Al F Posted July 21, 2016 Report Share Posted July 21, 2016 Just wanted to provide some feedback on the success of using our Dish Network--Winegard Traveler in Alaska. It has been working great. As long as we are not in trees or behind a mountain ridge. We even got a good signal about 30 miles south of the Arctic Circle. It was really strange seeing the dish point almost down into the ground. We got to about 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle, but behind a ridge, so we weren't able to test that far north. We have used the local channels from Fairbanks and Anchorage. A quick chat session with Dish.com has been successful in changing the locals. If we had been using a tripod, we couldn't have gotten a signal. With the dish 11.5 feet up, on top of the RV, it is above the brush and low trees. This far north you almost have to have a clear line of sight to the horizon. This is not to promote Dish Network I assume Direct TV would work. I have no idea about distant networks though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch_12078 Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 That's good to know, Al, thanks for the report! I should mention though, for others heading that far north, I have set up my tripod on the coach roof a couple of time to clear tree cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zulu Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 It was really strange seeing the dish point almost down into the ground. Get a photo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darryl&Rita Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 Seen them mounted upside down north of the Arctic Circle. LNB arm off the top of the dish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrschwarz Posted July 22, 2016 Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 I got 110 and 119 as far north as Haines. I haven't been able to get it since, regardless of whether or not there was something in the way. In Seward, the sats were out to sea so I know there were no obstructions. I got nothing. I did change the LNBs for the new Hopper 3. I don't know if that had something to do with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al F Posted July 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 I got 110 and 119 as far north as Haines. I haven't been able to get it since, regardless of whether or not there was something in the way. In Seward, the sats were out to sea so I know there were no obstructions. I got nothing. I did change the LNBs for the new Hopper 3. I don't know if that had something to do with it. Dish, or Direct TV? We didn't have a problem getting a good signal in Seward. We were as far south in town as you can park an RV. At the city CG next to the Sea Life aquarium. I don't think there is anything on 129 up here. The last time I looked I am pretty sure I only saw 110 & 119 for Dish Network. Looking at Satellite Guys, they don't list anything for 129. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al F Posted July 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2016 There is one thing about getting the Traveler to find the satellites. When I have moved north or south a 150-200 miles it takes a lot longer to find and peak the dish to the satellite. I have listened to the dish going through the peaking process for a good 90 seconds or more, only to restart the search process to what I think is a lower elevation. I assume the search algorithm doesn't give a high priority to looking for a low in the sky satellite. Also it seems like I have seen the Traveler sweep the sky with a very high elevation, something like you would expect to see in Mexico, then sweep the sky with a low elevation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al F Posted July 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2016 Get a photo We are in Valdez right now and the dish is pointing slightly above parallel. Below is the best photo of the dish elevation I have. This was in Fairbanks and the LNB arm was parallel with the roof of the RV. When we were about 90 air miles north, it was pointing a little below level. Maybe not exactly pointing into the ground. I could be prone to a tiny bit of exaggeration. Anyways, satellites are supposed to be high up in the sky, not down near the horizon. But then so is the sun supposed to set at a reasonable hour and not have daylight all night long. Very interesting being this far north. I am aware that the LNB arm and dish does not point to the satellite elevation. That the satellite is some number of degrees (20* maybe??) higher in the sky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirakawa Posted July 23, 2016 Report Share Posted July 23, 2016 You guys do realize that the satellite signal comes in at a higher angle than what the reflector is actually facing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dewilso Posted July 23, 2016 Report Share Posted July 23, 2016 Anyone using a "Tailgater" type of portable up there ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zulu Posted July 23, 2016 Report Share Posted July 23, 2016 You guys do realize that the satellite signal comes in at a higher angle than what the reflector is actually facing? Yeah, but the dish itself is low . . . very low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darryl&Rita Posted July 23, 2016 Report Share Posted July 23, 2016 TailGater dishes have too small a reflecting surface to make it to Alaska. Pretty much done before the BC/Yukon border. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dewilso Posted July 23, 2016 Report Share Posted July 23, 2016 Thanks, kinda what I figured. Lived in Norway, used a 3mtr dish pointed at the horizon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al F Posted July 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2016 You guys do realize that the satellite signal comes in at a higher angle than what the reflector is actually facing? Yep, that is what I wrote in the last line of my posting with the picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al F Posted July 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2016 TailGater dishes have too small a reflecting surface to make it to Alaska. Pretty much done before the BC/Yukon border. It is hard to know for sure if it is the reflective surface or that the dome dish mechanism won't go far enough down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darryl&Rita Posted July 24, 2016 Report Share Posted July 24, 2016 It is hard to know for sure if it is the reflective surface or that the dome dish mechanism won't go far enough down. Could get above 80% signal strength in Grande Prairie, AB, at 55.169* N. A passing cloud, a leaf, or a bird fart would drop signal until it was a pixellated mess. I'm sticking with reflector size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al F Posted July 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2016 Could get above 80% signal strength in Grande Prairie, AB, at 55.169* N. A passing cloud, a leaf, or a bird fart would drop signal until it was a pixellated mess. I'm sticking with reflector size. I'll go along with the reflector size then. I just looked at the signal strength on my Dish DVR and Trav'ler dish. Outside it is cloudy and some steady rain and I am getting decent signal strength. It isn't real high, but the I am not seeing any breakup on the video. We are in Valdez right now. Also we have had quite a few cloudy days in the last month and a half and have not hand a problem with the video breaking up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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