For anyone whose Dish reception stopped, it seems that Dish TV changed satellite protocols and the older KVH and Winegard antennas wont track the necessary satellites (mine is a KVH R6). They didn't tell anyone, manufacturers of the antenna's included. When I called DISH, they knew nothing, and after an hour or so the response was they can't do anything about it and we should leave feedback on their website. Apparently there is one person at DISH who is in the know about what happenbed, his name is Philip and his phone number is 540-394-2921. I haven't been able to get through to him to complain but I will keep trying. If it happened to you, you should call and complain. Or you could buy a new $2500 antenna...

This is certainly poor communication from DISH but I would expect that RV use is an extremely small market for them and not an impact on their business model.

sounds like you need to be calling king controls and getting a board update

What's considered older? We had our Dish Travel'r installed in 2013.

Actually I believe it was Directv and Dish. Our boat KVH system stopped picking up locals. KVH said that Directv changed the 119 Satellite frequency. I have to have some guys come out to the boat and upload a firmware change. You might look into that and see if it is just a firmware update to your box.Call KVH not Dish or Directv as they have no idea.Ken

DISH TV changes satellite signals | Good Sam Community

wa8yxm
Explorer III
Mar 25, 2016
The headline is misleading.. They did not drop RV service,

The original post however is much more accurate

IF you are using a Dish 1000 Dish, You have no problems, it still works.

But several of the older dishes can no longer Identify the satellit, and thus they will not lock on.. This only applies to auto-tracking domes and dishes.. Newer models may well work.

Is there a software upgrade that will fix it? Good question, not for my dish, but you will have to ask your dish maker.
Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Mar 25, 2016
Argue away as you like. This has been a known consequence for many months. It is now a reality and there is no getting around either of those realities. Anyone who claims this to be a new, unexpected, change is lying to their customer.
The ONLY change is the change from QPSK which King Dome and KVH relied upon for reception. Many of the King Dome antennas could be reprogrammed but the older ones could not be and are now useless.
I have no dog in this fight so if you disagree, god bless you! I really don't care.
DutchmenSport
Explorer
Mar 26, 2016
BB_TX wrote:
DutchmenSport wrote:
Yet another reason I am glad we no longer have DISH or DIRECT, but over the air! It's free, no hassles.

Except when you are in an area where the park has no cable, and there are no stations near enough to receive OTA. Something we often encounter.

That's when you pull out the old DVD's and the pop-corn ... or just spend time in bed snuggling! :B
bbaker2001
Explorer
Mar 26, 2016
so will the new tailgator units work. we are getting ready to get something, what is better
TechWriter
Explorer
Mar 26, 2016
bbaker2001 wrote:
so will the new tailgator units work. we are getting ready to get something, what is better

Since the Tailgaters (old and new) just pick up DISH's Western Arc sats (110, 119, and 129), buying a Winegard Pathway X2 makes more sense.

The X2 can acquire either DISH's Western Arc or the Eastern Arc (61.5, 72.7. 77) sats.

The ability to get DISH's Eastern Arc sats has is becoming more important because DISH is converting some local markets to Eastern Arc only.
georgelesley
Explorer
Mar 26, 2016
bbaker2001 wrote:
so will the new tailgator units work. we are getting ready to get something, what is better

+1. Will the Tailgator with 211 receiver work?
BB_TX
Nomad
Mar 26, 2016
markchioda wrote:
BB TX - this IS new news and is not the same discussion as nobody, even KVH, knew this was about to happen. This change just happened last Thursday (March 17) at 3AM. it affects dish tv subscribers with KVH or Winegard units; i.e. mine is a KVH R6 in-motion box. this is NOT the same issue as the Tracking Parameters software flash (KVH Technical Bulletin 15 & 16) needed to continue to track 119 and 110 on Dish. Direct TV users are still ok.

After a lot of google searching and finding nothing, I am trying to understand how it is that you are apparently the only person who knows about this new change that supposedly even Dish and KVH does not know about.
Thunder_Mountai
Explorer II
Mar 27, 2016
Can't believe that your KVH R6 was still working at all. Manufacturer dropped support of it years ago. We dumped our KVH in early 2011 because of software issues. Outdated technology. On the cheap buy a Tailgator or similar or get a roof mounted Travler.
markchioda
Explorer
Mar 27, 2016
Thunder Mountain wrote:
Can't believe that your KVH R6 was still working at all. Manufacturer dropped support of it years ago. We dumped our KVH in early 2011 because of software issues. Outdated technology. On the cheap buy a Tailgator or similar or get a roof mounted Travler.

my R6 still works just fine. Direct TV still comes in great and it tracks very well as you travel down the road. Dish used to work good, I had to update the software a couple months back for new sat tracking parameters but it was easily accomplished. I am told I still will be able to get 119 for dish but that will only give about 1/3 of the channel coverage so the R6 is unusable for Dish.
markchioda
Explorer
Mar 27, 2016
BB_TX wrote:
markchioda wrote:
BB TX - this IS new news and is not the same discussion as nobody, even KVH, knew this was about to happen. This change just happened last Thursday (March 17) at 3AM. it affects dish tv subscribers with KVH or Winegard units; i.e. mine is a KVH R6 in-motion box. this is NOT the same issue as the Tracking Parameters software flash (KVH Technical Bulletin 15 & 16) needed to continue to track 119 and 110 on Dish. Direct TV users are still ok.

After a lot of google searching and finding nothing, I am trying to understand how it is that you are apparently the only person who knows about this new change that supposedly even Dish and KVH does not know about.

Well then I guess you know best. I honestly don't care, one way or the other, I was merely trying to give DISH customers with in motion antennas a heads up but, true to forum fashion, when the "experts" chime in, then nothing else matters. For those of you whose Dish service goes down (marine or RV), Abbi at KVH Tech support is working on this or there is a designated tech at DISH (Philip, direct line 540-394-2921) that you can call and complain to, although he's very slow in returning calls and so far hasn't been much help.

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