Trav'ler Install and Operation----FOLLOW UP...SOLVED

[Belgique]

My Trav’ler story. Bought a DirecTV Trav’ler SK 3005 on EBay for about $700. No promises were made. It wouldn’t work…bunch of issues including corrosion. Sent it to Winegard and they fixed it for $400 (sure looks like a new one to me). Winegard folks were fantastic … super responsive tech support and amazing customer service. So, I’m still ahead.

Thanks to help from you folks, including a wiring diagram by Bill, I did a DIY install. Was very easy. As others say, getting it on the roof is the hard part but I have a 6’5” son-in-law baseball player…he didn’t break sweat. I did the SWM8 adapter and, per Bill’s advice, mounted it on the roof for heat purposes. Ran a RG6 and the control cable through the old round dish path to Genie. Installed an A/B switch inside so I can still use the SWM3 tripod antenna if need to get around trees. I run a RG6 off the splitter on the ground and through a window for the bedroom DVR – too lazy to fish it. One question that generated discussion here was Genie set-up since the tripod is SWM3 and the roof SWM8: it works using SWM3 for both.

Some “just curious” questions:

The first start-up acquisition took about 10 min. Next time it was a minute or so. Does Trav’ler remember where it was? Does it look for any bird and once it finds one, extrapolates from it where the DirecTV bird is?

Does Trav'ler ever get/need a software update from Winegard?

I’m guessing there is no way to fine tune it? I got a bunch of X’s on the setup screen but ignored them and all channels, including DNS, work perfect. No signal degradation in wind or light rain. Surprising to me since strengths are low in a wide open sky:
101 85%
90C 25%
99S 0%
103S 0%
103 CA 50%
103 CB 12%

If it were to fade would a re-acquire force a finer tune?

Any tips and tricks on operation that are not mentioned in the manual?

Bottom line: Trav'ler is a fantastic piece of equipment and Winegard backs it up. If you're an HD and/or DVR fan, it is well worth considering.

[Belgique]

Folks, problem solved: bad reflector. It looks perfect but, obviously was not. I changed the LNB arm and no differences in strengths. I got a new reflector and things are great now.

Before/after new reflector:
110= 80/93
119= 88/98
99c= 23/77
103ca= 48/76
103cb= 13/88
101= 83/97

Lessons learned: Reflectors (and LNB arms) must be true; all reflectors are not the same. The ones on the Trav'ler will not line up with the ones you get from DirecTV. I read a thread on DBS Talk that asserted that there were even differences among suppliers to Direct and that they are not all the same. I cannot attest to that.

Thanks Bill and all of you for the counsel.

[Bill_Satellite]

You would set it to Slimline 5 and Multiswitch. You will need the B-Band Filters to make all of the 99 and 103 channels appear but some of them will come in without the filter.

[Belgique]

Did this happen only after you installed the SWM8? This was a new installation so the Trav'ler has only been used with the SWM 8. The SWM 8 and power supply were new in the box...I know, stuff can come from China broke.

If you still own an H24 or earlier receiver, I would disconnect the SWM8 cable connections to the Trav'ler and connection one coax cable directly to the Trav'ler and the receiver to see what signal is available. I do...it is in the Bedroom connected to Genie. We'll be home next week and I'll try this before I mess with the arm and/or reflector. I will report back. Thanks. Steve

[COLOR=]PS: what setting would I use with the HR24-Trav'ler direct? I assume no filters?

[Bill_Satellite]

I had not seen that response, sorry. Did this happen only after you installed the SWM8? If so, I would consider the switch or the power supply as suspect. If you still own an H24 or earlier receiver, I would disconnect the SWM8 cable connections to the Trav'ler and connection one coax cable directly to the Trav'ler and the receiver to see what signal is available.
There are different bolt patterns for different mounts so you have to find the right one. Directly from Winegard the reflector costs about $90 with shipping!
Your numbers are stupid low but the dish electronics are working enough to get the dish pointed. It's possible a bad LNB could also cause the problem but I don't think that's it.

