Second Dish for RV

[RickFox]

When the tech installed our Dish system, we ran into a couple of problems.

Although we were told by Dishstore that the install would use the eastern arc satellites for our location in Dallas, the installer shows up with the western arc dish.

He then tells us that the EA has poor reception and less channels for our area and that the EA has essentially been placed on hold. The Dish Network customer service says the channels are the same for both EA and WA and that the signals should be comparable in the Dallas area, but that they are installing on the WA except if there are LOS issues with WA. The install proceeded and is operational. I'm still upset about the sales side saying one thing, and the install side saying something else.

The tech also provides me a second dish for the RV - but without the LNB. He says I must get on the roof and remove the one from the roof mounted dish and take it along with me. He says I need to do this because it is "keyed" to my receivers and to my account. He says I cannot simply have a complete second dish. Does this make any sense??

 

[dsp81]

No. The LNB is not keyed to your account. I change my dish locations/configurations all the time. I just switched from EA to WA without asking Dish and the only annoying thing is waiting for the check switch to complete and the guide to download.

If you want, you can pick up another 1000.2 LNB off eBay. You can buy a whole 1000.2 (WA) or 1000.4 (EA) dish assembly for under $100.

 

[RickFox]

Its amazing the BS you seem to get from some of the installers. Since I have the 2nd dish, it makes sense to me to just get another LNB if it is less expensive and easier to ship to me. What do y'all think?

 

[dsp81]

That would make sense to me. The shipping on the dish kits is pretty expensive.

Is there a reason you wanted EA? If there was, that would be the only reason I would spring for the EA at home and use the WA on the RV. But if there's no advantage (ie locals or RSNs), the programming is the same on the EA and the WA.

 

[RickFox]

When I placed my order, I was told that EA was the latest and greatest and that overall reception across the US when we travel in the RV would be better than WA. I believed what the sales people told me. For that reason, I was confused when the installered talked down EA. He later said they only installed WA equipment, and he didn't even have an EA dish. He is the same guy who told me the LNB's were keyed to my account and that I always had to use the same one.

If WA is as good as EA, I'm OK with that. I would just like to have a consistant story told to me!!!

As far as purchasing a 2nd LNB on the Inet, that also seems a little bit confusing. My 2nd dish has a rectangular metal arm sticking out that has a plastic part screwed to it - sort of like a rectangular funnel. That funnel has 2 mounting holes that might accept the LNB. Does the LNB just mount into/onto this plastic thing?

 

[dsp81]

The angles are different for EA and WA. People in the east sometimes have trouble with WA satellites because their elevation is lower in east (110, 119, & 129). Likewise, people in the west would have trouble with EA satellites because the elevation is lower for those in the west (61.5, 72.7, & 77).

So depending on where you travel, EA could be better, or WA could be better. I live in Utah and was installed with EA (line of sight issues). I had the same problem some easterners have with the WA - the satellites were so low in the sky, that even smaller buildings blocked line-of-sight.

You can read more about the EA here: EKB: Eastern Arc

For the LNB, you are looking for a 1000.2 LNB. And yes, the 1000.2 LNB just screws into plastic adapter. The 1000.2 instructions can be found here: Dish 1000.2 Instructions. The instructions will be helpful in aiming the dish when you travel.

 

[KE4EST]

Yeah just get you another LNB, that installer didn't no what the hell he was talking about.