Satellite connections???

[Steve_O]

I recently bought my 2015 Cyclone HD 4200. I then bought a Dish Tailgater for it. When I connected the coax to the satellite ports next to the cable tv port, neither satellite port would work. I had to run the coax thru the window to connect to the Dish box. How can I fix this?

 

[jimtoo]

Hi Steve O,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum and to the family. We have a great bunch of folks here with lots of information and all willing to share their knowledge when needed.

First make sure your TV antenna amp is turned off. I'm sure some of our other members will jump in soon with some help for you.

Be sure and check out our Heartland Owners Club. Join us at a rally when you can and meet lots of the great folks here and make friends for a lifetime.

Enjoy the forum and your new unit.

Jim M

 

[etcmss]

many of us have had TV/cable/satellite problems. Mine was satellite outside connections would not work, and was traced to bad wiring that required replacement in a new unit. I've attached a similar thread that may help. cable resistance check, bad/loose connectors, hand over hand check existing wires, some have used wire tracers. Am not sure how the dealers/Heartland actually test the wires, but based on numerous owners problems it has not been thorough enough.
Many more owners will comment to assist. Good luck
Gary


diagram of your unit might be here:
http://manuals.heartlandowners.org/?man=/Electronics/Coax_Layouts/All_Brands

thread
//heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/53173-need-help-with-hooking-up-satellite-to-trailer

 

[NWILSON]

Welcome Steve_O!
First of all, don't get too hung up on the labels at the connections. It seems they frequently aren't all that accurate.
Secondly, access the back of the wall connections (at the UDC and TVs) and confirm the coax connectors are tight. Once you've done that you can set to work tracking down which connections do what with an ohmmeter and that piece of wire you ran through the window.
I know it's not exactly the answer you were looking for but it's your best bet for resolving the issue

 

[Debtramm]

I am having the same problem with my 2016 Bighorn, would like to have an answer if anyone has one.

 

[IronJ]

I recently bought my 2015 Cyclone HD 4200. I then bought a Dish Tailgater for it. When I connected the coax to the satellite ports next to the cable tv port, neither satellite port would work. I had to run the coax thru the window to connect to the Dish box. How can I fix this?

Yeah good luck with that....not to be a "Debbie downer" but your not the first and most certainly not the last to have issues......

For the good majority of us it's anythjng but simple.....

I took every outlet apart and checked connections and pulled out half the Basement tracing wires....

I gave up...cable in the window "Jerry ghetto rigged" for me too

Can't get a signal from my dish to ANY outlet in trailer....

Funny how people notice and ask "that big ol fancy thing ain't got no cable hookup "...

But hey..if yall figure it out lemme know too. ..

None of the provided diagrams even come close to the "spaghetti debacle" of wires and colors going on in my rig!!



Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G925A using Tapatalk

 

[etcmss]

in the Big Horn model like mine (3260EL) the satellite wire has a connector junction under the entertainment slide. I had no satellite to the front room TV and ended up replacing a section of cable from under the slide up to the TV wall plate connection. I took the basement wall down and hand over hand traced the cable. Broke the connection under the slide to find the cable up to the TV wall plate did not pass a signal. Hence new cable.
At my wall plate in the cabinet above the TV there is 2 connections. one is cable and one is satellite. they were backwards.

Finding and fixing was quite frustrating since it should have worked at the factory---or at the dealer----or should have been assembled like the drawing ........
Gary

 

[OldTanker]

FWIW in my 2014 Big Horn there was a cable connector that was in the basement area that came undone. I had it checked out under warranty after a day doing cable checking and the tech found the cable had come undone.

One issue I have with the "factory cable setup is this. There is only 1 sat cable connector. If you have a DR receiver you need 2. At this time have to run the second coax through the kitchen window. Factory really need to setup 2 cables as a default since any of us have more than the old single tuner receives.

 

[MikeR]

One issue I have with the "factory cable setup is this. There is only 1 sat cable connector. If you have a DR receiver you need 2. At this time have to run the second coax through the kitchen window. Factory really need to setup 2 cables as a default since any of us have more than the old single tuner receives.

Which satellite company are you using? Which satellite antenna do you have? Which receiver box? Maybe I have an answer.

 

[danemayer]

One issue I have with the "factory cable setup is this. There is only 1 sat cable connector. If you have a DR receiver you need 2. At this time have to run the second coax through the kitchen window. Factory really need to setup 2 cables as a default since any of us have more than the old single tuner receives.

Which satellite company are you using? Which satellite antenna do you have? Which receiver box? Maybe I have an answer.

