To change DISH programming requires a new antenna?

[BluStem]

Called DISH to -downgrade- programming because we don't need or want Sirius radio. It's now AT120 w/locals and I wanted to change it to Flex w/locals. Before they would do that they need to send a tech out to upgrade our antenna?. I'm getting 119,110 and 129 on the 1000.2 and HD channels so why the upgrade?
Searched online and can't find anything close to why the antenna is all of a sudden outdated.
What's up? Trying to make downgrading difficult or what? I dunno..

[luvlabs]

All of you have managed to miss the fact that Dish, in some markets, move the local channels off one of the western arc satellites to one of eastern arc satellites. These hybrid pairing of satellites does require a new antenna. Reasonably common across the midwest. Not used for motorhome customers but sticks and bricks in these areas get new dishes.

[wa8yxm]

I wish I had a photo of someone speaking with a hat over their face (Talking through their Hat) I could attach.> but .. There is no need to "Upgrade" your antenna if you have a 1000 class dish now.

[jorbill2or]

Could it be they want to get people off the wa sat for the towns that now are on the ea sat so they can drop the wa feed soon and clear up space? That could be why the insistence to get you off that wa sat. I change locations with them all the time and had one place in Florida they insisted on coming out to change my dish at no charge(I explained I had a traveler to no avail to the ca rep)
I just looked at the sat footprints of different cities nearby and found another that was on the wa feed only and gave them that address ..10 min later no problem instant change ! That leads me to believe certain feeds the want very much to switch over. I can only assume they want to dump the wa feed.

[rk911]

BluStem wrote:
I'm now backed into a corner. My AT120 PAYG account is due, they still say I need a new antenna for Flex but can't say why unless I pay for the AT120 package. I told them I called before it was due but got the same run around about the antenna issue with no answers. I can't say I'm eager to gamble the money for another month of AT120 to see if they know why I need a new antenna or not.
I have two antennas. One on the tripod we use camping and one on the post at our lake site that has no view of the East. This is why it's an issue.

I tried to cancel the account and set up a new one for Flex and they wouldn't go that route.

did you speak with technical support as was suggested a few days ago?

[BluStem]

I'm now backed into a corner. My AT120 PAYG account is due, they still say I need a new antenna for Flex but can't say why unless I pay for the AT120 package. I told them I called before it was due but got the same run around about the antenna issue with no answers. I can't say I'm eager to gamble the money for another month of AT120 to see if they know why I need a new antenna or not.
I have two antennas. One on the tripod we use camping and one on the post at our lake site that has no view of the East. This is why it's an issue.

I tried to cancel the account and set up a new one for Flex and they wouldn't go that route.

[Dutch_12078]

BluStem wrote:
Well now, if all it has to do with locals we already get the locals with the current antenna. Should show that on their end I would think.

It should also show on their end, that the Des Moines locals are in HD on both arcs, and no LNB change or repointing is needed.

[BluStem]

Well now, if all it has to do with locals we already get the locals with the current antenna. Should show that on their end I would think.

[Dutch_12078]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
No new antenna unless you have a WA antenna and they believe you need an EA antenna to receive local programming. In either case, you just need to let them know you will be using this service in your RV and you plan to travel the US. The WA satellites (1000.2) are much better for travelers than the EA satellites (1000.4).

I have to disagree on the WA sats necessarily being better than the EA sats, since it depends a lot on where you are. Right now we have no WA view on our current site in central FL, but the 17 degree higher EA elevation here made hitting those sats quite easy. Last month, we were in a location in VA where the locals are WA only, but fortunately our site was open enough that either arc was easy to hit, with the correct LNB installed on our 1000.4 of course. In other areas, the locals are EA only. The bottom line for us is that having the choice of which arc we use has made it possible to get sat signals on every site we've been on for the past 5 years, regardless of the tree cover or other obstructions.

[johnhicks]

Hmmm..I have a Winegard Pathway X2 but there was no discussion of the actual dish. When I ordered Flex I specified No Locals. Kinda befuddled them a bit but I held firm.

I've learned that it's far easier to get things done via online chat than on the phone. Chat's usually easy while the phone get you a bubbleheaded nincompoop.

[Bill_Satellite]

No new antenna unless you have a WA antenna and they believe you need an EA antenna to receive local programming. In either case, you just need to let them know you will be using this service in your RV and you plan to travel the US. The WA satellites (1000.2) are much better for travelers than the EA satellites (1000.4).

[Dutch_12078]

BluStem wrote:
It's PAYG we use when camping.
We camp around the Des Moines, IA area. West arc perfect across the lake. To many trees for East at most if not all sites.
Dish down, antenna up today.

Tell Dish you don't need a different dish because you only have line of sight for the western arc satellites. The Des Moines locals are on both arcs in HD, so they shouldn't care which arc you're using. The dish or arc has no relation to which plan you're on.

[BluStem]

johnhicks wrote:
I changed from AT120 to Flex; all the channels work on eastern or western arc. I did have to get a (free from dish) sim card for the old 211K receiver.

That's me. I have a 211K and AT120 and wanted to switch to Flex but they say I need a new antenna. Makes no sense to me. Seems like nothing ever works smoothly when dealing with DISH.

[johnhicks]

I changed from AT120 to Flex; all the channels work on eastern or western arc. I did have to get a (free from dish) sim card for the old 211K receiver.