Community Forums

Maddogmick · 08-31-2008, 08:25 AM

Hi all just joined nice forum.
I will be purchasing my RV next year (havent decided which one i want yet)
anyways just for the time being to get me through to next year I have bought a custom built trailer.
I was wondering as you all seem to know so much about this kind of stuff!
I normally rent an RV from Monty rv when i fly out to Calfornia once a year (hence buying one) I always opt for the larger RV with TV in bedroom and above the Driver, most of my friends drink and I dont so i like to watch TV for a few hours to wind down!
I want to fit satalite to my trailer as i have a spare receiver i use in the garage at home and want to hook this up in my trailer.
I understand how to do it but what i am asking is, on the RV that i rented it had a hand cranked aerial that looked like a old style TV antenna and I just cranked it Vertical and pointed it until i got a good reception.
Very easy I thought worked well when i was in one place and thats all i wanted.
I was looking at aerials to do this with my dish box and kinda got more that I bargained for!!!
Is there really a cheap aerial that i can lay down and set up without having to get the compass out on the roof of my trailer for the next year?
any help would be realy grateful
Many thanks
Mick

Maddogmick · 08-31-2008, 08:25 AM

Hi all just joined nice forum.
I will be purchasing my RV next year (havent decided which one i want yet)
anyways just for the time being to get me through to next year I have bought a custom built trailer.
I was wondering as you all seem to know so much about this kind of stuff!
I normally rent an RV from Monty rv when i fly out to Calfornia once a year (hence buying one) I always opt for the larger RV with TV in bedroom and above the Driver, most of my friends drink and I dont so i like to watch TV for a few hours to wind down!
I want to fit satalite to my trailer as i have a spare receiver i use in the garage at home and want to hook this up in my trailer.
I understand how to do it but what i am asking is, on the RV that i rented it had a hand cranked aerial that looked like a old style TV antenna and I just cranked it Vertical and pointed it until i got a good reception.
Very easy I thought worked well when i was in one place and thats all i wanted.
I was looking at aerials to do this with my dish box and kinda got more that I bargained for!!!
Is there really a cheap aerial that i can lay down and set up without having to get the compass out on the roof of my trailer for the next year?
any help would be realy grateful
Many thanks
Mick

dieselclacker · 08-31-2008, 10:17 AM

Mick you can purchase a tri-pod mount and Dish Network compatible sattelite receiver dish at Camping World if one is near you, or order on line. They have several models available. They come with instructions for aiming. You are still going to need that compass though.

Dieselclacker

LindaH · 08-31-2008, 12:59 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Maddogmick:
on the RV that i rented it had a hand cranked aerial that looked like a old style TV antenna and I just cranked it Vertical and pointed it until i got a good reception. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
That's a batwing antenna and is for over-the-air programming...it will not work for satellite TV.

For satellite TV, you'll need a dish of some sort, either one on a tripod as Dieselclacker said, or a roof-mounted one. Roof-mounted dishes come in open-faced dishes or domes. Domes are automatic; i.e., push a button and it finds the satellite all by itself. Open-faced dishes come in either manual or automatic. You can see examples of all different types of dishes at this Camping World website.

What kind you get depends a great deal on whether or not you want HD programming and which service you want: Dish Network or DirecTV. A dish on a tripod will always mean you have to set it up and manually find the satellite, but it has the advantage of being able to be moved when you're parked in the trees and unable to get a signal from a roof-mounted dish. The choice is yours (and some people have both).

Maddogmick · 08-31-2008, 01:35 PM

Hey all thanks for the quick response.
I have a dish network system.
I was looking at this type or antenna Winegard® Crank-up Satellite Dish.
Would this be the right type and would i need to use a compass to align this everytime.
I dont want to spend alot of money on this as this could be money that i put twards my new RV.
Many Thanks
Mick

Maddogmick · 08-31-2008, 01:48 PM

Ok i think i have it now well maybe
If i get this aerial
I guess i can place this on my roof or on the floor and from the zip code on my GPS i can get the co ordinates i need?

