Satellite Connections on Big Country

I am going to hook up a satellite dish on my 2009 Big Country. I looked in the owners manual but did not see anything listed. I see there are two different sections. I presume one is for the bed room and one for the living room. There are 2 connectors in each section, not sure why two connections. Direct TV thought it might be for the DVR? Can anybody give me information on the connectors and what is the proper procedure to hook up the cables. Thanks

Jim Bonhote
2009 Big Country 3285
2006 F350 Ford Lariat Crew Cab.
Eureka, CA
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
Here's how it works. There are two connectors each listed for the bedroom and the living room.
One connector of each pair routs to the roof for hookup of a dish there. So unless you are installing a dish on the roof you will not need those.
If using a roof top dish you would need to put a coax jumper across those connectors.
The other connector of the pair go to its respective labeling.
You will have to use either a coax toner or some sort of jumper and an ohm meter to determine which connector to use.
While you are hooking up your satellite, you might want to check all the coax connectors. Some have been found to have a ground shielding wire touching the center wire. That will mess up your signal. Also check all the crimps.


Peace
Dave
 

danemayer

Well-known member
I've attached a diagram of the coax layout for the Big Country. The 2012-13 models are a bit different, but I think this applies to a 2009 (even though your description sounds like you have the newer configuration).

As Dave mentioned, the roof is pre-wired to support a satellite dish installation. The wire from the roof terminates at a coax connector in the UDC (usually above all the plumbing hookups). Next to it is the coax connector for the cable that goes to the living room entertainment center. With a rooftop dish, you need to jumper those connectors. With a freestanding dish, you connect to the one that goes to the living room, which might be the leftmost of the pair of connectors.

If you have two pairs of connectors, one pair will be marked bedroom and the other pair living room. If you're lucky, bedroom and livingroom connectors will be labeled correctly. When hooking up the freestanding dish, try the leftmost connector of the pair marked as living room. The receiver gets connected in the living room to the connector marked satellite. If possible, use an HDMI cable from the receiver to the TV (HDMI carries both audio and video).

Before using the internal wiring for the first time, connect the dish directly to the receiver and get it working. Then hook up to the internal coax lines. If it doesn't work on the first try, assume the labels are mixed up and try the other connectors. You might have to try various combinations. If it still doesn't work, as Dave mentioned, it's not been uncommon to have bad crimps and loose or shorted connectors. The point is that if you don't get it working before trying the internal wiring, you'll be trying to solve for too many problems at the same time and won't know what's really going on.

If you're planning on using a receiver with DVR, things get more complicated because there's only one satellite coax line to the living room and/or to the bedroom. If that's what you're trying to do, let us know and we can point you to other threads where different solutions have been discussed.
 

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JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
To figure out which connector in my UDC actually went to the living room TV, I used two paper clips, a Bull Dog paper clamp, and an ohmmeter. They were not labelled worth a poop. Take both paper clips and straighten a leg on them. Insert on paper clip into the coax "hole" and use the clamp to secure the other end to the threads (creates a short). At the other end of the cables, like in the UDC, insert the other clip, but don't attach it to the threads. Use the ohmmeter to determine if you have resistance or not. Zero resistance, and you've found both ends of the same cable.
 

GWB2

Member
If the roof is prewired for a satellite to be mounted where do I find the connection on the roof?
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
Normally you will find the coax by removing one of the speakers in the bedroom ceiling.
They should be tucked in up there.

Peace
Dave
 

jdfishing

Well-known member
I would agree on trying the left most connector of each pair. It worked for me the first time with no problems. I also have a DVR in both the BR and front room. I can watch/record a program on one TV and watch/record a different program on the other. I had no problems or difficulty hooking things up. Good luck.
 
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