satellite question

[JRS]

A buddy of mine gave me his Dish Network 500 Dish and electronic box, since he is going out of the country. I am planning on using the dish and the box for my race car trailer. He's calling D. N. tomorrow and everything will be changed over to my name. I currently have cable at the house, so am not sure what hardware I would need to hook the dish up in the trailer. I found a tri-pod on the Camping World website, which would work best for me right now. Looking at the dish, it's got two "guns" and two cables coming out of each gun. Two of the cables terminate at a small metal box and the other two terminate at another identical metal box. I would suppose that I only need to hook one of these metal boxes up to the electronic box? I think the two "guns" is so the dish can provide a signal to two seperate TV's? The back of the dish has a bracket that looks like it would let it mount directly on the pole of the portable tri-pod. But what if I decide to use this on top of my house? Is there some mount with a pole I can put on my chimney?

 

[Jumbo Jet]

The 'two guns' - LNBs - receive the signal from satellites at 110 & 119 degrees. The two metal boxes - SW21 switches - are for the two different receivers.



You will only need one SW21 unless you have two receivers in your RV.



Sounds identical to my setup - tripod, SW21, and dual LNB Dish 500.



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I think the pole is 1-1/2" and you can make any kind of mount you need.



The new Super Dish receives signal from three satellites - 105, 110, & 119 for my Dish 500 and local channels.

 

[Dane]

And...

The most important thing to do when trying to find the satellites is level the mast correctly. I've seen guys pull their hair out cause they can't find the satellites when they hurried through that step.



When you first turn the box on and go through the setup, it will ask for your zip code and then give you coordinates. If you have leveled the mast correctly and have a good compass, it is not hard to find the satellites. Remember you are trying to point the dish to the "middle" setting between two satellites for Dish Network.



When using the compass, remember that any metal near the compass will throw the reading off. Stand behind and above the dish while taking the compass reading and find an object on the horizon that is your "target" for the dish.



Don't mount the dish under any roof overhangs, it screws up the signal.



Don't mess with the "tilt" setting on the dish once you set it via the sat box recommendations, or you will be pulling your hair out trying to get good strength on both sats. Again, if you leveled the mast correctly, the tilt will be right on.



You will need a helper to tune the dish for max signal. Having walkie talkies or cell phones works well unless you like to yell alot Have your helper sit in front of the TV with the sat box signal strength meter displayed and call out the strength numbers while you make small changes to the dish. Start with left/right changes till you get max strength and then do the same with up/down.



Dish Network receivers are cool cause they will tell you if you are getting signal from the wrong sat.



Make sure your mast is mounted to a sturdy location. I've seen folks have problems cause they mounted the dish to a porch that shifted when they walked away and changed the settings.



Getting a good signal through distant trees is possible, but near bushes and trees will block the signal.

 

[Ron Bissett]

Also add to what is said above in other posts Note that all transponders do not work on each satt so if no reading or wrong satt is showing in red change to different transponder by use of up down button to active transponder and if signal is present will turn to green and say locked on satt. A handy sat finder meeter can be had at most dealers of RV or at Camping world for about thirty dollars or so . Have Analog and tone for finding and tweaking for best signal . You will need a double male connector for attaching cable after removing meeter from line as the folks will not like to listen to the tone if left on at the dish. Ron Bissett in Metro Louisville

 

[JEly]

If I just upgraded to Superdish and I have the dish 500 dish wouldnt the tilt and mast be already set and I would just need to put it on a small tripod or other means of support



JIM

 

[GerryDrake]

Mounting the dish

I have both the short tripod and the taller one, and hardly ever use either. At many campsites with electric service, the box is on a fairly plumb post and I got a standard 5 -1/2' piece of galvenized steel fence post ($3. 78 or close) at Home Depot and also got a pack of the wood shimstock for construction... I bungee the pole to the use the shimstock to get it vertical according to the magnetic level I put on the side, then mount the dish on that. A lot easier than trying to level out either of my tripods. I also have one of the wall mount brackets ubolted to the ladder on the rear of the trailer and can use that often, depending on what direction we are facing. Remember that when you are amongst trees, looking for that hole to aim through, it is 48 degrees above straight out the center of the dish. Note the fact that the LNBs arenot in the middle of the dish. . The meter is WELL worth obtaining. . A DN installer gave me a tip when locating the 110 and 119 . Figure out where you think they are, and swing in from the west. . from your right. Apparently if you come in the other way, you can get the wrong satellite and have a heck of a time getting both. It has worked for me. .

 

[JStraw]

After numerous attempts to tune in my satallite, I came to find out that it wouldn't work going through my trailers built in signal amp. After I ran a seperate line straight from the dish to the reciever it worked like a charm. Just adding possible help

 

[Ron Bissett]

Originally posted by JStraw

After numerous attempts to tune in my satallite, I came to find out that it wouldn't work going through my trailers built in signal amp. After I ran a seperate line straight from the dish to the reciever it worked like a charm. Just adding possible help

Right on . It would work if you cut off the boost with the switch but its a pain and often over looked direct is best and outside cover over the in let socket direct to the set if possible is best cuts down on inside wire placement and connections. Ron Bissett in Metro Louisville KY

 

[GerryDrake]

Originally posted by JStraw

After numerous attempts to tune in my satallite, I came to find out that it wouldn't work going through my trailers built in signal amp. After I ran a seperate line straight from the dish to the reciever it worked like a charm. Just adding possible help

This is TOTALLY true. . and it seems very few RV dealers know it.