finally get the correct switch everything is OK. It just loses connection and switch info after a few days off. I brought my coax tester from home so tomorrow I'm going to trace and check the coax in the motorhome and find the sat and cable source wires in the entertainment center. If I do get a good wire I'll connect direct to the fixed mast antenna. I'm leaving Tuesday and will be back Thursday so we'll see it it holds it's thoughts on fixed antenna.

After it seems like a hundred trips to the back where sat and cable connects to the motorhome and inside to those connections, I found good continuity between the "portable satellite input and a connection inside. I switched the inside receiver input to the "portable satellite", ran the check switch, and in business again. The portable connection is actually the fixed mast but the receiver doesn't care, nor do I at this point. That said I won't know it the losing the switch connection is rectified until it's been unused for a few days. I'll have the system off during this week and check again the coming weekend. If all is good then I'll suspect the Winegard is the issue and call them for ideas. If not then Dish and I'll get a new Wally.

chunker · 02-25-2020, 05:48 AM

Last night I shut the system down using the Wally remote. This morning I turned it on using the same remote and it immediately went into "check switch"m screen. But before I could pour my coffee, programming came on. I'll see what happens later in the week when I turn it all back on after a few days rest.

RustyTools · 02-27-2020, 02:28 PM

How long of a cable between the antenna and Wally? And what kind of cable (RG6, RG11, etc)? Make sure it is one continuous piece of cable (ie, no joints, splices, splitters, etc).

Winegard sez 25ft max. I've been able, at times, to go further than that but sometimes run into almost the exact same issues.

chunker · 02-27-2020, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RustyTools

How long of a cable between the antenna and Wally? And what kind of cable (RG6, RG11, etc)? Make sure it is one continuous piece of cable (ie, no joints, splices, splitters, etc).

Winegard sez 25ft max. I've been able, at times, to go further than that but sometimes run into almost the exact same issues.

A few feet at most and the cable RG6 is a direct to the Wally. Right now I have it connected to the mast fixed antenna and when I turned it on today after a 2 day shut down, all came on normal. No check switch. That leaves a potential Winegard issue which I'll deal with in a couple weeks