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Old 11-22-2011, 09:17 AM   #1
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Question Portable satellite dish

We are thinking of purchasing a portable satelite dish. I read the manual for the Winegard GM 1518 and it says that the cable connection on the trailer will not work for connecting the dish to the receiver. The coax cable must run directly form the dish to the receiver.

My question is, how do I get the coax cable into the trailer without cutting a window screen or a hole in the trailer skin?
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Old 11-22-2011, 09:26 AM   #2
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I have a Direct Tv dish and have never had a problem with the trailer connection. If the connection points get corroded a problem could happen with reduced signal. Clean connection regularly. I would experiment with the cables before putting a hole in the trailer for the cable to go inside.
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Old 11-22-2011, 09:27 AM   #3
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I don't think this is true. Read your Airstream manual and I believe you can hook directly to the trailer. I don't have my manual in front of me but, I think it has something to do with the little jumper cable thing attached to the wall plate.

Not very scientific but there are many who do this and I am sure someone who really knows will chime in soon.
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Old 11-22-2011, 10:10 AM   #4
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What Rebee said. No problems. Sal.
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Old 11-22-2011, 10:18 AM   #5
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I have a DISH receiver and no problem using the factory cabling as is. The antenna amplifier must be off and the satellite receiver in and out ports are cabled to replace the short jumper. You may have to experiment to figure out which of the ports on the wall plate are in and out.

If you have a receiver with dual satellite tuners, that may complicate things as it will likely require a 2nd coax run from the GM-1518. A single tuner receiver is good to go.
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Old 11-22-2011, 10:27 AM   #6
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Not to hijack the thread but . . .

Has anyone used one of these?

Winegard Carryout MP1 Manual Portable Satellite TV Antenna

Am looking for the lowest cost entry point into something more than the AS television antenna for some television while on the road.

Guy at camping world frowned at me when i asked him about it in the store, but I think he wanted to sell the $1799.00 automatic unit instead.
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Old 11-22-2011, 10:49 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Goal15
Has anyone used one of these?

Winegard Carryout MP1 Manual Portable Satellite TV Antenna

Am looking for the lowest cost entry point into something more than the AS television antenna for some television while on the road....
I carried one of these for a number of years. The MP1 is more compact and self contained but functionally the same. With a compass and some patience to aim it, it will get the job done. Depending on your subscription and what channels you want, be aware that they may not all be on the same satellite. This type of antenna points at only the satellite you aimed it at. Understanding that limitation, it may be perfectly adequate for your needs.
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Old 11-22-2011, 11:28 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Silver Goose View Post
I have a DISH receiver and no problem using the factory cabling as is. The antenna amplifier must be off and the satellite receiver in and out ports are cabled to replace the short jumper. You may have to experiment to figure out which of the ports on the wall plate are in and out.

If you have a receiver with dual satellite tuners, that may complicate things as it will likely require a 2nd coax run from the GM-1518. A single tuner receiver is good to go.
We have used Dish network for years. I only hook one coax from the dish to the sat box. Each coax from the Dish sat dish carries all from both sats, 110 and 119. You only need the second coax if you connect to an additional sat box. I connect it to the "Sat 2" connection, leaving the "Sat 1" connection on the box empty. When doing the "Check Switch", the box tells me that there are fewer sat connections, and I click "OK". All Works fine.

In the trailer the sat box is located in a cabinet at the other side of the area from the TV. I use "TV 2" remote so that the remote does not have to be pointed at the sat box, just like it was in a bertoom in our home.
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Old 11-22-2011, 12:32 PM   #9
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Cheap Dish

You want a cheap set up, try this. The dish with LNB was bought at garage sale for about $2. The bottom was free. Just attach one to the other
Works as good as any and with a little practice and good compass and level, you can set up fairly quick. This one is HD but you can do a single sat LNB and dish if you want. A little easier to set up.
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Old 11-22-2011, 12:56 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Foster
...You only need the second coax if you connect to an additional sat box...
This is true for a single tuner receiver and I believe for some of the older dual tuner models. The current model DISH dual tuner DVRs require both inputs be connected to the antenna or setup will fail. The Winegard GM 1518 has two outputs that will accommodate either 2 receivers or this particular requirement on certain DISH receivers even though this antenna is only able to see one satellite at a time.

