Satellite Hookup Problems

[Neil]

I purchased a 2020 Keystone Cougar fifth wheel which is set up with Key TV. I purchased the Dish Network Tailgater with two Wally receivers. One for the living room area and one for the bedroom.

 

From everything I'm reading it should be an easy set up. I connected the Wally receiver to my television and then plugged it into the satellite hook up  in the wall mount. I connected the Tailgater satellite dome which I placed outside on a level surface. I connected the cable it came with directly from the dome to the satellite hookup on the outside of the trailer. The hook up area has a Jack for satellite and cable and it appears to be powered because there's a green light on the panel.

 

Unfortunately this does not work as there is no power getting to the satellite dome. When I hook up the satellite dome directly to the Wally, I can hear the satellite searching and there is obviously power to it. Somewhere along the way, there is no power when it's hooked up to my brand-new camper. There is no power going through the Coax cable and I'm not understanding why. This brand-new 2020 fifth wheel is supposed to be wired for satellite so I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong. Do I need a power inserter to get power to the antenna or do I need to take the camper back and have them rewire it so it works. Not sure if anyone else had this problem.

[Dutch_12078]

Try connecting the coax directly to the Wally to make sure everything works as it should. The run from the Tailgater needs to be uninterrupted by any splitters or switches such as the one that turns the green light on at the roof antenna power inserter. "Satellite ready" means the wiring is in place on the roof for the installation of a permanent dome or full face dish. The "Cable" jack is not suitable for Tailgater use since the splitter/switch blocks the Wally power from reaching the dish. My preference, and what I've done to all of our RV's, is to run a separate RG6 dedicated coax for the external dish hookup so the only interruption in the direct run is the double female F-connector where I connect the external dish coax.

[Neil]

I did connect it directly to the receiver and it works just fine… I’m just trying to figure out how to hook it up through the camper without having to rewire anything because I don’t know how to do that. Could I possibly disconnect the cable going into the powered key TV box and somehow to connect that directly to the cable running to the dump. That way avoiding be powered KeyTV box? I’m just not really sure what all the switches and splitters mean. I really don’t want to take the trailer back to the dealer because I probably won’t get it back for a while. Wondering if I can take it somewhere else. Thanks for your comment… Learning as I go

[Mark and Dale Bruss]

Search Google for a mod on the plate with the OTA antenna power switch.  It gives you a jumper to bypass the switch amp for satellite or to use the amp for OTA antenna.

[trailertraveler]

You stated that 

Quote

I connected the cable it came with directly from the dome to the satellite hookup on the outside of the trailer.

My trailer came with two satellite connectors and a cable tv connector on the outside of the trailer. One satellite connector is  for the main entertainment center and the other for the bedroom tv. If this is the case with your trailer try both. If there is also a cable tv connection, it is not uncommon for the connections to be mislabeled. Try that one also. When I got my current trailer, some of the cable connections were not properly connected. Check the length of the center wire on the coax connectors to make sure that it is long enough to make good contact. Check the connection at the back of all the connection plates also.

4 hours ago, Mark and Dale Bruss said:

Search Google for a mod on the plate with the OTA antenna power switch.  It gives you a jumper to bypass the switch amp for satellite or to use the amp for OTA antenna.

If you can not solve the problem with the satellite cable wiring and the cable connection works, you can use the connection for the OTA/cable tv as Mark and Dale suggest or install a pair of diplexers on that coax to combine and then split the cable and satellite signals. I have done both with good results on previous trailers. 

Edited June 19, 2020 by trailertraveler

[George the greek]

I had the exact issue. When connected dome to the outside cable input I could not get power to the dome. I think there must be some diodes or some such thing only allowing signal in and  not out. Soooo I ran coax from dome directly to wally and solved problem. The down side was I had the coax routed under the door into the coach. I bought another outside coax connector drilled a hole rubber grommet and an interior wall plate  near the wally now I have a working system that looks neat and professional. I still don't understand why I could not get signal out through the original set up for park cable. Im happy with my new set up

G the G   

[Twotoes]

You probably have two coax connectors on the outside, one for cable and one for sat. It is not uncommon for them to be mislabeled. Try connecting you sat to the cable connector. Also the green light is usually the antenna booster for the over the air (OTA) antenna on the roof. Mine is a red light. This should  be off for cable and sat and only powered on when you are using the OTA antenna on the roof. If neither the cable or sat coax connectors power your Tailgator then you may have to run a dedicated line as others above have stated. You can use the cable already installed for you outside sat coax connector and just dedicate it to the Wally inside, removing any splinters on the way. If you don’t feel confident doing it yourself then you need to go back to the dealer have have them make it right. Or in the alternative call a cable installer or a independent Dish authorized installer and have them do it. Dish can refer you to someone in your area. 

[rollindowntheroad]

I am having the same issue with my TT.  It is a 2018 Prime Time Tracer 253Air.  Bought the playmaker dish satellite with the Wally receiver.  I hooked everything up the way it should be and it wouldn't work.  Kept getting installation failed.  I did hook up the cable from the satellite dome to both the Satellite and Cable ports outside the TT, still nothing.  I ended up connecting the dome directly to the receiver and it works.  I know the line from the antenna works as I used that before getting the satellite.  The only thing I don't remember is if I had the green light on or off when I was trying to connect the satellite.  I didn't have the cable in the antenna outlet.  There is another cable outlet on the wall that I assumed was for satellite or cable.  The one for the antenna is under cabinets over the dinette.  I haven't messed with it any more, as far as I can see everything is connected.  I run the cable from the satellite to the Wally receiver through my door currently.

Any suggestions?

[ARGO]

I recently bought a Dish portable, & was informed by my RV place that some wiring inside an RV could be CAT 5, sat requires CAT 6. Had to run new cable to plug into trailer & have it work.

(Pls view me as a parrot, I don't claim to know what this all is, just passing it on)