Manual Winegard Sattelite dish...is it junk

That's a long way from "working" but congratulations on getting anything at all to work. I don't see any scenario where this would be something I would want to do or use but if the work you put into this is worth it to you then who am I to judge?!

Bill.Satellite wrote:
Since you quoted me, is that LNB working with a Hopper? I would be surprised to find out that it was. If it is, what else did you do to make it work. It is only working with 1 satellite and 1 tuner so if it's a Hopper it's a Hopper without any of the Hopper capabilities but I really want to know more.

Yes, the photo shows the diagnostics page with the new "Carbon" user interface installed on a Hopper with Sling. That UI is only installed on Hoppers and single tuner Wallys, and as far as I know, the original Hopper and Hopper with Sling are the only Dish receivers with three tuners anyway. At this point, nothing else was done except connecting the coax from the DP LNB and running a "Test Installation" routine. The error shown is probably because only one tuner is seeing a signal, and the Hopper is only seeing the odd number channels. I think that will be corrected when I add a Dish DPP33 switch and a Solo Node that will allow both polarities to be seen. A friendly Dish tech is going to drop the switch off in a few days, and I already have a Node in my spares that isn't being used. As it is, most of the channels on the 110 sat that we watch happen to be odd numbers anyway, so it'll probably work ok as is for our intended use. I can't test the 119 sat yet since it can't be seen where we're parked right now, and the eastern arc sats can't be seen at all from the the roof. Our tripod mounted 1000.4 dish is using the eastern arc, but it's set up about 40 feet away from the coach.

Since you quoted me, is that LNB working with a Hopper? I would be surprised to find out that it was. If it is, what else did you do to make it work. It is only working with 1 satellite and 1 tuner so if it's a Hopper it's a Hopper without any of the Hopper capabilities but I really want to know more.

Nice !

Bill.Satellite wrote:

Dutch_12078 wrote:
Before I pull down my crank up roof dish, I'm going to test using it for single satellite reception on a Hopper. There will be some tuner limitations of course, but it could be handy for quick overnight stops when only a particular program or two are desired. The concept is to connect it as a wing dish on a DPP LNB without the the DPP being installed on a dish. I need to figure out a way to adapt a Dish single DP LNB to the RM-46 arm though. I have feelers out for a tossed Dish 300 to scavenge for parts.

Your roof mounted crank up dish will not work AT ALL with a Hopper. Now, thank me for saving you an enormous amount of wasted time. I am not kidding. The Hopper requires a special LNB and the crank up does not have it and is not capable of using it.

I'm resurrecting this thread to show what a little "Yankee ingenuity" can do. A minor mod to the RM-DM46 arm, and I installed a Dish DP single LNB. The results are shown below...

Product Title
KING DISH TAILGATER PORTABLE SATELLITE TV ANTENNA
Price$285.00List price $366.27
Save $81.27

at walmart. what about this one Bill?
thanks
bumpy

We have the same dish which came on our trailer which we bought used in 2006. We take along a H24 receiver from home. It is only SD but we don't care. We can get news from our home area in the west as it has a large spot zone. I have called Direct at times and changed my location so we can get local news. We get those cable channels we want to watch. Of all the campgrounds we have stayed in over the past 11 years I can only remember one that we couldn't get a signal due to an obstruction (tree). I make sure to ask for a satellite accessible site. I can have it all set up in about 10 minutes using the zip code of where we at by typing it into the on screen instructions. That is the good thing about SD, only one satellite to find. I'll miss it if it goes away.
I do have a portable dish also and did use that one time the roof dish was obstructed. It is harder to get set IMO.

Travelin2 wrote:

Bill.Satellite wrote:
Yeah, NO! This does not make things easier or better. The problem is that there is no cheap replacement for your antenna other than to remove that and install a new one in its place with all the same drastic limitations from either service.
The least expensive "good" replacement option would be a ground base antenna mounted on a tripod. It works almost exactly as a manual roof mounted unit would but it gets all of the programming from Dish or DirecTV in HD! If you are going to move frequently this can be a real PITA. If you want to spend upwards for $400-$600 there are automatic portable or roof mounted dome style antennas which are great for Dish but still cannot receive DirecTV HD programming. If any of this sounds interesting let me know and I can give you more details about what sounds good to you.

