In-Motion will not toggle!! help!

[Drifter]

Hello,

I have a Winegard RoadTrip Minimax In-Motion. The model number is RT8035T.

Yesterday, I lost signal from the satellites because of a storm. Today, the sky is clear and I could not get a signal.

So, I started doing my check list of things and first thought the problem was my Dish box. I called Dish and found out that I am getting satellite 129 , but not 110 or 119.

Apparently, my dish is not toggling!

Can anyone help me with this?

How do I reset my minimax so it will pick up the other two satellites?

Why did I lose the connections to start with?

I have never had a problem with this system in the two and a half years I have had it. It works great!!

Please help!!

[Bill Adams]

Is the unit powered on (it must always remain on) and getting good 12V power? If you have power, do you hear the antenna moving when you turn it off and then on again? When you go into the receiver setup menu (Menu, 6,1,1) and click on the Check Switch button, is it showing the switch as SW64? Please exit from this screen without clicking on the Test button if it is showing SW64.
If it is showing anything other than SW64 then follow the instructions in your manual for doing a complete check switch routine.

[Drifter]

Well,

I have been able to determine that it is a power problem....either that, or the motor is burned out.

Ugh....anyway, I did all the tests with the dish network guys on the phone, then started working on the idea of tracing the problem down with the satellite receiver itself.

Well, it appears to be that the satellite receiver on the top of the rv is not getting power....it's not toggling. It doesn't search for satellites. Its stuck on #129...which is good if all you want to watch is HBO....so, now I'm trying to figure out what to do next.

Any suggestions would be helpful!!!

Thanks!!!!

[Bill Adams]

I am confused by a couple of things. If the antenna is locked onto 129 and there is no power, how did it get there in the first place? If you turn the power off and then power on again does the antenna move either in elevation or azimuth? There is no receiver on the roof so I assume you mean the electronics box. If you check the red and black 12V connection where it enters the box do you see 12+V power there when the switch is on inside? I assume that you are able to watch programming coming from 129, is that correct or are you getting no programming? When you go to the menu and then Check Switch, what satellite(s) appear there and what is your Switch type?
What model satellite receiver are you using inside?

[Drifter]

Well,

Let's see....the satellite dish was working and it was on satellite 129 when it quit toggling. It does get a signal and I can watch most of the HBO channels. However, it will not toggle to the other two satellites. How do I check to see if it's getting power?

The little green light that was working on the on/off switch is now not working. Does that indicate it's not getting power?

How can it be working on satellite 129 and still not have power?

And lastly, if this is not a power problem....would it be a burned out motor or something?

Thanks for all your help.

[Bill Adams]

You are watching satellite because the antenna is pointed and the power for the LNB comes from the receiver. The power switch is the thing that allows the antenna to move and toggle. I have seen a number of these green lights burn out, but in your case I believe that it is an indication that you have blown a fuse and there is no longer power going to the antenna. Without power, it cannot toggle. The fact that you were able to get where you are now, turn on the antenna and have it lock on indicates to me that you did have power when you go there and it sounds like it was toggling (still had power) prior to the recent storm. That leads me to the green light being out means there is no power. You will need to find out where the fuse for that box is and see if it needs replacement.

[Drifter]

Ok let me make sure I understand....the fuse for which box?


And this is all making sense to me now!!

Thanks for all the great help!

[Drifter]

I just talked to Camping World...they installed this unit two years ago. They said the power comes through the coaxial cable from the dish box......

does that sound right to you?

[Bill Adams]

I gave you the correct info. The power for the LNB inside the dome (the thing that receives the signal from the satellite) comes from the receiver. However, to make the antenna move you need a separate source of 12V power and that comes from the "box" with the green on/off switch. Only if power is available there can the antenna move.

[kleinfall]

same issue - so the green toggle switch gets 12V power from something nearby - I think the installers spliced into the antennae booster power. That still gets power but my green toggle switch does not - or at least it doesn't light up. So loose connection somewhere?