Do We Need to Access Eastern Arc Dish Satellites

I use pathway (western arc only) and it always works unless your in the woods. Pathway X2 in my opinion is too big and I don't like the moving parts being on the outside.
Up and down the east coast and gulf coast I change the locals and never had a channel missing.
We don't watch a lot of TV but we do watch it every day.

Thanks for the reply. I agree regarding the size and moving parts. I'm reading into this that as long as i have an unobstructed view, the western arc is OK.

pmallonee wrote:
Thanks for the reply. I agree regarding the size and moving parts. I'm reading into this that as long as i have an unobstructed view, the western arc is OK.

Maybe. Another factor to consider is the "elevation" of Western Arc & Eastern Arc sats. For example, if you're in Charlotte, NC, WA sats are at 32.6 degrees elevation and EA sats are at 48.2 degrees. In Erie, PA, the WA sats are at 32.6 degrees and the EA sats are at 40.8. The higher the better.

Those of you with domes aren't aware of this because you can't see you dome's dish struggling to "see" over trees, bushes, buildings, etc.

So, yeah, DISH is right this time, get an X2.

I have a Pathway X2 and am very happy with it.

The bigger size is because it has a bigger reflector so it works better in rain, clouds.

Getting both arcs is a big advantage when here are trees.

It fits fine in a belly or on the back seat of our toad.

Thanks all for the input. We'll be springing for the Pathway x2. It'll fit just fine in the back seat of the TV.

pmallonee wrote:
Thanks all for the input. We'll be springing for the Pathway x2. It'll fit just fine in the back seat of the TV.

Good choice. The Pathway X2 has not failed me the last 4 years, even in very dense overhead tree canopies in the wilds of Canada. The Winegard TR-1518 Satellite Tripod Mount is a great addition.

pmallonee wrote:
We're researching Dish TV and we live and travel between PA and North Carolina. Is anyone having success with their many choices of Western Arc dishes, or do we need the Winegard Pathway2, which is much more expensive. I asked Dish TV and they "recommend" the Pathway 2. It seems strange that at least 1/3 of their potential Mobil subscribers would need a ' special' dish...

Keep in mind that Dish really has nothing at all to do with Mobile anything. They don't make the antennas, they don't support the antennas, they don't care who uses the antennas, they sell satellite service to folks in homes who have an antenna permanently mounted to their home. They have offered up a pay-as-you-go service but that's not an RV service it just happens to be a service that RVers like and can use. The choice of antennas still remains yours.

pmallonee wrote:
Thanks all for the input. We'll be springing for the Pathway x2. It'll fit just fine in the back seat of the TV.

I did not know that TV's had a back seat!:W

Glad I had the Pathway X2 last summer on a trip from NM to Long Island. Needed eastern and western arc at some points on the trip.

Did have some problems with it two or three times, It did not find the satellites. It was looking in the north instead of the south. Don't know why. Had to power off and start again, sometimes two times before it locked on. Once on it was perfect. One time I had to tell it I was in the next state over before it found the satellites.

I fulltime usually in the southeast US and about half the time if I couldn't get eastern arc I wouldn't watch tv. Go for the Pathway X2.

As for moving parts, if you get rocks in the bottom delrin gears you might have a problem but it'll grind sand just fine. You shouldn't but it can happen.

I have a big round pizza pan that I put out inverted and set the X2 on it; that helps prevent it sitting in a puddle. I don't use a tripod because it can blow over pretty easily and it's better to have it rolling around than crashing to the ground.