Yes, the "card" I am talking about is an electronics card, not an access card. It has a little handle on it and a RF connector on the back panel. If it is properly installed, it needs to be WELL SEATED in the opening in the BACK (not the side) of the IRD and your antenna lead should be connected to the RF connector. For troubleshooting purposes, make sure that you are using the EXACT SAME ANTENNA LEAD as the one that is working properly in your D* IRD. Using one that is connected to the same spot leaves the procedure open for other potential problems.
If you have everything connected properly and the icon is still red, the next thing to do is to tune to a satellite channel and see if the icon turns green. If it turns green on a satellite channel, then you can be about 90% sure that the 8VSB module (the name of that little electronics card) is bad. The other 10% is that the IRD itself is bad, but it is much less likely if the icon turns green when you tune in a satellite signal. If the icon stays red all the time, on any station, regardless of whether the sat channels are coming in or not, then the IRD is defective..
But at least right now we have it narrowed down properly, rather than believing in witchcraft, like the signal gathering strength in the next few days...