Satellite dish for RV and Direct TV

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wijames2002

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 28, 2017
Posts
168
Location
Tavares, FL
Sorry if this is a long question but I want to explain properly what I want to do. I'm trying to find an economical way to set up a roof mounted satellite dish that will work with my current DirectTV HR54-500 receiver. I know about the Winegard traveler but I cant afford $1500.00 for the system. I'm sure that someone here has figured out how to make something like the King Quest work with newer receivers. I see you are a resourceful bunch! Any ideas?
 
There are several small automatic dome antennas that will work with the Direct receiver, but they won't be HD. You can use a non HD dome with a HD receiver. I am doing it now with a HD DVR receiver. Some domes are roof mounted,  others are carry out. I have seen some  of the carry out domes mounted to the back roof ladder for a semi permanent installation. 
 
My receiver is a HR22 and I have a Wiengard in motion roof mounted dome. We don't use the in motion feature as neither the DW or I care about TV while rolling down the road. 
 
Be aware that Direct T.V. will stop transmitting in SD (standard definition) in 2019.  That means that in a little over a year, you will be forced into buying the HD equipment.
 
Badlands Bob said:
Be aware that Direct T.V. will stop transmitting in SD (standard definition) in 2019.  That means that in a little over a year, you will be forced into buying the HD equipment.

Is there a way to get HD with Direct now in an RV?
 
Yes.  We have an automatic roof-mounted RF Mogul dish that get HD channels on DirecTV.  HD requires a larger and more oval shaped dish because it needs to access different satellites than with SD channels.  The dish not only has to go up and down and move left and right, it also has to "skew" or change angles depending on where you are located.  You also will need to subscribe to the HD channels from DirecTV in order to receive them.  The dish is large enough that it cannot operate under a dome.  It sounds like you're going to need a whole new system in the not-too-distant future.  By the way, the only reason for a dome is so a passenger can watch TV while the coach is moving.  If you don't plan to do that, then a dome is useless and doesn't work when foggy, for example, because "raindrop attenuation" interferes with signal reception.  The factory installed one on our motorhome by mistake and we ditched it two weeks later because every morning Jerry had to get up on the wet roof to dry off the dome.

ArdraF
 
Travlers are junk.  Winegard has horrible custumer support.
Having said that and having had two of them, there is no way in heck I would buy one ever again.  Too many restrictions for them to work.  And way too fragile, and god forbid you need repairs.  Your much better off spending around 200 dollars for a ground based system with a decent tripod.  Totally flexible unless you really deep in the woods.  Roof mounted systems demand that your roof have a clear shot at 101 bird.  At least with a ground based system you can move it around until you find a clear view.
 
Thanks for the good info. Never thought about dew on the dome. I'm thinking very seriously about switching to Dish Network. It looks like they have some very nice, inexpensive kits for RV's and it's only $7.00 a month to add Dish on the go to your home bill.
 
donn said:
Travlers are junk.  Winegard has horrible custumer support.
Having said that and having had two of them, there is no way in heck I would buy one ever again.  Too many restrictions for them to work.  And way too fragile, and god forbid you need repairs.  Your much better off spending around 200 dollars for a ground based system with a decent tripod.  Totally flexible unless you really deep in the woods.  Roof mounted systems demand that your roof have a clear shot at 101 bird.  At least with a ground based system you can move it around until you find a clear view.

I have a Travler on the motorhome I just bought and it is very flimsy and doesn't want to go up and down very easy. Thats why I'm looking for something else.
 
donn said:
Travlers are junk.  Winegard has horrible custumer support.
Having said that and having had two of them, there is no way in heck I would buy one ever again.  Too many restrictions for them to work.  And way too fragile, and god forbid you need repairs.  Your much better off spending around 200 dollars for a ground based system with a decent tripod.  Totally flexible unless you really deep in the woods.  Roof mounted systems demand that your roof have a clear shot at 101 bird.  At least with a ground based system you can move it around until you find a clear view.

I've been running a Trav'ler since 2012 with no problems. Sure, trees or other obstructions can occasionally be a problem (rare for us), but we had a Carryout for several years (still have it, actually) as our only satellite antenna and it was awkward setting it up, and obstructions were just as much a problem as they are for our Trav'ler, just in different places, while the Trav'ler just needs one push of the button.

I don't know what "Too many restrictions for them to work" means--they work fine. And I don't find it to be fragile. Sorry you had bad experiences, but our experience has been great.
 
Like I said, roof mounted antenna is OK as long as your parked out in the open.  Once your parked in the trees, or trees block your view, their done for.  My first travler failed within 14 months.  Solution, take it down, box it up, spend a hundred dollars shipping it to Winegard and wait.  700 more dollars layer I got it back, assured it was fixed.  Drug it back up on the roof and voalla, still dead.  After two weeks of yelling Winegard sent me to a local dealer who was willing to check it out.  Winegard did not trust me.  Two more weeks and the dealer determined exactly the same things I had a month earlier.  Dead!  Winegard finally conceded that they had no clue what was wrong or how to fix it.  So a new one went up there.  Now, five years later this one is Dead.  Winegards only solution, replace the short coax between head and LNB.  Nope, still dead, replaced LNB, still dead.  My only recourse now, take it off the roof and spend another hundred dollars sending it to them in hopes they may actually be able to repair it. Then spend more $$$ to get it back.  RfMogul may be 500 dollars more money, but they can be fixed in the field, and they will sell you parts.  Winegard refused to sell parts.  Tells me a lot about the company as a whole.
 
The distinction between Dish and DirecTV is which channels you want to watch.  If you love sports one may be better than the other.  If you need foreign language channels that might be another choice.  In any case, decide what channel supplier suits your needs and then buy the appropriate system.  We've had DirecTV for about 20 years and have been happy with it.  By the way we started with a portable dish and had to level it and then aim it.  That finally got to be enough of a drag that we changed to a roof mount and have never looked back!  It's really nice to press a Find button to start it and a Stow button when you're ready to leave.  We're spoiled!

ArdraF
 
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