Satalite question

You should have a switch already installed to switch from Sat, to ANT, to cable. So yes, you can leverage another input, in your example the cable input, and switch your box to cable.

Typically you will need to manually move the satellite input from the roof cable to the wet bay cable. This is the cable going to the back of the satellite receiver.

msturtz wrote:
Typically you will need to manually move the satellite input from the roof cable to the wet bay cable. This is the cable going to the back of the satellite receiver.

true, didn't think of that.

As already mentioned, the coax comes from the dish and to the Sat box first, and then to your multi-switch. So if you plug your portable dish directly into the external coax hookup you have bypassed the receiver box and won't get a signal. You have to do what msturtz said, or run the coax from the portable dish directly to the receiver box.

My system has a video switching box that will switch from satellite to antenna to cable to VCR to....

Also there is a separate switch to turn off the satellite

OK. As you can see, there are various ways to wire and setup an RV. Therefore there are various answers to your question.

There is not a yes or nno answer to this.

1. Do you havew a "Sat/Tripod" in in the wet bay? If so, where does it terminate? Do you have an AB switch or two dangling cables?
- We have a Tripod (Sat.) in and a roof Sat to an A/B switch. This is all RG6. This allows me to use the roof (Winegard Mission Raod Trip) sat or an external (We have a Tailgater).

2. Can you use the Cable in?
- Maybe. You would need to add an A/B switch inside, before an AV switch, to bypass your cable connection or you can manually move the cable inside. Now that is just the physical connection. The Tailgater also relies on the coax for power, so you can throw it our wherever you want/need. With RG6 and I have heard of some running upto 150' of coax, with successful signal. I have only used 100'. If the coax is not RG6 and this includes coax you would use in the path, inside your RV, you may find signal loss or more likely not enough power to the Tailgater for it to properly run itself.

PastorCharlie wrote:
My system has a video switching box that will switch from satellite to antenna to cable to VCR to....

Also there is a separate switch to turn off the satellite

That switch is switching the output of the sat receiver.

The OP needs to switch the input to the sat receiver.

Ours has a little 2 way ground block screwed to the side of the cabinet where the receiver is. The dome and the external dish feeds come into the top, and there is a coax from the receiver input that I can physically attach to one or the other.

Different rigs will be wired different ways

The dish antenna must be directly connected to the receiver. If there is anything device between the two such as a RF splitter or AV switch matrix the set up probably will not work. The coax provides two way data. Pointing commands and such from the receiver and the down link TV signal and such from the antenna. You might get lucky with an A/B switch but I was never sucessful.

What I do when the roof antenna is blocked (last owner installed) and I need to use the carry out I'll plug into the park cable outlet on the side of the coach but I'll also disconnect the coax for park cable from the AV switch matrix and connect it directly to the satellite receiver in place of the coax from the roof antenna. Actually I've never used park cable since I have a satellite subscription.

Dale.Traveling wrote:
The dish antenna must be directly connected to the receiver. If there is anything device between the two such as a RF splitter or AV switch matrix the set up probably will not work. The coax provides two way data. Pointing commands and such from the receiver and the down link TV signal and such from the antenna. You might get lucky with an A/B switch but I was never sucessful.

I was going to say this same thing but then I deleted it because I never actually tried it. I do know that the instructions that come with the Winegard travelor do say the coax has to run straight from the dish to the receiver for the very same reasons you listed here. Sounds like you've tried it and the instructions are correct.

I was just thinking about this very topic. Actually I came to this site to find a solution. I am currently using a portable dish that can accommodate two receivers. I use a whole house receiver. I need to find a way to get two leads to the receiver. I also need to find an easy way for my wife to switch between the two satellite dishes (potable or roof mounted).

Any ideas?