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A caution on Trav'ler and Hopper 3


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I have successfully converted two Winegard Trav'ler dishes to work with the Dish Hopper 3 and Hopper 3. It works well but I have run into an idiosyncrasy.

 

The issue was induced by a TIF (Technician Induced Failure). I was move my Hopper 3 from the trailer to the motorhome. While I was placing the Hopper 3 into the cabinet, I struck the switch (between Trav'ler and ground tripod) from the Ground Tripod position while the Trav'ler was in the process of seeking the satellites.

 

The Winegard Controller immediately went to Store mode. I restored the Switch to the Ground Tripod position and set the Trav'ler to seek the satellites. The dish went into a seek forever mode where it didn't stop on the satellites.

 

I tried to reset the Controller by storing the dish, pulling the power plug and waiting for a few minutes. I tried this a few times and worries that somehow I have damaged something in the Trav'ler or the Controller.

 

I put the original DPP LNBF head onto the Trav'ler. The dish did find the satellites. I cycled the dish up to the satellites and down a few times. I then put the DPH LNBF (Hopper 3) head back onto the dish. I cycled the dish up to the satellites and down a few times. Things were good again.

 

Not sure of how the Winegard Controller or the Trav'ler went crazy from have the DPH LNBF switched during a satellite position operation and stayed over the power cycle (plug out, wait, and back in). I understand less on how the DPP LNBF corrected things.

 

As of result of this, I will be carrying the DPP LNBF with me in case I need it again.

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Mark & Dale
Joey - 2016 Bounder 33C Tige - 2006 40' Travel Supreme
Sparky III - 2021 Mustang Mach-e, off the the Road since 2019
Useful HDT Truck, Trailer, and Full-timing Info at
www.dmbruss.com

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  • 2 months later...

And another thing . . .

 

A Travler modified with a Hybrid LNBF appears to be very sensitive to voltage from a Hopper 3.

 

During the Travler sat acquisition process, a modified Travler should be disconnected from a Hopper 3. Otherwise, you're likely to get a "NO LNB VOLTAGE" fatal error and the Travler will shut down and stow itself.

 

By mistake, I left my Hopper 3 connected to my Travler during the sat acquisition process for just a few seconds after which I disconnected it.

 

Apparently that was a few seconds too long because I got the "NO LNB VOLTAGE" screen of death.

 

After the Travler finished its shutdown, I was able to start it again and acquire my DISH sats. This time the Hopper 3 was disconnected from the get go.

SKP #79313 / Full-Timing / 2001 National RV Sea View / 2008 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
www.rvSeniorMoments.com
DISH TV for RVs

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We are at our 16th stop. We have the cycle of turning on the Trav'ler with Hybrid down pat. The coax switch between the Trav'ler and the ground tripod is set to the ground tripod. That has the Hopper 3 disconnected from the Trav'ler. The Trav'ler is started. We wait until the dish seek is finished. Only when we see the 119W 110W 129W in the display is the switch flipped to connect the Trav'ler to the Hopper 3.

 

The time for the Trav'ler seek can be 15 minutes.

 

For procedure, we flip the coax switch to ground tripod before the Trav'ler power off. That way the switch is in the correct position for the next stop.

Please click for Emails instead of PM
Mark & Dale
Joey - 2016 Bounder 33C Tige - 2006 40' Travel Supreme
Sparky III - 2021 Mustang Mach-e, off the the Road since 2019
Useful HDT Truck, Trailer, and Full-timing Info at
www.dmbruss.com

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...

As of result of this, I will be carrying the DPP LNBF with me in case I need it again.

It's kinda like carrying a rabbit's foot... Don't know exactly why it brings good luck but "don't leave home without it."

RVBuddys Journal Our progress into full-timing.
Budd & Merrily ===-> SKP# 088936 Other Websites:---> Hub of all my blogs
Clifford - 2000 VNL64T770 :: DakotR - 1999 C40KS King of the Road :: $PRITE - 2013 Smart Passion w/cruise

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