Time for new satellite antenna?

[GlennB]

We have Dish Network in our 5th-wheel. Receiver is a VIP-211z (2 yrs old) and the antenna is a Tailgater (about 5 yrs old).
For the past 2 years I cannot receive in HD mode. (Note: when receiving via OTA antenna I get HD just fine.) I wonder if the problem is the receiver or the antenna? I suspect the antenna.
How to determine which, if either, has gone bad? Any ideas?

If I wind up getting a new portable antenna, I see that Dish, King, and Winegard all offer models that have the exact same physical dimensions. Maybe they are all the same unit?

Any thoughts? Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Glenn

[Bill_Satellite]

HD is NOT included in PAYG accounts. There is an upcharge for that. He also said he had a 211Z which would give HD "as long as" he is connecting the receiver to the TV via HDMI cable and not the R/W/Y RCA connections which is a SD connection.

[wa8yxm]

GlennB wrote:
We have Dish Network in our 5th-wheel. Receiver is a VIP-211z (2 yrs old) and the antenna is a Tailgater (about 5 yrs old).
For the past 2 years I cannot receive in HD mode. (Note: when receiving via OTA antenna I get HD just fine.) I wonder if the problem is the receiver or the antenna? I suspect the antenna.
How to determine which, if either, has gone bad? Any ideas?

Someone said "Are you sure you get HD from DISH?"
Dish advertised a few years ago that HD was included, at no extra cost on EVERY account.. So yes he's getting HD from DISH

You said you get HD OTA but not From Sat.. Different receivers. OTA HD may be included in your sat receiver or your TV. I get it on the TV.

Some Dish receivers are not set up for HD (Older ones) the antenna however (Tailgater) should be unless your view of the needed satellite is blocked.

Also how is the Receiver connected to the TV
HDMI. (High Definition Multimedia Interface) is required.
COAX will not do it as the receiver transmits in NTSC not ATSC.

[Bill_Satellite]

Pay as you go is not the same as the contract play. With PAYG HD is NOT free for life. If you sign a contract then it is even if you temporarily suspend the service during the year.

[azjeffh]

Wonder why if HD is "free for life", why am I paying $10 a month for my HD in my "pay as you go" plan?

I will have to investigate this.

[Dutch_12078]

A good choice, Glenn. I think the X2 will serve you well as long as you stay with the 211/Wally series receivers.

[GlennB]

Hi,
I am the OP of this topic.
I wound up purchasing a Winegard Pathway X2 portable antenna.
It is somewhat physically larger than my Dish Tailgater but does fit (barely) in an available interior space. It works beautifully. For the heck of it I disconnected the Pathway X2 and reconnected to the old Tailgater. I put the Tailgater in the same spot where I had the X2. Once again, I could not get HD programming. I think I made a wise choice.
I do wish to thank all of you for your information and suggestions.
Glenn

[hawkpat]

I would definitely try connecting directly to receiver. Several times I have had a very clear view of satellites but would not receive a few channels or not receive them in HD. When I connect directly all was fine.

[GlennB]

It's me again, the OP for this topic. Bill.Satellite suggests I check to make sure there's a clear view to all of the satellites, in this case Sat's 110, 119, and 129.
It so happens that this afternoon when I was doing my "tests", I, for the only time ever, put the Tailgater on the roof of the 5th-wheel. I put it on what appeared to be a level spot. Skies were clear and nothing blocking a clear view to the south. I made sure the Tailgater's handle was on north side.
For the heck of it, I ran my "tests" several times. I would loosen then retighten each end of the coax connections and would shift the Tailgater's position a bit. Then I would run the setup again. It would take about 20 minutes each time.
What I DID NOT DO was to connect the Tailgater directly to the VIP211z receiver. Instead, I connected the Tailgater to the factory fitting on outside of the trailer. I left the VIP211z connected to the factory fitting inside the trailer.
Maybe I should do the direct connection of Tailgater to receiver?
Glenn

[Dutch_12078]

Don't count out the Dish eastern arc sats west of the Mississippi. We didn't have line of site for the western arc from our site in AZ a couple of years ago, but the eastern arc was an easy shot. Right now, we're in southern VA and don't have a good eastern arc view, but the western arc is clear. If I was looking for a portable automatic dome dish, the Pathway X2 would be my only choice among the current models. Similar situations have occurred many times for us on moderate to heavily treed sites, and having the arc choice means we have never failed to get a usable signal so far.

