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Old 09-07-2009, 02:18 AM   #13
ZekenSpider
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Chandler, AZ
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Default The Winegard Satellite Dish and Antenna

Quote:
Originally Posted by drdementia View Post
Hello, everyone,

8. These questions may have to be handled by a Winegard dealer. We have a Winegard satellite dish on the roof (former owner never used it so couldn't tell us if the setup worked or not). On the interior wall of the TM right below the dish, there's a box mounted that refers to elevation; despite having TV/DirecTV unit plugged into the Winegard electrical connection on the side of the kitchen sink wall (and shore electrical plugged in and working) we could not get any response/light up/display on that box on the wall when we pushed the button. This was BEFORE we hooked up the unhooked wire on the battery. Does anyone know if that box operates from battery only and when our battery is operational, it should display elevation numbers? Probably need to have a Winegard dealer check it out, but thought I'd ask just in case someone knew.
This is all assuming you have the same antenna that I have (the Winegard RD-4610 with both a Dish and a UHF/VHF Disk). See the attached .pdf manual on the RD-4610 (with RM-DM61 elevation sensor) to confirm your equipment is the same as the one installed by the factory on my 3326. In my installation, the elevation display and the television connection plate are right next to each other on the end of the refrigerator cabinet. The wall plate to the right of the elevation display has two television type connectors and a black button.

The top connector is connected to your RD-4610 UHF/VHF Disk and the black button to the right of the connector turns on the preamplifier to the Disk portion only(UHF/VHF). This top connector(and the black button) have nothing to do with the satellite receiver connection. The top connector should go directly to the television antenna input(if you want to use it). It is like a "rabbit ears" antenna.

The bottom connector goes directly to the Dish portion of your antenna and is powered by 12 to 20 Volts DC from the satellite receiver. The Elevation Display is powered by Alkaline batteries behind the display(it is not powered by the TrailManor 12 volt system). The batteries may be missing or depleted. The manual says they should last 88 days based on 5 minutes/day usage but since yours is a used TrailManor, they may be so old that they are dead. Working properly, the display should "light up" when you push the button on the display, then "go out" automatically after a short time(whether-or-not your satellite receiver is connected).

FYI, the other television type connectors spread around the TrailManor are for connection to the campground cable service(if any) The input connection is on the side opposite the door.

My Dish portion worked really well(the UHF/VHF Disk portion was marginal), but it was a trick to get aligned. It is really important to get the north pointer "dead on" to either true north or magnetic north (which ever your SatFinder reference says to use). Then, line up the Azimuth and Elevation to the correct satellite position as stated for your Direct TV satellite. The Azimuth and the Elevation settings that will be required will change as you travel. There is a free application called Satellite Finder 4.9 available on the web that will give you the exact location of your particular Direct TV satellite (there are 6 of them, so you need to know which one is assigned to your account).

Once you are "close", use the receiver "System Setup" under "Menu" to home in on the signal. Make minor changes in Elevation, then sweep the Azimuth back and forth, slowly.

Of course none of this will work out if you cannot "see-direct line of sight" the satellite position from the position of your Dish.

Hope this helps,

Jerry
Attached Files
File Type: pdf Winegard RD-4610_RM-DM61.pdf (358.1 KB, 374 views)
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Essie, Jerry and Lil' Bit the Mini Schnauzer-(now replaced by TWO Mini Schnauzers, Sassy and Schotzi)
2010 TM 3326 loaded for 3 day trip, 4955# GTW, 26 gal. water, 9.5 gal. LP, 530# Tongue Wt., 15" Dual Axle, TST Tire monitor, Hensley Cub Hitch
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