Replace regular TV antenna with dish?

[salmonbio]

Just about everyone has one of the standard "crank up and down" Winegard TV antennas... the "bat wing?"

My question is about replacing the old style TV antenna with a crank up Winegard Sat Dish unit... using the same base and position that the old antenna used.

I realize there are at least two styles of this... one with a dual unit, an "over the air" antenna along with the sat dish... and one with just the sat dish.

But maily I am interested in the experiences folks have had with a "do it yourself" install.

How'd it go and are you happy with results?

Thanks

[Dadeaux]

I've no experience with such but I would be worried about drilling a new bolt pattern close the existing holes. It could weaken the area and allow cracking especially if the dish had movement during travel.

[Robi.1014]

If you're a do-it-yourself-er, then you (like me) enjoy trying stuff...even when it fails. You'll need to not only direct the sat dish (azimuth), but be able to set the elevation as necessary. Of course, it needs to fold down just right to minimize air drag.

Once the dish's azimuth is set for the satellite, however, the tag-along OTA antenna function is directionally fixed as well (while the dish is locked onto the satellite). Stated differently, the azimuth needed for good OTA reception may be at odds with the satellite's azimuth setting. This argument may be the reason not to combine the two antennas.

[jimbo16720]

I don't think anything has to be changed you take the batwing off and the dish mounts to the same crank. They have one with a digital readout for the elevation which is changed by the crankup handle and you just rotate it to the satelite inside the rv for direction.All you need is a compass for direction to make it easier. Thinking about the same one for mine later on.

[salmonbio]

For the most part, where we live and camp the OTA signals are neither numerous or very strong.

We don't spend lots of time watching TV when we camp so I am not interested in sinking big bucks into the project no matter which way it goes. Frankly, we could be happy without any TV signal.

But there are occassional times when I want to see a game or whatever when on the road. We have tried the portable sat TV dish along with a receiver from home and that works OK. Lots of parts to pack around and set up but it works.

Since the crank up bat wing is not used much on our rig I just wondered if the crank up sat dish might be a better choice. That way we just have to remember to bring the sat TV receiver from home and we're in business pretty easily. Only difference being the old portable can be moved around the camp site for improved reception.

Thanks for any other experiences out there.