[Bill_Satellite]

There is no skew adjustment required on any single LNB antenna. That would be every dome by every manufacturer. Dome antennas point to only 1 satellite at a time and the software simply re-points the antenna to the various satellites based upon your channel selection.

[bob_nestor]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
The Pathway has a full sized 18" antenna inside that dome and will give you the best signal available with a single LNB antenna. All dome systems, including your Tailgater, contain only 1 LNB and the antenna simply re-points itself to the different satellites (110, 119, 129 in your case) as you change channels. It seems odd that 110 and 119 are getting a good signal but 129 is not since it is the same LNB and the same antenna. You might want to ensure that you don't have something blocking your view to that satellite. We make assumptions that if we can see 1 we must be seeing them all. It takes very little to block the signal to the small antenna inside a Tailgater. If you download the app called Dish Pointer by Augmented Reality, you will be able to actually "see" the satellites from the antennas point of view to help you verify that this is not the problem.

I may be wrong, but as I recall from my experience in realigning my sat dish you can get good strong signals on 110 and 119 with just a good AZ and EL setup, but to get 129 you have to tweak the skew or tilt adjustment.

[Bill_Satellite]

The Pathway has a full sized 18" antenna inside that dome and will give you the best signal available with a single LNB antenna. All dome systems, including your Tailgater, contain only 1 LNB and the antenna simply re-points itself to the different satellites (110, 119, 129 in your case) as you change channels. It seems odd that 110 and 119 are getting a good signal but 129 is not since it is the same LNB and the same antenna. You might want to ensure that you don't have something blocking your view to that satellite. We make assumptions that if we can see 1 we must be seeing them all. It takes very little to block the signal to the small antenna inside a Tailgater. If you download the app called Dish Pointer by Augmented Reality, you will be able to actually "see" the satellites from the antennas point of view to help you verify that this is not the problem.

[GlennB]

Hi again. I am the OP of this topic. As for subscribing to HD, I'm supposed to have HD for life.
I just spent quite a bit of time with Dish C/S. It appears my Tailgater is sending pretty strong signals on Sats 110 & 119, but very weak signal from 229.
Apparently it is time to shop for a new antenna.
I got spoiled using the Tailgater, so I definitely want another automatic & portable one.
We live in San Diego and our satellite use will be in So. Calif, northern Michigan, Kentucky and points in between. Likely won't be along east coast again.
I suppose that means I won't have need for the eastern satellite feed, but I do like the fact that the Winegard X2 is a little larger in size than the others. I would think that means a larger antenna dish which means stronger signal.
Do ypu folks agree with that reasoning?
Glenn

[wa8yxm]

First to address the question someone ask "Are you sure you are paying for HD"
I seem to recall Dish adds. HD is free for life. so yes you are.

Second: Dish recently changed their Sat ID codes, so some older antennas can not lock on. I do not think the Tailgater (Which I believe is made by King Controls) is one of those which can not lock on but my decade old unit can not (Different company) but then it never did the Dish HD.

Dish used 3 sats for transmission, one is HD and it's farther west, if you are in the east odds are you can not see this satellite as it is below the horizion, if this is the case only switching to the eastern arc will help. OF all the antennas out that limits you to the Winegard Pathfinder X-2 (the X1 can not do the eastern arc, neigher can the King Controls made units).

Or a hard dish. I do recommend a Dish-1000.x antenna, but that's my suggestion.