Purchased a Dish Tailgater package for a good price back in September. Hooked it up to the TT and set the dish in the backyard. Worked like a champ. Went to Lake Ouachita last week and could only get one or two of the 3 sats for full programming. Came home and placed the dish right back in it's spot in the yard with the same issues. We currently have two residences (just got married) and we both have Dish Network. Sat the dish at my house next to my regular dish and nothing. Brought it to my Wife's house and sat it next to her regular dish and again, nothing. Wound up setting the tailgater on the roof of the house and finally got full signal on all 3 sats and full programming. Called King Controls who makes the Tailgater and was told that the Tailgater really requires perfect view of the Southwest Sky due to the size of the dish compared to the Full Size Dish which is more forgiving since it receives more of a signal.I am currently contemplating purchasing a standard dish and tripod for $150. The Tailgater might be "Automatic" but it takes me far less time to point a manual dish than it does to move and go through the 15-20 minute programming of the Tailgater 10 times. I almost used the Tailgater for target practice last night - SO FRUSTRATED! I can fire up the chain saw and start cutting down trees at my house, but I can't do that at the RV Park.My other consideration is to use a 20ft. pole that I have and a Tailgater mount to get the dish up high enough to be of any use. As of now, If I want to use my Tailgater, I'm going to have to preplan my RV Park useage to insure that the park is free of any trees! I should have considered the size of the tailgater before purchasing it. I just did not consider the signal gain of the full size dish vs. the small tailgater.Ideas? Suggestions?

You are absolutely correct when you indicated you need clear SW skies. I've had similar problems in some campgrounds. With the exception of only a couple this year that had a very heavy overhead tree canopy, I've not had any problems. We reserve our campsites wisely. As we do State Parks and State Recreation Area campgrounds, the DNR web site always has maps of the campground. I will take the time to pull up a Bing.com or Google.com satalite image map of the same campground and study the tree with respect to the campsite and then select the campsite with the clearest SW view. So far, this method has worked great for us.One thing I noticed, my Tailgater takes a few moments when switching between channels. I have come to the conclusion that the Tailgater must be locking in on the various satellites in the sky one at a time. Say for example, channel 222 uses satellite 119, then 223 uses satellite 110. When changing channels from channel 222 to 223, you have to give it time to lock in. Yes, it's a little slow, but the alternative is NO television programming. I also have the dish on a tripod that is pointed by hand. I found that to be a terrible frustrating experience, thus the reason for the Tailgater that does it automatically. So I now have both, but use the Tailgater all the time now.

Before shelling out $150 for an open face dish, check Craigs list or check houses with a Dish where the occupants are moving and see if they will let you have it. Dish lets people who are moving to just take their receivers and leave the dish antenna at the house they're leaving. I've obtained a couple antennas that way for free. Another source is a dish dealer/installer who sometimes gives away or sells the antennas for cheap.

We use the app DishPointer to find a clear view of all 3 sats and set it on the ground and it works every time. We tried the dish on the pole and we were quite entertaining for our neighbors! Sorry to hear yours is not good.

I don't use HD. Don't watch TV that much. I built a flat platform that sits on the ground. It has levels mounted on it. The dish is mounted to the platform. It is faster to set up than a tripod. On a tripod for 2 sats the tripod has to be plumb or it can be a problem.

I use the tripod and a dish I got off of ebay. I wish I had an automatic one and am considering the x2. Why. It can sometimes take a frustrating amount of time to get connected. I will still keep the tripod as, in one cg, I had to run 100' of cable to see through a hole in the trees.

Dish Tailgater - I don't like! | Good Sam Community

DutchmenSport
Explorer
Oct 28, 2014
You are absolutely correct when you indicated you need clear SW skies. I've had similar problems in some campgrounds. With the exception of only a couple this year that had a very heavy overhead tree canopy, I've not had any problems. We reserve our campsites wisely. As we do State Parks and State Recreation Area campgrounds, the DNR web site always has maps of the campground. I will take the time to pull up a Bing.com or Google.com satalite image map of the same campground and study the tree with respect to the campsite and then select the campsite with the clearest SW view. So far, this method has worked great for us.

One thing I noticed, my Tailgater takes a few moments when switching between channels. I have come to the conclusion that the Tailgater must be locking in on the various satellites in the sky one at a time. Say for example, channel 222 uses satellite 119, then 223 uses satellite 110. When changing channels from channel 222 to 223, you have to give it time to lock in. Yes, it's a little slow, but the alternative is NO television programming.

I also have the dish on a tripod that is pointed by hand. I found that to be a terrible frustrating experience, thus the reason for the Tailgater that does it automatically. So I now have both, but use the Tailgater all the time now.
JohnG3
Explorer II
Oct 28, 2014
Before shelling out $150 for an open face dish, check Craigs list or check houses with a Dish where the occupants are moving and see if they will let you have it. Dish lets people who are moving to just take their receivers and leave the dish antenna at the house they're leaving. I've obtained a couple antennas that way for free. Another source is a dish dealer/installer who sometimes gives away or sells the antennas for cheap.
conmoto
Explorer
Oct 28, 2014
We use the app DishPointer to find a clear view of all 3 sats and set it on the ground and it works every time. We tried the dish on the pole and we were quite entertaining for our neighbors! Sorry to hear yours is not good.
WyoTraveler
Explorer
Oct 28, 2014
I don't use HD. Don't watch TV that much. I built a flat platform that sits on the ground. It has levels mounted on it. The dish is mounted to the platform. It is faster to set up than a tripod. On a tripod for 2 sats the tripod has to be plumb or it can be a problem.
Crabbypatty
Explorer
Oct 28, 2014
I use the tripod and a dish I got off of ebay. I wish I had an automatic one and am considering the x2. Why. It can sometimes take a frustrating amount of time to get connected. I will still keep the tripod as, in one cg, I had to run 100' of cable to see through a hole in the trees.
dahkota
Explorer
Oct 28, 2014
If you can still return it, swap it for a Pathway X2. It has a larger dish and can pick up one of two sets of satellites (eastern arc and western arc). We have put the X2 right next to our rv roof mounted dish and found that it will pick up satellites in locations the roof mount won't.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Oct 28, 2014
The full size Triple LNB tripod mount is always the best dish, however it too needs a clear view of the s.w. sky

Winegard Pathfinder X-2 is #2

Tailgater is #3

If you do not want it, what are you asking for it. Make it cheap enough I might be interested, however it could be a while since I am not currently using Dish.
BB_TX
Nomad
Oct 28, 2014
As long as I can find a reasonable size hole thru the trees in the direction of the sats, my Tailgater does fine. I use the dishformyrv app to locate a hole to see the sats, but still sometimes have to move it a little one way or the other. But much better, at least for me, than trying to aim my 1000.4 tripod mount.
We_Cant_Wait
Explorer
Oct 28, 2014
We have the Tailgater and one thing I found missing from the operating instructions that was VERY vital to the proper operation of the unit was that the handle MUST be pointed North in order for the unit to properly pick up all 3 sats.
TXiceman
Explorer II
Oct 28, 2014
Unit505, I sent you a PM.

Also, we had a Tailgator and 211 receiver that were both replaced TWICE by Dish and King Controls. When I got the last working one back, I sold it on an RV website.

The trailer now has a Winegard RoadTrip MiniMax auto satellite antenna and we carry a Winegard Carryout G2 for when we are under trees.

They work MUCH better than the Tailgator.

Ken

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