MotoSat Problems

[Bill Jourdain]

I have a MotoSat Executive with Nomad 2 that was installed in the coach when I bought it.  It was programmed for DirecTV.  I followed the manual to reprogram for Dish but it would not find sat 110, only sat 119.  After doing quite a bit of research on this issue, I concluded that the Nomad 2 needed a software update.  I sent the unit to MotoSat in Utah and they supposedly updated the software to the latest version (40.9) and shipped it back to me.

Upon reconnecting everything (I am using a Dish VIP211K), I programmed the Nomad 2 to use Dish sats 110 and 119.  Upon performing the test (after power on, pressing find and stow), I received the error message that it could not find the primary sat, only the secondary.  I do not know which is which.  After reprogramming several times, the same result was given.  Because the error message indicates that the sat it could not find was likely blocked, I moved to a new location with a clear view of the sky.  Same result.

So, to see what was happening, I put the receiver in the mode to watch signal strength. During one test run, it found sat 119 with about 76% signal strength.  During another, it found sat 110 with a signal strength of about 47%. Despite finding both sats, it never passed the test.  Likewise, when simply telling the system to find the sats, it just searches for a very long time and ultimately stows the dish and reports the same error message.

Of course, MotoSat tech support is closed on Saturday so I can't talk to them about this.  In speaking to them before I sent the unit back they assured me that the software update would fix this problem.  The easiest but most expensive solution would be to invest a lot of money in a Traveler or MotoSat HD system; however, that's not an expenditure I want to make at this time.

So, my question is if anyone here has had a similar issue and can offer any helpful hints to allow me to fix this problem.  Does the Nomad 2 have a signal strength threshold that causes the 47% sat 110 signal to not be strong enough?  Any helpful advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Edward Buker]

Bill,

It would seem that the dish electronics that tunes the satellite have seen both satellites so the signal path seems good. You could try this procedure, it may help and cannot hurt. I have a dish 722 and so I am making the assumption that things are similar. Go into Menu, Installation, Point Dish, and with the Motosat  dish power off select check switch and save it even thought it will tell you that you will get fewer satellites or programming stations. That clears everything regarding storage of satellite info in the receiver. Turn on the dish and satellite reciever together and let the dish start looking for satellites, you can watch it under the point dish menu. The dish should find what is programmed in the dish for satellites. When it seems to have stopped looking run a check switch and have it save both of them if it looks like they were both found. If not turn them both off and back on and let the process run again and do the check switch when it looks like both satellites have been found. Basically you are giving the satellite dish the command to look without any information and find what it is programmed to find in the sat dish, then with check switch you will be storing that info once it is correct. Once correct this process only needs to be done once.
  
Go to system info on the menu and check and see if the two satellites are found, this may also need to be run several times and see if both satellites that should be stored are seen on the page and that there is a green box highlighted on them. Let the receiver download the menu schedules and do its thing. This may not work the first time and some playing may be in order.

Sometimes what is stored in the receiver can be problematic and clearing and restarting the process will put things back in order. Hope this helps.

Later Ed

[Gerald Farris]

Bill,
Just one question, have you changed the single LMB that is used for DirecTV to the dual LMB that Dish uses, or are you trying to just pick up one sat. at a time?

Gerald

[Bill Jourdain]

After changing the program to look for 119, 110 and 62.5 it started working, although it does not lock on 110 every time when I use the find button to change sats.  I am using the Executive which only has one LNB, so you must manually switch sats.  Not sure why sat 110 is continuing to be a problem for the Nomad 2 controller, but it seems to not want to lock onto it every time.  Maybe it has a high signal threshold.