[Belgique]

Bill: don't know if you saw my answers to your questions? It got buried. I exchanged emails with Winegard. They think there may be a dish/arm issue because only 99/103 birds are effected. As I mentioned,the holes on my SL3 tripod dish will not align with the Trav'ler dish (which surprises me). I do have a spare arm but I'll wait until I get home to switch it.

We've moved to a new CG and,even in trees, I get the same readings. I was amazed that Trav'ler found the birds! Took longer but dang if it didn't pull them in. Very pleased.

[Belgique]

Thanks Bill:

Here are mine: ****Here are mine...they change 1+/-
99(c)
77 87 78 86 73 85 76 85 ****20 14 19 18 22 16 17 13
72 86 74 83 76 88 n/a n/a ****20 16 20 13 14 16 0 N/a N/a
all others n/a ****me also

103(ca
N/A top line ****me also
82 88 88 90 80 85 85 90 ****46 60 53 57 46 63 41 57
79 85 86 91 78 85 86 93 ****47 59 40 55 43 55 40 51
N/A bottom line ****me also

103(cb)
86 91 83 85 80 89 81 85 ****13 0 11 0 11 0 0 0
79 88 80 87 78 87 n/a n/a ****15 14 0 0 15 12 n/a n/a
next 2 lines all n/a

101 signals are all above 95 with one 0 and a 74 and a 77 (on transponders 18, 26 and 28)
****79 80 74 92 74 88 76 89
****76 83 74 85 77 92 76 91
****74 0 79 82 79 92 80 91
****79 0 79 0 81 91 77 94

On edit: if it matters, on Tripod I get the numbers you cited almost exactly

Also I just ran a diff RG6 from the SWM8 to the Power Inserter: no diff in signal strength

Also, when the antenna completes it's search what shows up in the controller display box? LG DTV 3005 and *101, *110, *119 or something else?
LG DTV Slimline (not 3005) and *101, *110, *119

Does your name have anything to do with living in Belgium? Spend 2 years there while my dad was stationed at SHAPE.
My late wife was from Brussels. I met her in 82 on one of my many TDY's to NATO HQ. I was there more than in the Pentagon for several years. We later ran a Belgian restaurant in the DC suburbs from '98 to 2011 complete with Moules Frites and 60+ Belgian Bieres.

Does it surprise you that the mounting holes on the Trav'ler dish are slightly different than the tripod one (that I got from a DTV installer)

Many thanks!

[Bill_Satellite]

Belgique,
Go into the receiver setup menu, setup, and go to signal strength. You should see each transponder listed with some reading zeros. Ignore 99(s) and 103(s) but let me know what all the others read.
Here are mine:
99(c)
77 87 78 86 73 85 76 85
72 86 74 83 76 88 n/a n/a
all others n/a

103(ca)
N/A top line
82 88 88 90 80 85 85 90
79 85 86 91 78 85 86 93
N/A bottom line

103(cb)
86 91 83 85 80 89 81 85
79 88 80 87 78 87 n/a n/a
next 2 lines all n/a

101 signals are all above 95 with one 0 and a 74 and a 77 (on transponders 18, 26 and 28)

Also, when the antenna completes it's search what shows up in the controller display box? LG DTV 3005 and *101, *110, *119 or something else?

Does your name have anything to do with living in Belgium? Spend 2 years there while my dad was stationed at SHAPE.

[SCVJeff]

Steve: There is a document running around that shows the entire DirecTV line-up, and what satellite, transponder, and polarity each is on. As you find channel issues, this will help you match up exactly where it's coming from down to transponder level. If interested, PM me your email address and I'll send it to you (I forgot the website 😞 )

[Belgique]

Thanks all. Bill, in answer to your questions:

What receiver are you using? Genie HR44/200

Did you take the B-Band Converters off the coax lines Never used them

You say there were X's. Where did these appear? X's on both odd and even of 99, 101, 103 EXCEPT a check for 101 Even

Did you try using the #3 slimline 5 antenna type and ensure the switch type is set to 01-SWM? I just did. Exact same results in all respects (sig strength and x's). BTW, Tripod is in 90's on 101 with this setting

Since this is a used antenna, also look at the reflector itself. It looks fine with no sign of issues. I tried to swap the tripod SL3 dish but, surprise surprise, the holes don't line up.

