Fed up with Direct TV - need help!

[Vegas1]

Today I replaced my older King Dome with a new Winegard Roadtrip Mission connected to a Direct TV H24. The install went great until I attempted to test it out. I have the package that includes local channels, but unable to receive them while parked in front of my stick house. Sat 101 is fine and provides programming as it should. Sat 119 is not sending local channels, despite all transponders putting out signals above 86.
I literally spent over 2 hours on the phone with Direct TV, but they were unable to get the locals to work. I keep getting a message 721 stating I have to order the local channels in order to receive them. Direct TV says I already have it included in the package. I have done everything possible including the latest software update. Direct TV says they will a tech out,but I fear this may just be an installer who knows nothing about advanced tech issues. Besides switching to Dish, does anybody have any suggestions?
Bill

[Crodad]

I prefer to get my local channels over the air anyway. Especially with a SD dish. Over the air you will get HD programing. I only use my Wingard Quest for sat programing.

[wa8yxm]

Far as I know sat 119 is no longer used by Direc. they use 99, 101 and 103, 101 is usable by domes, the other two are not... But of course I may have been mis-informed.

When Direct first went with HD, they did use 110 and 119, but I'm told they stopped. that could be your problem. And they only broadcast "locals" in HD.

[filthy_beast]

DutchmenSport wrote:
We switched from DirectTV to DishTV a few years ago because they kept jacking up prices. We finally dropped DishTV completely too because they kept jacking up prices. We are now over-the-air only. So, we don't have to pay for fifteen thousand six hundred ninty-nine stations of advertisement any more. Do you realize, most stations show 1 minute of show and 2 minutes of advertisment.... time it and draw your own conclusions what you are really "paying" for. So now we get FREE advertisments! And we get what we get, wherever we happen to get it. And at least it's free and every camping spot is different. Our world is so much simpler now! My solution to your problem, get rid of satellite TV and just stick with over-the-air.

Count yourself lucky you were able to talk to a real person on the phone!

2 minutes of commercials for 1 minute of show, I think you have that backwards. It is about 22 minutes per half hour around here.

I am not sure how this helps him with his issue, maybe he doesn't want to give up his service, just get it working.

[jjrbus]

DutchmenSport wrote:
We switched from DirectTV to DishTV a few years ago because they kept jacking up prices. We finally dropped DishTV completely too because they kept jacking up prices. We are now over-the-air only. So, we don't have to pay for fifteen thousand six hundred ninty-nine stations of advertisement any more. Do you realize, most stations show 1 minute of show and 2 minutes of advertisment.... time it and draw your own conclusions what you are really "paying" for. So now we get FREE advertisments! And we get what we get, wherever we happen to get it. And at least it's free and every camping spot is different. Our world is so much simpler now! My solution to your problem, get rid of satellite TV and just stick with over-the-air.

Count yourself lucky you were able to talk to a real person on the phone!

I'll second that,I dumped mine for same reasons. If they want to rob people use a gun and mask like regular crooks! Off the air and Netflix and Amazon prime for this camper. Jim

[Triker33]

I was under the impression that many locals, especially the smaller markets that came on line only relatively recently, are only available from the HD satellites. Is there a publicly available list of which satellites carry which locals?
This may help you check locals. don't know how much up to date it is.

I would think in the future almost all local's will only be in HD.
And the SD only receivers will need to be replaced with HD ones.

Are they still making and giving out SD Receivers?

[westernrvparkow]

Triker33 wrote:

westernrvparkowner wrote:
There are actually 10 satellites that are used by Directv worldwide. 5 are Ka band and 5 are Ku band. The Ku band satellites handle standard definition broadcasts and the Ku bands handle high definition broadcasts and are the satellites that support spot beams. I don't believe your dome can access the Ka satellites.

His SD locals are on the 119 that is a KU satellite.

And YES no dome built for a RV can access the KA satellites for HD and they are the 99 & 103. That have many HD locals including the Original poster's locals.

If he had gotten a Trav'ler SWM installed his problems would have been over. With the additional HD $10 monthly fees. And a much better picture.

In the USA only 6 satellites are used by DirecTV and one of those no longer used is the 109.8 & the 95 is for Latin America stations.

Still in use is the 101-SD 119-SD 99.2-HD 102.8-HD

I was under the impression that many locals, especially the smaller markets that came on line only relatively recently, are only available from the HD satellites. Is there a publicly available list of which satellites carry which locals?

[Ed_Gee]

donn0128 wrote:
Is your dish configured for multiswitch? If not, the antenna will not work. Plus reading the specs it seems like you need to manually switch from 101 to 119.maybe you need to think about getting a different antenna.

His dish is automatic. No need to switch satellites manually. It goes to the satellite depending on which channel the receiver is tuned to.

[Triker33]

westernrvparkowner wrote:
There are actually 10 satellites that are used by Directv worldwide. 5 are Ka band and 5 are Ku band. The Ku band satellites handle standard definition broadcasts and the Ku bands handle high definition broadcasts and are the satellites that support spot beams. I don't believe your dome can access the Ka satellites.

His SD locals are on the 119 that is a KU satellite.

And YES no dome built for a RV can access the KA satellites for HD and they are the 99 & 103. That have many HD locals including the Original poster's locals.

If he had gotten a Trav'ler SWM installed his problems would have been over. With the additional HD $10 monthly fees. And a much better picture.

In the USA only 6 satellites are used by DirecTV and one of those no longer used is the 109.8 & the 95 is for Latin America stations.

Still in use is the 101-SD 119-SD 99.2-HD 102.8-HD

[2oldman]

Vegas1 wrote:
I did not buy the wrong one.

If you care about HD you'll have to go with Dish.

[red31]

Vegas1 wrote:
I keep getting a message 721
Bill

I'd want a new box that does not issue 721 errors.

[Happy_Prospecto]

I would think you need to call Winegard tech support. To bad you didn't have someone who knows what they are doing install the dish, you could be watching TV by now. But to each their own, I guess.


The information is out there, all you have to do is let it in.

[westernrvparkow]

The answer lies in the spot beam and whatever satellite is used to broadcast that spot beam. There is a high likelihood that Wichita Falls locals are not on either of the two satellites your dome can access. There are actually 10 satellites that are used by Directv worldwide. 5 are Ka band and 5 are Ku band. The Ku band satellites handle standard definition broadcasts and the Ku bands handle high definition broadcasts and are the satellites that support spot beams. I don't believe your dome can access the Ka satellites.

[donn0128]

Is your dish configured for multiswitch? If not, the antenna will not work. Plus reading the specs it seems like you need to manually switch from 101 to 119.maybe you need to think about getting a different antenna.

[Vegas1]

One satellite at a time. It toggles between the two depending on which programming package you have. 101 is for most of the programming. 119 is for local spot beam. When you change the channel, the sat toggles to the corresponding satellite. I did not buy the wrong one.