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Old 09-18-2005, 09:01 AM   #1
5rvers
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Can't get Satellite Signal

Ok, I've done a search on the MOC on this subject and I understand the connection inside the trailer, but I can't get a signal. I just purchased a DirectTV 18" round dish and I'm using one of the house receiver to get DirecTV in the trailer. I have the dish directly connected to the receiver and the receiver to the TV. For what ever reason I cannot get a signal. I'm doing this next to my house and I have the dish pointing at the same direction as the one from the house. I have the azimuth and elevation and zip code all entered in the setup menu. Still nothing. I have one coax cable (RG6) coming from the LNB to the receiver. Do I need to connect another cable to the LNB? If I do where those the second cable go? Appreciate any help in this matter.

Thanks in Advance,

 
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Old 09-18-2005, 09:35 AM   #2
Parrothead
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Lou
This may sound dumb but we had problems when we first set up our system when we moved the 5er. Disconnect everything. Now do all the connections without the receiver plugged into electric. When all the connections (cable) are on, plug the receiver into the electricity. Be sure your dish is level also. Hope it helps.
Happy trails...................
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Old 09-18-2005, 09:54 AM   #3
5rvers
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Ed,

I tried what you suggested and I still get the same results. I have a clear view of where the satellite is and still get no signal. I take the receiver in the house and it works perfectly.

Lou
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Old 09-18-2005, 10:04 AM   #4
Charlie
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You should not need to hook up a second coax, most work with only one. I do not have Direct, but a friend of mine does and sometimes he has to go into the menu and switch to a different transponder. Sounds like you are doing everything right, make sure the base stand is perfect level. If you have not done so, you might have to move the dish up or down, left to right in small moves, it takes a second for the receiver to catch up and see the signal. I use a signal finder at the dish until I find the satellite and then remove it. It does not have to be off the satellite very much for it not to lock on. The angles that are in the setup menu have to be applied to dish itself. There are marks on the adjustable portion of the dish that need to be set to correspond to the angles in the setup menu.

I don't know if this applies to the Direct systems. The dish that I have for my trailer is different than the one I have mounted on the house and there is a switch system that Dish Network uses to insure that the receiver is connected. Each time I take the receiver out of the house I have to change in the menu portion of the receiver the switch that it uses, not a big deal, but inconvenient.
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Old 09-18-2005, 10:21 AM   #5
richfaa
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You need a compass and a signal finder..remember a tiny bit off on azmuth or elevation here on Earth can mean several miles at 22,500 miles up. The azmuth and elevation must be perfect..there is no room for error.
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Old 09-18-2005, 10:45 AM   #6
patodonn
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Agree with the "start from scratch" thought.

Is the receiver actually connected "directly" to the TV? If you are going from the receiver to the TV via the connector unit on the RV, make sure your RV's signal amplifier is OFF.

You said "I have the azimuth and elevation and zip code all entered in the setup menu." The zip code entry will give you the elevation and azimuth. As I recall, you don't "enter" them. In the menu, you then need to go to the signal meter (System Setup / Dish Pointing / Signal Meter) to see what is happening as you aim the antenna. That, of course, takes two people, and some way to communicate. Shouting works fine, radios even better.

It may look to you as though it is aimed at the same place as your house setup, but chances are that it it isn't. Without a "signal finder" (~$35 at Radio-shack) you have to start from a dead level antenna mount, then set the antenna's elevation correctly. If you use the "signal finder" life is a lot easier. No shouting needed.

I would aim the antenna to the right or left of where I think the satellite is, then start a slow traverse of azimuth toward the satellite's location, pausing every couple of seconds to let the receiver catch up with the signal. Keep going until you are sure you have passed the satellite's azimuth. Adjust the elevation up one degree and try again, then try to lower it 2 degrees and repeat the process.

If that doesn't work, there probably is a problem with the wires, your antenna isn't really level, or, possibly, the antenna you bought has a bad LNB.

Hope that is of some help....good luck!!
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Old 09-18-2005, 02:02 PM   #7
5rvers
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Everyone,

Thanks for the inputs! I'm going to buy the compass and signal finder and hopefully I will get it running. I will let you know if I succeed or not.

Thanks,
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Old 09-18-2005, 03:22 PM   #8
Thunderman
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If you have not done so, check the connectors on the cable. One may be loose. Be patient!
Weldon
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Old 09-18-2005, 04:16 PM   #9
William H. Collier
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Did you select the signal meter from the menu on your guide, it is a little difficult to find the signal without the inline meter but it can be done. Have someone watch the meter on your tv and move the dish around intil you get the strongest signal.
Bill
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Old 09-19-2005, 04:22 AM   #10
Treecounter
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Make sure the cable in unit that you are connecting to is RG 6 The lighter cable that is used for the Cable TV is not heavy enough to carry the voltage for satellite. Try running a cable direct to the receiver by-passing the trailer cables and see if that doesn't work.
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Old 09-19-2005, 07:20 AM   #11
HamRad
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Almo,
If you have not tried finding the satellite before the first time can be a bit trying. Even with the finder device you can have trouble. That is so frustrating. With the satellite finder you can find yourself getting the wrong signal. So what a friend taught us was to go as far east as you can to get a signal. Then come back off that signal until you hit another signal and that should be the DirecTV satellite. Worked for us.

Now we have the DirecWay setup with the BOW. The process is pretty much the same except we have a built in signal setup on the computer. It tells you the signal strength as well as whether or not you're on the right bird. So once we get the internet setup we almost always have the TV signal too. But the essential process is still the same.

From earth the sats appear to be VERY close to each other.

You've gotten a lot of good advise here so good luck and please let us know when you get it working.

HamRad
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Old 09-19-2005, 07:26 AM   #12
sectres
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Make sure the center wire in your cable is long enough to make good contact. I have had the same problem and found out that the center wire was to short.
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Old 09-19-2005, 08:01 PM   #13
Starchmill
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I don't think anyone has suggested this, but the first time I set up my satellite system, I hooked the trailer directly to the dish on my house. That eliminated the problem of positioning a new dish and wondering where the problem was. Once I had reception with the house dish hooked to the trailer, I hooked up my portable dish knowing that as soon as I had the correct positioning, all would work fine. Took alot of guess work out of the process.
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Old 09-20-2005, 04:11 AM   #14
drhowell
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Everyone is right on! I use my DirecTv receiver from the bedroom also and it works with out the phone line. You just can't order PPV movies. It is almost impossible to find the right aiming point by feel. You can do it with the on screen signal meter but you can also get false or wrong satellites and it is very difficult to understand the signal when you are 20 ft away from the tv monitor. The easiest way is to level the stand, set the elevation, set the azimuth as close as possible with the compass and use the signal strength meter at the dish to get the strongest signal. It is a very small window! Using the signal strength meter is a little tricky also. It has a squelch knob that you set high for the initial check then refine it as you close in on the best signal. We have all had difficulty with this at one time or another.

Be patient and do it one step at a time. Do not proceed if you are uncomfortable with a step. Redo it until you feel it is right and then proceed.
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Old 09-25-2005, 09:55 AM   #15
5rvers
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Well, I finally got DirectTV working in the rig. I bought a signal finder and a compass and got it to work. Thanks to everyone who provided inputs to solve my problem.
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Old 09-25-2005, 11:17 AM   #16
richfaa
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Good job, It will get easier now, We all have trouble the first time.
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Old 09-25-2005, 03:52 PM   #17
Parrothead
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It won't be so hard next time. Just remember to move in very small amounts and wait for the signal to catch up. Move 2 or 3 times in one direction and if that doesn't work, go back to the starting point and move in the other direction.
Happy trails...................
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