How to set up portable satellite dish...

[_tpc_]

Ok so here is the story. Have a TT, 2014 Keystone passport. It has the crank up regular style winegard antenna with the small wall panel that has the booster, and the cable comes from this panel into the tv. I know when not using cable the booster is on, when using cable the booster is off.

The satellite thing will be dish network with the latest box (bundle kit). Hasn't arrived yet. I'm guessing the box will have HDMI out to the tv.

Here is the dilemma. I would like to keep the regular antenna intact in case of some reason I would want to use it over the dish. Since most parks (at least here in michigan) cable has been regulated to the need of the digital converter box in order to get any real stations, much like our homes here are, the cable input on the oustide of the trailer is relatively useless.

With have the dish setup I cannot see ever using the cable anyways. So what would be the best way to get the sat line into the trailer from outside, without running the cable in through a window or door? Can I use the cable input somehow and rewire it?Should I start dropping the chloroplast and drilling holes into the trailer from the outside to wire it in?

I'd like to be able to attach the dish cable to the back of the trailer somehow. Or maybe I can come up through the bottom someway and attached a fitting to the frame?

Any thoughts on this?

[_tpc_]

So this is what I found out. First I ended up modding my setup so that i could disconnect the line running to the back of the trailer from the rest of the booster system. I can also connect it back up if necessary. Second, my cable connection on the back runs straight to the booster, no splitter that I know of, at least that gave me any issues anyways.

Third, I had to make my own rg6 cables for the length I needed for the mods. I just bought a pre made rca rg6 cable and some ends and a crimper, and just cut off and made whatever I needed.

System works great! No problem in degradation of signal or anything so long as I can find a good line of site to the sky. My only complaint is the scan it has to run through everytime I connect it up. This doesn't have anything to do with the cabling setup or mods I made, just must be how dish works. But once it goes through that (which takes longer than one would expect) everything works fine.

I did have one worry after I reconnected the regular antenna and booster but forgot to disconnect the X2 antenna outside that the booster might feed back into it and mess up the motors or something. It did not, but I will be much more careful in the future, too pricey a system to mess it up over a simple thing.

[_tpc_]

Thank you all, I will report back when I figure this out. 🙂

[Bill_Satellite]

Not wanting to jump in here and step on anyone's toes, you may or may not be able to use the existing cable run to connect a satellite antenna/receiver.
IF (notice the big IF) the cable runs directly from the outside cable connection to the wall plate that is used as an A/B switch between OTA and Cable then it's as simple as removing the Cable coax connected to the back of that wall plate and making an extension to the satellite receiver. You could also add an A/B switch and run that disconnected cable to the single port on the A/B switch and the outputs could go right back to the port you disconnected and the 2nd to the satellite receiver. By doing this you would not lose anything and have the option to use Cable or Satellite by simply pushing a button.
Here's the problem. Not all RV's are wired from the outside connection directly to the wall plate with the on/off button. If your is not, and there is any splitter of any kind between the outside connection and that wall plate, you are done and you must run a new wire.

[Big_Katuna]

I know. I'm just saying you can do it if you use the right stuff.

[TechWriter]

Big Katuna wrote:

{tpc} wrote:

Big Katuna wrote:
My roof antenna cable is connected to a Winegard Sensar Pro amp then to the TV. I change tv inputs to watch OTA.

My outside cable input runs into the AV area and I use it to run the raw sat signal from my sat dish to my sat rcvr. HDMI to the tv and switch tv inputs to watch sat.

You can add diplexars on both ends if you wanted to still use the cable for cable AND sat but I NEVER connect to cable so I just use it for sat.

So you have successfully used the cable input wiring for the raw sat signal?

Absolutely for years. There is a video out there from DTV stating that SWM was designed to be run on existing cable wiring in residences and apartment buildings.

I also use a green DTV splitter and run raw sat sig to my rear tv with another sat box back there.

OP has DISH, not DirecTV, so don't be using no green splitters on that sat dish line.

[Big_Katuna]

{tpc} wrote:

Big Katuna wrote:
My roof antenna cable is connected to a Winegard Sensar Pro amp then to the TV. I change tv inputs to watch OTA.

My outside cable input runs into the AV area and I use it to run the raw sat signal from my sat dish to my sat rcvr. HDMI to the tv and switch tv inputs to watch sat.

You can add diplexars on both ends if you wanted to still use the cable for cable AND sat but I NEVER connect to cable so I just use it for sat.

So you have successfully used the cable input wiring for the raw sat signal?

Absolutely for years. There is a video out there from DTV stating that SWM was designed to be run on existing cable wiring in residences and apartment buildings.

I also use a green DTV splitter and run raw sat sig to my rear tv with another sat box back there.

[bgum]

I have run the wires into both the refrig. and water heater areas for sat. connections. Then just let a pig tail hang out a short distance from the door panel when parked and inside the door when traveling.

[_tpc_]

Big Katuna wrote:
My roof antenna cable is connected to a Winegard Sensar Pro amp then to the TV. I change tv inputs to watch OTA.

My outside cable input runs into the AV area and I use it to run the raw sat signal from my sat dish to my sat rcvr. HDMI to the tv and switch tv inputs to watch sat.

You can add diplexars on both ends if you wanted to still use the cable for cable AND sat but I NEVER connect to cable so I just use it for sat.

So you have successfully used the cable input wiring for the raw sat signal?

[Big_Katuna]

My roof antenna cable is connected to a Winegard Sensar Pro amp then to the TV. I change tv inputs to watch OTA.

My outside cable input runs into the AV area and I use it to run the raw sat signal from my sat dish to my sat rcvr. HDMI to the tv and switch tv inputs to watch sat.

You can add diplexars on both ends if you wanted to still use the cable for cable AND sat but I NEVER connect to cable so I just use it for sat.

[Golden_HVAC]

Hi,

What I did for the local stations is use the 'antenna input' on the back of my satellite receiver. Then used the RG6 cable to the dish, and the output line into the TV.

The RG6 cable is thicker core than a normal wire, and also is more conductive to the voltage being applied to the antenna receiver.

When you are setting up the antenna, it helps to know the direction to point the antenna. Around noon, the antenna receiver should cast a shadow on the dish. From there, you need to move it slightly right or left, until you get a signal. Then up and down, until you get a peak signal.

One way to peak the direction is to slowly move it left and right, until you get a good signal, then point it into the middle of where the signal fades. Then same thing with the up and down adjustment, until it is also at the peak.

Good luck,

Fred.

[MarkTwain]

Keep your cable hook up. When you are on the road and stop at an RV park for 1 night you can plug into cable and won't have to set up your satellite. Unless your satellite is automatic on the roof, then cable is not an issue.

[KID2TEXAS]

I also have dish and run two receivers off of it, I did as above stated and just added a plate to the outside and ran it under in the bay area and then up to the bedroom with another plate and marked it SAT-2. Very easy to do and love DISH with the $7 a month my RV...
You can get the cable at walmart and the plates.

[donn0128]

Best? Run a dedicated RG6 coax cable from somewhere with easy access to outside to behind the TV. A standard deco wall plate will make for a neat finished product inside. Standard coax cabling from the factory often has splitters hidden in the walls which are detrimental for sat signals.
I was able to snake my cables through the basement to a place where by drilling a couple of small holes I got the cable into a dead space on the wall behind the TV. Pulled the cable out, attached a connector, screwed it to the deco plate and screwed that over the hole. In a front compartment I attached a wall adapter. Then it is a simple matter of feeding the coax from the dish to the mount.