I saw this on another thread (Riverbed "still in the water") and didn't want to hijack his thread.
" Although I'm PO'ed my KVH M3 Direct TV dome decided to stop working early this afternoon. I think it is a simple bad connection at the dome. It is not communicating with the internal reciever or even searching for the satellite. I checked the voltage at the RG-6 that carries the control voltage and signals at the receiver/controller and it is good. The problem is either the RG-6 or in the dome."
Bill,
I have have a different manufacturer and my dish is 8 seasons old. It works the same as yours though. Power to the dish is provided by the coax and I too have a receiver/controller. My dish was trouble free up to two seasons ago, I mention this because I have had three problems and all three of the problems I had have had the same or close to the same problem you describe.
Not sure if you ever saw what is under the dome, but there isn't much there.
Little parabolic antenna
Motherboard
DC servo motor
Four micro switches
big rubber belt and a few gears.
My first problem I had is the dish could not find the satellite, it would start a search than quickly abort. The problem was a broken wire on one of the micro switches.
The micro switches determine the furthest direction (up, down, left right) the antenna will move while searching. When the switch gets activated it tells the motherboard to go in the opposite direction. If the switch is broken, the antenna gets stuck in that direction and no longer moves, hence the problem of "not scanning" I went to radio shack and found a micro switch I could use, replaced it and all was good.
The second problem I had was the LNB went bad. The dish would search for the satellite, till it timed out and I would get an error message. N real test for the LNB (unless you had the tools). So I went to Radio Shack, picked up a LNB (they are all the same unless you have HDTV), replaced it and all was good.
The third problem I had and still do from time to time is the antenna does not move, it gets stuck, which like problem 1, will display the same symptoms you describe. I just manually move the antenna and all is good for a few months. I WD40 the crap out of the gear and band but I still seem to have this problem from time to time. I don't know why, but am thinking maybe a bad servo with an internal flat spot.
I doubt you have a bad fitting, I too thought the same, with my first problem, but was not that lucky.
When you check voltages at the dish you will see a jumper cable that goes from the motherboard to the LNB, remove the jumper at the LNB and check voltage there.
As mentioned, radio shack has LNBs, if yours is like mine, they have a special mounting bracket on the LNB, that is easily removed and put back on the new LNB.
Let me know how you make out and what the problem is.
Also, I suggest you have your wife around while you are on the hardtop, you may need her to check what the receiver is saying and you may need her to re-boot the receiver while you are playing with the dome.
Walter
" Although I'm PO'ed my KVH M3 Direct TV dome decided to stop working early this afternoon. I think it is a simple bad connection at the dome. It is not communicating with the internal reciever or even searching for the satellite. I checked the voltage at the RG-6 that carries the control voltage and signals at the receiver/controller and it is good. The problem is either the RG-6 or in the dome."
Bill,
I have have a different manufacturer and my dish is 8 seasons old. It works the same as yours though. Power to the dish is provided by the coax and I too have a receiver/controller. My dish was trouble free up to two seasons ago, I mention this because I have had three problems and all three of the problems I had have had the same or close to the same problem you describe.
Not sure if you ever saw what is under the dome, but there isn't much there.
Little parabolic antenna
Motherboard
DC servo motor
Four micro switches
big rubber belt and a few gears.
My first problem I had is the dish could not find the satellite, it would start a search than quickly abort. The problem was a broken wire on one of the micro switches.
The micro switches determine the furthest direction (up, down, left right) the antenna will move while searching. When the switch gets activated it tells the motherboard to go in the opposite direction. If the switch is broken, the antenna gets stuck in that direction and no longer moves, hence the problem of "not scanning" I went to radio shack and found a micro switch I could use, replaced it and all was good.
The second problem I had was the LNB went bad. The dish would search for the satellite, till it timed out and I would get an error message. N real test for the LNB (unless you had the tools). So I went to Radio Shack, picked up a LNB (they are all the same unless you have HDTV), replaced it and all was good.
The third problem I had and still do from time to time is the antenna does not move, it gets stuck, which like problem 1, will display the same symptoms you describe. I just manually move the antenna and all is good for a few months. I WD40 the crap out of the gear and band but I still seem to have this problem from time to time. I don't know why, but am thinking maybe a bad servo with an internal flat spot.
I doubt you have a bad fitting, I too thought the same, with my first problem, but was not that lucky.
When you check voltages at the dish you will see a jumper cable that goes from the motherboard to the LNB, remove the jumper at the LNB and check voltage there.
As mentioned, radio shack has LNBs, if yours is like mine, they have a special mounting bracket on the LNB, that is easily removed and put back on the new LNB.
Let me know how you make out and what the problem is.
Also, I suggest you have your wife around while you are on the hardtop, you may need her to check what the receiver is saying and you may need her to re-boot the receiver while you are playing with the dome.
Walter