I have a 2007 Safari 27 FB SE which has the campground cable connection on the outside next to the phone connection and water fill. When I attach the dish cable to this external cable connection, the signal doesn't reach the TV.
I have removed the U-cable on the interior in-out and installed the direct-tv reciever to the in and out. To make sure the dish and reciever were working properly, I connected the dish cable directly from the dish outside the trailer to the reciever without going through the campground cable connection. It worked fine when I did this. It appears there is a problem between these two connections. I could hook up directly this way while camping but it is a pain having the cable running through the door to the reciever.
When I tried tracing the cable from the external campground connection to the internal connection, I found that the cable runs through areas that are not accessible behind the trailer shell.
Check and see if there is a signal booster inside the trailer. If so - it only works with the regular arial antenna and should be switched off for satellite input through the external jack or campground cable. It is a really small switch on an outlet cover adjacent to the outside jack on my trailer and has an LED for on/off.
I have the "Vu Qube" Satellite Dish that is positioned outside the trailer aimed at the southern sky. If there is a splitter that dos not allow the signal through, how are you running the cable into the trailer? I'd like to have a way to run it into the trailer without opening a door or window. Any suggestions?
The satellite signal is very weak... so it needs low-loss cable (RG-6U). Your trailer may have something else - you could pull off a coverplate and see. It cannot be split or amplified. You may need to run separate coax for satellite.
I have the same problem with my 97 Excella. I set up the satillite system for the first time tonight and thought I could just plug into the cable connection that is located on the road side in one of the bottom compartments.
I first ran the coaxle cable from the satillite to the receiver like you did through the door and found the signal. I then unhooked the cable from the receiver and plugged it into the trailer "no signal". What gives? I would assume the old cable connection in the trailer is the same as the coaxle from the satillite.
I would hate to think that I would have to pull the old cable out and replace it with the satillite cable!
The outside cable must go directly to the Satellite receiver Without trying to pass thru any spliters or other amplifiers. The reason is that the receiver supplies voltage to the dish (which is why it works when you connect to it with an additional cable thru the door or window.)
You don't need to try to change the cable that Airstream supplied as some have suggested. What you have works fine. You also shouldn't try to use an "Amplifier"...the cable MUST go directly from the receiver to the dish in order for the necessary supply "voltage" to reach the dish.
Airstream provided a small jumper cable in the trailer that allows you to connect an external antenna for satellite use..You are correct, you remove the small jumper cable, put the receiver into the circuit and it should work. You should NOT have to turn on any "amplifiers" our other workings..
Just make sure the cables are connected correctly ( in..out) and its gotta work .
In goes to the satellite receiver "antenna" connection...Out goes back into the out (or tv) jack on the wall and supplies signal to the TV sets..
Sorry for the long post, but too many myths surround what is a realitively simple process if you understand the fundamentals.
Just make sure the dish cable goes from the dish to the trailer external connection, then to the satellite receiver, .No amplifiers, No splitters, No switches ETC... THEN to the TV sets
Hope this helps...
In reading my post I want to try to make it as clear as I can
...You connect the dish to the external outside connector (the campground cable connection next to the phone jack and water connections)
Remove the small jumper inside the trailer (its a small cable about 6 inches or so long)
Connect the Satellite receiver to the plugs that the jumper was connected to..Making sure the "antenna" in jack on the receiver is connected to the jack that goes to the outside jack that the antenna connected to..
Connect the "out to TV" from the satellite receiver to the other jack that the small jumper was connected to and it will supply the signal to the TV sets in the Airstream..
No other stuff need be involved.(amplifiers, cables, switches etc)
There is a wall plate on the wall on top of the cabinet. On that wall is a phone jack and next to that is the plate that looks like a combo TV antenna connect and a cable connection. Between the two connections is a switch that when flipped turns on a light (I assume that is an amplifler for the Roof tv antenna). The cable connection does not have a "Jumper Cable coming out of it. I turned off the light and hooked my receiver directly into the wall connection for cable. The Satellite cable from the dish is ran directly to the outside connection on the trailer. NO SIGNAL. I can't see anymore connections or wires anywhere. This should be rather straight forward. I'm lost as to why it is not working.
The cable connection for campground wired cable is just for that. When using the external cable for wired cable make sure the roof antenna amplifier is turned off. the Little light is off. The internal cabling has a splitter arangement to service more than one TV. To have the satellite dish (cube) work I ran seperate cables. You need two cables if you want to use a DVR recorder or if using two satellite recievers for two different TVs. Keep the systems (cabling) seperate. There are several reasons for this but I don't want to get technical. My setup is even more complicated because I have the option to use my King Dome roof dish or an external dish when I park under trees. I have seen where some have drilled small holes and mounted the cabling with a rain caps when not in use. It's not that hard - I hope you take my suggestions. I have worked in the electronics, computer, radio engineering fields nearly all my adult life.
I'm no expert, but I did manage to get mine to work rather easily. As always, I could be wrong, but I believe the connection that is nearest the amplifier light is for the external roof antenna only. I leave mine connected turned on andall the time. In my AS there are two other cable connections (with jumper) below the amplifier. After I connected my dish to the outside connection box, I removed the jumper, and connected the cable from the satellite receiver to the connection labeled "SAT. IN". So far, I haven't found a use for the other cable connector.
I'm sure this sounds more complicated than it really is.
On Airstreams built in the 90"s I don't think Airstream built in the ability to connect an external satellite antenna...Mine is a 1999 and I had to put one in myself....
What Airstream DID install was a jack with a switch that turns on a led (light ) to show that the antenna amplifier for the rooftop antenna on top of the trailer had power and was turned on...
This is ONLY for the roof top antenna and is not used for the satellite connections...unless there is a DIFFERENT jack with two cable outlets and a small jumper cable on it, your trailer is not wired for satellite..
I have seen this seperate wall plate with jumpers underneath the dining table on the wall...it may also be on the wall next to where the front TV set is. This is the jumper that must be removed and the satellite receiver connected thru these jacks as outlined in my earlier posts...
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