It is possible to use a single coax on such receivers, but you have to obtain PN 123254 from DIsh to make it work. Note, this is not a common coax splitter.

The OP had questioned about the reported need to bypass the house coax and run a cable directly from the antenna to the receiver. In nearly all cases this is not necessary on the Airstreams as the existing coax works fine. The reason I brought this up is that there are other reasons why initially setting up a satellite receiver may be problematic. Leaving the antenna booster power on is a common one. A recent poster found the internal cable had not been connected to the exterior cable connector. Connecting the receiver in backwards at the wall plate is another. If someone carried one of these particular DVR models to their trailer from their TV room without knowing this particular requirement, they might spend a lot of frustrating time trying to make it work.
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Old 11-22-2011, 01:03 PM   #11
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I don’t know if your interior connections are the same as mine, but I suspect so. My “cable” connection and my antenna connection are two separate systems, and both can be connected. The cable system goes to the outside of the coach, and from there I can connect either my satellite dish or to a park cable system. No “special” cable is required, other than something like RG6. I’ve tried heavier cable (“satellite ready”), like RG11, but there’s no detectable signal difference in typical cable distance runs, and it’s a lot heavier, stiffer, and more expensive. Having said that, it’s important to note that while I have an HD TV, neither my dish nor the satellite box I use in my AS are HD, so my reception is standard definition. I have HD at home, and when that system loses power, re-acquisition of satellites and re-booting the system is a lengthy process. I don’t think I’d like to spend my time in the wilds waiting for the HD –reboot to find out if I’ve aimed the dish correctly; but others may have experience with that one. I use Directv, and I use a dish that came with the satellite box that I purchased several years ago. I think you can still buy these dishes for about $50. I mount it on a short piece of 1 Ľ” PVC, and use an inexpensive tripod to hold it in position. Nothing fancy. I make absolutely no attempt to level tripod, since I don’t pay any attention to the crude elevation indicators on the dish. The signal doesn’t care whether the dish is level or not. Half the time, I use dead-reckoning to guess at the compass azimuth, and armed with my satellite signal detector, I pick up a signal fairly quickly. Elevation can vary, with latitude, and because I don’t bother to level the tripod, so I just move the elevation up or down to get the best signal. If I’m unsure of the correct azimuth for some reason, I use a hand-held compass, holding it away from the metal dish, to get me in the general direction. When I pick up a signal, I typically rotate a few degrees further west to see if there’s another satellite. If I find one, then the first one was Directv, and the second one is Dish. If I don’t find one a few degrees west, then my first satellite was Dish, and I have to rotate slightly east to pick up Directv.

So, if you’re sticking with standard definition, I recommend against spending more than $50 for the dish and maybe $25 for the tripod, and maybe 50-100 feet of inexpensive coax (I carry both lengths, and use the shortest possible). I’m sure you can buy inexpensive combo packages. As others have suggested, you may be able to pick up a used dish somewhere for practically nothing. I’d be concerned about setting out a big-dollar portable, self-aiming dish. If you’re looking for an HD experience in your Airstream, other people can provide guidance on that topic, and I’ll be looking forward to their responses. Whatever dish you get, make sure that it is compatible with your provider, and the type of service you want to receive.
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Old 11-22-2011, 01:18 PM   #12
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I used an old dual LNB dish which I mounted on a platform with 2 wheels and a handle. I was told that it would not work without a 21 Switch. I found that not to be. While in Iowa I was able to tune into both the 110 and 119 satellites. Only one cable goes into the trailer.
The thing that Dish Network failed to tell me is that I would not get local channels if I was out of my zip code area. Even though I pay for local channels. I would like to be able to view the broadcast channels (ABC, NBC, CBS etc) while traveling.
I have a small television that I set in the window of the trailer and watch the signal strength indicator on the screen while tuning. One of these days I'll get a signal strength meter.
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Old 11-22-2011, 01:21 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TG Twinkie View Post
...
The thing that Dish Network failed to tell me is that I would not get local channels if I was out of my zip code area. Even though I pay for local channels. I would like to be able to view the broadcast channels (ABC, NBC, CBS etc) while traveling.
...
A plain old antenna works great for that. Of course, they will be local to where you are.
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Old 11-22-2011, 01:29 PM   #14
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Not if you are out of the line of site of the transmitting tower. We stayed in two campgrounds along rivers in Iowa and Nebraska (state CG's). Both of which were in valleys significantly lower that the surrounding terrain. So no broadcast signals were available. But I could get satellite reception.
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Old 11-22-2011, 01:50 PM   #15
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Not if you are out of the line of site of the transmitting tower. We stayed in two campgrounds along rivers in Iowa and Nebraska (state CG's). Both of which were in valleys significantly lower that the surrounding terrain. So no broadcast signals were available. But I could get satellite reception.
Good point. Where I grew up, we only got one channel over a very large antenna on a tall pole. People just a few blocks away, on top of the hill, got two more channels giving them all three networks.

