Power to Satellite and Switch

What the heck! FUSE! Tied to the Battery boost fuse. All working, satellite spinning! Thanks for all the help and brain storming!

I have a 2007 Holiday Rambler Vacationer with a Winegard in-motion dish and a DirectTV receiver. I bought it used, so had to do some experimentation. in mine, the compartment above the driver's location contains the distribution box (selector buttons to route various signals to various destinations), the DirectTV receiver, and a Radio Shack 12 volt power supply. There's a small rocker switch on the driver's side of the main TV enclosure. The Radio Shack power supply seems to provide power to the dish aiming motors; with the power supply turned on, the small rocker switch is enabled, and can be turned on (a green light illuminates inside the switch.) The stepper motors then aim the dish. I can see the signal strength on the setup menu in the DirectTV receiver. I don't use it "in motion" so it's just a convenience to aim the dish when we change locations. Once the dish is aimed, I can turn off the rocker switch and the Radio Shack power supply, and all is still good; the DirectTV receiver can still see the satellite.

I deduce the Radio Shack power supply was added when the Winegard dish was installed, to provide 12 volts DC. Perhaps doing it that way was easier than tracking down a live 12 volt line in the existing harness.

Hope this is helpful.

I have a Winegard Roadtrip dome on the roof and talking to the DirectTV dealer the receiver is an old model. The gray wire looks to be running to the satellite and then somewhere else in the ceiling.
I can't follow the others. I opened up a access panel in the front overhead cabinet thinking that was where they were going but I couldn't find them (a lot of othe wires)

Bill.Satellite wrote:
Not if there is no power! If the antenna cannot move, it cannot find the satellite and it cannot lock and you cannot "see" anything other than the logo bouncing around the screen.
Different dish really does not come into play if what you are trying to do is get power to the antenna.

Of course the dish has to work and be pointed.

But it appears that the equipment is new to him with unknown status since he doesn't have a subscription. The receiver is likely a older purchased unit or one that DTV doesn't want back. Knowing that the receiver works would be another step once the dish problem is resolved.

OP Knowing what equipment you have helps others resolve your problems. Suggest you answer the questions. Also what brand/model dish/dome and receiver? Also do you get the normal power up information from the receiver?

The rear TV is a different issue. One quick test is to run a coax to it from the front TV coax using a barrel connector. Does your rig have a AV unit like my 04 Endeavor? If so perhaps the coax is not connected correctly.

So yes you have a dome antenna on the roof or No you do not?
Do any of those wires read 12VDC power?
2 wires will come from the roof if there's a dome up there and two of the wires will go to a nearby power source. Trace the ones that do not go through the roof.

Sorry, the wires are red and black, the gray has red and black in it. the 2 reds are attached at the switch and the 2 blacks are tied together and then attached to a third terminal on the switch.

The switch looks to have 3 wires going to it, red, white and a thicker gray. The red and white are going through the ceiling and the gray is going through the ceiling but in different places, if that makes sense!

Not if there is no power! If the antenna cannot move, it cannot find the satellite and it cannot lock and you cannot "see" anything other than the logo bouncing around the screen.
Different dish really does not come into play if what you are trying to do is get power to the antenna.

Have you tested and verified that the receiver works using a different dish?

I believe you can get channel 100 without a subscription. Bill, correct?

mant wrote:
I have a 2006 Holiday Rambler and it is set up for DirectTV, but I'm not subscribed yet, I wanted to make sure it worked before signing up. There is power to the DirectTV box and the DVD player. I can play DVD's up front but cannot get the rear TV to play anything, it comes on but no picture. The big switch up front seems like it has a light in the power button showing on or off.

Assuming that it's a rocker switch, you would also have a dome style antenna on your roof. If both of those are correct then you need to follow my instructions listed above to get a starting point.