Cardinal/Americana satelite snafu fix...

[Sarge]

Well, after much head scratching and phone calls, my weak/poor satelite signal issue is being resolved. When I ordered my new 2003 unit, I ordered the additional satelite hook up in the bedroom. The first time I used it I noted a 40% drop in signal strength as compared to my previous TT, using the same satelite equipment. Long story short, Forest River installed a splitter in the incoming line from the outside of the rig, and buried it in a wall in the living room. The Satelite worked, but just barely. I talked to a Forest River engineer in a three way call who acknowledged that a splitter was in line, and that they were having problems/complaints about it. No Kidding!! My rig is currently at a shop having the splitter removed,(their cost) and a video component switch installed that will control all of the functions at the push of a button (my cost). It is just irritating that after the money you spend to purchase a "quality" rig, I still get stuck with these kinds of problems. (And others that are not listed here). If anyone is having a similar problem with weak signal, taking excessively long to hit the beam, this is most likely the problem. Sarge

 

[TowPro]

Does this have a roof Sat dish? or is it a plug on the outside that you can hook cable TV or your Sat receiver to?



In my Fleetwood I had to go through the AudioVideo system and straighten it all out also. the front rear speaker switch would only do "all or none". That involved removing and re-soldering wires, they were not even close on wiring that one correct.



There was a bad Audio/Video cable from the VCR to the TV, The sound from the TV was never hooked up to the Audio amp but the wires were there.



They also had the coax coming that goes up to the roof for the sat dish connected to a splitter that is from the cable input on the side of the camper. OK if your planing on watching TV on your roof. I put my own Sat dish on the roof and had to figure this one out.



But I guess we have to excuse them, as the Amish builders don't watch TV

 

[Dane]

Sarge,

I've spent many hours looking for splitters in pre-wired homes when doing sat system installs. The "old school" folks are having a hard time coming up to speed on sat technology. Having a splitter in a multi room install causes very strange symptoms and can have you pulling your hair out trying to figure out what's wrong.



Sooo... for the folks wanting to install the system thenselves, remember -



There is NO WAY to split a single LNB sat signal. The reason is the way the dish is polarized to pick up different transponder signals. A single LNB can only be polarized one way at one time. If two different sat receivers want two different transponders at the same time that have opposite polarization, you're screwed.



Thats why the later dishes all have "dual" LNBs. with two LNBs, they can be polarized differently and each pick up different transponders. This works great for up to two sat receivers. Each receiver can have it's own LNB.



BUT... what happens when you have 3 or more receivers? 3 or more receivers need a device called a "multi switch". A multi switch is very much like the old telephone switchboards. Since there are only 2 ways to polarize a TV sat dish and you have 2 LNBs, all you need is the 2 LNBs polarized opposite and a switch to connect the receivers to the correctly polarized LNB. The receivers do this by putting 13 volts DC or 18 volts DC on the cable going to the multi switch (or dual LNB in non multi switch tandem receivers) so the switch knows which LNB to connect the receiver to. The recievers down load a transponder table from the sat when they first power on so they know which transponder corresponds to which TV channel you request.



Clear as mud eh? Works great though, I'll never go back to the outages and crappy pictures I had with cable TV.

 

[Sarge]

I have the hook up that attaches to the side of the rig. As long as satelite has been around now, it amazing that installers still do not understand the basic wiring principals about installing it! And as for your Fleetwood wiring problems, I guess it's the most we can ask for from a mimmium wage employee... ... .....

 

[klenger]

Thanks for the explanation Dane. I am looking at a 24" oval Sony dish for our home so that we will be able to get local Tucson TV channels when they become available this summer. Sony claims that the antenna has a switch in it to allow up to 4 receivers to use it. Sounds interesting.

 

[Sarge]

I contacted Forest River today and pitched them this offer: Now that the problem has been found, I need a solution. How about I pay for the switch, and you pay the install. Much to my (and the RV shop) surprise, they said OK. Just goes to show ya, the squeaky wheel gets the grease... ... ... ... . Sarge