Satellite tv

We are currently on Dish's RV pay as you go plan, we own all the equipment Tailgater and receiver. We actually have the service disconnected between trips, I believe the package allows this for up to six months. There is no charge for the down time, a "pause" you get charged $5 per month.
We do like the service Dish provides, and will continue to use when we go full time.

In our humble opinion, We have had Both Direct and Dish services, and have Found that DISH Tv has the better options. You can start and stop it any time, and keep it suspended for a minimal monthly fee, with Direct you do not have that option. As far as the antennas go, we just gotten a Tri-pod, and set it up. If your are Satillite finding challenged like my husband it, you can also have a set up plan at DISH. We just call them a day or two before our arrival and they come out and aim the receiver dish. Been doing that now for 3 years and not had a problem. Good Luck and Happy Camping !!!

I have Direct at home. I had a receiver in a bedroom we seldom used so I put it in the 5th wheel, it stays in there all time.
Bought the Winegard Carryout, very pleased.

Are you a full timer, long timer, or sometimer? If you only intend to use it on occasional trips, the Dishformyrv pay as you go plan would be good. You only have to pay for the months you use it. And don't pay for the other months. Basic plan I believe is about $50/mo, and up depending on how many channels you want to pay for.

If you have Dish at home, just add the RV to the home account for $7/mo. You would need to buy an additional receiver for the RV. Some people take a receiver ftom home when they travel, but l prefer to have one I can just leave in the RV.

We have had Dish both at home and in the RV for many years and very happy with it. I used a tripod mounted antenna for a couple years, but never got very good at aiming it. Bought a Tailgater and let it find the sats automatically. With Dish, when traveling outside your home area you can call (or on line chat), tell them your current location, tell them you want to change your service address (not billing address), and in a few minutes you will have major network stations from the nearest local city.

SDM wrote:
Going to invest in a satellite for our fiver. Thinking portable instead of fixed. Don't know weather to go with dish or direct if we go with a carryout model. Thoughts good or bad would be appreciated.

Answers will vary depending upon whether you also intend to have Dish or Directv at your sticks and bricks home. Also on whether you even have a sticks and bricks home. Directv typically has more professional sports packages available than Dish.

With dish tou will be able to use one of those little ground based domes and receive HD. Not so with Direct. Direct offers better sports packages. With either one, you could simply take receiver from home when you hit the road. No reason to pay extra for part time use.
BTW, we havemnever had Dish. We use Ditectv at home, pack the three parts I need and take them when we travel. Once wired either system will work.

Most folks that go the portable tripod method can get setup for Standard SAT TV pretty easy... The small round SAT DISH will work for the carrier you pick and a cheap SAT RCVR will work just fine..

If you want to go with HDTV then you need to pick up different Satelites and this will require a more cost setup... If I was going the HDTV route I would probably get the high dollar Tailgator auto setup...

We brought along a Portable SAT DISH and a SAT RCVR from the house for awhile back when it was exciting to do. Run two RG cables from a two head SAT DISH with one going to the living room and the other going to the bed room and bring along two SAT RCVRs worked out great for us with both SAT RCVRS picking up separate channels.

Then when the NATL BROADCAST came out with their digital NATL BORADCAST channels we stopped briningg along the SAT items and just use our OTA BATWING antenna for full blown HDTV signals from the local towns. This was a much better TV signal than we was getting from both the SAT TV and CABLE TV from the camp grounds.

Still works good for us doing this where we camp... We get our fill of HDTV just fine and it is all free to the public to use...

Just keep in mind if you leave a fancy portable SAT TV setup sitting outside unattended it may not be there when you get back... I always set ours up on our hard truck bed covers. This always made us stow the SAT DISH when leaving the camp ground for things...

Just things to think about hehe...

Roy Ken

Satellite in heading in Technology forum, to where this post will be moved.

Have Dish pay as you go. Kind of nice as you can start and stop coverage at any point. Started with a Pathway 2 dish. Its now for sale...what a pain. It sets up by itself but it takes about 20-30 minutes, a cloud goes by and it loses the signal and takes 20-30 minutes to reset. Have tripod mounted dish now (old school) and its way better. Anyone interested in my Pathway, I'll be in Vegas in Nov.

Some things to consider...I have Dish at home. For an additional $7.00 a month I have a 2nd receiver that I can use in my RV whenever I want. It gets the same channels that I have at home. With Dish I can get HD through my Tailgater on one channel. Tailgaters are automatic and find the sats without have to aim them.The new Tailgaters can receive 2 channels but then you will need to pay for 2 receivers as well, if that's what you want. My Tailgater is a portable unit. The new ones can be either mounted or used as a portable. Having a portable unit works for me as we travel around and there are often trees in the way. A rooftop unit is more secure and all you need to do is turn it on...I guess it would be best to have both..Now Direct TV...somebody else will have to tell you about that..

B.O.