Please help... trying to wirelessly sync two speedlites!

[splproductions]

I've tried getting this to work a million times and can't get the second speedlite to fire. I swear it's got to be something very simple I'm missing. Here is my setup.

1) Canon 500D with an OCF Gear "Canon ETTL" cable on the hotshoe (I realize I'm only transmitting Manual for this setup but its the only cable I have).
2) On a light stand I have a Cactus V5 transceiver. On top of the hotshoe mount of the Cactus I have the other end of the OCF cable, and on top of the OCF hotshoe I have a 580EX II.
3) Since the "bottom end" of that OCF piece isn't transmitting any info to the Cactus, I have a PC sync cord going from the 580EX to the Cactus. This way when I press the shutter on the Canon, the info is transmitted to the 580EX, and then through the PC sync cord to the Cactus.
4) On a separate light stand, I have the other Cactus unit, and sitting on top of that I have my other 580EX II. No PC sync cord is attached, since it's hotshoe to hotshoe.
5) Both Cactus units are set to channel 1. The Cactus unit attached via the OCF cable is set to transmit, the other one is set to receive.
6) When I press the little button on the transmit unit, both units light up green, which tells me they are talking to each other.

Now, I set both 580s to manual, fire off the Canon, but only the 580 attached via the OCF cable will fire.

What am I doing wrong? When I ditch the whole OCF cable and just put the Cactus right on top of the 500D, the second flash fires. So it's something about my setup with the OCF cable. But having my master flash on top of the camera defeats the whole purpose.

Help!

 

[analog.universe]

I'm not quite sure if I read that right, but I'll make a suggestion based on what I think I read and you can tell me if I'm right.

The OCF cable should go from the camera hotshoe to the BOTTOM of the Cactus transmitter. Your OCF cable is attached to the top Cactus shoe now right? One speedlight goes on top of that Cactus, and the other goes on top of the Cactus receiver.

 

[splproductions]

Aaaaahhhhh! Let me try that. One second...

I'm not quite sure if I read that right, but I'll make a suggestion based on what I think I read and you can tell me if I'm right.

The OCF cable should go from the camera hotshoe to the BOTTOM of the Cactus transmitter. Your OCF cable is attached to the top Cactus shoe now right? One speedlight goes on top of that Cactus, and the other goes on top of the Cactus receiver.

 

[splproductions]

I'm not quite sure if I read that right, but I'll make a suggestion based on what I think I read and you can tell me if I'm right.

The OCF cable should go from the camera hotshoe to the BOTTOM of the Cactus transmitter. Your OCF cable is attached to the top Cactus shoe now right? One speedlight goes on top of that Cactus, and the other goes on top of the Cactus receiver.

Holy crap! Thank you SO much! I have literally spent hours on this stupid thing! It's working now. I can't believe it was so simple... I knew having to use that PC sync cord didn't seem right.

 

[analog.universe]

You're welcome! Happy shooting