Hi Everyone. Well, after 15 years the RV-Dreams Community Forum is coming to an end. Since it began in August 2005, we've had 58 Million page views, 124,000 posts, and we've spent about $15,000 to keep this valuable resource for RVers free and open. But since we are now off the road and have settled down for the next chapter of our lives, we are taking the Forum down effective June 30, 2021. It has been a tough decision, but it is now time.


We want to thank all of our members for their participation and input over the years, and we want to especially thank those that have acted as Moderators for us during our amazing journey living and traveling in our RV and growing the RV-Dreams Family. We will be forever proud to have been founders of this Forum and to have been supported by such a wonderful community. Thank you all!!

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: constant problems with winegard pathway x2---wtd?


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 291
Date:
constant problems with winegard pathway x2---wtd?
Permalink Closed


so after much reading I finally bit the bullet and ordered the winegard portable satellite dome from dish tv.

it's been one problem after another since installation on Wednesday.

we lose the satellite signal at least every two hours, and it's down for another two to six hours after that.

we've moved it from place to place, run the cable from the back of the unit directly through a window to the dish vip 211z receiver, I unplug and replug, start from scratch over and over and over and no go.

I have spent well over 7 hours on the telephone with dish and winegard technicians and it's still working for maybe six hours max a day.

it is windy here, when I had it up on a table I could see it rocking slightly, so placed it back on the ground in case that was preventing it from latching onto the satellite.

the southern sky is not obstructed for the most part, though there are oil rigs nearby. the oil rigs don't move, and are a fretwork not solid.

 

I just don't know how to determine if there is something inherently wrong with the product or if it's local conditions.

any ideas?

 

thanks!

 

 



__________________


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1417
Date:
Permalink Closed

Can only tell you that a little bit of movement from wind should not be causing all these problems...I have a meter that helps me lock on manually, you should be able to hook up a meter directly to the dish, if single strength is good then you know dish is good and the problem is wiring inside....that's my guess....

__________________
GOING FOR IT


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 291
Date:
Permalink Closed

thanks gene.

from where do I get the meter  and what exactly is it called---I'm learning all this as I go, so thanks for your patience.
that darn thing has been rotating since 1130 am today looking for the signal!
switch installation gets finished but then it cant acquire the signal!

 

oh boy, as I type this we've got two out of five green bars--maybe just maybe....
 



-- Edited by suse1023 on Sunday 11th of May 2014 04:34:49 PM

__________________


RV-Dreams Community Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 19
Date:
Permalink Closed

suse1023,

I have a Pathway, don't use it all the time, only when I can't get a signal with the roof mounted Trav'ler.

I also ordered the tripod stand when I got the X2, it comes with a screw-in anchor with a bungee to secure the dish/tripod from moving. That keeps the X2 from moving, even in a pretty brisk wind.

When I use only the primary port I can choose which satellite arc [East or West] I want to use, when you use both the primary and secondary ports [2 receivers] the X2 chooses itself. This can be annoying if the locals are only on one arc. In Florida the X2 would only link to the Eastern arc and the locals are only on the Western arc.

Once I locked onto the sats I would only lose the signal in heavy rain, otherwise no problems.

__________________


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1248
Date:
Permalink Closed

May I ask the cost of this system - initial layout and monthly?

__________________

Cheryl B. in her new RV

(well, not new any more! Full timing since 6/25/14)

2008 DRV MS 36TKBS3 (the CoW: Castle on Wheels), 2005 Ford F550 hauler (the Bull)

My blog is http://mitcheryl-rv-journey.blogspot.com/

My business: www.AZAdminSolutions.com



RV-Dreams Community Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 19
Date:
Permalink Closed

The X2 costs ~$400-450, the tripod is about $75. Here is a link for the X2 on Amazon...www.amazon.com/Winegard-PA-6002-Pathway-Satellite-Antenna/dp/B00G1XB8RO

There is no monthly fee for the X2, there may or may not be monthly fees for the DISH receivers depending on whether you lease or purchase them. In my case I purchased the receivers so my only monthly fees are for the DISH service and that varies on what you subscribe to. Could be as low as $40/mo.

The PathwayX2 is only one of many different antenna options, the least expensive option is a carryout like you see on the side of a house, the most expensive option is typically not of the roof mounted antennas yo see on RV's.

__________________


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1417
Date:
Permalink Closed

Go to Amazon and search "SATELLITE FINDER METER".....it's a useful item and only cost about $8....keep us posted....



__________________
GOING FOR IT


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 3721
Date:
Permalink Closed

If a meter does not do it, get the smartphone app "Dishpointer". It is called "DishPointer Augmented Reality" in iTunes and "DishPointer Pro" in the Android Play Store.

__________________

Bill Joyce,
40' 2004 Dutch Star DP towing an AWD 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid
Journal at http://www.sacnoth.com
Full-timing since July 2003



RV-Dreams Community Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 19
Date:
Permalink Closed

Not sure what the meter will do for you with the X2, this antenna will search for the sats itself, there is no manual adjustment needed. Thats why you're paying the extra money!!

If you want to use a meter you can get a simple sat antenna but remember, if you are trying to get HD, there are multiple LNB's on the antenna [3 with DISH] and you have to align all 3 to get full coverage, this can be difficult, not to mention frustrating. If you just want SD you only need one LMB, this is much simpler to setup.

__________________


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 2074
Date:
Permalink Closed

suse1023 wrote:

so after much reading I finally bit the bullet and ordered the winegard portable satellite dome from dish tv.

it's been one problem after another since installation on Wednesday.

we lose the satellite signal at least every two hours, and it's down for another two to six hours after that.

we've moved it from place to place, run the cable from the back of the unit directly through a window to the dish vip 211z receiver, I unplug and replug, start from scratch over and over and over and no go.

I have spent well over 7 hours on the telephone with dish and winegard technicians and it's still working for maybe six hours max a day.

it is windy here, when I had it up on a table I could see it rocking slightly, so placed it back on the ground in case that was preventing it from latching onto the satellite.

the southern sky is not obstructed for the most part, though there are oil rigs nearby. the oil rigs don't move, and are a fretwork not solid.

 

I just don't know how to determine if there is something inherently wrong with the product or if it's local conditions.

any ideas?

 

thanks!

 

 


Based on the symptoms you describe above, especially the part where it works and then it doesn't and the part where you are sure there are no obstructions, I'd suggest  a bad cable or bad center pin connection in the coax.  Is the center pin of the coax making good connection at each point?  Is the coax crimped going through a window so something like that.  If it works solid sometimes and then not and there are no obstructions, that sounds like a cable / connection problem.  Just a guess based on what you are describing.  But I must add "not blocked for the most part" doesn't mean the sky is not blocked.  When dealing with dish and the required multiple satellites widely spaced, "for the most part" may not be good enough.  My 2 cents.



__________________

Bill & Linda



RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 461
Date:
Permalink Closed

Wish I had done this search before buying the pathway 2 three months ago. Same problems as original poster. Buying new dish next week....the pathway is junk.

__________________
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.

Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us