Which satellite set up is best?

[captastjoe]

Trying to decide which satellite receiver set up would be best for my new 3400rl. Auto seek permanent mount, carry out portable dish. What seems to work best for most campsites? We'll be hooking up to direct TV. Thanx for the help.

[bncinwv]

If you want directTV HD, you only have one option, being the Winegard Travler SK-3005 Slimline. It is auto-seek and we have never had a problem acquiring the satellites at any campground we have been in to date. If you do not want HD, there are other options, of which I would think the portable carryout, auto-seek would be the easiest to use. We have the SK-3005 and would not be without it after being spoiled by it. Pull into a site, press a button, wait about two to five minutes and start watching.
Bingo

[1retired06]

Kind of depends on how much you want to spend. Most expensive: auto dish on the roof. Middle expensive: portable auto dish module Least Expensive: tripod, with manual dish. Some folks with automatic configuations also carry a tripod for those occasions where particular site characteristics block the shot from the roof, and the tripod can be positioned in a usable location. We went the cheap way and use a tripod with Directv, no HD. Takes me 10-15 minutes to set up.

[Captain Joe]

I have the Winegard Travler SK-3005 Slimline on the roof. With a 42" TV, I gotta have HD programming and like Bingo stated....this is the only way to get HD. Good luck.

[Gkerlin]

I have the Winegard Carryout 1518. It takes me about 5 min to set up and we are set. Even with lots of trees I can only think of two times in almost 5 months of use - probably 60 or 70 locations - where I was unable to pick up a signal. I use an iphone app that shows me where the satellites are in the sky and then I can place the dish accordingly where it locks on automatically.

I match it up with a Dish Vip211. I got rid of Time warner cable in my home and went with Dish so the additional receiver costs me only $6.95 a month. A lot cheaper than the pay as you go plan.

The antenna has dip switches that can be configured for several different providers including Dish or Direct TV. One reason that I like Dish is that the antenna will receive either the Western or Eastern Arc Satellites by moving a couple of dip switches. This comes in handy when there are trees blocking your view in one direction you can switch satellite groups. I believe that you don't have that option with Direct TV using this antenna.

I also get HD on Dish.

I've got setting the antenna up into a couple of minute deal. I made a cable reel with a handle that has 75' of coax and 12v power cord. I connect the end to the Coach then walk it to the antenna just like layout out detonator cord. Connect to the antenna and Bam.... A couple of minutes for everything to boot up I'm in business.

My only complaint is the lack of local channels once beyond my spot beam. If there is a network show that we really want to catch and can't pick it up OTA I will call Dish and have them change my service address to wherever I am. If we are boondocking I just make one up using a street in a nearby town. We've done that 5 or 6 times and it worked fine. When we get home we switch it back and alls well.

I'm very happy with the set up and for $7 bucks the monthly cost is negligible.

[bw2]

Set up a basic Direct TV dish for 6 years with very little problem. A few locations seemed much harder to do than others, again that is just time spent. I just added the Slimline as Bingo and others have. Now setting up the satellite is my wife's responsibility. It is really nice when you are traveling for a number of days. Stop, level, ( also have Level=up)hit the sat button, put out slides, water and elec. Sit and have a beer. It takes about the same amount of time as me trying to type out this thread.

I carry a small dish for those infrequent times that trees may be in the way.

[Montana3800RE]

As stated above, depends on how much you want to spend. Living in the NW you will probably be camping around alot of trees like we do so we use a portable cube that you can move away from objects to get a clear view to the satelite. We have never had a problem getting a signal every where we go. Unfortunatly the VuCube 2000 that we have is not made any more but the Wineguard Carryout 1518 will also do the trick. One thing to keep in mind with the portables is the security, sometimes I take ours and put it away for the evening.............Ron

[DQDick]

We also use the Winegard carry out. This summer we were under pine trees most of the summer and currently six rigs so far (We've been here three weeks and it's boring and I'm counting) have pulled into the site next to us, started to set up and then gone back to the office to move sites. The site next door has a large tree next to it that completely blocks Direct and probably all but one dish satellite and they had permanent mount antennas. I have a ladder mount on the rig for the Winegard and so if we're staying where out of the way works I mount it up there and if not I find a place on the ground it can see the satellites. So once again, in this life style, it depends on your personal tastes and where you plan to camp.

[vmoore1]

X2 on what Bingo And Captain Joe said, we take 2 receivers from stick house, and off we go, got to have our HD programming and of course NFL Sunday Ticket!!!

[DQDick]

If security is a problem there is a metal ring on the bottom of the Winegard and you can use a chain or wire cable to lock it to something that isn't going to move (wheel on rig, level arm, water pipe or whatever).

[captastjoe]

Thanx for all the input & responses. Looks like the slimline 3005 with a portable back up is the way to go.
It's probably best to have the 3005 installed at Montana dealer right?

[Carl n Susan]

quote:Originally posted by captastjoe


It's probably best to have the 3005 installed at Montana dealer right?

Actually the best place (and cheapest) installation is in Quartzsite. Those guys do hundreds of them each year.

I missed this thread originally. I am a DirecTV customer (locked in due to having and exploiting the East/West feeds) and a big fan of HD. I have thought a lot about installing an automatic seeking dish on the roof. But we camp frequently in tree covered areas of CA, OR and WA. My slimline antenna mounted on a TV4RV tripod is quick and easy to set up and offers the flexibility to position it where the satellite signal is (rather than where the RV is). The automatic dish is nice but isn't a good option for us.

[Gkerlin]

quote:Originally posted by Carl n Susan

I am a DirecTV customer (locked in due to having and exploiting the East/West feeds)

Carl... what do you mean by the above? Are you referring to locals? I'm always trying to figure out a way to get them wihout hassles.

also - I'm not familiar with the Direct TV antennas but I think you are saying that you are using an automatic rooftop antenna on a tripod??? If so - that's an interesting idea.

[Carl n Susan]

quote:Originally posted by Gkerlin
Carl... what do you mean by the above? Are you referring to locals? I'm always trying to figure out a way to get them wihout hassles.

I have the East/West network feeds (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, etc) from N.Y. and L.A. in addition to my locals (when I am within range of the spot beam). I have an "RV Account" with DirecTV and I have had both feeds for a long time. New customers can only get the feed closest to their billing address. If I need local stations for the actual area I am in I use the OTA antenna. I haven't needed to do that for a while. I do not call DirecTV to change my locals (I know some folks do).

I DVR everything! I have close to 50 different series being recorded. I use the East feeds (I am usually in the West) to record most everything. This allows me to watch tonight's show without commercials.

The biggest disadvantage of changing locals when you move is the channel numbers are different. NBC in Sacramento is channel 3 while in L.A. it is channel 4. I don't have to change the channel associated with a series recording when I move to a new area with new locals. My shows get recorded regardless of where in the country I might be.

quote:Originally posted by Gkerlin
...also - I'm not familiar with the Direct TV antennas but I think you are saying that you are using an automatic rooftop antenna on a tripod??? If so - that's an interesting idea.

No I don't use an automatic rooftop antenna on a tripod. But the idea is close. I use a "AU9-SL3-SWM Three LNB Ka/Ku Slim Line Dish" clicky which is the house mounted version but very similar to the automatic dish as far as the parabolic antenna, and LNB are concerned.