Dish & Wally Receiver

[campermama]

I have the King VQ4550 with the Wally Dish receiver. I have had this setup for a few months now with no problems. Just recently if I turn the TV on in the morning the Wally goes into Starting Up mode. I also notice the signal strength on all satellites (110, 119, 129) are all below 30. I have moved the dish (sitting on a tripod) to a spot where the sky is wide open (facing south), no interference and the signal strength is still the same. I am also missing a few channels. And it still is doing the Start Up mode in the morning (the time is set to reset at 2am).
Is there a problem with the dish? Or the receiver? Why can't I get a better signal?
I am in Fallon Nevada 89406....any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you!!


PS once the start up has completed it seems to work fine (except for the few missing channels)

[SparkDr]

There seems to be a lot of gremlins with the Wally’s in reading the various forums. For that reason, I’ve stuck with my VIP211z receivers despite their larger footprint and “older” technology. All I can say is that the 211’s have always worked flawlessly regardless of whether I am using them with a Pathway X2 potable or traditional 1000.4 DPP plus LNB. FWIW, I am using the Eastern Arc satellites (61.5, 72.7, and 77).

[Range_Maggot_Bo]

Yeah, I have the same problem quite often. Most of the time it's because of trees. With this particular dish, you really need a totally clear sky. I spend a lot of time leveling, setting up, etc. and usually to no avail. My wife goes out and kicks the dish, puts a few rocks underneath, and gets me a signal every time. Darn her! Anyway, I just keep going through the whole process over again a few times and sometimes I hit all 3 and sometimes not. I know how frustrating it is cause all I want to do is set it out and watch TV. We actually had much better luck when we had a tripod and DirecTV, but I got this setup for HD and the ease of setting up. Yeah, right. So keep trying, and you are now at the point where all you can do is try to figure it out yourself. Good luck, and let us know.

EDIT: I notice you are able to get all 3 when you go through the process in the morning. Last weekend camping, we never could get the third satellite, so you're doing ok. I have no idea why it needs to recombobulate every morning, but we have had that problem also. Not all the time, but sometimes.

[campermama]

I went ahead and got the RG-11 cable, I like it!! BUT.....everyday when the tv is turned on for the first time that day the Wally goes into startup mode! So it does it's mandatory reset every night but never gets back to the TV mode. So I'm guessing it's now the dish still not getting a "good"signal?
If I go to Summary it is locked onto 110, and 119, but no 129. I have do a reset and then it's all good again until the next day.

This is very frustrating to say the least!! Any words of wisdom to fix this? The satellite dish (King VQ4550) is out in the open.
Thanks!!

[larry_barnhart]

After not using our satellite and wally it did not work. Called dish and it showed we didn't have an update. One hour later the tv came on just as the tech said. I guess being off for over one month is the reason for not getting the update. I didn't have good luck with the tailgater so it sits in the garage.

chevman

[jrs1871]

We are also having reception problems with our Playmaker antenna and Wally receiver. We switched to this setup from Direct TV the first part of June. With Direct, we used the satelitte port in the wet bay and the internal connection with no problems. With the Playmaker and Wally, we do not get a connection is we use the trailer connections. We can only use a direct connection from the antenna to the receiver.
I have not put a meter on the internal satelitte setup. But it seems strange it worked fine with Direct and will not work with Dish. And we have made sure to keep it to under 50 feet including trailer wiring.
What we are doing works but I don't like the cable running out the door.

[campermama]

Range Maggot Bob wrote:
I'm telling you guys- I've had all the problems everybody here has, went through all the diagnostics with DISH and WinGard, and after they weren't able to help, they quit responding to my phone calls, email, etc. I can't really blame them; there was nothing more they could do. Then a friend of mine found an RG11 tri-shielded solid core direct burial cable on ebay. It has to be the one with the water-proof nickel plated anti-corrosion connectors and the nickel core . It is not cheap to buy. But once hooked up, I have had no issues ever since. I really don't think DISH is keeping up on cable technology. The cable comes in different lengths, but we got the 100 footer and have no line loss whatsoever. Can't say enough about cable quality!

Can you tell me where you ordered it from? I ordered it from Amazon and they can't seem to get it shipped, not sure what the problem is.
Thanks!!
SPower

[Range_Maggot_Bo]

I'm telling you guys- I've had all the problems everybody here has, went through all the diagnostics with DISH and WinGard, and after they weren't able to help, they quit responding to my phone calls, email, etc. I can't really blame them; there was nothing more they could do. Then a friend of mine found an RG11 tri-shielded solid core direct burial cable on ebay. It has to be the one with the water-proof nickel plated anti-corrosion connectors and the nickel core . It is not cheap to buy. But once hooked up, I have had no issues ever since. I really don't think DISH is keeping up on cable technology. The cable comes in different lengths, but we got the 100 footer and have no line loss whatsoever. Can't say enough about cable quality!

[campermama]

Larry-D wrote:
Try to download the most current software update. Dish was having an issue with their recent software update concerning signal loss. You might check the Dish website.

I finally got the new software to download! Signal strength got better, still low numbers. I ordered the better coax cable, RG11, which may also help some from what I have read.
Thanks everybody for the help!!

[jorbill2or]

All of the “domes” strength numbers on the receiver will be always be less than 50 according to the tech I spoke with. The small reflector is the main reason. Also cable length not over 50’ total to the receiver is what’s recommended but I know there are those that get away with longer.

[Cougarnewbie]

My Playmaker came with only a 30' cable. The guy from "Dish for my RV" said you have to include the length of cable in the wall. Mine is about 20'from the dock to the reciever. He stressed check your RG6 in the wall and anyting over 50' expect trouble. He may have been covering for the products he sells.
For the signal meter click menu....diagnostics....not sure where in that list is the satellites and signal strength.

[goducks10]

DarkSkySeeker wrote:

campermama wrote:

On the signal strength meter . . .

I ain't got no signal strength meter.

Go to the menu and search through for signal strength.

[DarkSkySeeker]

campermama wrote:

On the signal strength meter . . .

I ain't got no signal strength meter.

[Bill_Satellite]

campermama wrote:

DarkSkySeeker wrote:
Is "30" a bad number? I have the Wally and a Tailgater. No such number is reported (unless I just haven't seen it yet).

?? No such number reported??

On the signal strength meter 100 is the best you can get, so 15, or 21, or 28 is not so good. Those are the numbers I am seeing. Trying to figure out how to increase those numbers.....

You can never get a reading even close to 100. DISH changed the calibration so if you double the number you see than you are pretty close to what the meter should read. Therefore, about the best you can hope for is a 50.

[Larry-D]

Try to download the most current software update. Dish was having an issue with their recent software update concerning signal loss. You might check the Dish website.

[campermama]

Maybe a better cable? I have 2 connected together for a total of maybe 70', but before I moved it it was just the one 50' cable with the same results.