We're finally heading out for our first camp of the season over Memorial Day week-end. Been sleeping in the camper a lot already in the driveway and have had ample opportunity to become VERY familiar with my new Dish Tailgater satellite dish. Works great, no complaints and set-up is so easy.If you don't know what I'm talking about, here's a link: click here.Now my question. The Tailgater is such a little, portable thing, and quite pricey, I'm concerned about theft in the campground. Anyone who has a Tailgater, what kind of precautions do you take to ensure the Tailgater is still "there" when you turn on your television or wake up in the morning? I have no problem bringing it inside the camper when we leave the campsite, it sets itself up so easy, but apart from that, what do you do?All suggestions will be appreciated!

I use a dog cable and padlock. It is a 15' plastic coated cable to used to secure a larger dog.

Theft in an RV park is very rare. BUT. I bought a plastic coated dog tie out cable at Home Depot and two keyed alike padlocks and lock it to a tree or stabilizer. Will stop the snatch and run type theft. But not someone equiped with something to cut the cable.

I use HD chain and padlocks. I secure it to the FW landing gear.

Take you pick, use a cable or a chain with a padlock. You won't stop a determined thief but nobody can just pick it up and walk away either.Enjoy your camping and don't obsess over something that could/might happen. By the way, we have been all over this country and stayed in very nice and some not so nice campgrounds. The only thing we ever lost was a few beers from the cooler during spring break.

Dog cable here too. Won't stop anyone determined to take it if they really want, but the kids looking for mischief might be discouraged.

Dish Tailgater - how do you secure? | Good Sam Community

grampachet
Explorer
May 19, 2014
I use a dog cable and padlock. It is a 15' plastic coated cable to used to secure a larger dog.
BB_TX
Nomad
May 19, 2014
Theft in an RV park is very rare. BUT. I bought a plastic coated dog tie out cable at Home Depot and two keyed alike padlocks and lock it to a tree or stabilizer. Will stop the snatch and run type theft. But not someone equiped with something to cut the cable.
TucsonJim
Explorer II
May 19, 2014
I use HD chain and padlocks. I secure it to the FW landing gear.
Jim_Cindy
Explorer
May 19, 2014
Take you pick, use a cable or a chain with a padlock. You won't stop a determined thief but nobody can just pick it up and walk away either.

Enjoy your camping and don't obsess over something that could/might happen. By the way, we have been all over this country and stayed in very nice and some not so nice campgrounds. The only thing we ever lost was a few beers from the cooler during spring break.
brirene
Explorer
May 19, 2014
Dog cable here too. Won't stop anyone determined to take it if they really want, but the kids looking for mischief might be discouraged.
DutchmenSport
Explorer
May 19, 2014
Thanks, the cable and lock is great. But what do you attach the other end of the cable to. Suggestions so far have been trees and landing gear. I have a hundred feet of coax cable, so can get it pretty far from the camper if needed to get out from under trees and such.

If you have to put it out a way from your camper, and you don't want it under trees because trees block the signal, ... well... any other suggestions?

I was think of a dog cork-screw stake in the ground with a cable cable and pad lock. At lest if kids wanted to fool around, they have to unscrew the dog cork screw? any further thoughts?
RoyF
Explorer
May 19, 2014
I have never worried about leaving mine out at night. But if I were worried then I would bring the unit inside before retiring. Cables and chairs won't deter a real thief. (See the recent thread on "honda genny security".)
lj2654
Explorer
May 19, 2014
I have a 20'chain and secure it to whatever I can, car, bumper of RV, picnic table.....
greenrvgreen
Explorer
May 19, 2014
I bought the ultra-flat Camo spray paint at Ace and went at it in blotches. Three tones of green/khaki/brown. Now that little Tailgater is tough to find three feet in front of me. I also upgraded to a 100-ft low-loss coax cable, so I can march the Tailgator a good ways out there.

Not necessarily foolproof for CG use, but I don't even worry about it for boondocking.

My thought for CG would be to clamp it to a rack setup at roof level. I can't picture anyone climbing up and stealing something from your roof in a CG.
B_O__Plenty
Explorer II
May 20, 2014
I took all the decals off mine. I didn't want to advertise what it was. My thinking is that some no brain would grab it thinking that was all that was needed to have Dish service. Having had it apart I wouldn't be afraid to put a U-Bolt through the bottom of the case for a little more secure place to hook a chain or cable to it...Just haven't done it. If I'm in a place where I might worry about it I just put it away at night.

B.O.

Forum Discussion

Dish Tailgater - how do you secure?

About RV Must Haves

Related Content

Dish Tailgater

Tailgate Removal

Dish Tailgater

Dish tailgater

Traveling with a Dish Tailgater