Tailgater issues--Help

rudy

Member
FRUSTRATED: We purchased the Dish Tailgater and receiver(211K series)and Dish Monthly Family Service. I had to run to a Dish Retailer to get the software installed today. They installed the software.

If I go direct, satellite to receiver to TV with a HDMl 1 connection (receiver and TV) we get the opening screens, but we get stuck in navigation at the pick state location for scan---we can go no further. A guess is interference (trees) to hit the southern skies.

If I go satellite to coax outside of TT and use coax inside TT for connection with HDMl 1 to TV it sends me to steps 1 of 5 (activate receiver) and just keeps me in a loop through steps 1 to 5.

Is there something in the TT coax connections that keeps me in a loop.

Also, while in this loop I can not exit screens through the remote or pull all of the plugs (power, coax, HDMl !)---Inserting all of these plugs just gets me back to the loop I was in. It even includes ; cannot shut down receiver with remote power button.

HELP, Thanks John
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Hi John,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum. You'll find a lot of useful information here along with a lot of friendly people willing to share their knowledge and experience.

You didn't mention the type of trailer you have or whether it has internal coax that's labeled for satellite connections. The internal cable wiring usually won't support satellite signals because of the splitters that are usually installed, and also the satellite frequencies won't pass the signal booster used with the TV antenna (which shares part of the COAX run with the cable input on most trailers).

But when you have the dish connected directly to the receiver, you're having problems, so we know that's not a trailer problem. Someone familiar with the Tailgater setup may post some advice shortly, but in the meantime, if Tailgater has a customer support #, they can probably walk you through the setup and diagnose specific problems.

Once you get it working with the direct connection, you can move on to using the trailer satellite COAX connections. If there are additional problems there, I'm sure we can help you get through them.
 

pegmikef

Well-known member
I have the tailgater and I do know that the satellite antenna must have clear access to the southern sky. Any trees or other obstacles will cause problems.

I ran a separate coax for mine because the North Trail did not have a satellite hook up. I hook the antenna to the new hookup with the provided fifty foot cable. The receiver is then connected to the other end of the new hookup with another coax cable. I then connect the receiver to the TV with an HDMI cable and make sure the correct HDMI port on the tv is selected. Then, with the tv on, I plug in the receiver and after a few minutes it prompts for the state location and to scan. When scan is selected it does a series of three tests to check the switch. If there are any obstruction these tests will fail.

I have never had any of the other problems you have described, but the first time I used it I did have to call and have them activate the receiver and download the software (receiver has to be on and antenna hooked up). Each time I have called, they have been very helpful and walked me through exactly what I had to do. Was alway successful. Good luck because once you get it working you will really like it. I have been using ours all over the southwest for a year now.
 

ImAfossil

Member
Peg and Mike:

I kinda' figured the coax connection on our 2013 North Trail 21FBS needed another coax connection. How did you make this workable (drilling / fishing, etc)---To give you an analogy of my tech skills, I get lost in a small room'. I would give it a whirl if is a grade lower than simple---The other option, 'contract it out to an RV dealer' Thanks, John
 

GOTTOYS

Well-known member
Rather than just shutting it off, you need to unplug it then plug it back in to reboot it. If all else fails give them a call. They even have an RV department and you can understand them when they talk. I've had nothing but great service from Dish..Don
 

Silverado23

Iowa Chapter Leaders
Here is the link to the thread on instructions how to rewire your NT so that the cable hookup can support satellite or cable connections.
//heartlandowners.org/showthread.ph...TV-Hookup-question?highlight=solved+satellite
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
When I bought my Carryout and 211k from Camping World, I first set it up on my driveway which has a clear southern exposure. The manuals were a little sketchy, but once I called DISH, they got me linked up so I could make sure everything worked. At the CG, I had to play around with positions until I found a pinhole through the trees to "see" the satelites. It took some trial and error with hookup in the rig until I found the right spot for the antenna as well as which satelite port fed the rear TV. Initially, I ran the coax through a window to the receiver to make sure it was OK. But, as mentioned, their Help Desk is one of the best I've dealt with. I don't recall having to enter the state name in the menu to find the satelite, only the zip code. I did find that the time it takes to link to the satelites and download the program guide, etc., takes a bit longer than the 5 minutes is says on the screens. If you do get the "Acquiring Signal" screen, just leave it, go get a cold one, and relax. It may take a bit.
 
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