72 What are we missing?

[Wild Bill 2]

Long time Dish subscriber, currently our house has VPI 722 receivers looking at 61.5 and 72. We like to take a receiver with us when we vacation in the motorhome, this is why we cut the cable.

Our present motorhome has a manual Winegard dish, single LNBF, mounted on the roof. On our last trip, I was able to easily lock on both 61.5 and 72 individually. I choose 72 because of the HD channels. About half of the channels showed the "12-12-11 Channel Signal Loss" screen.

Since returning home, I have used the info button to verify which of our subscribed HD channels are on 72. Yesterday, I did a trial test setup with an extra Dish 300 with a single LNBF on a tripod looking at 72. Again, 22 channels on my favorite list of HD channels at 72 showed the "Channel Signal Loss" screen. Using the Point Dish screen, I confirmed that all these channels were on even numbered transponders.

Do we need additional equipment? Receiving only half of the HD channels is not the end of the world, it is still much better than most campground cable reception.

We also have an extra Dish 500 with dual DP Plus LNBFs that I have had limited success aiming in the past.

 

[Tampa8]

When you move the receiver to a different satellite set-up did you do a "Check Switch?" You need to so the receiver forgets the satellites it was seeing and knows the ones it now is seeing.

Also this link gives you the channels on each satellite.
http://www.satelliteguys.us/thelist/index.php?page=sub

 

[Wild Bill 2]

When you move the receiver to a different satellite set-up did you do a "Check Switch?" You need to so the receiver forgets the satellites it was seeing and knows the ones it now is seeing.

Yes, I remove the coax and due a check switch before moving the receiver to the motorhome and then run check switch again after I have locked on 72 in the motorhome.

 

[Tampa8]

Then it sounds to me those are Legacy LNB's? And you are only getting the 13 volt transponders. (and not the 18 volt)

 

[TheKrell]

Yesterday, I did a trial test setup with an extra Dish 300 with a single LNBF on a tripod looking at 72. Again, 22 channels on my favorite list of HD channels at 72 showed the "Channel Signal Loss" screen. Using the Point Dish screen, I confirmed that all these channels were on even numbered transponders.

That's not right. Is your "single LNBF" a legacy LNB or DishPro? If it's a dual DP LNB, you need to run two cables from the LNB to your two receiver inputs, and leave the separator at home.

 

[Tampa8]

Good point, could be a DishPro.

 

[TheKrell]

Good point, could be a DishPro.

Actually, now that I think about it, a legacy dual should also work via two cables (and no separator).

 

[Wild Bill 2]

The Winegard dish mounted on the RV roof has a single generic LNBF with a single feed to the coach.

The Dish 300 has a single LNBF, no markings to indicate that it is a DP, and dual feeds.

The Dish 500 has two LNBFs, 110 and 119, with feeds and an optional third input from another dish.

I have not tried the Dish 500 yet. I could set the skew to zero and aim the 119 LNBF at 72.

 

[TheKrell]

Wild Bill, take out the separator and run two cables to that dual LNB and see if that fixes it.

 

[primestar31]

You need either a powered DPP44 (Dish Plus Pro) switch, OR DPP lnbs to be able to run a single coax with a separator. Otherwise you must run dual coax for older lnbs, or a DP34 (Dish Pro) switch with dual coax for a dual tuner dvr type receiver

DP = Dish PRO
DPP = Dish PLUS PRO

They are different, the "Plus Pro" is the newest/latest versions.

 

[Wild Bill 2]

We got a brief break in the weather this afternoon and I had a chance to setup a trial using the Dish 500 with the dual DPP LNBFs. I set the skew to zero, covered the 110 LNBF and found 72 after a bit of searching. Ran the check switch and was surprised to see both 61.5 and 72. But, this time the odd numbered transponders showed the signal loss screen. I took a wild shot and disconnected the separator and fed the dish directly into the receiver. We now have all the HD channels on 72, I did not try to see if any channels from 61.5 were available (we really are not interested in them). This begs the question, what happens if I feed the Winegard or the Dish 300 directly into the receiver? This will be on my to do list the next time we use the RV. Thanks to everyone for your help and advice!