RT4035T searching with no results

[jlorencz]

I purchased a new Tiffin Motorhome a couple of weeks ago with the RT4035 dome. I hooked up a "Dish" receiver and everything worked fine for about 4 days.
Then one evening when I was preparing for bed the dome was making some funny twirling and squawking noises - so I turned the power switch off to it.
The next day when I turned the power switch back on - it twirled, and rumbled and squawked for about 5-7 minutes. More noise than I has ever heard from it before. It would find the satelites but not lock on any. Then a screen would come up saying the dish may be blocked by a tree or brach or weather. I'm under a great open space in the desert of southern California - so not blocked by any trees. The weather was a little cloudy so I waited until the next day (today) and tried again. Same results. Lots of noise but no action. After about 6 hours of resetting and retrying everything the only way I was to get anything to work was - as it searched for satelites - and locked on - but wouldn't stay locked on - I manually shut the power switch off at the moment it did lock on - and now have limited service. Not all the channels
All the rumbling, and "loud" turning noises, and squawking do no sound at all normal. What is going on with this? How can I get this system working the way it should? As an in motion system?
When I originally set it up I made sure the check switch was reading SW64. Now I don't know how to get back to that screen to check if it is still set there. I would appreciate any help that you can offer. Thanks. Jim
jlorencz Posts: 3Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2012 10:52 pm
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Re: RT4035T

by Bill Adams » Fri Apr 13, 2012 9:11 am

The check switch screen can be accessed from Menu>6>1>1 In the upper right is the Check Switch button. Let us know what is showing there. If it is not SW64 then do not start a new test but rather click done and return to the signal strength screen. The the satellite option to 119 and the transponder to 11. Now, turn the antenna on and let it lock onto the 119 satellite. Once it does and you have a good signal strength you will still be able to hear the antenna moving while in the in-motion mode. This will stop in 6 minutes as the antenna goes into sleep mode. Once it stops and sleeps you will need to run a check switch test right away as it needs to be completed within 6 minutes of sleep.

Bill Adams
Winegard Trainer
Western US
Bill Adams Posts: 398Joined: Tue May 24, 2011 6:59 am
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Re: RT4035T

by jlorencz » Fri Apr 13, 2012 11:39 am

Hi Bill, thanks for your immediate assistance. So I did the check switch thing. It shows Switch - none. I made sure the satellite was set on 119, and set the transponder to 11. I then turned the power switch on to the dish. It started doing its' thing but after about a minute and a half it just started a very loud humming as if it was stuck. I climbed onto the roof - removed the plastic cover on the dome and sure enough the apparatus was sitting there as if it was mechanically blocked. Still humming away. after about 10 minutes I climbed down and turned the switch off. Waited 10 minutes and turned the switch back on. It started doing its thing again, turning and looking. I climbed onto the roof again and watched what was happening. It seemed to be turning okay, but still making lots of noise. After about 3 or 4 minutes it quit. I climbed down and observed on the tv screen that there was still no satellite locked. I switched to another screen which says complete signal loss - check for any obstructions. There are definitly no obstructions.
Now what...? any suggestions?
jlorencz Posts: 3Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2012 10:52 pm
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Re: RT4035T

by jlorencz » Fri Apr 13, 2012 1:06 pm

Just another note further to this:
Last week prior to connecting my "Dish" receiver, I first connected my "Bell" receiver. In order to do so I first had to change the dip switches on the dish to the correct Bell settings. I had Bell satellite service within a couple of minutes!
After that, I changed the dip switches to accomodate the "Dish" receiver and as mentioned previously after the initial set up I had "dish" service.
Great! I thought I would have access to either system as advertised by Wineguard.
So, this AM, after going through the trying to get the "Dish" system working without any results I tried the Bell system again. Which meant changing the dip switches again.
No luck! Now the bell system will not work either. The dish whirls and twirls but doesen't seem to be able to lock onto a satellite.

[Winegard Tech Help]

jlorencz,

With the Mission and the movement issues you are describing, I would attempt to use a different power supply that is rated for at least 7.5 amps. A good 12V battery would work.