TV signal - Winegard TV/Sat sys or DISH on tripod?

[meant2shop]

Hi fellow RVrs: We are the proud owners of a beautiful 2000 Fleetwood Pace Arrow Vision 36B. My question is about TV channel reception while at an RV park or while dry camping, and what option should we choose to improve channel reception.

Our rig has a Winegard (sp.?) satellite dish on top with an interior handle in the ceiling behind the cab/front. We also have an antenna. We have a cable/sat/antenna box as well located directly in the overhead above the dash. I have to admit we really don't understand fully how to work the Winegard (yes, we have the instruction book), but were advised by the previous owners that just hooking up to campground cable and then programming the TV should get us all the available channels. But this hasn't been the case.

When we've camped at a Koa or any RV campground and hooked up to their cable, even though they say we should receive in excess of 10 or more channels, we're lucky if we get 6 or so, sometimes even less. I make sure I've got the correct button pushed on the cable/ant/sat box and have programmed the TV to receive the cable channels but we never get even close to ALL the channels we're supposed to, which in some cases is 20 or more.

Because of this, we're considering purchasing a DISH satellite, posted on a tripod, with a single receiver w/remote, 50 ft of coaxial cable, etc., and paying $7 per month to DISH (we're already DISH customers at home), to get the TV reception we want to get at RV parks, etc. I understand we can stop the monthly fee when we're not using the RV. The total set up will cost about $100 including the service call. I know I can save the $7 monthly fee to DISH by just taking one of the two dual receivers out of the house when we go on a trip, but that's a hassle and I don't want to have to pay for a service call to hook it back up correctly at home when we return (not tech-saavy in this area).

In the April 2011 Good Sam HIGHWAYS magazine, Pg. 16,Tech Topics segment, there is an article "No TV Signal". The HIGHWAYS Techie guy advises the writer to purchase a $25 Winegard "Wingman" that attaches to the batwing antenna on the roof. He also suggests getting a Jack antenna replacement head (from King Controls), which he says does a very good job of pulling in distant broadcast signals ($50 and he says it's easy to install). The Techie says he uses a SureLock digital signal finder, also from King Controls, to find the best signals; and says this $40 item takes the guesswork out of antenna aiming.

So what's the best way to go? I've noticed a lot of folks at RV parks have DISH or DirectTV on tripods. Is this the easiest and surest way to go, or should we try one or more of the devices the "Techie" in HIGHWAYS magazine suggests? What works best for you? Appreciate your suggestions. We're definitely NOT techies and just want what's easiest to install and will provide us with the best channel reception, no matter where we are camping.

Of course, I hate to have to pay any more to DISH, as we already pay them dearly for the 2 dishs and two dual receivers we have at home for the 4 TVs in the house, plus all the channels we "just HAVE to have" to please everyone.

Thanks

Jim and Susan

[Popcorn Man]

Congrats Jim & Susan on your Pace Arrow purchase. I recommend you first solve the problem of why you are not getting all the cable channels the RV Park is providing with their cable service. Once you fix that problem then you can decide about getting satellite service. Adding the batwing attachment to your Winegard antenna will help bring in more digital over the air stations.

[bjsheldon]

I suspect the easiest is a roof mounted automatic find satelite dish. Several companies make them, Wineguard, King Dome and others, and its as easy as push a button and it will find the appropreiate satelite. They even make them so you can watch TV going down the road. The down side is they are relitively expensive; $1000/2000. This way no set up or other componets to store and haul out when you get where you are going. The bat wings you spoke of are for the TV anttena, not a satelite, and I found don't really help much.

[Easyrider]

For over the air free tv reception I think you can't beat the "Jack" antenna. We put one on our rv and our reception was greatly improved. For the money ( the Jack antenna costs about twice as much ) I think the Jack is a better bet than the Wingman. I tried both and the Jack made a much better improvement than the Wingman for over the air tv signals.

[777Rich]

Word of caution, I recently noted that the roof automatic Satelite systems were only receiving 1 Satelite at a time, which than requires you to reposition the disk to obtain another satelite. Note Dish requires 3 satelites to get all channels.

[kjburns]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 777Rich Word of caution, I recently noted that the roof automatic Satelite systems were only receiving 1 Satelite at a time, which than requires you to reposition the disk to obtain another satelite. Note Dish requires 3 satelites to get all channels.