To reiterate: picture is rock solid on all channels even in wind and light rain. On edit: hmm getting some pixilating (sp?) now in a clear blue Carolina sky (chan 360...others seem ok).

Thanks! Steve

[Bill_Satellite]

Belgique wrote:

Some “just curious” questions:

The first start-up acquisition took about 10 min. Next time it was a minute or so. Does Trav’ler remember where it was? Does it look for any bird and once it finds one, extrapolates from it where the DirecTV bird is?

Yes, the Trav'ler remember it's last known location so as long as you do not move the coach (even if things are powered off) when you deploy it again it will return to the specific location and only do the peaking routine. About 1 minute is about right and 8-10 minutes for a new search is also about right.

Does Trav'ler ever get/need a software update from Winegard?

No.

I’m guessing there is no way to fine tune it? I got a bunch of X’s on the setup screen but ignored them and all channels, including DNS, work perfect. No signal degradation in wind or light rain. Surprising to me since strengths are low in a wide open sky:
101 85%
90C 25%
99S 0%
103S 0%
103 CA 50%
103 CB 12%

Those numbers are way too low. The satellites that end with (s) are spot beamed channels and all (almost all) will read 0 or n/a. The 101 should be very close to 100 on all the transponders that do not read 0 and the 99 and 103 (c), (ca), (cb) should be reading in the 70+ range with 80+ not unusual.

If it were to fade would a re-acquire force a finer tune?

If your signal fades you can power off the controller (push power and select at the same time and release) and then power it on again. It will do a brief search routine and peak the signal.

Any tips and tricks on operation that are not mentioned in the manual?

See the above comment about Search and Select.

Bottom line: Trav'ler is a fantastic piece of equipment and Winegard backs it up. If you're an HD and/or DVR fan, it is well worth considering.

Now we need to see if we can figure out why your signals are so low. What receiver are you using? Did you take the B-Band Converters off the coax lines (if you were using them)? You say there were X's. Where did these appear? Did you try using the #3 slimline 5 antenna type and ensure the switch type is set to 01-SWM? If you make any changes to these settings you will need to click the multiple Continue buttons until you get to the end and the screen that shows the Watch DirecTV button.
Since this is a used antenna, also look at the reflector itself. If there are any signs of damage or any indication that face is not perfectly smooth then you may need to replace the reflector as well.

[SCVJeff]

Yes it does go back to the position from which it last acquired first, and if nothing is there is will start a search. So far it has not required any updates and hopefully never will because there's not an easy mechanism for that.

The 103 numbers are a little concerning. If that's really 12% RCL you might have a problem.

I had the same issue with corrosion on the base to the point is easily stripped off with an air compressor. That is a lousy powder coat job on those antennas and the factory really needs to go back and revise the process. That's really my only complaint on the traveller. (Edit iPhone spellin')

[hitchup]

We've Winegard domes and found they were limited for either Dish.net or DirecTV. That's why DH switched out a dome for the SK-3005.

We ordered a new Suite and had the SK-SWM3 added at the factory. As soon as we upgraded one of the receivers to the Genie and decided to keep one of the DVR's, we knew we had a winner. Now we can tape 7 shows at once instead of only 4 and we had to be watching one of those that was taping.

[rvten]

Good to here. Looking to purchase a Traveler myself.
Replace the KD that is up there now.

[donn0128]

It will always lock on 101.
85 is about what you will get out of the dish. Once it has locked onto the three birds, you can unplug the control box and replug it in. When it is time to stop for travel, power it up let it home then go thru power off