What Dish Needed for Solo 211k?

[maheider]

I tried browsing and searching the forum, but could not find what I was looking for, though I had trouble determining what keywords I should use so maybe there is already and answer to this. If that is the case, I would appreciate being directed to the thread(s), and sorry for the extra post here. I have a Solo 211k that I would like to take to our hunting camp to use for the week we are there every year. I have no experience installing dish systems, but I assume that it is relatively easy, except for perhaps getting the dish initially aligned. So, I assume I can do this myself, but I do not know what specific type of dish I should be looking to purchase, nor do I know exactly what I need to connect to where. Can anyone provide a bit of help for me? I guess what I am looking for is what model/type of dish I need, do I need to run just one cable from the dish to the receiver, and if so, what connection point do I use on the dish end, since I presume there is more than one choice? If I only need one coax cable, will that provide all the channels, or will I only get ones off of one of the satellites? Also, are there any switches or anything else I might need to make this work? Lastly, any practical tips anyone wishes to provide to help get this set up as painlessly as possible would be appreciated as well. I'm sure there are some "tricks of the trade" that make getting things aligned a bit easier. Thanks for any help and guidance you can provide. M.H. I forgot to explain that this would be used in a non-permanent trailer, with a generator. Since it is not a permanent location, I assume that Dishnetwork would not have a problem with me using the receiver in this way. If that is not the case, and this is not an appropriate use, please let me know and disregard the question.

 

[TimberWolf]

The 211 is compatible with any dish, lnb or switch. It only needs 1 line from any of them

The easiest dish to aim is the Dish 500 that points at 119/110 but has very little HD on it. Look for a DP twin or DPP twin

You could also use a 1K.4 or 1K.2 dish depending where your locals come in on and if you need HD while camping

Depending where you are camping, you may not get your locals on any dish if you are out of the spotbeam

Dish does not care or even need to know that you take your rec camping

 

[delta_charlie]

Hi, first a couple of questions - do you use the 211 receiver at home? What are you subscribed to and what dish is used at home? Pressing menu 6-1-1 or is it 6-1-3 should get you the satellites in use at home. A Dish 500 may be all you will need at the remote site, it really depends on what satellites you need to receive. A Dish 500 is normally used with the 110/119 satellite pair but it can also work on 119/129 or 61.5/72.7 A Dish 500 can be had on craigslist for very little. If you are using a different dish at home you would have to run a check switch each time you moved the receiver. You could get the same dish that is used at home if you want to avoid the check switch. Hope this helps, DC

 

[maheider]

Thanks

Thanks for the answers. I believe would only need access to 110 and 119, and I don't really need HD at this time while camping, as the built-in television is an older SD box. The trailer was made waaaay before HD was even conceived. While it would be nice to get my locals, I am not sure that will work since I will be going 300 miles north, and my suspicion is that the spotbeam would not be available that far away. So, if I remember correctly from my old Dish 500, which the Dish installer took with him even though I asked to keep it, there were multiple connection choices on it. Does it matter which one of these I hook my RG6 cable to? If I were to get one of the newer dishes, would it matter which connection I used on it? Sorry for the dumb questions, but I want to get a pretty good idea what I am doing, because once I get where I am going, I won't have any way to access the web to get additional information. Thanks!

 

[delta_charlie]

Hi, you might want to do a trial run before you go to the trailer. Make sure everything works and see how well you do pointing and peaking the dish. Regarding the coax hookup, on the Dish 500 DPPlus LNB there should be one input that would be used to hook up a wing dish and two others that can be hooked up to the receiver. Some type of satellite meter or satellite finder (much cheaper for the finder) will really help with the initial roughing in of the dish. A printout from dishpointer.com would help point it. Hope this helps, DC

 

[maheider]

delta_charlie: Thanks for the additional information. Based on what you said, it sounds like I can use either one of the connections that is not for the "wing dish", correct? Do you have any idea how the jacks might be labeled? Also, that is a great idea to do a dry run before we haul the trailer up north to see if we can get it working here first. We would have to redo the dish pointing, but we could verify that everything is working properly before we get to where we have no help. I'll have to find an open spot to try this out, since the only LOS to the satellite on my property is from the roof of my house, but I am sure I can find somewhere to do this.

