No Tuner 3

[Gregg L]

I have a Winegard Travler in my coach that has been installed for 5 years. It outputs to a Solo Node to a Hopper 2 with 2 wireless Joeys. For about 2 years, the system operated flawlessly, and then started showing the Tuner 3 issue. Following switch check on the Diagnostic Menu (Option 3 - Dish) I show green checks for Tuners 1 and 2 for satellites 110, 119 and 129 but red Xs for Tuner 3. I also have red Xs for all 3 tuners under the "Conn" column. As you can see with the attached pic, Switch Check recognizes the Solo Node, switch and reception.

I have swapped to another Hopper, I've changed the Solo Node twice, I've changed coax from the Travler to the Solo Node, I've run a new 20' piece of coax directly off the Solo Node to the Hopper to bypass the coach's installed coax and all show the same results. DISH says it's Winegard and Winegard says it's DISH by virtue of receiving 110, 119 and 129 on Tuners 2 and 3. Help and thanks in advance!

Gregg L
Mississippi

 

[Bobby]

I am hoping that you have two coaxes going from the Trav'ler to the solo node. You need that second coax to get the the third tuner. You say you replaced the coax, did you replace both? Have you tried to move the coaxes around on the Trav'ler? Your hopper is not seeing that second coax.

 

[Gregg L]

Hey Bobby - yep, Port 1 & 2 from the Travler go to inputs 1&2 on the Solo Node. I have changed those two cables out with no difference in Tuner 3. It’s driving me nuts!

Gregg

 

[pattykay]

Gregg, did you try disconnecting the coax from the back of the Hopper, and running a Check Switch with nothing connected, to clear the matrix? Then, reconnect the coax, run the Check Switch again, and see what happens. If that doesn't fix this issue, try connecting those two cables that run from the Solo Node to the Travler to different combinations of output ports, such as 2 & 3, or 1 & 3. There could be a bad port on the Travler.

 

[Bobby]

Hey Bobby - yep, Port 1 & 2 from the Travler go to inputs 1&2 on the Solo Node. I have changed those two cables out with no difference in Tuner 3. It’s driving me nuts!

Gregg

I’m wondering if you might have a defective output port on your Trav’ler. You might try to move your coax from port 2 to port 3 do your check switch to see if that clears it. If not, move 1 to leaving the other on 3.

 

[pattykay]

I’m wondering if you might have a defective output port on your Trav’ler. You might try to move your coax from port 2 to port 3 do your check switch to see if that clears it. If not, move 1 to leaving the other on 3.

Beat you to it, Bobby.

 

[Gregg L]

Thanks Bobby - I'll climb up on the roof and give that a shot and report back. Should I be using a 75 ohm terminator on the unused ports on the Travler and the Solo Node?

I’m wondering if you might have a defective output port on your Trav’ler. You might try to move your coax from port 2 to port 3 do your check switch to see if that clears it. If not, move 1 to leaving the other on 3.

 

[Gregg L]

You guys are the best - bad #2 port out of the Travler. Good news is, it’s fixed. Bad news is I guess my planned swap to a Hooper 3/DPH42/Solo Hub set up is probably dead since that would need all 3 ports out of the dish working to do it. Thanks again for the help!!!

 

[Bobby]

Fantastic news but I'm sorry about the Hopper 3.

 

[TheKrell]

bad #2 port out of the Travler

You can rescue your H3 plans if you replace that LNB in the Travler. Can't you do that? I always assumed it was a standard Dish LNB.

 

[NYDutch]

You can rescue your H3 plans if you replace that LNB in the Travler. Can't you do that? I always assumed it was a standard Dish LNB.

It is, it's a standard 1000.2 WA LNB...

 

[Bobby]

It is, it's a standard 1000.2 WA LNB...

Then I believe TheKrell is correct. Replace the LNB and you will regain that port.

 

[Gregg L]

I'm going to try cleaning Port 2/B at the base of the antenna to see if I can restore operation, which would let me do the Hopper 3 move. Yes, with the Hybrid LNB, Hybrid Solo Hub and an A/B switch I could still do the Hopper 3 upgrade, but I like the simplicity of the Hybrid Switch set-up. I have to think corrosion or something knocked Port 2 out and that I could easily recover it, so we'll see. I'll keep you all posted! Thanks again for the quick and easy fix...I knew I came to the right place with my issue!

Gregg L

Fantastic news but I'm sorry about the Hopper 3.

 

[Bobby]

I'm going to try cleaning Port 2/B at the base of the antenna to see if I can restore operation, which would let me do the Hopper 3 move. Yes, with the Hybrid LNB, Hybrid Solo Hub and an A/B switch I could still do the Hopper 3 upgrade, but I like the simplicity of the Hybrid Switch set-up. I have to think corrosion or something knocked Port 2 out and that I could easily recover it, so we'll see. I'll keep you all posted! Thanks again for the quick and easy fix...I knew I came to the right place with my issue!

Gregg L

You wouldn't have to replace with a Hybrid LNB, just a direct replacement of the DPP LNB. That way you still use your 42 switch.

 

[NYDutch]

You wouldn't have to replace with a Hybrid LNB, just a direct replacement of the DPP LNB. That way you still use your 42 switch.

Exactly, and using a DPH LNB is not recommended on a Trav'ler H3 installation because it causes some issues with the aiming controller. The 42 switch is a better choice.

 

[Gregg L]

Not sure I'm following you guys. I thought I need all 3 horizontal ports (A, B and C) out of the base of the Travler to input into the 42 switch. Since my B (center) port isn't functioning, that idea is dead and replacing the LNB (which is upstream and seemingly working fine through its 3 vertical ports) won't matter. No?

Gregg L

Exactly, and using a DPH LNB is not recommended on a Trav'ler H3 installation because it causes some issues with the aiming controller. The 42 switch is a better choice.

 

[NYDutch]

You still need to replace the LNB with the bad port, Gregg. I'm just saying replace it with another WA DPP LNB instead of the Hybrid LNB that's used with new H3 installs. Combined with the DPH42 switch, both the H3 and the Trav'ler controller will be happy.

 

[pattykay]

Not sure I'm following you guys. I thought I need all 3 horizontal ports (A, B and C) out of the base of the Travler to input into the 42 switch. Since my B (center) port isn't functioning, that idea is dead and replacing the LNB (which is upstream and seemingly working fine through its 3 vertical ports) won't matter. No?

Gregg L

View attachment 147117

The output ports on the LNB itself are capable of outputting signals from all three satellites. For your current installation, you only need two of those ports working properly in order to accommodate the Solo Node. So, even though you switched the port at the base of the Travler that you are using, your issue could still be a bad port on the LNB itself. (The port that happens to be connected to the center port on the Travler base.)

 

[Gregg L]

Crodrules - NOW I get it...the center horizontal port at the base of the Travler may not be the issue, and instead it could potentially be the LNB itself and or the "skinny coax" into the vertical port(s) passing the problem through. LNBs are cheap so heck yeah, I'll give that a try! Thanks again and sorry for being so thick.

Gregg L

The output ports on the LNB itself are capable of outputting signals from all three satellites. For your current installation, you only need two of those ports working properly in order to accommodate the Solo Node. So, even though you switched the port at the base of the Travler that you are using, your issue could still be a bad port on the LNB itself. (The port that happens to be connected to the center port on the Travler base.)

 

[Gregg L]

Just to wrap this thread up and maybe help the next guy, turns out my issue was the "skinny coax" from the LNB to the base turret of the Winegard Travler - the line that went to Port B was grounded out. The LNB was fine, although I now have a spare just in case. Thanks again to all of you for the help!

Gregg L