DIsh Sat. problem

[Bill_T]

I have an old system, the receiver is a DP311, the dish is a DIsh Network 500 with a dual head LNBF, 110 and 119.
It's installed in our camp, no phone service. Most of the time I have to tinker with it to get it going. This time no luck.
The Point Dish screen shows a solid red bar. I do a check switch and the Install Summary page shows - installed devices : Unknown; input is all x's; status - no switch box detected.
I tried a known good LNB, have checked all connections. No luck.

Any ideas anyone? Do you have to have a signal before you can perform a check switch test?
On the Install Summary page there is a check box for either SuperDish or Alternate. Neither are selected, should one of them be selected?

Thanks for any help.

[Bill_T]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions guys. I got the dish locator mentioned by Bill.S and can clearly see the limb that is causing my problem.
Looking for someone or something to do some limb cutting.

[Bill_Satellite]

Yes, you must first be receiving a satellite signal for a check switch to work! If the receiver has not been connected to satellite in more than 30 days then Dish (or DirecTV) receivers will shut themselves down and you will not be able to receive programming until you call Dish (can be done online with DirecTV) and have them send a reactivation signal.
Channel 100 or 101 will give you a picture even when no programming is available as it's just Dish or DirecTV promos.
Use the built in signal meter in the receiver to ensure you have a good signal from the right satellite but as mentioned above an app on your phone will really help you locate the satellites. I like Augmented Reality Dish Pointer.

[Rover_Bill]

If you have a smartphone, you may want to download one of the free satellite location programs to tell you were the satellites should be. Just start the program and point your camera at the sky. The program will project the satellite position onto your camera view. You will then be able to see which trees need trimming. I always use it to position my portable PlayMaker when traveling.

[Bill_T]

I last used the system the first of this past April. Due to trees we only get sat. 110. We have leaves now. This is probably my problem. The solution is another $100.00 of ammo to clear a path. lol but we really did do that a couple of years ago in order to get a signal. I am using a Radio Shack inline signal meter to search for a signal.
This is kind of like a " which came first, the chicken or the egg " question. Do I have to have a signal for the check switch test to function?
It almost seems like the receiver does not " see " the dish. The cable has been spliced, I checked the connectors and decided to replaced the connectors. When doing that I noticed the wire strands on one of the cables looked corroded. So I replaced that cable. I had previously done a continuity test of the cable from the receiver to the dish and it checks at 000.4 ohms. I guess that is good.
For my own curiosity, where is this switch I am testing, in the receiver or in the LNB?
Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions. Since we do not have phone service here I cannot call Dish tech service for advice, I appreciate your time.

[Bill_Satellite]

If you are not pointed correctly, doing a check switch will produce those results. What are you using to determine that you have found one or both of the satellites?

[lryrob9301]

If possible run a coax directly from the antenna to the receiver and try check switch again. If you still get no reception then check your antenna alignment, it may have gotten out of adjustment.
Did this receiver work last year after 3/15/2016??

[K_Charles]

Once we had a connection go bad in the MH and the dish quite, that's another story. I did a check switch with the pathway 1 setting on the floor inside so I know that works. I kept moving down the line till the check switch didn't work and found the bum diplexer.