Forum Discussion

murraymcleod's avatar
murraymcleod
Explorer
Dec 24, 2014

Itasca prewired for satellite TV?

We bought a 2003 Class A Itasca Sunova 27C, and it came with a Winegard Carryout dish and associated wires, but I'm wondering how I'll have to hook this all up (and I can't contact the old owner to find out what's what).

In the cabinet above the passenger seat there is a "DSS" panel that has two coax connections for "to" and "from" the satellite receiver. I'm wondering though if this panel is really connected to anything. The "to" receiver wire seems to come from up in the roof area, but there are no coax connections on the roof.

Reading the Winnebago manual for our unit, it says something about the coach being prewired for satellite, but that the actual hookup connection (on the roof?) is an option . There seems to be just the single "cable-in" coax connection on the side of the RV. Is it possible that the "satellite in" connection is really that connection? Has anyone seen that outside input ever wired for satellite, rather than for cable in?

I'm just trying to minimize experimentation to find out what goes where! I got a Dish 211z receiver, and everything worked fine in my driveway, but I'm just trying to hopefully avoid running the cables from the dish through my door or windows! Thanks in advance (and Merry Christmas to all!).
Class A
  • murraymcleod's avatar
    murraymcleod
    Explorer
    Jan 14, 2015
    As a follow-up to my questions, I was able to get all the wiring figured out and everything worked great with the Carry-Out system, so I could watch most of the football games while camping this past weekend! (Nothing like being in the great outdoors!)

    The only remaining issue is that the 12 volt plug to power the dish needs to be routed into the RV via an open window to a 12v receptacle. I was thinking I could install a 12 volt cigarette lighter plug in the same compartment where the coax is attached, as there is a light in the compartment where I could get 12 volts. Can anyone think of another way to power the dish that would work better?

    I do have a 115 volt to 12v adapter for the dish, and there are 115v plugs outside the RV, but that seems more complicated, and I'd need to turn on my inverter to provide the 115v (but the inverter is on anyway to power the receiver!). Would I waste more battery power using the inverter/adapter route than using the 12v to begin with? Does anyone know how much power the dish draws not watching TV, or should the dish always be unplugged when not in use? Thanks!?
  • murraymcleod's avatar
    murraymcleod
    Explorer
    Dec 29, 2014
    Thanks to all for this great information! I don't think I want to put any holes in my roof, but can use the wiring diagrams to route the external "cable" connector to the the sat dish receiver (if it's not already wired that way, which I'll check tomorrow)! Since the dish I inherited with the RV is a carry out, they may have already altered the cable runs. Thanks again...this is a great forum!
  • Hikerdogs's avatar
    Hikerdogs
    Explorer
    Dec 26, 2014
    The "prewiring" for the satellite dish is as MountainAir05 describes. There is (or was) a decal on the roof showing where to drill a hole for a roof mounted dish. The coax you found has a terminal within a couple inches of the center of the decal.

    In our 2001 Adventurer there was also a cable hookup in the rear compartment on the drivers side. We sometimes used this port to hook up a carry out dish when we were in a heavily wooded area.

    Later I added a diplexer in the outdoor compartment and another one in the overhead cabinet where the coax hooked to the distribution box. Then we could hookup both a carry out dish and use the campground cable when available.
  • Clay_L's avatar
    Clay_L
    Explorer
    Dec 25, 2014
    Here is a diagram I drew of mine with the old style manual adjusting Winegard dish installed on the roof. It shows the wall plate connections. It may be hard to read so here is the url for the diagram HERE



    This a diagram Winegard made showing how to connect the TV coax from the service bay for an external dish.

  • WayneLee's avatar
    WayneLee
    Explorer
    Dec 25, 2014
    On my coach, the cables for the satellite dish were behind (or above) the first overhead light fixture, about 2 feet back from the driver's seat. The installer said that most class A's were wired that way to make it easier to find the cables.

    My installer simply removed the fixture, drilled a hole right above the overhead fixture, and fished the wire through the hole.
  • MountainAir05's avatar
    MountainAir05
    Explorer II
    Dec 25, 2014
    Have you looked on the top. Ours had a decal on the roof where the wire was located. If you have a light on the ceiling you can lower it and look up and see what you can see. If you know or have a wire test toner you can hook up find the area where it is located.

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