Dish Tailgater on a TC - looking for custom mount ideas

[Boatycall]

For those who own a Dish Tailgater---I'm looking for ideas to mount it to the 'roof luggage rack' semi-permanent, but in a way where it can still be removed if need be in case I'm parked under a tree.

I've googled and seen the ladder mounts, window mounts, and side wall mounts. I'm looking for ideas / pics of anyone who may have fab'd up something custom.

[okan-star]

DWeikert wrote:

okan-star wrote:
Yea ,it switches between the 3 locked in satellites , its annoying and its probably going to wear something out sooner
I use a plug strip with a switch on it to turn the receiver off , but you then have a long wait to refire-up the thing , if you just disconnect the rg6 cable , it will also stop the tailgater from searching , but the receiver then dosent need to re-start
A barrel splice somewhere you can reach handily does the trick

That's interesting. So you can disconnect the Tailgater, leave the receiver powered but off, and it remembers where the satellites are after reconnecting the Tailgater and turning on the receiver?

Yes , if you turn on the 211k it will say complete signal loss , but re-connect the tailgater and as long as you haven't moved it you have signal , if you have you have to go thru the check switch 1-2-3 again
If you leave it disconnected for days it wont have a program guide

Just throwing it out there , but anyone that's not using a ext hard drive as a dvr , should look into one , I have two 211k`s and only had to pay the 40ish $ fee once although I have two hard drives , Dish said its one fee per account , so I can take hard drives with dvr recordings with me

[DWeikert]

okan-star wrote:
Yea ,it switches between the 3 locked in satellites , its annoying and its probably going to wear something out sooner
I use a plug strip with a switch on it to turn the receiver off , but you then have a long wait to refire-up the thing , if you just disconnect the rg6 cable , it will also stop the tailgater from searching , but the receiver then dosent need to re-start
A barrel splice somewhere you can reach handily does the trick

That's interesting. So you can disconnect the Tailgater, leave the receiver powered but off, and it remembers where the satellites are after reconnecting the Tailgater and turning on the receiver?

[Boatycall]

towpro wrote:

Boatycall wrote:

Battery power's not a problem for me. I now have 10 145Ah commercial AGM batteries and 600w of solar.

that's 1000 lbs of batteries? you almost need a support truck to follow you with the batteries 😞

Funny you mention that... I do actually. All of the solar and 4 of the batteries are in the trailer in my sig. Just added the solar a couple weeks ago. In fact, now that I think about it, i'll do a write up on it.
Generally speaking, the trailer goes where I go for hauling toys, and I have a large 100a Golf Cart charger-type disconnect between the batteries in the trailer and the camper, and the solar feeds through that same pigtail.

Great, I've went and hijack'd my own post....

[DWeikert]

Boatycall wrote:

DWeikert wrote:
If you're boondocking, don't just turn off the receiver but kill the power. ... beats a 3:00 AM low battery alarm from the CO detector. Trust me. 🙂

Battery power's not a problem for me. I now have 10 145Ah commercial AGM batteries and 600w of solar.

😉

[towpro]

Boatycall wrote:

Battery power's not a problem for me. I now have 10 145Ah commercial AGM batteries and 600w of solar.

that's 1000 lbs of batteries? you almost need a support truck to follow you with the batteries 😞

[bobndot]

Tailgater video, with a clear cover to see how it works.


If im facing the right way, I can use my bike rack to hold it but I don't transport it this way. I use Velcro straps to keep it in place while parked. It can be locked to the ladder using a cable and padlock.
Lately I have been placing it on my roof using the escape hatch for access.( I have the old style escape not the Heki)
To transport it , I tuck it away inside the camper.

[Boatycall]

DWeikert wrote:
If you're boondocking, don't just turn off the receiver but kill the power. ... beats a 3:00 AM low battery alarm from the CO detector. Trust me. 🙂

Battery power's not a problem for me. I now have 10 145Ah commercial AGM batteries and 600w of solar.

[copeland343]

The handle points north because the dish does not rotate 360*. It stops before the handle, if it did not all the wiring would get pulled out.

[okan-star]

DWeikert wrote:
One thing I should share about the Tailgater, even with the receiver off it will occasionally do a search and move the dish. Don't know if it's just trying to fine tune the signal or if it's checking for updates to the programming guide, but it does put a drain on the battery. If you're boondocking, don't just turn off the receiver but kill the power. You'll have to wait for the system to find the satellites again when you power up, but beats a 3:00 AM low battery alarm from the CO detector. Trust me. 🙂

Yea ,it switches between the 3 locked in satellites , its annoying and its probably going to wear something out sooner
I use a plug strip with a switch on it to turn the receiver off , but you then have a long wait to refire-up the thing , if you just disconnect the rg6 cable , it will also stop the tailgater from searching , but the receiver then dosent need to re-start
A barrel splice somewhere you can reach handily does the trick

[_DJ_1]

DWeikert wrote:
One thing I should share about the Tailgater, even with the receiver off it will occasionally do a search and move the dish. Don't know if it's just trying to fine tune the signal or if it's checking for updates to the programming guide, but it does put a drain on the battery. If you're boondocking, don't just turn off the receiver but kill the power. You'll have to wait for the system to find the satellites again when you power up, but beats a 3:00 AM low battery alarm from the CO detector. Trust me. 🙂

GOOD to know!! Thanks!!

[DWeikert]

One thing I should share about the Tailgater, even with the receiver off it will occasionally do a search and move the dish. Don't know if it's just trying to fine tune the signal or if it's checking for updates to the programming guide, but it does put a drain on the battery. If you're boondocking, don't just turn off the receiver but kill the power. You'll have to wait for the system to find the satellites again when you power up, but beats a 3:00 AM low battery alarm from the CO detector. Trust me. 🙂

[towpro]

okan-star wrote:


Was it this

I would be interested in something like that mount, but when I click buy to see the price it tries to sell me the photo.

[Bumpyroad]

Super_Dave wrote:
r.

This is an example of a portable trolling motor mounting bracket that I could see working well fro this application.

Mounting Plate

that is the exact one I use on my boat and would be great for RV use. IIRC a trucker's mount was sold for these tailgaters which could be mounted to the ladder also.
bumpy

[Super_Dave]

If anyone is familiar with the Honda generator mounting plate or electric trolling motor mounting plates, the concept is to permanently mount one plate on the structure and another plate to the device. The plate either slide inside of each other or padlock together.

This is an example of a portable trolling motor mounting bracket that I could see working well fro this application.

Mounting Plate