New Dish customer

[Honcho1]

As the tile indicates, I'm a new user after being a DirecTV user for many years. The only time I get frustrated with Dish is when I want to watch TV in my motorhome. I'm using a Wally receiver connected to a Dish Tailgater.

Unable to get a picture even though the Winegard app shows that there are no obstructions. So, there are some terms that I do not understand. When the screen displays "Please wait while your switch installation is checked" What does that mean?
And Switch Status Box: Several columns in the box titled Satellite, Conn, Conn, Conn Conn
Tuner 1 Green check X X X

So, can you explain please?

 

[HipKat]

Switch Installation, or Check Switch as we call it is when the receiver connects to antenna, notes the type of Outdoor Unit and connects to the Sats. I've only installed 1 Wally with a Tailgater 3 and it took that Check Switch a pretty long time to finish.

The Status Box SHOULD read (With Green Checks showing that both Tuners are seeing all three Sats) or just 1 row if a Wally only has 1 tuner for a Tailgater

Tuner 110 119 129
1 X X X
2 X X X

 

[NYDutch]

How long is the cable from the Wally to the Tailgater? Anything over 50' gets really "iffy", and even more than 25' can be a problem sometimes. Also, the most reliable connection is straight from the dish to the receiver instead of using any built in wiring in the RV other than a dedicated run.

 

[Honcho1]

Thanks for the info Dutch & HipKat. On a few occasions I have satisfactorily acquired all three satellites, however the system seems to "boot up" differently each time. At my house, I can never seem to get all three birds, even though the app I'm using (Winegard satellite pointer) shows the position of the satellites and any obstructions (none) that may be in the way. The "Check Switch" status was always confusing to me.
Now that the weather has cooled, I'm planning to run another RG-6 cable from the front of the coach to the receiver. The current configuration is one connection at the back of a 36-foot coach.

 

[NYDutch]

That cable run from the back to the front by the time it's routed through the coach is likely close to 50' by itself, plus the length of the run from the coach to the dish. Try a dedicated run direct from the receiver to the Tailgater and see how that works.

 

[Jamie57]

When you connect a Tailgater Dish should rename the check switch as "Finding Satellites" or something like that. Since that is what is happening, it completes the "check switch" in three stages as the Tailgater is finding each satellite. The check switch doesn't seem to take that long for me, the guide download is what takes forever and it seems like it takes longer every time I use my tailgater.

 

[Honcho1]

Thanks again, Dutch. Found a "hole" in the sky, connected a short coax, and now am getting a good signal. Great info here!
Jamie57, I like your definition of the "Check Switch"!