I have TracVision R4 and Dish Network. The dome can only receive the 119 satellite right now.I decided not to attempt the hardware and software upgrade that KVH said I could do because if the issues people have had with the upgrade. It appears my best choice is to replace the KVH dome with the Travl'er.Had anyone removed a dome satellite dish and installed the Trav'ler? How hard is it to do? Are there any gotchas?

I installed two Travlers, both on fiberglass roofs. The hard part is getting a Travler on the roof. Make sure to Dicor all screwholes and under the Traveler itself.Finally, if you're installing the DISH version, run ALL THREE coax cables (labeled "A", "B", "C") into the RV. You may only need one now, but it's easier to run all three when you 1st install.

The Travler is an easy install. As stated, getting it on the roof is the most difficult because it is awkward to handle. When it's unboxed, the head wants to swing around as you move it. You might have better luck getting it on the roof while it's still in the box. Remove your old sat and fill the holes with silicone, even though they may be covered by the new sat.Once the dome is off and the TravLer is on the roof, simply set the TravLer down where you want it, making sure the arm clears obstructions. There is an arrow on the Travler making sure you face it the correct way. The dish is toward the back of the coach. Once you have it in place, take a Sharpie and outline the TravLer on the roof. Remove the TravLer and run a bead of silicone just inside of the Sharpie line. Carefully relocate the TravLer back over the silicone. The unit comes with screws that are plenty to hold it to most roofs, especially after the silicone dries.Don't go crazy on the screws and tighten them in a crossing pattern. The install is done!The difficult part is to now run the two cables down to your TV. One cable is coax and the other is a control cable. They use to have two coax cables, but the new units now have the SWM switch and only use one coax.You probably already have a hole for the cabling from the previous satellite. You need to fish the new cables down to your TV.Inside the coach, you have a control box with a 110volt power cord to connect. This control box is the brain for the TravLer. You don't even need a satellite box for the TravLer to work. Plug the control cable into the control box and you're done with connections, other than connecting to a satellite box.Once everything is connected, you can seal the unit on the roof. Typically, you'll use Dicor in a caulking gun. Seal the entire edge of the TravLer with Dicor, making sure you run it up on the screws. Dicor any other screw holes left from the old sat. Often you have to use cable hold downs on the cabling and Dicor those and where the cables enter the roof. Once the project is done and you have a satellite box connected, like DirecTV, you have to go through the DirecTv set up so that it's set for the correct type of dish. The TravLer has instructions on how to set up the sat box.

Installed mine also. Agree with everyone else, most difficult part was getting the darn thing on the roof. Second was running the cables, I ran two. There are some great videos on Youtube showing how to install, do a search and check it out. I removed another system and the most difficult part was getting the chalking holding the roof unit unstuck and then getting it down. Sometime Camping World offers a deal on the unit & install.rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

Small hijack here but this looks like my lucky day. Several people here with first hand installation experience and I have a question I can't get Winegard to answer.It appears the Trav'ler is based on a Dish model 1000.2. Does it, like the 1000,2, have an input port for another dish?

Yes, the Trav'ler is based on a 1000.2 dish (Western Arc, 110, 119 and 129) but does not have an input port for another dish.

Installation of the Trav'ler | Good Sam Community

35 Replies

Crespro
Explorer
Mar 15, 2014
DSDP Don wrote:
ROFCIBC...Here's what I did in your situation. On the back of the DirecTV HD receiver is an HDMI out that will go to your front TV. The back of your DirecTV box also has RCA outputs. They make a Modulator box, $20.00 at Radio shack, that converts the RCA jacks, yellow, red and white, to coax. You plug the three RCA jacks into one end the modulator and the coax from your rear TV into the other end. The modulator is powered by 110volts and can be hidden in a cabinet (about the size of a deck of cards).

This will send an SD signal, not an HD signal to rear TV, which is still a pretty good signal. Obviously, if both TV's are on, you'll have to watch the same show. We just wanted to be able to use the TV when we went to bed to maybe watch the news. With your DirecTV remote set to RF, you can change channels from the bedroom.

This is a good/cheap solution as long as you aren't interested in watching two different shows at the same time. You won't be able to watch a DVD player from the front unless you're willing to keep unplugging the coax, so we just added a DVD player in the bedroom. This allowed us to toss the Winegard switch box and wire everything direct.

I did the same install on a Winegard Traveler HD for DirecTV. HDMI in the front with a Samsung flat screen Smart TV and component to RF for the connection to the existing SD flat screen in the bedroom. Same channel for both, but that is fine. We watched the winter Olympics on both screens and the very good SD was reasonably close to the new HD Samsung in the front.

I did use the added mounting plate on the roof. It is a good idea for stability and worth the cost, IMHO. After installing, I eternabonded the Traveler and the two cables to the front roof penetration.

Yes, my strong son-in-law carried the Traveler up an eight foot ladder and set it on the roof.:B
ROFCIBC
Explorer
Mar 14, 2014
Bill.Satellite wrote:
The best option is to use 2 receivers so you just have to run HDMI from each receiver to the TV's. You then just need to get a coax from Trav'ler to each TV. If the outside TV does not have to be HD, you could add an RF modulator to the HD receiver and send that signal anywhere you please via coax in SD.

