Question about Tailgator satellite installation

We used Dish and I had a Tailgater. I found out the coax wire itself can be enough to prevent it from working. And if connecting through the RV - over-the-air connection, it simply did not work. My camper had a separate dedicated Satallite jack for attaching the cable outside the camper. Inside, on the opposite side of the wall was another jack for attaching the coax from the wall directly to the television.

I called DishTV on 2 different occasions and they said the problem was the coax wire. When I got the Tailgaiter, the installer gave me 50 feet of coax. (He did tell me to use that only, and I thought I knew better). Whenever I attempted to connect with any other kind of coax, the Tailgater failed.

I forget the difference in the wire, but there is some kind of rating difference. That might be part of the problem. Next, Dish does not play nice with other Television systems. It needs a dedicated line to your television (Dish Receiver), not going through a bunch of switches and stuff first.

If you can run a dedicated line from the Tailgater directly to the television (Dish receiver) (like put the wire through a window), you'll find out immediately if coax wire is the right kind. If you still cannot connect, it's the wrong wire.

I'd start there.

By the way, we quit DishTV. Got tired of them jacking our prices up. But I now have a really nice Tailgater cube I'm using for a door stop!

You must have a coax cable direct from the Tailgater to the satellite receiver (either a vip211k or vip211z). Then for HD you must have an HDMI cable from the receiver to the TV. If you do not need HD, you can use a coax cable from the vip211k or a RCA cable from the vip211z to the TV. Hard to say how your internal coax cables are routed, but the cable from the outside sat coax connection should go direct to the sat receiver without going thru switch circuits. It can use your internal coax cabling as long as it is a direct connection.

Sounds like you may have to pull the TV anyway if you want to connect via HDMI from the receiver to the TV.

The Tailgater must be connected straight to the Dish receiver, then a jumper between the receiver and the video switch. Connections from video switch should not change.
All coaxial should be RG-6
Make and Model of the video switch?

As other have said, your first problem is most likely the fact that you don't have a direct connection to the VIP211k or z receiver box (only these will work with a Tailgater). I have a Winegard Pathway X2 and it's the same way.

I suggest that you connect directly to the VIP211 box by running a cable in the window from the Tailgater, then you need an HDMI from the box to the TV, and see if you can get programming on your tv. This will tell you if the connections and cabling between the Tailgater and the receiver and the tv are correct. If not, then solve that problem first. You should also disconnect the existing cable that probably runs from your tv to a wall plate. AND you may have to tell your tv to look at a different input (HDMI ?). This is what I had to do.

Once you have programming, then you can address possible problem #2 - connect the Tailgater cable to one of your coach 'sat in' connections, re-connect the formerly disconnected interior cable to the VIP211 box and see if you still have programming. Some people have ended up running a new, direct, cable from the 'sat in' inlet to their receiver box, bypassing all switches, etc. These type of sat antennas don't tolerate switches, extra connections, etc very well.

As others as said, signal must go from Tailgater directly to VIP211 box. I was able to access the cables in and out of my control box. I unplugged the Satellite-in cable, attached a short extension coax, one long enough to reach the VIP211 box. That box is connected to one of the TV's component inputs.

During travel, I disconnect the VIP211 and put it into its original box. The tailgater also travels in its original box. Outside, I have 100-foot, 50-foot, and 20-foot coax cables. Sometimes, because of trees, all three must be connected together, but signal is good even over 10 feet of coax.

Wont work over with over 50 ft of coax. If you are using the 50' that came with the unit, then hooking to the coach it is traveling more than 50'. Get a quality rg6 at around 25'. It does not have to hook direct to box as long as you have a specific sat in from outside of coach. The amplified antenna is what messes you up if not. There are work arounds on youtube for that.

All of this info baed on a call wih the King Tech Support guy this past weekend.

Have a Tailgater for several years. It will operate on 100 ft of coax if it is Rg6 or at least mine does without any problems. Just need a clear path to the bird.

Using the Winegrad X2 with Dish VIP211 receiver on 200' of quality RG6 coax, no problems. The more connections in the line the more signal loss. I installed a coax connection on the TT skirt on the trailer's side. The back side of the connector goes straight to the satellite box, this way there is only one connection between the box and the dish. Much better signal strength than original three connections.

I would highly recommend the Dish satellite cell phone app. Using the camera in your phone and its internal gps and compass you look at your screen while aiming your phone's camera to the sky. You see the sky and small red "satellites" on the screen. Move around to find a clear shot to the sky and wala that's where you set the dish.