Winegard Trav'ler Portable Setup?

I reached the rudimentary stage of a working setup about a week ago and I have run it through several test cycles since then. I used some muffler-type U-bolts through the dish base and around the stand tubes for a quickie trial. No attempt at a permanent or waterproof setup has been made as I just wanted to see it work, which it does surprisingly well. Rolls out, sets up easily, and finds a signal quickly every time. Weight and portability for movement and setup is ok, but the problem is size - this setup fills the bed of my pickup truck and doesn't leave room for much else. In all honesty, the project is going to end here. We're taking delivery of our new TT tomorrow and are having the Trav'ler permanently mounted to the roof. For those occasions where there is tree blockage, I've purchased a folding dish and tripod setup from TV4RV. Coupled with the same AIM (Advanced Installation Meter) that the DirecTv installers use (already owned and purchased from Solid Signal), I can peak and dither in record time. Looking back, I am more confident than ever that the original concept would have worked fine if I had decided to see it through to fruition. If we had opted for a fold down bumper rack on the back of the new TT to transport the setup, I may have even considered pushing on with the original plan. For me, the experiment ends here.

I suspect that a good setup will be easily handled by most anyone. Once you understand the kind of service you can get from this antenna coupled with the ability to park under a tree and STILL get satellite TV is the Holy Grail of satellite TV. I have mine on the roof so I know I can't park under a tree. However, this time of year a tree would be a VERY welcome option!

Spark- Keep us posted on your use of this setup. I am betting the wife and kids will setup the Trav'ler in this manner less than 10 times. I have one (I roof mounted it). I am certainly no weakling but that thing is way too heavy,big and clumsy to use as a portable. Roller cart or no.
Good Luck

SparkDr wrote:

Bill.Satellite wrote:
The power inserter goes inside the coach. Just plug it into the same outlet where your receiver will be located. Be sure that whatever mounting option you chose includes having the entire base caulked and screwed to something to ensure their is no chance water can get into the base. The stand you suggest will not allow this so you are going to need to add something. Not doing so will destroy your antenna.

Understood on both points. We're pretty sure we're going to wind up with a 2'x2' stainless or aluminum plate with a 12"x12"x4" PVC junction box mounted directly underneath it . Having the power inserter at the stand is a personal preference for me and is not written in stone. We like to tailgate during football season and don't take the coach for that. Having the inserter mounted in the j-box on the stand will keep us from forgetting it at home.

There is no reason to have the power inserter outside (a generally bad idea, anyway) as you will now need to run coax plus control cable plus 120V power out to the antenna itself. The power inserter is designed to be inside near a receiver.
A 12" x 12" junction box will also not work. You MUST seal the entire underside of the Trav'ler and that will require something at least a 24" diameter (or the 2'x2' plate you suggest).

PamfromVA wrote:
just a word of advise, unless those black handle move out of the way, you are not going to have enough room for the dish to circle the stand.

You are 100% correct. The black handles are the feet for stand-up storage. Unless they swing down or can be adapted to a quick pin release, they will be relegated to the spare parts bin and not be used.

Bill.Satellite wrote:
The power inserter goes inside the coach. Just plug it into the same outlet where your receiver will be located. Be sure that whatever mounting option you chose includes having the entire base caulked and screwed to something to ensure their is no chance water can get into the base. The stand you suggest will not allow this so you are going to need to add something. Not doing so will destroy your antenna.

Understood on both points. We're pretty sure we're going to wind up with a 2'x2' stainless or aluminum plate with a 12"x12"x4" PVC junction box mounted directly underneath it . Having the power inserter at the stand is a personal preference for me and is not written in stone. We like to tailgate during football season and don't take the coach for that. Having the inserter mounted in the j-box on the stand will keep us from forgetting it at home.

just a word of advise, unless those black handle move out of the way, you are not going to have enough room for the dish to circle the stand.

Dup.

The power inserter goes inside the coach. Just plug it into the same outlet where your receiver will be located. Be sure that whatever mounting option you chose includes having the entire base caulked and screwed to something to ensure their is no chance water can get into the base. The stand you suggest will not allow this so you are going to need to add something. Not doing so will destroy your antenna.

I've decided to give this a go and went ahead and ordered the folding / rolling saw stand from Amazon that I mentioned in an earlier post. I spoke to my local RV store folks today, showed them a couple of pictures, and told them what I am hoping to accomplish. The service tech joined the conversation and everyone was genuinely keen on the idea. By the time we got done talking, they had offered to mount the Trav'ler up on the saw stand for me at no charge in return for purchasing the dish from them. I may also need an OEM or custom mounting plate for the Trav'ler that I would need to purchase or supply, but we won't know until I get the saw stand in hand. After that, I may still have some additional work to do as I'm considering mounting the power inserter for the SWM in a weatherproof PVC junction box on the underside of the stand or plate as part of the setup. Dollar-wise it looks like a shade under $2k all-in after the government's cut. I'll post pics and share my thoughts on the project once we get it all together and have had a chance to run it through a couple of real-world applications.