1518 won't lock on

[Librarian]

I am sorry to hijack this thread, but I am having the same problem with my 1518. Mine is 2 years old and has worked flawlessly until this spring. The serial number is 100568090309
Here is our situation:
Dish Network subscriber
Receiver is DP311 used in our bedroom at home and goes with us when camping

Here is what I have done to troubleshoot so far:
I have tried the antenna in 4 different locations which all have a clear view of the southern sky.
I have tried 2 different pieces of coax. One came with the antenna and the other I purchased. Both are in good condition with no cuts, kinks, etc.
The power supply is a Sunforce 5.8 amp converter. I have used a voltmeter to verify that it is putting out the proper voltage.
When I power up, I can hear the motors running inside the dome and it seems to finally stop looking for a satellite, but does not lock on.
I have verified the receiver operation by connecting it to our home stationary antenna and it works fine.
I have verified the sw64 switch settings and run the tests again. The results show it finds 110, 119 and 129.
The receiver will power up and run through the progress screen. It will eventually get to 5 out of 5 and the screen will briefly display programming information on a black screen but then go back through the progress mode again. I have checked the system installation and the best signal I was able to get was 62. On other occasions (I have tried several times) I would get somewhere between 52 and 57. I would think 62 would be enough for a lock, but the point dish indicator says it is not locked on and the tone also indicates it is not locked on.
This is the same receiver I have used since we bought the 1518 and it has never failed until now. Can the lnb degenerate over time? Are there other areas we can look at that I might be able to repair at home? If the dish needs repair, what will it cost me to get it repaired? We have really enjoyed our 1518 so far, but surely it should last more than 2 years. We have been very careful in caring for it and storing it properly when it is not in use. I have a vip211K receiver on order and it will arrive on Wednesday. I assume the 1518 will work with it. Please give me advice about how to deal with this issue.

[Winegard Tech Help]

Librarian,

To be completely honest, I would lean towards this being an issue with the receiver itself. All the Carryout can do is provide a signal for whichever satellite the receiver requests. And a signal over 50 is more than sufficient, as a lock is acquired at anything over 18 on the signal meter.

The 211k will tell the real story, but I highly advise hooking it up to your house dish the first time you use it. There is a new software installation wizard which in certain situations has worked incorrectly with automatic dome systems. I would hook it to your house dish first, let it run through its setup, and then follow these instructions to configure it for the Carryout: http://www.winegard.com/kbase/upload/re ... t_dish.pdf

[Librarian]

Thanks so much for the reply. Dish has advised me that a technician will install the 211K at our home on Wenesday. It will be hooked up to our house antenna first. I assume that whatever software upgrades are needed will be automatically downloaded. I may not be home at the time, but my wife will be and I will have her ask the technician about that. I am really hoping the problem is with the receiver. Everything has worked so well in the past. I have recommended the 1518 to many other rv owners and several of them have bought their own units. I will post the results when the new receiver is installed on Wednesday.

[Librarian]

Here is an update on my lock on problem. As arranged, the technician arrived & installed the VIP 211k. He downloaded all software upgrades. I was not at home, but my wife was. When I got home, I connected our 1518 to the 211 k and it locked onto 110, 119 and 129. Picture is great. So, the problem appears to be with our old dp311 box. We have a trip to Kentucky in 2 weeks. Everything should be good to go. Btw, there was no charge for the 211k or the service call. I don't mind the two year agreement. I am very satisfied with Dish.

Thanks for the advice on this forum. My faith in my 1518 is fully restored and I will continue to recommend it to all interested parties.

Don Williams

[Winegard Tech Help]

Don,

Glad to hear that. Hopefully everything continues to work great for you.

However, if you need future assistance please do not hesitate to log onto our forums or contact technical service at 800-788-4417.