Satellite TV - Which dish works?

[gojodo]

I have been looking at satellite tv options, but pretty much have settled in on Direct TV. My problem is trying to understand how difficult is it to set up the dish on the road. I won't be able to afford one of the very expensive dishes that find the satellite while driving down the road. My real question is which dishes work and which ones don't work. Campling
World sells fairly cheap dishes, portable dishes and then the dome ones that are very expensive. Any recommendations or suggestions would be appreciated, as usual.

[faeb and genb]

I have had Dish Network & now have Direct T V. Had problems with both companies. They hooked it up in home wouldn't go in R V.I can get a signal most all time. I think it is the local people that give more problems than the companies themselves.
Gene

[richfaa]

Have Direct Tv for several years. No problem easy to set up in the camper.You can get a extra dish for the camper most anywhere including garage sales and flea markets. a new one cost @ 50.00.Tripod of any type, the one C.W sales will do just fine.. Compass and signal meter are a must. Signal is good as long as you can see the southern sky

[Charlie]

It is easy to set up a dish from either company, however a single LNB system from Direct is the easiest. It is a matter of being able to obtain the angles from the main menu (by Zip Code), applying these to the dish and locking onto the satellite. A good compass helps, along with a satellite finder available from CW or Radio Shack are helpful. As Rich said a clear view of the souther sky is necessary. I have used a Dish Network dish in most areas of the US and was unable to find a signal in only two instances, once by trees and the other I was behind a mountain in Oregon.

[drhowell]

I use my old single LNB dish for the RV. I replaced it on the home with the 3 LNB type. I just grab one of the home receivers when we take the RV out. It requires a couple setting changes on the menu, check the zip code for correct pointing and I am in business. The biggest problem seems to be when setting up the dish. If I make sure it is level first and foremost the rest seems to go easy. I have found that you really need to use the compass to get the correct direction (azimuth) for the correct satellite. I have found signals near the correct azimuth but they are usually different satellites and will not work. So; set menu first, level dish, use compass for correct azimuth and finally adjust elevation for best signal. You can use the on screen signal meter but I found it is easier to use a signal strength meter at the dish. Do not skip a step and if it doesn't work go back to the beginning and make extra sure each step is completed correctly before going to the next. Works every time!

[lightningjack11]

Installed a manual crankup Wingard antenna on the roof a long time ago with an elevation readout. Takes about 5 min to set up my DirectTV after I connect to shore power. I can set azimuth and elevation inside the trailer. I just have to watch how I pull in and where I stop. Sometimes a foot or two makes a big difference. The signal goes through cloud coverage ok but will not go through a thicket of tree branches.

The cheapist way to set up is with an antenna bought from a flea market or garage sale. You will need a stand and compass and someway to hold the stand down during windy conditions.

[toolmanroy]

Also try e-bay for a used dish and/or LNB. We have Dish Network but will be switching to Direct TV soon mainly because they will upgrade our equipment with extras at no charge. We can also bundle our phone, internet, and satellite services and save money with only one bill. We have had satellite service most everywhere we have been in Oregon.

[Parrothead]

We have DirecTV and once you get use to it, it is easy to set up. Following all the suggestions above another thing to remember is if you are not getting a signal is to move a little bit to one side, wait and then move again a little bit, then wait. If this doesn't work, move the other way. We use our GPS to get the longitude and latitude. It is more accurate than by Zip code.
Happy trails....................

[thook]

We have Dish Tv at home and use one of the receivers on the road. We have a single LNB on our RV dish. The problem with DISH tv is the signal comes from two satellites. A DISH receiver requires a dual LNB and a skew setting on the dish. As I understand it the dish has to be set for elevation, azimuth (bearing) and skew, which is actually cocking the dish at an angle after bearing and elevation is set. Without this feature, only one satellite can be picked up at a time. So when we want to go from one satellite to the other we have to change the bearing about 10 degrees. Kind of a pain. The local stations are on one satellite and most of the others such as HBO, cable news channels, etc. are on the second satellite. Wyngaard doesn't provide a crank up antenna that can incorporate skew. All said, DirecTV is the simplest. One satelitte and one setting.........wish I had DirecTV but too much invested in the DISH home system with High Definition, etc. Whewwwww...sorry for the long post........

[Montana Sky]

If you are like me and would rather hit a button and have the dish do all the work, you might consider looking at installing an automatic dish on your coach. The two I was looking at are KVH TracVision and Kingdome. If you do alot of "tree" camping, these might not work as well for you, they do need a clear view to the sky. (as do the tripod dish's) Having it mounted on the roof of your coach, you cannot move it like the tripod.

[mobilrvn]

We have been using Star Choice, a Canadian sat. system, because we can get English language TV all over Mexico when we go there as well as everywhere else. We get east and west coast major stations and HDTV as well. Go to www.global-cm.net for more info.

[Charlie]

Tom-
Don't wish too hard for a new Direct Satellite system. A couple of weeks ago a camper set up next to me and tried to set up a Direct triple LNB dish and could not get reception. This was his first time to set up the dish.

After studying the system, I found out that this system is very similar to the Dish 500 as it also has setting called "Tilt". This acts the same as "Skew" on the Dish 500 as it rotates the dish in order to lock onto the satellites. Found it to be using 101, 110, and 119 satellites. After setting the "Tilt" to the proper angle everything worked great.

[yvonnenid]

As I am writing this, a King Dome Satelite system is being installed on our Monty. Our fiends have had one for several years, and it has worked almost every where they have been. It is so easy just push the button and the dome locks on the Satelite. They have direct tv as do we. We have been with them many times at a remote tree lined site and they have still gotten direct tv. So, since we are going to keep this 06 3670 for many years we decided to splurge!

