Disappointed in DISH TV

[Bgibbs]

We have been using DISH on the road for a little over a year and have been happy with it until this trip. We have the Winegard X2 antenna and were only getting some of our channels. I called DISH and was told that they do not offer support unless the antenna is connected directly to the receiver. What is the SAT connection to be used for then? I called Winegard and after going through extensive troubleshooting, I was told that the antenna was working properly and that the problem is with the DISH programming. I called DISH back, told them what Winegard said and they wouldn't budge. Now that I am home, I plan to see if connecting directly to the receiver makes a difference. If it does, I will have to figure out a direct connection without leaving the door open or cutting a hole in a window screen. I guess what really irritates me is that I purchased the receiver and antenna directly from DISH and only now did I get this story.

[Al and Missy]

Sorry, I'm confused. How is your antenna connected if not direct to the receiver (through a cable in the Airstream)?

Al

[RandyNH]

I would guess they mean without connectors in between, one cable, this would be to guarantee against signal loss from bad feed thru connectors.

Not knowing the dish system specifically, I might guess that your location played a part, as you've been happy until that location, the X2 being fully automatic I would be curious to see what the peak signal was that it stopped on, were all streams being captured or did it lock off center? If on center, was your location poor enough that the sides were lost?
How did it perform when you were back home, as normal?

[DKB_SATX]

Just as a troubleshooting step you can temporarily run the cable in through the door to a TV directly from the antenna and test the service that way, thereby getting the dish rep to move to the next section of his script.

[AnnArborBob]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

Just as a troubleshooting step you can temporarily run the cable in through the door to a TV directly from the antenna and test the service that way, thereby getting the dish rep to move to the next section of his script.

The above statement is 100% correct. When debugging, Dish wants to start with as few "variables" as possible. If your Dish works when connected directly to your Wally (or whatever receiver you have) but not when connected to the external satellite connection, then the problem is likely in the wiring inside the Airstream. Once Dish determines that the system does not work when connected directly to the receiver, then you move on to the next level which usually means a new dish or receiver. We had a problem with a bad satellite dish that once diagnosed with a direct connection to the receiver resulted in Dish sending us a new satellite dish which worked perfectly.

[Rich Jenkins]

Our Dish system purchased this year (Windgard Playmaker and Wally) has worked well.

The only time I only get 'some' channels is if I don't have line of sight to all three satellite positions Dish uses (think it is 129, 119 and 109 degrees, from memory.). I connect through the SAT input on my '16 FC direct to the back of the Wally.

Sounds like we need more info on your issue, as above. Signal loss could be anything in the connections, but it would affect 'all' channnels, not just some.

On the connections:

Does everything work satisfactorily connecting 'directly' from antenna to the Wally (as in, though the door)?

Are your connections at the SAT input clean and tight?

Have you tried a new coax cable?

Have you verified the coax at the electronics cabinet is making good contact to the Wally?

On the signal side:

When you only get partial channnels, how is your line of sight?

Have you checked line of sight with an IPhone App like Sat Finder Lite or similar?

Is the Winegard antenna physically aligned (coax jack pointing North) correctly?

Which channels, specifically, are you 'missing'?

Have you run the alignment diagnostics and selected the correct initial starting location?

What is your typical signal strength value when things are working normally?

[Bgibbs]

I plan on doing all these things after I decompress from 4 long days on the road.

On the plus side, the AS and the new tow vehicle worked flawlessly. From 20 deg in Bryce Canyon to 96 deg in west Texas. Even the GYM's survived the 3,000 miles!

[Al and Missy]

Originally Posted by AnnArborBob

The above statement is 100% correct. When debugging, Dish wants to start with as few "variables" as possible. If your Dish works when connected directly to your Wally (or whatever receiver you have) but not when connected to the external satellite connection, then the problem is likely in the wiring inside the Airstream. Once Dish determines that the system does not work when connected directly to the receiver, then you move on to the next level which usually means a new dish or receiver. We had a problem with a bad satellite dish that once diagnosed with a direct connection to the receiver resulted in Dish sending us a new satellite dish which worked perfectly.

You could always do what I do with DirecTV. When they ask me to do something that I know won't make a difference, I just tell them I did it.

But I like the idea of obstructions. I had the same problem a couple of weeks ago. I attributed it to not getting one of the sats.



Al

[Rocker66]

Llando is correct ( above )
If you don't hit all three satellites you get limited channels. Happens to me in a campground in AZ..I get everything but local channels.

[paiceman]

We had direct and a moveable antenna, then we had direct and a fixed antenna on a Newmar motorhome. We had all kinds of issues with the moveable antenna running thru the AS connections, if I ran the antenna directly to the Direct receiver no issue.

Now we have another AS and we have Dish. We have the traveler mounted on the roof, wired directly to the Dish 211z receiver - so far (as with anything to do with RVing) we have no issues, except trying to pick up a signal thru pine trees, other trees not much of an issue.

Good luck.

[Motown]

The Pathway X2 likes to be perfectly level to do a scan. I've had it find only two of the three birds if it's not level.

[doctorlewis]

I have DirecTV and have had a similar problem. It will not work when connected to the AS. I have to run the cable thru the door and it works fine. Of course, when the AS is connected to cable everything works so there is "something" about the connection not being direct.

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

Sorry, I'm confused. How is your antenna connected if not direct to the receiver (through a cable in the Airstream)?

Don't assume there's one cable running from the receiver to the access panel. There may be a switch, barrels, bad crimps and a bunch of things you can't see.
I had a "cable" connection with NO slack, and when I tugged on it the connector came off in my hand.

Originally Posted by Bgibbs

I plan on doing all these things after I decompress from 4 long days on the road.

Good!
My advice is to only change one thing at a time. First, run a coax through the door. Then, work from there, if successful.

[Al and Missy]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

Don't assume there's one cable running from the receiver to the access panel. There may be a switch, barrels, bad crimps and a bunch of things you can't see.
I had a "cable" connection with NO slack, and when I tugged on it the connector came off in my hand.



Good!
My advice is to only change one thing at a time. First, run a coax through the door. Then, work from there, if successful.

I'd suggest that the first test should be in original hookup since it is possible that there were obstructions in the path, or the antenna was not level. It might just work.

My original post was assuming that the system had been working for a year, and that the newer trailers had separate cable and satellite cables. Shame on Airstream if they put a splice in a satellite cable. But maybe they came to the end of a roll and didn't want to waste 10' of cable .

Also, any damage to the cable could create a frequency-selective loss that might affect reception on one transponder and not on others.

Al

[Betty Farmer]

We need a Glossary of terms particular to Airstream. What the heck is a "Wally"?

[Motown]

Wally is a very basic solo Dish receiver commonly used with RV Dish antennas.

[Betty Farmer]

Thank you, so much, Motown.Appreciate your defining.