Community Forums

wa8yxm · 09-08-2011, 08:27 AM

His dish is automatic if I'm not mistaken, built in GPS decides where you are, and what way you are pointed, then it does a look up.. All he needs to do is tell it "Look for 110/119/127, or if it can not do multiples, Look for 119 (That is the DNS bird).. Then do a check switch (Menu 6-1-1 | Check switch | test) and it will work with single receiver.

Bill Adams · 09-08-2011, 09:33 AM

wa8yxm,
I know you are unfamiliar with the Trav'ler but it does sound like you do a really good Google search for info.
A couple of details... The Trav'ler does not use or need GPS except for the Canadian Shaw Direct (the old Star Choice) service. The correct satellite used with Dish Network and the Trav'ler are 110, 119 and 129. It can also be manually pointed to 61.5, 72 and 77 (single satellite reception only). While you might be able to use the DirecTV Trav'ler with Dish Network, are you certain that a check switch connected to the DirecTV 5 LNB head and switch would be successful? I do not believe it would be so please let me know.
Simply changing the LNB is not enough to change a DTV Trav'ler to Dish Network. As the poster mentions it costs about $300 to make the necessary changes (Dish, arm, LNB). Additionally, you can go from DTV to Dish Network but you cannot change a Dish Network Trav'ler (SK1000) to DTV due to the additional weight involved.
While the poster likely made the correct decision by staying with DirecTV the other choice for changing out a system is to buy a whole new unit, remove the old unit from the base and install the new unit in its place using all of the existing cables and connections. You will now have a used unit available for sale with a complete hardware and installation package, controller, wiring, cover plate and screws. Everything you need except the caulk and a couple of F connectors.

wa8yxm · 09-09-2011, 09:04 AM

When you say it does not need GPS,, I assume you mean an extenal GPS. it has to have some method of figuring out where you are parked, GPS is the easiest and this is what most automatic antennas have built in, From that and using a tiny bit of math, it knows where to "look" else it has to search the entire sky, a very time consuming process. Thus the "Location determining service" is built into the dish. (By the way,, I kind of wish they would let us access the data for our Navi-Comps, but alas, they don't do that)

I did say that in addition to changing the LNB he'd likely need a new dish (reflector) as the round one does not work well with the multiple (Twin/Triplet) LNB's.

If he has a SINGLE receiver, however the DirecTV version should work, Depending on the controller he will either have to change satellites manually when he changes channels or the receiver can do it.. But this only works with a SINGLE receiver.

I will add: this applies to most all of them. Not just the Traveler.. Though at least with this mount it is a dish.. That gives him additional ability over a dome.

You are right... I do not know the Traveler personally.. I have a dome.. But I do search out the info and go to the manufacturer's web site and read up on it.. and I do design and build antennas for my own personal use on other frequencies.. And I have set up several different types of antennas for both Dish and DirecTV.

Bill Adams · 09-09-2011, 05:24 PM

Generally, I say what I mean and I mean what I say! Please do not assume that I meant anything else. What I said was that the Trav'ler does not need "OR USE" GPS to locate the satellites and that's exactly what I meant. Is it possible that if you added GPS to the Trav'ler it would find the satellites even faster? Sure. Would the additional expense be worth the 2-3 minutes savings? I suspect that most people would not think so.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

When you say it does not need GPS,, I assume you mean an extenal GPS. it has to have some method of figuring out where you are parked, GPS is the easiest and this is what most automatic antennas have built in, From that and using a tiny bit of math, it knows where to "look" else it has to search the entire sky, a very time consuming process. Thus the "Location determining service" is built into the dish. (By the way,, I kind of wish they would let us access the data for our Navi-Comps, but alas, they don't do that)

I did say that in addition to changing the LNB he'd likely need a new dish (reflector) as the round one does not work well with the multiple (Twin/Triplet) LNB's.

If he has a SINGLE receiver, however the DirecTV version should work, Depending on the controller he will either have to change satellites manually when he changes channels or the receiver can do it.. But this only works with a SINGLE receiver.

I will add: this applies to most all of them. Not just the Traveler.. Though at least with this mount it is a dish.. That gives him additional ability over a dome.

You are right... I do not know the Traveler personally.. I have a dome.. But I do search out the info and go to the manufacturer's web site and read up on it.. and I do design and build antennas for my own personal use on other frequencies.. And I have set up several different types of antennas for both Dish and DirecTV.

num1dgh · 09-09-2011, 05:36 PM

We purchased our DISH receivers from Camping World as part of a "deal" with DISH. We then had to stand on our heads and do back flips to get DISH to honor the advertisement they have in the Good Sam magazine! It took several 30 minute frustrating calls, and even then when the tech guy came out, he said he couldn't activate the receivers in the coach. DH clearly informed the poor young man in no uncertain terms that he would activate them, and he did.

I have read about several people simply putting the extra receiver(s) in their home, getting them activated, and then moving it/them to their coaches. That is probably the simplest way to go!

wa8yxm · 09-09-2011, 05:59 PM

The biggest problem with both Dish and DirecTV is that nearly all the call takers have no clue as to what RVers like us are doing or what we need.. I know when I signed with Dish, I went to an instller... They made it easy.. When I went with Direc it took a bunch of calls and a threat to remain with Dish if they did not get me to someone who could do an RV account instead of transfering me to an antenna company KVH I think)

I finally got through to them.. We ended on a sour note there too though. DirecTV told me they had channels they do not have.. DISH does.

JohnQ · 09-12-2011, 06:05 PM

An excellent and unbiased Website for anything Satellite TV is www.dbstalk.com It also has a very good dish pointing utility program for any and all satellite aiming, either by US Zip codes or Long/Lat coordinates. Somebody above said that the Dish/DirecTV owns all receivers, that is NOT true. I "Own" 3 SD RCA recievers & 2 Samsung receivers. And the last Samsung that I bought off of eBay, I did have to have a "Discussion" with DirecTv's billing department. A couple of words of caution when buying receivers, verify ownership via the make/model/serial number & (Most Important) RID (Reciever ID Number). Direct's recent new policy is that any receiver you want to activate has to be capable of a RID. And if your boughten receiver does not have a Access Card, Direct will send/sell you a new Access Card for $25. They have been know to activate older receivers without RID's "If" you have been a long time good customer (and you beg nicely). The Samsungs that I OWN are installed in the Motorhome and get signals via a King-Dome 9702 (newer/higher serial number) which I also got off of eBay for $400 and that included one of the Samsung receivers, cabling and controller.