About Dish TV?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

RedT

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 12, 2008
Posts
563
Location
Glendale, AZ
As a new subscriber after 13 years with DirecTV, I?m finding Dish TV can be very frustrating. I am using a Dish Tailgater antenna and a Wally receiver. I have connected the coax directly to the receiver, and have connected it to the coach connection. Sometimes I get a signal, but most times not. The Check Switch, Acquiring Satellite Signal, Downloading Guide delays are quite time consuming when trying to determine the cause of not locking on to a satellite.

At the present time, when I check the satellites using the Diagnostics screen, all three satellites are shown as ?locked? with signal strength in the 40?s, yet I?m unable to view HD TV! The Guide lists the expected channels, yet when selected I get the error screen.

I use an iPhone app called Winegard Satellite Pointer (AR View) to check for obstructions that could block the view, and even though there is a clear view of the southern sky, most times the antenna will not lock on to the satellite.

I?ve changed coax cables, (purchased new high-quality ones) short cables, long cables, elevated the antenna, moved the antenna, ensured the connection was tight ? all with mixed results. Most times after many changes with the ^&^*(%$ The Check Switch, Acquiring Satellite Signal, Downloading Guide I still get the screen to unplug, resulting in the check Switch, etc. again.

Calling Dish Customer Service is a waste of time, since they always collect all the pertinent information and then tell me to unplug the receiver and replug. Of course this puts me in the long boot-up Check Switch, etc. routine ending with the same situation. I?m about to pull my hair out, except that I have none!

Is this normal system operation?

 
Do you know anyone with a working Dish dish setup that might let you borrow a connection temporarily? That would at least isolate whether it's Dish Wally problem or a King Tailgater problem.
 
Connected coax directly to Wally, and after all the boot-up gyrations Dish goes through, I got a good HD signal. Reconnected to coach connector, no HD signal. Found a coupler that seems to be worn. (the left one in the photo) Replaced coupler, and TV reception is normal.

It?s only theory, but it?s my theory:

Though the Diagnostic screen displayed 3 birds acquired, with satisfactory signal, and the Guide listed my channels, only SD signals would display. Most times, the 129 satellite would not lock. My theory is that HD places a larger demand on the coax, so a loose connection can cause problems. The worn coupler just wouldn?t make a good connection every time.
 

Attachments

  • Coupler.JPG
    Coupler.JPG
    35 KB · Views: 29
I am a bit north, but heading your way,  I too was a Direct subscriber for 13 years, (how did you like the we want to keep you spiel?), I switched to the TG and Wally.  Had a bunch of issues initially, have the OTA dongle and it maoinly needed a softeware update, after that happened overnight everything worked well.  I connected to the cable connection in my Elec bay, then searched it out in the electronics cabinet, pretty much makes the whole switch box unnecessary. 

  Once we get out of here and all the craziness of moving back to full time mode, 'll figure out how to pull it and reuse the space. 

Not even sure I want the built in inverter, not that likely to use it.

but that is a story for another thread.
 
PancakeBill said:
I connected to the cable connection in my Elec bay, then searched it out in the electronics cabinet, pretty much makes the whole switch box unnecessary. 
I did the same, but found I need to keep the OTA antenna amplifier.
 
Well, where we are, there is no OTA TV, so I figured I would just wait till we got to another area.  I suppose I could try it, but getting my head up in that area is a bear. 

 
Will the Tailgater scan 360 deg?  I want to mount mine, but if you were parked facing north, could it find sats to south?  I'll figure it out when I have more time, by setting it 180 deg out, but just wondering if anyone knows?
 
As I recall, the Tailgater instructions say to point the handle roughly north. I expect that's to keep the available rotational range in the general direction of the Dish western arc satellites.
 
NY_Dutch said:
It does look like "Case closed", Red. Glad you got it sorted out!

Wish it were, Dutch.

Worked fine last evening. Turned off, nothing touched. Turned on this morning, same BS.
Where I had signal strength in the 40?s on all three birds yesterday, this morning all channels are in SD, and signal strength is in the 20?s with a clear sky. (It?s Arizona ya know) ?

Wish I knew something about satellite TV.
 
PancakeBill said:
Will the Tailgater scan 360 deg?  I want to mount mine, but if you were parked facing north, could it find sats to south?  I'll figure it out when I have more time, by setting it 180 deg out, but just wondering if anyone knows?

It is not 360.  I have one mounted on the roof of my RV with the optional roof mount.  A couple times I have had to go up on the roof "pop" it out of the mount and turn it around 180, because the RV site had us pointed north east.  I would say that it is closer to 300+ish (not an exact measurement)

Other thoughts.  First, have you downloaded the app (or called) to update your actual location.  Dish uses different spot beams, maybe yours is attempting to use an incorrect spot beam,  Second, you replaced a connector and it temporarily fixed the problem.  I would recommend zero connectors, if possible.  Run the cable directly from the tailgater to the receiver, with as short as needed as possible.  I am currently using a 50ft cable directly, there is signal loss and it takes longer to change channels or do anything concerning the tailgater (like switch checks, program guide downloads, daily maintenance)
 
That was not me with the connector.  Now a question, options roof mount?  I'll have to look for that.  Found it.  So, this can allow you to reposition?  Nice.  That was the one concern I had about roof mounting, that there would be an issue with the direction I was parked in.



 
Yes, I like the roof mount.  I have on a couple of occasions went up to "pop" it out of the mount and turn it around, and I think twice put in a connector to put it somewhere else on the roof.  I carry various lengths of cable gathered over time (6, 10, 25, 35, 50, and 100 ft).  I think the first time I added the 10ft to move the Dish a little further back and face in a different direction, and the second time I used to 25ft to do the same.
 
Having had 2 months totally unsatisfactory experience now with Dish TV and a portable Dish Tailgater antenna in numerous locations, (see my original post) I'm of the opinion that I need a better antenna. After doing a bit of research, I'm thinking about the Winegard Pathway X2 due to the larger antenna reflector size, the ability to connect to 2 TV's, plus the ability to acquire either the Western or Eastern arc satellites.
Would appreciate any pro or con comments, or your recommendations.

 
RedT said:
Having had 2 months totally unsatisfactory experience now with Dish TV and a portable Dish Tailgater antenna in numerous locations, (see my original post) I'm of the opinion that I need a better antenna. After doing a bit of research, I'm thinking about the Winegard Pathway X2 due to the larger antenna reflector size, the ability to connect to 2 TV's, plus the ability to acquire either the Western or Eastern arc satellites.
Would appreciate any pro or con comments, or your recommendations.

From what I've seen in various parks, the Pathway X2 is definitely a better choice over the Tailgater. Personally, I use a manually aimed tripod mounted open face triple LNB dish that I can switch from one arc to the other for the best line of sight. None of the domes will work with our Dish Hoppers anyway, and the roof mounted Trav'ler type automatics are too limiting for the types of parks we prefer with lots of trees. My setup and aiming time is usually less than 15 minutes.
 
The Pathway X2 is better but frankly nothing beats a full size Manual DISH with a triple LNB for DISH You get all 3 sats (You need two different LNB's for eastern and western I think but am not sure.  Just the electronic part).  once locked on you can watch 2 3 4 different shows (up to 8 on most setups even more with advanced setups) scattered about al 3 satelittes all at the same time (OK, watch 2 and record 2)  NO other type of antenna (Other than an automatic rooftop dish) can do that.
 
Back
Top Bottom