Bill, I do like the idea of having satellite TV as we travel, and would be most interested to hear what system you think would make the most sense cost wise and functionality wise. I am of the mind that the automatic dome that can be mounted on the roof of the RV for transport and use makes the most sense. Are there some that can be uncoupled and moved to the side to avoid obstacles easily, then buckled back on the top mount when leaving?

The only experience I have with using satellite was traveling with a friend on a week long trip. He had an auto satellite dish, one you set on the ground, and every time we stopped for the night, he would spend upwards of a half hour getting that thing to show him a picture. I remember seeing on the screen for long periods "checking the switches" or something like that. We would have our rig all set up and ready to go check things out around the campsite and several times his wife would go along with us on a walk but he would opt out because he had to stay behind and get the satellite working. That's not what it's all about. Is there a system that will show a station by just turning it on and wait maybe 10 minutes or so without all the clicking of the remote he used to do every time we stopped?

I have a good spot on my roof with RG6 cable already in place. The roof is an aluminum framework structure with about 2-3 inches of Styrofoam, then 1/4 inch plywood with a Rubber membrane....What would you put up there? What receiver would you hook it to. Seems like Dish, Pay-as-you-go makes sense???? I appreciate you taking the time to respond to these simpleminded questions of mine...you're a sport. Thanks

If you install a roof mounted antenna (dome or otherwise) it's going to have to stay on the roof even when you are parked under the trees.
Winegard makes an antenna that can be mounted to bracket you attach to your rear ladder. Most of the time it will just live there but if you park under the trees it can be removed and relocated.

Dutch_12078 wrote:
Before I pull down my crank up roof dish, I'm going to test using it for single satellite reception on a Hopper. There will be some tuner limitations of course, but it could be handy for quick overnight stops when only a particular program or two are desired. The concept is to connect it as a wing dish on a DPP LNB without the the DPP being installed on a dish. I need to figure out a way to adapt a Dish single DP LNB to the RM-46 arm though. I have feelers out for a tossed Dish 300 to scavenge for parts.

Your roof mounted crank up dish will not work AT ALL with a Hopper. Now, thank me for saving you an enormous amount of wasted time. I am not kidding. The Hopper requires a special LNB and the crank up does not have it and is not capable of using it.

Travelin2 wrote:

Bill.Satellite wrote:
Yeah, NO! This does not make things easier or better. The problem is that there is no cheap replacement for your antenna other than to remove that and install a new one in its place with all the same drastic limitations from either service.
The least expensive "good" replacement option would be a ground base antenna mounted on a tripod. It works almost exactly as a manual roof mounted unit would but it gets all of the programming from Dish or DirecTV in HD! If you are going to move frequently this can be a real PITA. If you want to spend upwards for $400-$600 there are automatic portable or roof mounted dome style antennas which are great for Dish but still cannot receive DirecTV HD programming. If any of this sounds interesting let me know and I can give you more details about what sounds good to you.

Bill, I do like the idea of having satellite TV as we travel, and would be most interested to hear what system you think would make the most sense cost wise and functionality wise. I am of the mind that the automatic dome that can be mounted on the roof of the RV for transport and use makes the most sense. Are there some that can be uncoupled and moved to the side to avoid obstacles easily, then buckled back on the top mount when leaving?

The only experience I have with using satellite was traveling with a friend on a week long trip. He had an auto satellite dish, one you set on the ground, and every time we stopped for the night, he would spend upwards of a half hour getting that thing to show him a picture. I remember seeing on the screen for long periods "checking the switches" or something like that. We would have our rig all set up and ready to go check things out around the campsite and several times his wife would go along with us on a walk but he would opt out because he had to stay behind and get the satellite working. That's not what it's all about. Is there a system that will show a station by just turning it on and wait maybe 10 minutes or so without all the clicking of the remote he used to do every time we stopped?

I have a good spot on my roof with RG6 cable already in place. The roof is an aluminum framework structure with about 2-3 inches of Styrofoam, then 1/4 inch plywood with a Rubber membrane....What would you put up there? What receiver would you hook it to. Seems like Dish, Pay-as-you-go makes sense???? I appreciate you taking the time to respond to these simpleminded questions of mine...you're a sport. Thanks

don't claim to be a "Bill" but IIRC there is an automatic portable dome that wal mart sells for under $400 as I recall. wonder about getting one of those.
bumpy