Many domes will move as required to get the correct satellites. Our previous King Dome did this. Run check switch on the Dish receiver and the dome finds the other satellites. Then it moves automatically to the right satellite for the channel you select. If you're using DirecTV SD, then only one satellite (101) is needed.

[MegaRoadie]

Perhaps a lot of the grief is due to the olde Analog vs Digital demon. I have the "Jack" antennae with a 25.00 digital converter that shows the signal strength for antennae fine tuning, it was extremely easy swap with the old batwing winegard and even boondocking we seem to get 30+ channels and it shows crystal clear on the Analog Sony WEGA TV ! At the Orlando Thousand Trails we received 95 channels, now... 20 were hispanic and 20 more the jimmy swaggert style god/crooks....but we got 6 channels locally, a national weather service on 2 channels, and most of DW's fav TV shows from the regular networks !

So far as TV watching when I am in the RV...count me out, I go RV'ing to get away from the crapola of all that. If DW is happy then you can bet I am happy and the "Jack" keeps her happy and no damnable sattelite bills of grief ! I get all the news I need from the internet or call one of my kids for a reality check if anything seems weird, other than that TV can go the way of the rotary phone, at least for me.

[w6pea]

meant2shop;

IMHO I would say just get the other box and pay the $7.00 a month.

[meant2shop]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Easyrider For over the air free tv reception I think you can't beat the "Jack" antenna. We put one on our rv and our reception was greatly improved. For the money ( the Jack antenna costs about twice as much ) I think the Jack is a better bet than the Wingman. I tried both and the Jack made a much better improvement than the Wingman for over the air tv signals.

So, where can you purchase the JACK and how much can we expect to spend? We're not tech-saavy - is it difficult to install? Is this JACK just used when dry camping to get channel reception? If we got the JACK, would we still need a DISH satellite/tripod/receiver to get more channels than we are getting currently when at an RV park? Thanks

[Clay L]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 777Rich Word of caution, I recently noted that the roof automatic Satelite systems were only receiving 1 Satelite at a time, which than requires you to reposition the disk to obtain another satelite. Note Dish requires 3 satelites to get all channels.

That used to be true but the Winegard SK-3005 Traveler automatic dish will receive all five Direct TV satellites at one time without having to move.
The Dish version is a SK-1000 I think.
They both receive HD.

The old dishes won't pick up Direct TV HD even if you move the dish to try to pick up a HD satellite because the HD satellites broadcast on a much higher frequency (Ka band - 26.5 to 40 GHz).

[ImagineIF]

Unless your TVs have been replaced or upgraded, they are not digital ready. You will only get analog over the air channels and they are far and few between. You can get a digital to analog converter for your TV. If your TVs are original they are over 10 years old, treat yourself to a new one. As mentioned you should add the Wingman to your existing antenna or replace the head with the Jack antenna. I have the Wingman.

Your problem with cable channels may also be that your analog TV doesn't have a cable tuner. If it does, you will see that option on the scanner menu.

[Buford B]

First things first, before spending money on anything troubleshoot the system you now have. Very seldom do I not recieve all the channels advertised in parks. Not to say it never happens not every park KOA or not. If possible park the rig at your house and run a cable to it. I suspect the problem resides within. Try running the coax directly to the TV, after double checking the TV is programmed correctly. Continue moving the connection downstream until you find the problem. Then make a decision on what to purchase.

[Rick Long]

A simple question that if your not doing it would answer your question.... You said you set the TV for cable but do you have it do a scan?

[meant2shop]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImagineIF Unless your TVs have been replaced or upgraded, they are not digital ready. You will only get analog over the air channels and they are far and few between. You can get a digital to analog converter for your TV. If your TVs are original they are over 10 years old, treat yourself to a new one. As mentioned you should add the Wingman to your existing antenna or replace the head with the Jack antenna. I have the Wingman. Your problem with cable channels may also be that your analog TV doesn't have a cable tuner. If it does, you will see that option on the scanner menu.

I would guess that both the TVs in our 2000 Pace Arrow Vision are 10 years old. We do have have a cable/satellite/antenna box that I set to cable once we're hooked up to the RV, and it scans the channels and lets us know which channels we will be able to view. That's when I know we're not able to view all the channel's listed on the RV park's info sheet we got at check-in.

So do you think our problem is related to not having either a digital converter and/or the age of our TVs? I'll have to check and get back to you about the digital converter as there is more than one box in the upper storage areas of the RV. I know one is the DVD player, but there may be another up there that is possibly a converter box.

Thanks again,

Jim and Susan