Dish does have a program to provide network service for RVers, though. Have you looked at DISH Network® Distant Network Service?

One thing Dish didn't tell me is that the local channels for Little Rock were not HD even though I got a HD DVR. (I can view and record them in HD over the antenna, though.) That's OK because they will be adding HD channels for Little Rock in a few months. At least that's what they told me five years ago.
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Old 11-22-2011, 04:23 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TG Twinkie View Post
The thing that Dish Network failed to tell me is that I would not get local channels if I was out of my zip code area. Even though I pay for local channels. I would like to be able to view the broadcast channels (ABC, NBC, CBS etc) while traveling.
If you want to get networks when you are out of your home area, you need to subscribe to All American Direct. Be sure to indicate that you spend most of your time in your RV. We have been using them ever since Dish Network stopped offering "distant networks" some years back. We get ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX from both San Francisco and New York. We are able to watch Leno at 8:35 in the evening when we are in the pacific time zone if we wish. Once you are hooked up to All American Direct, you will get their stations at home as well as on the road. Really handy if there are two network programs on at the same time that you want to watch. Watch one from New York and the other from San Francisco. Being as you are in Nebraska, you might get three sets of network programing. I don't know which network cities All American will give you in Nebraska.

ALLAMERICANDIRECT.COM
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Old 11-24-2011, 09:10 AM   #17
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I have a '71 Trade Wind AS that does not have an external cable connection. Any advice on installing a satellite dish? Will I need to install a connector through the skin
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Old 11-24-2011, 10:50 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by paulrakel
I have a '71 Trade Wind AS that does not have an external cable connection. Any advice on installing a satellite dish? Will I need to install a connector through the skin
If you have this type of antenna amplifier switch, it it a matter of running a coax from the connector labeled cable to an external connector you mount on the skin.

You can the connect a park cable or your satellite antenna this way. The antenna switch is on for over the air reception from the batwing, off for your cable connection.

When running the cable from the switch to the outside connector you will need to provide a way to connect your satellite receiver in this loop. The newer Airstreams include a dual connector faceplate with a jumper. Jumper installed for cable, satellite receiver replaces the jumper. You may want to think about installing the jumper plate somewhere convenient for placement of your receiver.

The challenge may be fishing the cables to where you want them.
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Old 11-24-2011, 08:40 PM   #19
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Our trailer has the old flat wire to the roof top antenna. I ran a coax cable up thru the vent for the refer. There is a wire mesh screen in the belly pan. Left the connector hanging below the screen to make the connection.
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Old 01-10-2012, 03:13 PM   #20
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I used the Winguard, on my 2006 and it would not work, had to drill hole in backside of 'ref, and run cable into unit nd contact it to Dirctv Box and then to right side of the two TV plugs. Just moved into a 2007 and it now plugs into outside cable port and just undo the jumper and run the box to the right side and left port runs to cable in. Works great. Been using it for one year today
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