I have been looking into adding a satellite dish on our Class C. Since we seldom watch TV on the road, I don't want to spend $1,000 to $1500 on a roof mount dish. CW has the Tailgater on sale for $350 and I am considering making a home made ladder mount. Just wondering how to run the coax from the rear ladder to the TV/satellite receiver mounted in an overhanging cabinet above the dinette behind passenger seat. I have a rear camera mount (just an indentation in the rear top cap with screw ports) that could be an access, but I see nothing on the rear wall where there is an easy access dot the top cap. I know I can run it down the ladder and underneath along the frame to a point of entry thru the floor, then up the wall. Any suggestions, we want to keep it clean looking.Oh, I do have the Vip211Z already in use in the house.

I've had a Tailgater for over two years now. Since I can't always guarantee that I will be facing the correct direction or that the tree foliage won't block the signal, I just keep my Tailgater in a storage compartment. Then, when at my destination, I place it on the ground and run the coax from the tailgater to my coax outlet, which is in my electrical compartment. I've found that. in most cases, I have to move the Tailgater around in order to get all 3 satellites. And sometimes it just does not work due to the tree canopy. I have read of others mounting them permanently. However, I would think that situations would arise when a stationary mounting would result in not finding one or more satellites.

I've been kicking that idea around, as so far I would use some PVC pipe strapped to the ladder and run the coax thru that. It could even have another piece under the rear toward the storage compartment and thru the electrical cable access hole.

I have a Tailgater and agree with mikebreeze about vehicle orientation and surrounding conditions affecting getting a good signals from the satellites. I assume too that you have the Dish receiver that will provide voltage and software to aim the Tailgater.

Yes, I have the vip211z receiver.

I have used something like these through wall adapters with pretty good luck. I would never drill a hole in the roof area but pretty safe weathertight wise going through the side of the RV. Best to drill through where the hole will come out inside one of your ceiling mounted cabinets. You can also use this same adapter on the inside if you like... Once in place you can use RTV to seal off the RG cable here... INSTALL NOTE: This usually requires the end of the RG cable to cut off and re-installed after you run the RG cable through the plastic adapter... The tighter the fit inside the adapter the better.Roy Ken

Running coax for DishTailgater ladder mount Class C

1L243
Explorer II
Dec 13, 2014
How were you planning on fastening your tailgator to your mount so it wont fall of when your driving down the road? I keep mine loose so I don't have to deal with obstructions ie trees..... When the tailgator is out of the box its not that big..

For connecting to TV I would not drill into the roof. I would get one of these
http://www.shoprvparts.com/product/14505F/phone-cable-tv-inlet-plates-1-2-diameter-installation-hole-white.html

and mount it on the outside of your RV opposite your TV cabinet so it will be inside the cabinet.

Just connect cable to tailgator then to inlet plate... I would not try and run the coax in any kind of conduit, just hook it up when you get to where your going...
SFVdave
Explorer
Dec 13, 2014
Gonzo you are giving me some great ideas, thanks. I made a pvc base a few years ago and added an adjustment device made out of wood. Not accurate enough.
Gonzo42
Explorer
Dec 13, 2014
That extra hole you see is for a lock cable like I use on bicycles.

See my antenna and tripod mods here:
EL & AZ Mods
SFVdave
Explorer
Dec 12, 2014
Gonzo, I do have a Dishnetwork satellitte 500 dish that was swapped out last weekend by Dish for the upgrade 1000. I could make a ladder mount like yours. What is the bigger hole for? I assume the skew and altitude are easily adjusted, I can figure that out where ever we are,
Does look like it would be difficult to adjust since it can't be level.
Gonzo42
Explorer
Dec 12, 2014
My dish ladder mount

Does your 5er wiggle too much even on levelers?

Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily this is not difficult. Charlotte Whitton
SFVdave
Explorer
Dec 12, 2014
We have absolutely no where to store theTailgater while traveling. I hoped to mount it on the ladder, lowering it for travel and raising for use. Removing it at home when MH isn't in use to prevent weathering. Having it sitting on the ground or table at the campsite will allow it to grow legs, know what I mean.
jims1
Explorer
Dec 12, 2014
We have a Tailgator as well. For awhile we kept it on the roof for a better view of the southern sky, but any wiggle of the 5'er would cause it to go out.
The dish is so small in them that they lose the signal really esy.
RoyB
Explorer II
Dec 12, 2014
I have used something like these through wall adapters with pretty good luck. I would never drill a hole in the roof area but pretty safe weathertight wise going through the side of the RV. Best to drill through where the hole will come out inside one of your ceiling mounted cabinets. You can also use this same adapter on the inside if you like... Once in place you can use RTV to seal off the RG cable here...

INSTALL NOTE: This usually requires the end of the RG cable to cut off and re-installed after you run the RG cable through the plastic adapter... The tighter the fit inside the adapter the better.

Roy Ken
SFVdave
Explorer
Dec 12, 2014
Yes, I have the vip211z receiver.
wlstroud
Explorer
Dec 12, 2014
I have a Tailgater and agree with mikebreeze about vehicle orientation and surrounding conditions affecting getting a good signals from the satellites. I assume too that you have the Dish receiver that will provide voltage and software to aim the Tailgater.

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Running coax for DishTailgater ladder mount Class C

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