 

[delta_charlie]

Hi, on the LNB you should see two D sections that slip into the yoke - one will have two coax connectors and the other just one. The one with just one will be the LNB input (for use with the wing dish). Simply use the coax connector from the D section that has two connectors that is farthest from the D section with just one connector. Keep in mine that the LNB can receive either 110 or 119 from either side of the LNB so if you are not careful you can end up receiving the 110 satellite from the 119 side of the LNB and never find the 119 satellite. Aluminium foil placed on one side of the LNB to block getting the wrong satellite can help sort this out in a hurry. Good luck, DC

 

[maheider]

A bit more help please?

We finally had a day with decent weather, and I had the day off so I figured I would try to get my spare dish working with my receiver. The connections for the LNB do not look as I expected them to, so I was wondering if anyone could steer me in the right direction? Basically, what I have are four coax connections on the LNB, labeled 1&2 on one side, 3&4 on the other. I am not sure if I can just connect one coax cable to one of these and get both 110 and 119 or if I need to connect to both. If I need to connect to both, I assume I would need some sort of switch or something to combine them. If I do need to use two cables and a switch, what order do I go about connecting them while aiming the dish? I have attempted to attach some pictures so you can see what my LNB looks like. Hope that helps.

 

[mmcl26554]

It sounds like you have a travel trailer (RV). The Satellite Home Viewers act all allows you to qualify for Distant Networks. Check with Sobongo (formerly know as All American Direct). They are relatively inexpensive an would be available on all your Dish receivers.
M

 

[maheider]

Anyone have any advice on how I should hook up the dish to my receiver (see post above with pictures attached)? Seems like in a worst case scenario I could connect to either a 110 or 119 jack on the dish, get it pointed to pick that satellite up, and have at least channels from that one available, though I would like to do it right if possible. We head up to camp tomorrow, so it looks like I may have to just play with it once we get there. I sure would appreciate any advice you might be able to share with me in the meantime.

 

[HIFI]

you will want to hook up to number 1 port and run check switch as there is a built in switch and all 4 ports will see both sats

 

[mmcl26554]

If you do a google search for "How to install a dishpro 500 antenna" You will find some .pdf files with very detailed instructions on how to do it and the switches needed. I would post the web address here but I don't know if that is allowed.
When I got my first Dish receiver instructions came with the antenna on how to set it up and aim it. Dish did not have a network of installers so the customer had to do his own. Their instructions were to first setup the antenna for Sat 119 with the settings in the book for your zipcode, find 119 (you will need at least a compass) and then install the switch. Sat 110 should be near perfect alignment if 119 is right on. Check the aim of the antenna by just flexing it up/down/left & right, and see if any of these motions improved the signal for each satellite. If it did then adjust the dish ever so slightly in the improvement direction and check them all again. I have done several antennas for myself, fiends and family and it is not complicated. It make some time to find the first satellite.
M

 

[harshness]

The LNB assembly in question is a DishPro Quad. HIFI offers the correct advice.

If you haven't been there already, you might want to check out The Echostar Knowledge Base.

 

[mmcl26554]

harshness is absolutely correct, the DP Quad does have an internal switch so you will not need a switch. However, the method of pointing the dish is still the same whether you are connected to 119 or both 119 & 110. I did a search for "DishPro Quad" and found a really nice discussion of all the DishPro technology complete with wiring instructions.
M

 

[maheider]

Thanks all

Thanks to everyone for providing your expertise. I think I have a handle on what needs to be done. Hopefully I will have a positive report when I return.

 

[maheider]

Thanks everyone

Just got back from the hunting trip. I wanted to thank everyone for your help and advice in getting my dish set up properly. We were able to get the dish on the pole in the dark the first night, and after 45 minutes of trial and error we were able to get it properly aligned and working. It was a bit strange that it seemed to think 119 was being received on both sides at first, but, once we got it locked with a decent signal strength, all the channels came in just fine. It sure was nice to have access to satellite channels while camping. Thanks so much everyone for helping out.