Gonna try out Dish this weekend

[rooney77]

The wife and I are taking the camper out tomorrow for a single night jaunt and I was wanting to try out my satellite setup. I was given a Dish antenna with 3 LNB's and I'm using the in house VIP722 box. My question is, can I only use one of the 3 coax wires coming out of the antenna or do I need to use all 3? The box is only connected to a single wire out of the wall in the house.

I had planned on running a coax from the antenna to the cable input on the outside of the camper then connecting the box to the receptacle in the cabinets inside.

[wa8yxm]

Sounds like you have a "Super dish".. I won't bother to explain save to say one of the coax connectors is for a 2nd dish (it is an input)

You should need only one coax. either of the other two ports.

To set up.. Go to antenna set up (I forget the path, Menu 311 is what my DTV converter uses but I think it was different (611?) for Sat receivers)

Enter the zip code where you are parked and write down the 3 numbers it gives you back (Azimuth, Elevation, Skew)

Pre-set Skew and Elevation.
Swing slowly through the azimuth while watching a portable TV hooked to the receiver.

When Signal peaks, Touch up Elevation and then Azimuth (They interact) SKEW is usually good.

Make sure the post is straight up and down (Plumb)

Should do it..

The software in that receiver for aiming the antenna is comparaible to the best professional sat finder meters (Bird Dog) which sell used for over 1,000 dollars.

[TechWriter]

ljr wrote:
If you have an older 722 you may also need a separator.

If you want to use both tuners on a 722, you'll need a DISH Pro Plus Separator (check eBay for cheaper prices).

A Separator is easy to wire.

[Butch50]

Another thing to remember is that you have to have a cable with no other devices in it. This is what I needed to have when I was running Direct TV. If you are trying to use the cable connection on the outside of your camper I doubt very much that it well work. You need to have a satellite connection. The cable connection normally goes into the same box that your antenna goes through. This has an amp in it plus switching gear. The reason for the cable straight from the receiver to the dish is the receiver has to provide 18VDC to the LNB on the dish to work and the regular coax line well not allow the 18VDC to get to the Dish.

If this is not true with Dish someone can correct me but I hadn't seen this mentioned so maybe it is not an issue with Dish. What say you Dish guys?

ON EDIT: I see Super Dave mentioned this in his answer.

[rooney77]

Thanks for the info. I had no idea I had to go straight from the dish to the box. That would have frustrated the******out of me.

[ljr]

Actually there are probably 4 connections though one may not be wired. Any 1 of the first 3 will work. The fourth is for another dish. If you have an older 722 you may also need a separator.

Dish has 2 groups of 3 satellites each they call the Eastern and Western Arcs. If your 3 LNBs are evenly spaced its a Western Arc dish. If 2 are closer together, its Eastern.

You can get aiming info at Dishpointer.com. Its essential the dish is level but even if it is, without a decent meter it can be difficult.

[Super_Dave]

When you go online, you can type in the approx. zip code of your destination and it will given you azimuth and direction setting to help you get close. A signal strength meter is also great to have.

SATELLITE connection on the camper CABLE connection does NOT work. You will have to go direct.

[kerry4951]

I have a 3 LNB dish at my home, probably similar to what you have.I get the major stations along with my local channels. When I take the receiver from the house to use in the TC, I have to go into the menu and change a few set ups (I recently learned that from an RV service tech). On my TC I have an auto Winegard dome that locates automatically, but I only get the major stations, not my usual local channels. I have only one coax wire coming from the dome to the TC. Not sure how you will handle the 3 wire issue. You might want to call or stop by an RV service facility who has someone that is knowledgeable with sat systems. I had to do that on our last trip thru Arizona but it was well worth the service fee to have someone explain to me what I was doing wrong.

[eagle777]

make sure you have a unobstructed view to the south as the satellites are stationed on the equator, makes for a faster connection.

[mikebreeze]

You will probably have to call Dish the first time that you hook it up so they can check your account, open your switch and set up your local channels. I have a Dish Tailgater and a VIP211K receiver. As long as there are no trees obscuring the southern sky, you will be OK. I downloaded an app called Dish Pointer Pro that does a great job of locating the 3 satellites that Dish utilizes. Good luck.

[JumboJet]

Actually, there should be a multi-switch that would connect all 3 LNBs to your receiver. Some of the multi-switches have outputs to multiple receivers.

The shape of the dish and the position allows the 3 LNBs to receive signal from 3 separate satellites.

You may be in for some frustrating fun if you have never tried pointing a dish before.