Dish issues - still

Satellite help needed! Some background information:
Have used a Winegard Model MV3500A dome antenna since 2005, but last year parts became unavailable for it, plus the desire for HD programming caused me to take the less costly choice of going with Dish Network and a Tailgator portable antenna. And that's when the problems started. Found customer support to be unable to help me, so have done the following in order to get TV when I turn it on.

Ran new RG6 coax cable through the coach - with the exception of an external connection, it is a direct run from the external connection to the receiver - no splitters, switches, etc. Ensured that:
coach cable plus cable from coach connection is copper core - not copper clad.
antenna has a clear view of the southern sky and is level (installed a bubble level on tri-pod).
I use an iPhone app (Winegard Satellite Pointer) to insure the 3 birds are in the clear.

My experience during trips has been mixed. Sometimes the system turns on and we watch HD TV in just a few minutes. Sometimes the antenna cannot acquire the 129 bird - regardless how I position it. Sometimes the TV is working just fine in the evening, but when I turn it on in the morning, it is in SD only - sometimes only a box displaying that I can't see a picture. No one moved the antenna - did someone move the birds?
Would the Pathway antenna (larger dish) be better at acquiring the 129 signal? Have been told that 129 is a higher frequency?

Too old to deal with this frustration, I'm ready to trash Dish and go back to DirecTV. Am willing to try most anything to get consistent operation. What is the latest story on DirecTV HD with a dome antenna? Any user in the Phoenix, AZ area with any ideas, or that can assist in troubleshooting?

Although we have Direct I would suggest you stay with Dish.  If you went with Direct you would have to switch out for a open faced voal dish tripod setup.  Being not automatic it could mean time trying to find the birds.
Not being too familiar with your setup my first guess is you have a bad connection someplace.  Next time it happens run the coax from the dish directly to the receiver and see what happens.

1.  Make sure the coax cable you are using is printed with "3000 Mhz" or "3Ghz".  If not then you have the wrong cable.
2.  If you have the proper cable you probably have a poor connection on one of the connectors.  Try running the cable through a window directly to the receiver instead of using the internal coax you installed.  If possible, try buying a new 20' cable and move the Tailgator close to the RV.
3.  Or you have a bad Tailgator or a bad receiver.

I had a similar problem years ago when I tried to connect a satellite dish to the receiver using the existing internal coax in the RV.  It was RG5, not RG6.  It would work sometimes, but other times is would not work.  Bottom line it was weak signal to the receiver.  NOTE:  The signal strength display on the receiver showed a good signal. 

Thanks all for the replies, I have tried all of the suggestions with varied results. For example, changing the cable corrected the problem, however the next time the TV is turned on, it may or may not display as expected - and not the same error!

Previous cables were RG6, but not labeled 3 Ghz, so I have one ordered expecting to arrive tomorrow. According to the description, it is "50ft QUAD SHIELD SOLID COPPER 3GHZ RG-6 Coaxial Cable 75 Ohm (DIRECTV Satellite TV or Broadband Internet) ANTI CORROSION BRASS CONNECTOR RG6 Fittings Assembled in USA"

Hopefully that will deliver some consistency.

From experience only.  I have noticed that the longer the cable gets the more problems I have.  When mounted on the roof of the RV the cable length is about 6 feet, and if the birds are in the clear everything happens quickly and with good reception.  When I switch to the 25 foot cable things slow down and reception gets worse.  I have the most problems with the 50 foot cable with reception and signal strength.

Currently my Tailgater is sitting on a table with a 25 foot cable using a double male connector witch was too short so I added another double male and a 6 foot cable, and it still does better then using a 50ft cable. 

Moral of the story is the shorter the cable is the better, with 50 feet being the max.  Keep in mind this is total cable length, interior and exterior to your RV.  You must take into account how many internal feet from your exterior connection to the receiver.  My interior length is 6 feet, leaving me 44 ft external.   

Get a Winegard Pathway X2.  Bigger dish means it gets more signal.

I went to the DISH Tailgate package several months ago.  I am configured to have the 50' coax cable plugged directly into the Wally receiver. I used the cable supplied by DISH. The first time I tried to use it I required their technical support.  It took about an hour to get it working and it involved a Wally update.

Each time I setup it takes ~25 minutes to start working.  ~10 minutes to scan and find the satellite and another 15 minutes to download the guide.

Occasionally I've gotten an error message "Unable to connect .. please try x,y,z".  That is my queue to unhook the power cord from the Wally and try again.

I've been happy with DISH since we purchased this. 

I hope this helps.

thelazyl said:

I went to the DISH Tailgate package several months ago.  I am configured to have the 50' coax cable plugged directly into the Wally receiver. I used the cable supplied by DISH. The first time I tried to use it I required their technical support.  It took about an hour to get it working and it involved a Wally update.

Each time I setup it takes ~25 minutes to start working.  ~10 minutes to scan and find the satellite and another 15 minutes to download the guide.

Occasionally I've gotten an error message "Unable to connect .. please try x,y,z".  That is my queue to unhook the power cord from the Wally and try again.

I've been happy with DISH since we purchased this. 

I hope this helps.

Click to expand...

My experience also - except for the fact that I have NOT been happy with DISH.
Have a new cable arriving today, hope it helps.

For others considering buying a King Tailgater antenna for their Dish sat service, I strongly recommend spending the extra bucks for a Winegard Pathway X2 instead. The X2 has a better history of reliability, a larger dish for less rain fade, and it works with both the full eastern and western arc sats for more aiming flexibility.

Wow thank you!!!!!  We were wondering as having stayed in an area where it was not possible to get major networks over the air a lot of the time and mostly PBS and much of them in Spanish----missed that in school had to take Latin!!!!!!

Are thinking of getting dish service for the little we travel and have direct now.  Knew there were some issues between the two but as usual you really spelled out the differences!!!!!

One thing for sure it weaned us off of TV!!!!!  And that was not bad.  Never realized how much we watched.  Got home and still not that interested.  If you miss something you miss it nice feeling at the end of the day and more time!!!!!!

So thanks again will be in the know should we decide to plunge!!!!!!  Love this forum!!!!

OH shoot!!!!!!!  Needed to do the above post under "opt. For occasional use". So excited about the great information I hit the wrong line!  Sorry!!!!!!

We have Dish in our home so we naturally have it in our Motorhome as well.  We used to use a Tailgator but found a good deal on a Winguard Traveler and had it installed.  That's the best yet.  Once we are parked I just push the button and in five minutes we are watching our top 250 channels that we have at home.  It costs a bit more, but it's worth it.

BTW, If you are having troubles with tech talk on the phone insist an American tech.  They can then set your profile to always get help in the US.  It's a world of difference if you'll pardon the pun.  The Philippinoes try, but the language barrier is a bit too much.