Jack Conrad...Got a Question about a Digital Magic

[NJT5047]

I address this to Jack because he's successfully using one of these  crank-up dishes.  Anyone familiar with these "po'folk" dishes should feel free to join in. 
Do you operate your Wingard digital elevation LED with bus power or the 9V battery option?   
I bought a Digital Magic readout for my crank up Wingard dish a while back and the weather's getting nice..so now trying to install this thing..and all the other goodies that I've accumulated all winter.  Looks like it needs some sort of filter for the 12V if hardwired into the house system.   
My question is: did you hardwire and if so, did you install a filter?  What sort of a filter? 
The instructions don't say whether the filters should clean up spikes or keep voltage flat...?  Anyone?   Reckon how long a 9V battery would last?  Probably forever...   I have both 12V and a 9V battery...lacking enlightening information, I'm gonna use the 9V battery.
I hope this upgrade allows use of my rooftop dish...it's never worked to date.      Been forced to use a portable..which works fine.   
BTW, Anyone using 18 arms on their window awnings?  I'm looking at 18" in lieu of 24" arms.  The are too long I feel, and the 18 will look about right....?   My bus doesn't have huge windows...just regular stuff.  Penn MC9 standard fit. 
I don't think I want a 39" awning on the sides.  That would blank out the window from inside.  Think I'll go with the smaller 18" units.   
I'm open for ideas until about 10A tomorrow morning.  Ordering them.
I'd order them right now but don't recall the exact color of my main awning.  Hope Camping world can remember what it is. 
T's looking for the reciept, which we have, for the same info. 
Oh well.  I'm done for tonight anyway....Ya'll have a nice nite....we gonna partay!  Dallas is already acting up!   
Thanks in advance to anyone with ideas! 
Thanks, JR

[NewbeeMC9]

Hey JR,

Just a $.02,  I took the awnings off the rear of my bus, they like to catch too many things and get ripped up in the process.  I have enough to fix without that. Took the small front one off to paint and they all were lost to a shed fire.  Haven't missed them or feel like i need them.   I like MAK's Motorcabin idea to darktint and prop the window out if you want to open it.   Im pretty sure they were 18".

Haven't  tried to get the wineguard to work yet, that is still on the list.  So we'll see what you come up with.

More importantly let us know what you come up with.

[Ross]

I just use the 9V battery.  The battery lasts about 6 months.  I've never tried hooking it up to 12V.  When you intall everything, align the dish and see if the elevation readout is the same as what your reciever says it should be.  It may be one or two degrees off.  If it is, adjust the sensor on the dish accordingly.  I got lucky.  It was dead nuts the first time.

Ross

[JackConrad]

JR,
   Can your existing arms be cut down? (remove one of the end caps, cut the arm, and re-install the end cap). 
   I will have to check but I am pretty sure I wired my antenna into the 12 volt house system. It has been in for about 6 years and I have never changed a battery. I will go look when I go out to the bus thias morning.
    One thing you will notice is that if the bus is not sitting exactly level, as you rotate the antenna, the elevation will change by a few degrees (the further out of level, the greater the change). For direct TV, I crank the antenna up to about 51 degrees and rotate it in an arc between 230 and 250 degrees (I use a handheld compass to set the degree wheel on the antenna crank up knob thingy). As I am rotating the antenna, I watch the signal meter on the TV and also the digital magic indicator. If the elevation changes, I adjust accordlingly. If, after rotating the antenna between 230 and 250, I don't get any signal, I raise or lower the elevation a couple degrees and try again. Once I get a signal, I fine tune the elevation and then the azimuth for the strongest signal. I also carry a notebook and write down the settings and the location. This gives us a starting point if we are ever back in that part of the country.  Hope this helps, Jack

[NJT5047]

Thanks ya'll,  I'm gonna use the 9V battery.  That'll make install easier and who knows, it may still not work.  Reckon then I'll try a LNB.  Could be a faulty item. 

Jon I got Pen windows and they don't tilt out...they slide.  I think awings would be cool.  I don't have any right now. 
Trying to get the area above the windows cleaned up.  Awnings would hide a lot of evil.   Should keep a lot of sun out in the summer.
Cheers, JR

[JackConrad]

JR,
    I checked our bus. We are using a 9 volt battery.  We have never changed it. We only use the Digital Magic about 15-20 times a year. It has a auto timer that shuts it down after about 1 minute. If you are not done, just touch the button and it will come back on.  Jack

[Jerry32]

Useing the roof top crank up is sometimes difficult as you have a tendency to move it to fast. The best bet is to use a signal meter with it and if you get indiactions of satellites then the LNB is probably ok. You didn't say whaat you were useing for a reciever but if a Sish net system you need to select the right transponder too. I have used the winegarde for many years and like it better than a automatic. and yes the 9V battery is the best bet as you only have this thing on for a few minutes at a time.   Jerry

[Ross]

Mine seems to drain the battery just sitting for some reason....but it's easy to change, so it's not a big deal.

Ross

[NJT5047]

Thanks!   I may be guilty of moving the dish too fast...I dunno. 
I don't have any problem with the portable dish setup...rarely anyway. 
Got a signal meter, and as you state Jerry, I've had the wrong satellite...good signal, but no transponders.  So maybe the LNB is OK.  I called Wingard tech and they indicate that the LNB is compatible with DirecTV...that's what I'm using. 
Figured out one thing on my own...when looking for Az/El for setup, get the data using the zip code from the receiver...not off the internet.  A couple of times we had problems with the portable dish..and found that the bearings were wrong.  The receiver is always close.   
Suppose one could remove the battery when the bus isn't going to be used for a while.  9V batteries are cheap enough in any event. 
Thanks for the ideas...It'll be a bit before I pull the bus out.  Still winterized and we still have cold weather coming..back into the 20s this coming weekend.  Bummer!
I'll post the outcome.  For better or worse!
Thanks, JR

[Ncbob]

FWIW...after returning from Arcadia....had a reception problem with the dish.  A talk with the local Direct TV Dealer led me to the source.  It seems that pollen (yeah from the trees and plants) can build up on the face of the LNB and  block the incoming signal.  Detergent and water solved the problem.

NCbob

[NJT5047]

FWIW...after returning from Arcadia....had a reception problem with the dish.  A talk with the local Direct TV Dealer led me to the source.  It seems that pollen (yeah from the trees and plants) can build up on the face of the LNB and  block the incoming signal.  Detergent and water solved the problem.

NCbob

Now that's interesting! 
Best, JR