on the road tv reception

Unless you mean while underway, I'd suggest just using your rooftop TV antenna for overnight stops when cable is not included with the site. Reception will vary of course, but there's usually at least one or two local stations that carry the local and network news.

Local channels are "spot beamed" from the satellite. You will only pick up your locals within that spot beam. Your best bet to pick up local channels in the area where you happen to be is to use the roof antenna and get "over the air" channels. Getting your satellite provider to turn off your local channels and turn on the locals where you happen to be is problematic and will not be practical. They probably will want to make your temporary location your permanent location for billing purposes.

Directv is the worst company to deal with when it comes to satellite TV in an RV. They either don’t have a clue about satellite reception in an RV or the FCC has them by the B***S and they won’t commit to a straight answer. I have been told by one Directv phone support that all I have to do is give them the zip where I am at and they will switch the locals over, then another said that is not true and I will have to change my installation address on the account to get the new locals, and another told me I can not get any locals at all while traveling in an RV, while another told me I have to sign a waver and can only get nationwide locals from Los Angeles and/or Chicago, then another said it is not legal to take my receiver from home and put it in the RV. My advice would be to not get Directv support involved at all and just use the “over the air” antenna to pick up the local news.

I've used DirectTV since 2004. I take one of my boxes from home. I never change my billing address. I call the move number and give the address of the park I am in or something close. I only do it when I will be staying for more than a few days. I try not to abuse the relocation change. I wouldn't do it for one night. In between I use the over the air locals. For a weekend camping trip I wouldn't bother with changing locals.

I did not know Directv was into cabe subscription service? Is that something new?
Since we rarely watch local channels i dont miss them when we travel. So not having them does not bother me one iota.

The inability to provide your local channels when you are more than 150 miles from home is the FCC rule, not the DirecTV rule. It is explained on their website. Your options are: 1. get over air digital local channels for the area you are in or 2. buy a separate DirecTV package (expensive) for your RV and add the east coast west coast affiliate channels for RVers. Directv may allow you to change your address (move your location) a few times but if they catch on they will eventually stop it or you will get a more experienced rep who will give you the correct info.

I reread original post. They will not change your local service every day indefinitely. I only do this two or three times a year. Direct TV does not have a cable service I know of.

Just to give you a little more information. We have been traveling the last three months all across the country, and we have changed our local programs with Dish fifteen times so far on this trip. I don't get out and set up the Dish at every stop, but if we're going to be in one spot for more than one night, then I go through the process.

Sometimes, if we haven't moved very far, we won't update the locals. When we moved from Saint Augustine to Savannah we didn't need to make the change.

It's a quick phone call to Dish, and they send the change to our receiver.

Every time we change our locals, I have to go into the program guide and reselect our programs. If I don't, then our favorite programs won't be recorded.

When we get home, the receiver goes back into the house.

Hope this helps.

Bluetang54 , thank you for the information, I will try some of these that you have given me.

Bull Rider wrote:
Just to give you a little more information. We have been traveling the last three months all across the country, and we have changed our local programs with Dish fifteen times so far on this trip. I don't get out and set up the Dish at every stop, but if we're going to be in one spot for more than one night, then I go through the process.

Sometimes, if we haven't moved very far, we won't update the locals. When we moved from Saint Augustine to Savannah we didn't need to make the change.

It's a quick phone call to Dish, and they send the change to our receiver.

Every time we change our locals, I have to go into the program guide and reselect our programs. If I don't, then our favorite programs won't be recorded.

When we get home, the receiver goes back into the house.

Hope this helps.

I have read that Dish will do this but you have to reach a RV rep to get this. Is that the case? Thanks