Dish Network and Tailgating

[Mattk1966]

I am running a Dish 1000 with a VIP622 receiver in dedicated trailer that is used for tailgating.

Every week we go through the same problem. We find the satellite intially and it works fine for a few hours, but as the day wears on, we lose the signal and are never able to get it back - its like the satellite has falln from the sky. We check that the pole the dish is mounted on is level and there are no obstructions. It is mounted on the side of the trailer so it is secure. We park in the exact same spot every week. We use a hand-held signal meter to find the satellite.

First question - We use it almost exclusively for ESPN HD, Fox Sports and then local channels OTA. Being a fairly newby to Satellite use, what satellites are necessary for ESPN and Fox sports? We seem to get what we need by aiming at 119.

Second, Why can we get the satellite in, then lose it shortly thereafter and not be able to find it again at all? This is especially the case if we cut power to the trailer to go in at at the beginning of the game, when we come back and power back up, we cannot find the satellite again. We have not changed the angle or direction of the dish and have not moved the trailer.

This same receiver works flawlessly in the home, but not when we put it in use in the trailer. Could the Hard Drive be the problem? Could it be the powering up and powering down? This is getting to the point of no return. I am about to scrap the whole satellite dish thing and go to only OTA. I notice that other people in our lot have Direct TV and seem to have no problems. Only us with the dedicated trailer and Dish Network seem to be having problems. I really need some advice on a new rugged receiver or a better way to lock into the satellite and KEEP it there.

 

[skysurfer]

I wonder if thermal issues are causing your problem - when the pavement gets hot, maybe the tires on the pavement expand and knock your dish out of alignment? Maybe your trailer isn't solid - you rock it as you get stuff to and from the trailer and knock the dish's alignment off just enough to lose signal?

Maybe you should remove all stuff (equipment, food, etc) from the trailer before you align your dish since a trailer full of stuff may be slightly different height or rock angle than a trailer empty of stuff.

another idea I had concerns your setup of a multi-sat dish. Is the stadium far enough away that the setup of a similar dish at your house is different than that of the dish at the stadium so that you aren't peaked too well on a satellite and thus you lose signal easier than if you had a well peaked up dish with strong extra signal strength margin?

 

[JayStil]

Something is changing your alignment. It doesn't take much. Unloading weight out of the trailer could change the plumb of your mount. I'd get a small level, and check the dish mount for plumb AFTER completely setting up. It should be pretty easy to find and keep the signal with a level mount.

I have a different problem with my RV receiver. If I don't go camping for a month or so (and the receiver doesn't get used in that amount of time) it'll lose it's channel authorizations. Most times it requires a call for a "hit" to reauthorize the box. Sometimes it's inconvenient or even impossible to call from the campground. I have a single view dish mounted on the RV and usually point at 119. I wonder if the recurring authorizations are transmitted on 110?

 

[Mattk1966]

Thanks for the replies so far. The scanarios laid out explain the possibilty of losing the signal, but it doesn't explain not being able to find it again. In fact, when I lose it, I can't even sniff it again. The pole it is mounted on is level even after losing the signal.

I can't help but think it is the receiver, but I switched it out with an identical one in the house, and the same thing happens. I have switched them back and forth a couple times and they work inside, but I lose the signal at the tailgate location.

Is there an HD box that doesn't have a hard drive in it that I can pick up cheap?

 

[MrDogDad]

Thanks for the replies so far. The scanarios laid out explain the possibilty of losing the signal, but it doesn't explain not being able to find it again. In fact, when I lose it, I can't even sniff it again. The pole it is mounted on is level even after losing the signal.

I can't help but think it is the receiver, but I switched it out with an identical one in the house, and the same thing happens. I have switched them back and forth a couple times and they work inside, but I lose the signal at the tailgate location.

Is there an HD box that doesn't have a hard drive in it that I can pick up cheap?

You may have a bad LNBF. I had one that would lose the signal whenever the sun would hit it in the afternoon and heat it up. After the sun went down it worked fine.
The HD receiver without a hard drive is the Vip 211. They go for $160-$200 on ebay.

 

[Mattk1966]

You may have a bad LNBF. I had one that would lose the signal whenever the sun would hit it in the afternoon and heat it up. After the sun went down it worked fine.
The HD receiver without a hard drive is the Vip 211. They go for $160-$200 on ebay.

The LBNF is new. I suppose it could still be bad. It is very frustrating.

 

[bross]

My bet would be dish alignment issues. I don't think the hard drive could be the problem if you don't have issues with it at home. I use my dish system in my RV and it nearly drove me crazy until I finally broke down and bought a Birdog meter to set it up with. The cheap meters only tell you that there is a satellite signal there, but not if it is the right one or if the correct LNB is aimed at it. With a quality meter you can peak each bird individually and there is no question that the correct signal is properly peaked. A good meter will cost a few hundred dollars but it takes all the guess work out of it and makes setup a breeze. My only regret after getting one was that I didn't get it years ago. I probably would have saved the purchase price on Jim Beam alone over the years.

 

[mixman]

Thanks for the replies so far. The scanarios laid out explain the possibilty of losing the signal, but it doesn't explain not being able to find it again. In fact, when I lose it, I can't even sniff it again.

If your hand held signal meter can't find it, then it's not the receiver. It's got to be the alignment. You say the pole is level, but can you still adjust elevation and azimuth? As others have said, it's like something is changing on the trailer to knock the alignment out. (perhaps the visiting team's fans???

 

[randman101]

If you tailgate like we do, I bet it's the weight transfer from the ice chest to the holding tank.

 

[bross]

If you think you have a receiver problem you could check receiver output voltage with a volt meter. The receiver should put out about 19 volts DC. Anything below 10.5 volts anywhere in the system will cause the receiver to go into a non-communication state. Check voltage right at the "Satellite in" connection on the receiver and again at the LNB. If the voltage is low at the receiver, then it's a receiver problem. If it's OK at the receiver and low at the LNB then there is a problem with your cable or fittings. Make sure you're using RG-6 cable with no splitters in the line to the LNB.

 

[lakebum431]

Or maybe it is the added weight to the lavatory...

 

[skysurfer]

It sounds like the best solution for tailgating is to put your dish on a tripod (no weight shifting, no thermal effects, etc).

Your problem with the tripod may be if you can't find a level place in a parking lot (so the center extended pole attached to the dish isn't truly plumb, making a multi-sat dish aim a little harder).

 

[smakovits]

have you tested it at home in your driveway at all? where all items are static and you arent adding or removing things. set it, get a signal and then dont move or change anything and see what happens, if you still lose it, then weight transfer is not the issue...at least you can rule something out.