With Directv DVRs, the old ones need 2 separate coax cables, but the SWM models that have been available for the last 4 years or so need only one coax cable to the DVR, assuming you also have the SWM LNB out at the dish.

Not sure about Dish Network.

 

[MikeR]

With Directv DVRs, the old ones need 2 separate coax cables, but the SWM models that have been available for the last 4 years or so need only one coax cable to the DVR, assuming you also have the SWM LNB out at the dish.

Not sure about Dish Network.

That is why I asked which satellite system he is using . Dish only requires one coax going from the antenna to the coach coax connector. He must be using an older Direct system.

 

[Debtramm]

We have a 2016 Bighorn. This may sound like a ridiculous question but here goes. Does the satellite only feed the main TV in the living area or should it run to the bedroom and outside TV as well. Thx.

 

[danemayer]

We have a 2016 Bighorn. This may sound like a ridiculous question but here goes. Does the satellite only feed the main TV in the living area or should it run to the bedroom and outside TV as well. Thx.

There should be a bedroom satellite connection. There's a good chance there are a couple of wall plates in the bedroom closet. One has 2 coax connectors and the signal booster On/Off switch. See the picture below. The unused coax connector on that plate should be the 2nd line from the Universal Docking Center (UDC). Connect your receiver to that unused connector and the receiver output to the wall plate on the right, or if there's HDMI, use that to connect the receiver to the TV.

 

[JohnD]

Our Prowler is at the dealership right now getting warranty repairs . . . and of course, the coax debacle is the hold up right now!

I traced it down while at our new favorite campground last month (Blue Mesa, CO) and got it working, but asked to the dealership to rewire it the way it is supposed to be.

Everything was wired up backwards, so basically I removed every single cable splitter in the trailer (3 total) and basically have a straight shot from the outside connections to the two TV's.

We don't have sat for the trailer, so not really concerned about that working.

When I called the dealership the other day to see if the trailer was ready for pickup, he asked me what I did to the cable wires . . .

I explained what I did (not really that complicated) . . . and he said "I'll have to have the tech call you because I don't understand what you are saying . . . ".

I never did hear from the tech . . . so I guess I will call up there today and try it again!

If they don't understand how to get it hooked up right, I might just tell them to skip it and fix it myself since I've already got it working . . .

I was hoping that they would fix the bad connections that are in places that I can't reach that they will be in anyway while getting the furnace ducts working.

 

[danemayer]

Our Prowler is at the dealership right now getting warranty repairs . . . and of course, the coax debacle is the hold up right now!

I traced it down while at our new favorite campground last month (Blue Mesa, CO) and got it working, but asked to the dealership to rewire it the way it is supposed to be.

Everything was wired up backwards, so basically I removed every single cable splitter in the trailer (3 total) and basically have a straight shot from the outside connections to the two TV's.

From a warranty claim perspective, the dealer may have a problem filing a warranty claim on something where you've made changes from the original factory installation and are asking them to rewire it the way it's supposed to be. While you may be sure that you've made progress toward a fix, they have no way of telling whether there was a manufacturing defect. Also, at this point, for the same reasons, Heartland may be reluctant to reimburse a re-build of the coax wiring.

 

[JohnD]

From a warranty claim perspective, the dealer may have a problem filing a warranty claim on something where you've made changes from the original factory installation and are asking them to rewire it the way it's supposed to be. While you may be sure that you've made progress toward a fix, they have no way of telling whether there was a manufacturing defect. Also, at this point, for the same reasons, Heartland may be reluctant to reimburse a re-build of the coax wiring.

They've already gotten the approval from Heartland . . . probably due to all of the complaints that are posted about it here and other places about the cable hookups from the factory.

It just seems that they (the dealership) don't have anyone that knows much about coax runs.

I'll report back after I call them when they open in a couple of hours.

Basically all I did was remove the splitters . . . figured out which wire was which . . . then put coax male-to-male connection studs where the splitters where.

I left all of the original parts on the top of the entertainment center for them.

The main issue with why there was no signal going to the living room TV was due to the fact that the cable coming from the outside connection went directly to the OUTPUT of the first splitter behind the basement wall and the other OUTPUT went to the living room, and the INPUT of the splitter went to the coax connection for the outside TV.

Splitters are one way only . . . the cable signal can only pass from the INPUT to the OUTPUT . . . and not backwards.

 

[teasac69]

Well, let me join the fray. I have a 2014 BH 3875 purchased in Sept 2014 and did not attempt to use the satellite until this October. No luck on first antenna. tried numerous methods and never could get connection. I have a toner and made sure the coax indicated was true. The toner only indicates continuity and does not indicate signal drop or interference. Cable TV or roof top antenna don't require the quality of signal that the satellite boys do.

