Full time RV Dish

Well, I don't bring the sat dish from home as it is mounted on our roof, but I purchased the same exact dish online for about $30 and use it exclusively for RVing. Whether you are using Directv or Dish you will need to be able to aim with precision in order to gain enough signal strength for receiver to be able to download programming. It is a bit simpler if just trying to acquire SD channels as this programming is usually contained on one satellite.

The process is not overly difficult and once mastered takes but a few minutes to complete. The more you practice the easier it gets, if you have no experience you could practice at home until you get familiar with the process. There are videos online and tools are available to help ease the pointing process. We have been doing it for over a decade with both Directv and Dish and rarely takes more than 5 minutes to have all the satellites locked in.

There are roof mounted and portable automated domes/cubes that can do all the work for you, just supply the coax and power needed to operate these devices and you should be up and running. When choosing an automated sat finder check the specs for the type of receivers and programming they can use and deliver. Not all provide HD content and some require switching back and forth from satellites to gain access to your programming level. Happy Camping!!!

Or you could use pathway X1 or pathway X2 from Winegard or a dish 300 or a dish 500 or 1000.2 or many more, some easy to aim and some not so easy. Some with HD and some without.

Using a Tailgater depends on which Dish receiver you have. The Tailgater only works with the VIP models.

yes

kellygirl6767 wrote:
I am on hold with DISH now to try and get set up.

You could be there a long time, if they help at all.

Well both techs are correct. Yes you can use the equipment you have if you know how to set it up and aim the dish. If not then the Tailgater will make life a lot simpler and easier.

kellygirl6767 wrote:
In my sticks and bricks home, I had DISH Network. I have brought my satellite and receiver with me. I am on hold with DISH now to try and get set up. One tech tells me I need the Tailgater, another says I can hook up with the equipment I have. Has anyone out here brought their equipment from a home with them to use as a full-time RVer?

You take both your Satellite Receiver and the dish antenna from home and use it with the RV? Then you should not have to call Dish for some "setup" at all....as long as you can re-aim your Dish.

The only problem you will run into on longer trips is you may likely move out of the 'spot beam' from Dish satellite that carries your local channels. In this case you have two options to keep network channels: use your RV Over-the-Air antenna for local networks, Or, Call up Dish customer service and ask them to change your " SERVICE ADDRESS" to your present address for camping.....do NOT ask them to change your BILLING address. When you return home from a trip you would then need to call Dish again to change your SERVICE address back to your home address.