Thanks
Mick

Bill Adams · 08-31-2008, 01:49 PM

Mick,
No, you are not going to be allowed to drill a hole in the roof of your rental RV to mount a Winegard crank-up dish. Even if you could, yes, you would still need a compass to point it as it is still a totally manual system.
You will need to look for a unit that you setup on the ground, set the elevation (that's all the crank-up does) and then use a compass to find the correct satellite.
This is my personal favorite but there are many versions of the ground mounted dish.
Ground mount antenna

Maddogmick · 08-31-2008, 02:04 PM

Hey Bill thanks for the reply
I set a link to that exact antenna
I see that unless i spend in the region of 1k i will have to do it the manual way.
Sorryto miss lead yu Bill i did post that i have had a custom built trailer for the time being until i get my RV so drilling a hole in the roof wont be a problem.
But i hink I will keep it inside and place it on the roof or ground when i get to where i am going.
So from what i read when i get to where i am going all i have to do is find the zip code of where i am and the co ordinates will come up on screen for my sataliteor do i have a book or something?
Using a compass and setting it up seems easy from what i read just wondering where i get the co ordinate information from after i know the zip code.
Sorry for asking so much

Thanks again
Mick

Bill Adams · 08-31-2008, 02:30 PM

OK, if you want to install the dish on your trailer that would certainly work, but you will need to be in the trailer pointing the dish while someone is giving you the SS numbers from the receiver in the RV. OK, I guess you could put the receiver in the trailer, point the dish, move the receiver back to the RV, reconnect to the cable running from the trailer mounted antenna into the RV's cabling and then get yourself a TV picture! Whew!
With a ground dish, worst case, you just run a cable from the dish, through a window and into the receiver. If there is a satellite connection setup on the RV you may just be able to set the dish on the ground and run the cable to that connection. Everything inside is there waiting.
The choice is obviously yours, but my (personal) choice would be a ground dish.
Your mileage may vary!

GaryKD · 08-31-2008, 02:45 PM

Hi Mick,
How about this product?

Maddogmick · 08-31-2008, 03:00 PM

Thanks guys.
Gary I want a cheap way out really i a getting a custom trailer made and is costing me 10k just to see me over till next year till i collect my RV next year

so i think the one that was mentioned previous i ideal for me.
Thanks for all your help gys and gals i will be posting soon when i decide what i need for the RV so i can by the right one
Mick

Bill Adams · 08-31-2008, 04:33 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">How about this product? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yeah, that's just what I want, a $700 piece of hardware that anyone wants to walk away with, can!

Maddogmick · 08-31-2008, 04:53 PM

lol@bill yeah i see what you mean.
The trailer i have is like a mix between a toy hauler and a car trailer, i didnt want to spend a lot of money as i will be getting a RV next year but i cant go without one for the time being so i think the ground one will be fine for me, ill just tune it in.
I have been reading about antenas and have another question for you all.
It says that an 18inch antenna will only pick up 110 or 119 sats not both together only a 20inch or more will do that, so i guess i have to move the sat for certain stations on my dish network sat then? and is the above true?
Thanks again
Mick

Bill Adams · 09-01-2008, 04:48 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">It says that an 18inch antenna will only pick up 110 or 119 sats not both together only a 20inch or more will do that, so i guess i have to move the sat for certain stations on my dish network sat then? and is the above true? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yes, this is true. Since there is only one LNB you can only point to one satellite at a time. However, if you do watch any of the limited programming that is on 110 you can also buy one of the 20" twin LNB dishes (not to be confused with a dual LNB which is still only one LNB with 2 outputs) and mount is on one of the Winegard tripods. This antenna requires that you point the dish in 3 dimensions and it more difficult to setup but once you do you will have all of the available channels. If you will be moving often this can be a hassle. If you are going to stay for a week or 2 at each location then it's likely worth the extra effort.