How to Convert a Winegard Dish From DirecTV to Dish

By Chris Waller

You can convert your Winegard RV satellite dish to Dish Network.
i rv on highway image by jedphoto from Fotolia.com

If you own a recreational vehicle, purchasing and installing a satellite dish designed to work with an RV can provide hours of entertainment for you and your family while on the road. The Winegard company makes a model of RV satellites that can work with many different programming providers, including DirecTV and Dish Network. If you started out using DirecTV, you can convert the dish to work with Dish Network by following a few steps.

Disconnect the coaxial cable connected to the back of your receiver before beginning to convert your system. While the cable is disconnected, press "Menu" on your Dish Network remote, while the television and the receiver are turned on to access the main menu. Use the arrow keys to navigate to the "System Setup" option and press the "OK" button.

Use the navigation arrows to move to the "Installation" option on the next menu and press the "OK" button. In the next menu, select "Point Dish" and press "OK." This will take you to the dish setup menu. Navigate to the "Check Switch" option and press "OK." Select "Test" on the next screen and press "OK."

Wait for the system to look for a satellite. It will not find one since the cable is not connected. On the final screen of the testing process, navigate to the "Save" option and press "OK." This will save your settings with no satellite, getting rid of the settings that were used for the DirecTV service. Select "Done" after saving to return to the dish setup menu.

Reconnect the coaxial cable to the receiver. Use the navigation arrows to select and change the settings on the screen that will appear. Use the number pad on the remote to enter your zip code. In the "Dish System" option, enter in the number 300. Set the "Transponder" setting to 11 and the "Satellite" option to 119. Both the azimuth angle and elevation angle will be displayed on the screen.

Tilt your Winegard dish to the appropriate angle by loosening the elevation knob and tilting the dish until it matches the correct elevation angle. Rotate the dish until the arrow on the attached compass matches the azimuth angle. Return to the system and you will see a signal meter at the bottom of the screen. If the signal is in the green area, the signal is strong enough. If not, readjust the satellite until the signal is strong enough. Select "Done" when finished to save the settings.

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