I regret purchasing a Winegard Trav'ler for Dish Network

[ljr]

I suspect most Dish subscribers considering something like a Winegard Trav’ler already know that Dish has two “arcs” of three orbital locations each. Local, broadcast network (ABC, NBC, CBS & Fox) channels in the eastern half of the US are gradually moving to the Eastern Arc. The Trav’ler can receive each of those three satellites but only one at a time. You need two to get all channels, SD and HD, and all of the features of the Hopper if you have one. I believe the third is for non-English programming.

/rant on

If you are a Dish subscriber traveling in the Eastern half of the US that cares about the broadcast networks in HD (in a few markets SD too), the Hopper Primetime and commercial skip features and/or local channels in HD (in a few markets SD too) via satellite; then you should think twice about a Trav'ler (SK-1000). If any of the above applies to you the hassle of a Dish 1000.2 or 1000.4 on a portable tripod may be worth it. You can get a good portable setup, plus a decent meter for aiming, at a fraction of the price.

I put off getting a Trav'ler for over a year hoping Winegard would announce some plan for future Eastern Arc support but finally got it anyway. I figured they would be forced to address the issue eventually. I’ve asked the question several times since but the responses don’t make it seem like they even realize the product is gradually becoming obsolete. I’m at the point where I think I regret my Trav’ler purchase. I spent a lot of $ just to find myself, over a year later, still hauling a portable setup around too.

rant off/

Have any other Dish Network Trav’ler owners asked them about the Eastern Arc? If enough did perhaps they’d start thinking about doing something.

[az99]

So how did you do that to get both sats? What is your setup? Hopper?

There is nothing on 77 unless you speak spanish.

[dahkota]

We purchased a travler from Amazon in the beginning of November and had it installed a couple of days later in Mesa, AZ. A local Dish installer came out and put in a hopper and joey (cost, $0).

We are now in southern Virginia, surrounded by pine trees. We can only get 119 of the Western Arc so I tried the travler's manual mode to tune in sat 61.5. I got both 61.5 and 72.7. We have all our locals (Washington, DC) and all HD channels. I wasn't sure what we might be missing without 77 so I checked - we have never watched any of those channels. We are pretty pleased with the ease with which we got the eastern sats.

[ljr]

I just received a reply from Winegard to my periodic inquiry about EA support....

"The SK-1000 will not work on the eastern arc and we do not have any plans to update it to do so."

In other words "stuff it". I'll keep asking but I wonder whether I'm the only one

[Bill_Satellite]

gatorcq wrote:
I just don't understand. Change the LNB on the Traveler.
Then change the dip switches.

Same as in doing a Tri-pod mount. Different LNB's is all you need.

BYW, I was with DTV for over 10 years, 6 of them with our RV. I switched to Dish because of being RV friendly and their online Chat Service. I go on line, change my service address for locals and 15 minutes I am set.
AND we have the Hopper and Joey inside the rig.

So.....You can't change the LNB and have it still work and there are no dip switches. It's nothing like a tripod setup. We are DTV customers but we have a Genie in our RV so about the same.

[ljr]

gatorcq wrote:
I just don't understand. Change the LNB on the Traveler.
Then change the dip switches.

Same as in doing a Tri-pod mount. Different LNB's is all you need.

BYW, I was with DTV for over 10 years, 6 of them with our RV. I switched to Dish because of being RV friendly and their online Chat Service. I go on line, change my service address for locals and 15 minutes I am set.
AND we have the Hopper and Joey inside the rig.

I think you are confusing the Trav'ler with another model.

[gatorcq]

I just don't understand. Change the LNB on the Traveler.
Then change the dip switches.

Same as in doing a Tri-pod mount. Different LNB's is all you need.

BYW, I was with DTV for over 10 years, 6 of them with our RV. I switched to Dish because of being RV friendly and their online Chat Service. I go on line, change my service address for locals and 15 minutes I am set.
AND we have the Hopper and Joey inside the rig.

[randallb]

I once watched a gentleman throw his Dish antenna across the next campsite. He was about 2.5 hours in to setup and had finally had enough.
Randy

[az99]

Everything on 77 is just a SD duplicate of 72 HD channels unless your locals are there. I use the 2 head LNB at home and on my portable.


I have one of those 72,61 LNB's but it would take a completely redesigned bracket around it. It also would not resolve the skew issue.

The thought on modifying the standard 110,119,129 LNB was that I could manually go to 61 (which works) and then use the LNB head that is normally for 129 and modify that one for simulated skew and correct spacing.

[TechWriter]

az99 wrote:
There is nothing on 77 at this point that I understand.

Not true. Besides some locals, there are other programs as well on 77°.

az99 wrote:

When I get time I am going to cut up an LNB head and put the proper spacing in it and some homemade skew. I think I can do it so it finds 61 and the offset LNB head will be on 72.

Yikes! Not necessary. You may be able to use the 1000.2 "Eastern Arc Twin".

I've been thinking about doing this . . .

Since a Winegard SK1000 is just an automatic 1000.2 dish, the EA Twin might work:



The EA Twin only picks up the 61.5° and 72.7° sats so it may fool the Travler software. Maybe.

Though the EA Twin can easily replace the standard 1000.2 Western Arc LNBs, it's more difficult on the Travler because of the protective LNB bracket. It would have to be modified for the EA Twin:



Finally, having two, separate sets of satellites (Eastern and Western DISH sat arcs) is a distinct disadvantage for DISH users. No argument here.

However, along with my DISH Travler, I carry a tripod dish for those times that I park under trees. My tripod dish can be set up for either DISH's Western or Eastern arc -- so to me it's not a big deal (or deal killer) that the DISH Travler is "crippled" by being Western arc only.

[ljr]

Bill.Satellite wrote:

CA Traveler wrote:
Perhaps you can sell it to someone that's OK with those limitations and move on to something else?

The only possible change would be to a fully MANUALLY pointed, tripod based antenna if you still wanted all the functionally of a Trav'ler. The dome style antennas can be set for WA or EA but due to changes by Dish, even the EA option is not always a viable option with a dome.

I have a 1000.4 with both WA and EA LNB assemblies, a solid tripod and a good meter. I just don't understand the requirement that it be dark and raining every time I set it up.

[Bill_Satellite]

CA Traveler wrote:
Perhaps you can sell it to someone that's OK with those limitations and move on to something else?

The only possible change would be to a fully MANUALLY pointed, tripod based antenna if you still wanted all the functionally of a Trav'ler. The dome style antennas can be set for WA or EA but due to changes by Dish, even the EA option is not always a viable option with a dome.

[az99]

ljr wrote:

The existing LNBs are close enough to EA spacing that I wonder if I could get power to the skew motor and set it manually? There must be two wires in the control box cable that control it.

You work on the control box and I'll work on the LNB.:)

I would never buy another Travler for Dish to use on the east coast. It worked very well for me with Direc though.

[ljr]

CA Traveler wrote:
Perhaps you can sell it to someone that's OK with those limitations and move on to something else?

The thought has crossed my mind. I'd just go back to the portable on a tripod. I use it too often anyway and with it everything works.

[CA_Traveler]

Perhaps you can sell it to someone that's OK with those limitations and move on to something else?

[Bill_Satellite]

Certainly a good warning to all Dish customers.