Trav'ler Problem

[AKBOB]

Hi,

I just sent this to Wineguard help desk but they are closed today. Thought I would post here to see if anyone has any ideas. Thanks.

I am in the middle of a trip and my Trav'ler is not acquiring a signal anymore. On Tuesday, May 5th I activated the Trav'ler, after arriving at a new RV park. The dish went up and the control box indicated the 3 satellites were locked on. But when I turned on the Dish 211K receiver it would report an error message of "complete signal loss". I tried many times to re-set all aspects of the system. From lowering and re-establishing a lock on the satellites with the Trav'ler to re-booting the 211K. All with no success.

After moving to a new RV Park a few hundred miles up the road on May 9th, I tried again. No luck. I called and spoke to Dish Tech support and after going through all their troubleshooting steps, they said it was the satellite that was not performing properly.

I decided to take matter into my own hands today. I connected a new coax cable from Port C directly to the back of the 211K to eliminate a cable issue. No luck, same issue. While up their I checked all coax connections and even looked at the connections at the end of the LNB. All looked clean and tight.

I borrowed a 211Z and still had the error message of "complete signal loss". I took my 211K to a home and connected it to their Dish system. My 211K worked.

So through process of elimination, something appears to be inoperable within the Trav'ler dish.

Since all the coax connections on the Trav'ler appear to be good, would the problem be between the rotating upper section and the base unit mounted on the roof of the RV? How do the coax connections connect to allow the upper unit to rotate?

This Trav'ler I have is a replacement unit you shipped to me the end of Sept. 2013 to replace my original unit for an unrelated problem. Now, less than 20 months later, I am dead in the water again.

I am requesting assistance in determining the problem and correcting it.

[mkc]

Thanks to OP and to Bill for their discussion of this issue, which I found through a Google search. Our SK-1000 suddenly experienced the "complete signal loss" issue today and check switch claimed there were no satellites found. after reading Bill's guidance, we swapped connections A and B at the Trav'ler and were able to get signal. I have an e-mail in to Winegard asking what parts are needed and their cost to repair the unit ourselves.

Michelle

[revump]

I just had to replace my Trav'ler after 5 years. We had the same problem with a loss of signal on 2 of the 4 outputs

[Pirate1]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
I often rub folks the wrong way. It's why I left the forums awhile back and it took some time to come back. I guess I haven't changed much and will have to live with it or leave again and be done with it.
Thanks for the comment, however.

Your advice outweighs any rough and rowdy attitudes you may have. If they don't like it, TS.

[Bill_Satellite]

I often rub folks the wrong way. It's why I left the forums awhile back and it took some time to come back. I guess I haven't changed much and will have to live with it or leave again and be done with it.
Thanks for the comment, however.

[AKBOB]

Thanks for the info, Bill. I will try the other ports to see if there is one working. I re-read what I was commenting about you. I didn't mean it to sound that harsh. I apologize and appreciate the response.

[Bill_Satellite]

You have multiple connections (3) available on the SK-1000 and it sounds like you only have one bad cable since moving one cable seems to fix your issue. Assuming you are not currently using all 3 connections at the base you "should" be able fix it by moving a cable. The "C" port is the connection that goes to the controller inside the unit and the other 2 just loop around and exit at the base. If your C port cable is bad you should be able to swap A and C (or B and C) leaving you with 2 working outputs at the base.

[AKBOB]

Well Bill, you were quick to jump on some guy who was bad mouthing Winegard but I didn't get a response to my issue.

For an update....I spoke with Winegard Tech support and I was able to get a working signal when I bypassed the turret t and base unit by connecting the coax directly to the sheathed "A" cable coming from the LNB with a barrel connector That indicated the lost signal is occurring somewhere in the turret or base unit.

So I am able to power up the SK-1000. It will search and lock on all three satts. I then climb up on the roof, disconnect the cable from the "A" connection on the base, connect that cable directly to the cable coming from the arm and LNB and enjoy my programs. But I must remember to climb back on the roof, and disconnect that cable before storing the unit or it will rip the cables out of the roof as it rotates. A sloppy work-around until we return home to ship the unit back to Winegard for repairs.

But this might give you an option until you get back if you are experiencing the same issue.

As a side note....as I mentioned before, this is a replacement unit due to an unrelated problem I had before. Unfortunately, Winegards policy is your warranty period is only counted from the original purchase. Therefore, the new unit isn't backed by Winegard.

I do not agree with that but I have no other choice. Now I must decide if it is worth the cost of shipping and repairing a product that (for me) has failed twice in 3 years. My RV is stored inside a building and has been used approximately 10 months out of that 3 years. $1500 investment. I would hope for a better and lengthier reliability record.

[AKBOB]

Hi Bill,

The control box shows all three satellites. 110, 119, 129 (from memory, I'm moving down the road) Receiver says I have less satellites than previously saved. I did not save that because it would be zero. Currently leaving Blackfoot, ID. Heading for Montana. System worked fine up until two stops ago. No obstructions.

[Bill_Satellite]

donn0128 wrote:
Yup, same as the 3005 except for dish. As I found out the hard way, they are junk! Cost me several hundred dollars, anout three weeks without my fiver before Winegard finally decided they did not know why even though it said locked on there was no signal. I personally went through the new coax directly from the LNB to the receiver with zero signal. This proved to me that the dish simply was not locking onto the birds regardless of what everyone said. I spent over four hundred dollars for shipping and another three hundred or so for Winegard to rebuild my system. It was returned to me and after reinstalling it it still had the exact same problem. Like I said the SK 1000, SK 3005 is junk!

As the thousands and thousands of happy customers know, this post is just the ramblings of a disgruntled customer. It has no basis in reality other than Winegard was unable to make him (personally) happy. They can and they will but I suspect he brought some part of this on himself.

[Bill_Satellite]

What does the receiver show after doing a check switch? Where are you located? What numbers and symbols are showing in the controller display when it completes its search (exactly what)?

[SCVJeff]

Did they actually tell you they don't test them in service? I can't possibly see how they can determine what's wrong any other way

You cannot look at reflector or LNB alignment any other way

[donn0128]

Uea, lots of then have worked very well. However the fact remains if there ever is a problem with them Winegard has no clue how to properly trouble shoot or repair them. Their idea if testing one is by a signal generator. They never connect them to power, ask them to lock onto the proper birds and then verify they actually can see the correct sats. Just plane sad to me. It took me nearly three months of constant working with them, including over two weeks by a dealer service department, finally upper managment getting involved to get what should have been a relatively simple troubleshooting and repair job resolved. Winegard finally stepped up to the plate and did what was right,so yea, I was frustrated at the time. But now just feel their service department has to be some of the worst.

[fpresto]

donn0128 I understand your frustrations because you had a bad unit but I disagree that they are junk. There are thousands of them working properly. In my case I was one of the early users of the SK-3005. Mine is so old that it came with 3 output cables instead of four as in the newer units. For over 10 years it has worked perfectly.

[donn0128]

Yup, same as the 3005 except for dish. As I found out the hard way, they are junk! Cost me several hundred dollars, anout three weeks without my fiver before Winegard finally decided they did not know why even though it said locked on there was no signal. I personally went through the new coax directly from the LNB to the receiver with zero signal. This proved to me that the dish simply was not locking onto the birds regardless of what everyone said. I spent over four hundred dollars for shipping and another three hundred or so for Winegard to rebuild my system. It was returned to me and after reinstalling it it still had the exact same problem. Like I said the SK 1000, SK 3005 is junk!