So, purchased a new Tailgater, did the Joe Ghetto through the window with new coax and bingo, got good TV. I called out a tech (which cost me a bundle) and he traced out the wire and says my problem is the coax itself between the UDC and the front cabinet. He replaced both ends of that cable with that gold standard and no improvement.

I keep asking this question that nobody seems to be able to answer. "How much money do you have to spend on a coach to not have the gremlins in the little stuff?" I've had crappy wiring in the Lippert leveling system had to be redone, water pump check valve went out, lights falling out of the ceiling, no shower pressure with 60 psi city water supply; OMG where does it end.

I love my layout and looks of this BH, but I growing very weary of the gremlins I'm having to deal with. Of course nothing started until my warranty ran out. We purchased it a year early to our retirement so we've owned it over a year but it's been on two short (under 1,000 mile) road trips and 2-3 weekenders. This unit is supposed to be warrantied for full time use??? Holy crap what would I be dealing with if we were living in it??

I was given enough high grade coax to run a new line but where it is run to the slide will be next to impossible to run. guess I'll end up with an open window all the time to watch satellite TV????

any ideas experts? how can you re run that coax from the UDC to the back of the coach and the TV is in the slide?? which may be the problem you aren't supposed to crank coax down in a tight radius without breaking the shield.

frustration is setting in and I was Heartland's biggest fan and best unpaid salesman.

 

[cookie]

I am on my second Bighorn and have run new RG-6 to the rear on both units. I didn't bother with the OEM coax. A little work but no frustration.
If your TV is in a slide as mine is, you have to drop the coroplast in the area of the slide. You should find a barrel connector. I doubt that you have a problem in the slide although there could be a problem with the F-connectors on either end of that coax. Look closely for any shielding wire touching the traveler.
So I would suggest running a new RG-6 coax from the UDC right back to the barrel connector near the slide.
Oh, on one of my rigs I did fish a new coax up to the TV, although it was for another purpose.
Let us know what you wind up doing.

Peace
Dave

 

[teasac69]

Well, let me join the fray. I have a 2014 BH 3875 purchased in Sept 2014 and did not attempt to use the satellite until this October. No luck on first antenna. tried numerous methods and never could get connection. I have a toner and made sure the coax indicated was true. The toner only indicates continuity and does not indicate signal drop or interference. Cable TV or roof top antenna don't require the quality of signal that the satellite boys do.

So, purchased a new Tailgater, did the Joe Ghetto through the window with new coax and bingo, got good TV. I called out a tech (which cost me a bundle) and he traced out the wire and says my problem is the coax itself between the UDC and the front cabinet. He replaced both ends of that cable with that gold standard and no improvement.

I keep asking this question that nobody seems to be able to answer. "How much money do you have to spend on a coach to not have the gremlins in the little stuff?" I've had crappy wiring in the Lippert leveling system had to be redone, water pump check valve went out, lights falling out of the ceiling, no shower pressure with 60 psi city water supply; OMG where does it end.

I love my layout and looks of this BH, but I growing very weary of the gremlins I'm having to deal with. Of course nothing started until my warranty ran out. We purchased it a year early to our retirement so we've owned it over a year but it's been on two short (under 1,000 mile) road trips and 2-3 weekenders. This unit is supposed to be warrantied for full time use??? Holy crap what would I be dealing with if we were living in it??

I was given enough high grade coax to run a new line but where it is run to the slide will be next to impossible to run. guess I'll end up with an open window all the time to watch satellite TV????

any ideas experts? how can you re run that coax from the UDC to the back of the coach and the TV is in the slide?? which may be the problem you aren't supposed to crank coax down in a tight radius without breaking the shield.

frustration is setting in and I was Heartland's biggest fan and best unpaid salesman.

Now the basement stereo system has failed and gone black, no power????? The carpet under the kitchen slide and on the steps is fraying and the refrigerator has come loose and hitting the island when you close the kitchen slide. WOW where does it end?

I replaced the water pump which seems to have addressed the fresh water tank filling on its own? Heartland sure needs to get on their pump provider and push for some improvements. I talked to customer service about the pump and it is a regular occurrence. They should be doing a recall or offering free trade-in replacements.

I'm getting very concerned about where all this is going? This coach is way too new, been used very little in the first year and certainly disappointing the number of gremlins that are popping up. Concerned about taking this out on our serious road trip plans for 2016??

 

[avvidclif]

On the Sat coax issue. Inside the UDC on mine was a splitter in the Sat feed. It was rated for cable TV, max of 900MHz frequency usage. Sat TV is 1700-2200 MHz. It will show continuity but won't work for satellite.