I considered that but then I've got about as much trouble trying to find somewhere to put the receiver in the back bedroom, where it's not going to get used that much anyhow. The wife said she's not that enamored with HD or watching much TV in the bedroom, so she may have just solved my problem!
ROFCIBC
Explorer
Mar 14, 2014
DSDP Don wrote:
ROFCIBC...Here's what I did in your situation. On the back of the DirecTV HD receiver is an HDMI out that will go to your front TV. The back of your DirecTV box also has RCA outputs. They make a Modulator box, $20.00 at Radio shack, that converts the RCA jacks, yellow, red and white, to coax. You plug the three RCA jacks into one end the modulator and the coax from your rear TV into the other end. The modulator is powered by 110volts and can be hidden in a cabinet (about the size of a deck of cards).

This will send an SD signal, not an HD signal to rear TV, which is still a pretty good signal. Obviously, if both TV's are on, you'll have to watch the same show. We just wanted to be able to use the TV when we went to bed to maybe watch the news. With your DirecTV remote set to RF, you can change channels from the bedroom.

This is a good/cheap solution as long as you aren't interested in watching two different shows at the same time. You won't be able to watch a DVD player from the front unless you're willing to keep unplugging the coax, so we just added a DVD player in the bedroom. This allowed us to toss the Winegard switch box and wire everything direct.

Yeah, I had thought of that too. My wife came to the rescue and said she really didn't care all that much about HD in the bedroom since she rarely watches the TV there anyway. Most of the time she just tilts the passenger seat back and watches TV from there, plus she opined that she's not all that enamored with HD anyhow. May have saved me a bunch of hassle and money! Think I'll keep her!
DSDP_Don
Explorer
Mar 14, 2014
ROFCIBC...Here's what I did in your situation. On the back of the DirecTV HD receiver is an HDMI out that will go to your front TV. The back of your DirecTV box also has RCA outputs. They make a Modulator box, $20.00 at Radio shack, that converts the RCA jacks, yellow, red and white, to coax. You plug the three RCA jacks into one end the modulator and the coax from your rear TV into the other end. The modulator is powered by 110volts and can be hidden in a cabinet (about the size of a deck of cards).

This will send an SD signal, not an HD signal to rear TV, which is still a pretty good signal. Obviously, if both TV's are on, you'll have to watch the same show. We just wanted to be able to use the TV when we went to bed to maybe watch the news. With your DirecTV remote set to RF, you can change channels from the bedroom.

This is a good/cheap solution as long as you aren't interested in watching two different shows at the same time. You won't be able to watch a DVD player from the front unless you're willing to keep unplugging the coax, so we just added a DVD player in the bedroom. This allowed us to toss the Winegard switch box and wire everything direct.
Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Mar 14, 2014
The best option is to use 2 receivers so you just have to run HDMI from each receiver to the TV's. You then just need to get a coax from Trav'ler to each TV. If the outside TV does not have to be HD, you could add an RF modulator to the HD receiver and send that signal anywhere you please via coax in SD.
Belgique
Explorer
Mar 14, 2014
I just run RG6 on the ground and window from the splitter to rear TV. But then, we don't use it that often. Will have to look at that wireless thingy...love gadgets.
ROFCIBC
Explorer
Mar 14, 2014
rgatijnet1 wrote:

This is one solution where you can run the rear TV with a wireless box to give you the HD broadcast without running an HDMI cable.

I looked at one of those. Have to figure out if I can run the external tv off of it too.
Fla_Tom1
Explorer
Mar 14, 2014
ROFCIBC wrote:
I've been contemplating putting a Trav'ler on and upgrade to an HD receiver. Currently have a Winegard crank up dish with dual lnb and the DirecTV receiver.

Looks like I can get a Trav'ler for about $1500 +/-.

The real deal is wiring the coach for HD. It's a 2005 Dutch Star and came with coaxial and the mechanical push button distribution box. I have a front TV and one in the bedroom.

Since the HD DirecTV receiver no longer has an output for coaxial, plus I don't think you can get HD via a coaxial cable anyhow, I'm at loggerheads as to how I can get the signal to (a) the rear TV, and (b) the outside TV. The front one is no problem since it's right next to the receiver and easy to just run an HDMI cable to it.
Some of the direct boxes still have coax conections (h24 I believe) you can run hdmi signal through cat 5 cables amazon has set ups for that cat 5 is easier to use(can cut to leigth ) and cheeper
In addition to the physical issues of getting the HDMI cable from the front to the back, is the cost of HDMI cables.

So, I'm looking for some ideas or experiences of folks that may have made a similar conversion.
JimM68
Explorer
Mar 14, 2014
The dish hopper system uses regular coax to run between the main "hopper" receiver and the "joey" satellite receivers.
rgatijnet1
Explorer III
Mar 14, 2014
ROFCIBC wrote:
I've been contemplating putting a Trav'ler on and upgrade to an HD receiver. Currently have a Winegard crank up dish with dual lnb and the DirecTV receiver.

Looks like I can get a Trav'ler for about $1500 +/-.

The real deal is wiring the coach for HD. It's a 2005 Dutch Star and came with coaxial and the mechanical push button distribution box. I have a front TV and one in the bedroom.

Since the HD DirecTV receiver no longer has an output for coaxial, plus I don't think you can get HD via a coaxial cable anyhow, I'm at loggerheads as to how I can get the signal to (a) the rear TV, and (b) the outside TV. The front one is no problem since it's right next to the receiver and easy to just run an HDMI cable to it.

In addition to the physical issues of getting the HDMI cable from the front to the back, is the cost of HDMI cables.

So, I'm looking for some ideas or experiences of folks that may have made a similar conversion.

This is one solution where you can run the rear TV with a wireless box to give you the HD broadcast without running an HDMI cable. Wireless HD TV