Community Forums

copilot · 02-07-2016, 11:23 AM

Wondering what you all use for wind guide to lower the antenna. Ours is a hd antenna, pretty good size. Manual doesn't have a word about wind, of course. Ours was mounted on the high end because of no room on lower end so we were told. Personally think it was easiest way to wire.

t55watson · 02-07-2016, 11:26 AM

We have never had a issue with high problems on the dish. We have the Winegaurd Traveler.

rockintom · 02-07-2016, 01:49 PM

Don't have a dish, so take that into consideration. We pack up essentials, close slides, and leave for shelter depending on info on weather radio or when winds are gusting to 70 MPH. My best guess that's when you should close down the dish. rockin'

We've been in some wing-dillies in TX, AL, MS, and the Carolina's!!!!! Yikes!

copilot · 02-07-2016, 04:47 PM

We were in one in Mississippi when the sirens went off and we had to drive to shelter by the feel of the road. Had already brought in the bedroom slide and lowered antenna. Put our jackets on and purse by the door. Do not want to do that again !!

CARLnJANIS · 02-08-2016, 03:41 PM

I'm with Rockin'. Close up everything, like you were preparing to hit the road. A 60 mph wind is like going down the road at 60 mph on a calm day.

On our maiden trip in 2013, a wind storm came through while we were out shopping. Our rig was parked in the end space on a hill. The wind was coming up the hill and accelerating. The winds were very high, 35 mph sustained, gusting to 50-60 mph. After a previous experience with acorns on top of the slide-outs, I added slide-out top covers on my slide-outs. The wind was ballooning the large cover over the kitchen slide-out and really giving the slide-out a good shaking. While ballooning out and rolling back up, the cover slid forward and wrapped around the roller brace. So I couldn't retract the slide-out when we returned. We road out the rest of the storm that night. Thought it would shake the trailer apart. It did knock the kitchen slide out of alignment and I had to replace the topper vinyl.

copilot · 02-08-2016, 03:46 PM

We called Winegard Service Center and they said 35 mph wind max for Direct TV Slimline Traveler. Since we are having that & gusts beyond, it is down. Another piece of Info, actually trivia, my Mother was John Winegards personal secretary, back in the day when he was getting established and afterwards. She retired from Winegard. When John passed, they drove the procession past the plant and offices and all employees lined the streets etc. Mom had retired then. The company now has a big waterpark, and casino etc adjoining the plant. More than you want to know I'm sure.

copilot · 02-08-2016, 03:51 PM

We saw an RV where the wind had really done a number on the slide-out toppers. I notice in the next loop there is a motorhome with their slides in, I assuming because of the toppers. We don't have them. Main concern was the Satellite. I've posted another reply on that.
Wind right now is 35 and we are facing into it so not getting too much effect. It has died down at night thank goodness. We are about 10 miles south of Needles CA.

JMonroe · 02-08-2016, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by copilot

We called Winegard Service Center and they said 35 mph wind max for Direct TV Slimline Traveler..:

We've exceeded that many times, by a wide margin, both on the motorhome and on our stick & brick homes. Of course ours wasn't mounted by simply putting screws through the roof either. We ordered ours with the Winegard, something AC had never done before, and their engineering department insisted on custom designing the roof structure for support and mounting.

50 mph forecast, I leave it up. 70? I'd definitely put it down.

copilot · 02-08-2016, 05:45 PM

Stick and brick we don't have issues either. I think we are being over cautious on the 5th wheel but a lot cheaper probably in the long run. Not sure how mounted I've never been up there :-)

TVforMyRV · 02-09-2016, 05:31 AM

My opinion is the roof is the weak link here. The antenna itself is quite robust and the antenna can withstand quite a bit. With the antenna up, the reflector acts like a sail and can really catch a lot of wind if it is blowing the right way. All of that force is transferred to the screws going though the antenna mount into the roof. If your perfectly fine antenna pulls from the roof, you have a big problem.

I tend to err on the safe side, why take a chance, if there's a doubt, put it down. When that reflector is stowed, the associated winds loads are negligible.