Installation of the Trav'ler

ncrowley......The latest model of TravLer comes with a SWM switch and a splitter that you use on the roof. My coach had a dome with a front and rear cable. The new splitter that comes with the antenna is used to connect those two cables allowing you to use two recievers off of the same sat.

One of the coax cables sends information to the sat dish and has to be connected to the correct terminal on the splitter. If you get it wrong, you just switch the two cables. You still need to run the controller cable which is specific to the TravLer.

Lastly, let me explain the silicone, Dicor information I gave. Dicor is not good for forcing down an open screw hole. I use silicone to fill the unused screw holes of an old unit to the level of the roof. I then use Dicor as a capper to seal the roof. The two will work together when used this way. It insures that the screw hole is filled and water tight.

rgatijnet1 wrote:
There are the coax cables AND the control cable that supplies power to the antenna.

Right. There are 3 sat cables (labeled "A", "B", and "C") + 1 control box cable.

Currently Winegard provides two RG6 cables. Do yourself a favor and run 3 RG6 cables into the RV for possible future upgrades.

Bill.Satellite wrote:

JimM68 wrote:
Does anyone know for sure if the trav'ler will support a dish hopper?

Does the required "solo node" switch mount outside or inside?

The Dish Trav'ler (SK-1000) does support the Hopper and Joey combination. You can install the Solo Node either inside or out. Just base it's location upon where you will be running your cables that leave the Solo Node.

I would NOT suggest placing a Solo (or Duo) Node on the roof because it limits future upgrades.

What future upgrades?

A Winegard Traveler can support two Hoppers using a Duo Node that is connected to the 3 sat outputs (A, B, and C).

While you might not plan on installing two Hoppers, running those 3 cables inside your RV gives you that option.

ncrowley wrote:
I have two coax cables that go from the existing dome into the coach. One goes to the front receiver and the other goes to a back receiver if you have it. Why would I need to run different/new coax cables? Can't I use the coax cables I have? Why do I need three coax cables?

To answer crasster, 110 has a weaker signal and the software in my system only allows connection to one satellite at a time. I spent quite a bit of time on the phone with KVH and there is an upgrade I can do that allows it to remember three satellites at once and automatically switch between them as you change channels. However, experiences with this update has been mixed at best. It sometimes works but more often it works some of the time and not other times. I did not want to spend about $300 on the hardware and support that would be needed for the upgrade (the software is free).

I did the upgrade on my R4, and it works very well, as long as I'm nowhere near a tree.
I get 110 and 119, and usually set it to get 61.5 as the third sat. Being in the Midwest, 129 is tough to get, though when we go west it comes in much stronger.

It does NOT cost $300 to do this upgrade. The software in a free download, and then you need 2 cables. First is 9 pin serial on both ends, I got mine from radio shack for $20 or so.
Second one is a 9 pin to RJ something or other, like a phone connector but 6 pins, not 4 (and not 8 like cat5)
This one I bought from KVH, for less than $60.
Both connections are made at the switch panel inside the coach, 9pin for the mainboard and RJ whatever for the RF board. You have to upgrade them both.

I initially got an gyro error on startup after the upgrade, seems the s/w's default is the R5 in motion antenna... KVH gave me some commands to set it right, and it's worked flawlessly since (as long as there are no trees.)

When / if we go full time, the hopper from the S&B is going into the bus, hooked to a trav'ler on the roof, with some sort of portable backup for trees.

Thanks Bill, great to hear that. If I put the solo node outside, can I use the existing single coax from the r4 going into the moho?

JimM68 wrote:
Does anyone know for sure if the trav'ler will support a dish hopper?

Does the required "solo node" switch mount outside or inside?

The Dish Trav'ler (SK-1000) does support the Hopper and Joey combination. You can install the Solo Node either inside or out. Just base it's location upon where you will be running your cables that leave the Solo Node.

There are the coax cables AND the control cable that supplies power to the antenna.

I have two coax cables that go from the existing dome into the coach. One goes to the front receiver and the other goes to a back receiver if you have it. Why would I need to run different/new coax cables? Can't I use the coax cables I have? Why do I need three coax cables?

To answer crasster, 110 has a weaker signal and the software in my system only allows connection to one satellite at a time. I spent quite a bit of time on the phone with KVH and there is an upgrade I can do that allows it to remember three satellites at once and automatically switch between them as you change channels. However, experiences with this update has been mixed at best. It sometimes works but more often it works some of the time and not other times. I did not want to spend about $300 on the hardware and support that would be needed for the upgrade (the software is free).

Strange that some of you can only get 119 and not 110. It's just a 9 degree move! Wonder if there is a defect in your units.. ?

Does anyone know for sure if the trav'ler will support a dish hopper?

Does the required "solo node" switch mount outside or inside?

Very good information in the posts above. Just be sure you don't mix Dicor and Silicone caulk as mentioned above. You can use one or the other to do the entire job but you don't want to use one for some of it and another for the rest. The 2 types are not compatible and will not stick to one another.
If your dome is current installed using a silicone based caulk (and the Trav'ler will be installed at or near that location) I would use silicone for your Trav'ler install. If that's not the case, I recommend Dicor self-leveling caulk for the entire installation. 2 tubes will get it done.