[gitrdun]

I have a trac-vision dome by wineguard. I have the dish network and do not have any problems with signal. User friendly and customer support.

[Lije Baley]

I've got Directv. While I have a 3-lnb oval dish at home for HD reception, an old (and cheap) dual lnb dish on a fairly ugly roof antenna tripod is a snap to set up when out in the Montana (there are two advantages to using this type of triprod: they are very stable and so ugly that only a desperate thief would steal it). I've been in several wooded sites that required me to move the tripod for a clear view of the satellite. A roof mount would have left me without a signal. As others have said, Directv is easy (at least for standard definiton) because the signals are all from one satellite. The satellite finders (signal meters) are a must. They're at CW, but can be purchased for less on e-bay. The meters don't differentiate between satellites, so that after getting a hit on the meter, you need to view the satellite signal strength on your TV. The Direct and Dish satellites are in the same area of the sky, so you'll often hit the wrong one.

Here is an excellent guide to satellite TV with an RV: http://www.ccis.com/home/mnemeth/sat.htm

[DCP]

Don't forget that you won't get the network stations because when you initially set up at home you gave them your zip code there. You have to call them each time you move and give them the local zip code you are in. There is no charge for this.

[Montana_1240]

After we spent some time at a lovely campground in Luray, Virginia, and had to cope without cable, and only one network being broadcast to that area, we purchased DirecTV.

One reason I went with DirecTV was because I had always thought it’d be nice to move up to DirecWay, Internet. (Now HughesNet.) Plus, I just couldn’t get used to seeing DISH dishes with that strange skew. :)

After trying out a small Camping World dish that was down on the ground, and would have required maybe rocks or sandbags to attempt to level it on much of the ground we’ve been around. (My wife also warned me that my back would be killing me from attempting to adjust that thing for the satellite reception.) I went with the Camping World tripod that is easy to level, yet still folds up for travel. http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm?deptID=&subOf=205,26,339&skunum=26276

I was originally planning on getting a dome on the fiver, but then saw how often we’re parked under trees, or with that particular portion of the rig obscured by trees. I find it so handy to be able to move the dish, rather than the rig. I’ve got 75’ of cable on each of the dual-LNB dish’s outputs, so I can literally find a satellite no matter where we park.

Once I realized the receiver had the information for aiming the dish, and I didn’t have to go on line to DirecTV’s website for their satellite locator information, set-up has been a breeze. (I have yet to find out where to use GPS info for setting the thing, BTW. Not that I’d want to have to get my wife’s laptop or this desktop fired up with Delorme, to find out where we’re located, anyway.)

After using just a compass to set the Azimuth, I watch the TV screen through the window to see what the signal strength is as I slowly move the dish left and right, or up and down, for at least a 95% signal strength indication. I tried the Camping World Satellite Finder, (anyone wanna buy one, hardly used?) but found that I must need something to knock down the strength of the signal, because I either have a full on, or almost off signal, no matter how slightly I adjust the dish. I haven’t used that since after two tries.

I like the DirecTV channel line-up. Mainly because you don’t have to buy a special package to get FOX News. I loath sports, so I’ll never need the double or triple-head monster that some sports fanatics have, or that seems to come on most DISH Network set-ups. I’ve enjoyed the heck out of the TIVO, and am almost always watching the DVR’d shows, rather than live shows. But even without a TIVO, the DirecTV set-up is tops in my book.

As far as the dish goes, if you're a new customer, it's free with your sign-up.

Those are my two-cents.

Steve

[Montana_4791]

The original question as to what dish to buy is still out there.
We purchased, in 1997, from Camping World, a dish made by Winegard that is completely portable. It is the one with the round base, needs nothing but a couple of stakes to hold it in place and WORKS!!! We even had the face painted in Mexico about 8 years ago and that still looks good. The dish has proven itself well. We have only one place where we couldn't get out with a signal, and that was deep in the California Redwoods. We have gone through two receivers, but they are not very expensive in the long run. Camping World is still selling the dish we have, you may want to check it out!!
As far as set up...it is easy, if it takes us more than 5 minutes, something is wrong! :) Just enter the zip code of where you are, use a finder, and set up your angles. You should be within a few degrees of where you belong.
Hope this helps, Wendi

[Lije Baley]

As you can see, a variety of dishes will work. I think the dishes made for roof mounting are cheaper and they are certainly as functional as the RV dishes available at CW. Regardless of which dish you choose, you should get a dual-lnb, rather than a single lnb, dish. The two lnbs allow you to use two separate receivers (different programming on each TV) or both tuners in a Tivo. (Steve was correct. Once you've used a Tivo, you'll have difficulty using a setup without one.)

[Montana_1240]

FullTimer,

I originally bought that dish, because it was so compact.

But when I got it, I saw that leveling it would likely take some engineering, with pieces of wood, rocks, or sand that might shift. Holding it down with the stakes is fine, as long as it's on level ground.

But as soon as my wife reminded me of my knee and back problems, and how I'd have to kneel to adjust it each time, I decided to get that bigger tripod and go with the free dish DirecTV brought with the TIVO.

Aside from it not being made for my particular situation, I still wouldn't mind having something that small to take down and store for travel. As it is, I have to swing the bigger standard dish, on the tripod, into the rig and lay it on the bed when we break camp. Not impossible, but definitely not as easy as your dish.

Have you had any problems with getting that bubble level at any sites?

Ran into one camper in Georgia, who had a DISH Network dish that he also had painted in Mexico. The artwork was fantastic! (In fact, it looked like so many of the Alaskan gold pan art that we used to see in all the shops in Alaska. And a scene we’d love to have on our dish. His only problem was that with the skew he has to put on that thing, once he reassembled the dish, the whole picture is turned way over to one side. I think he mentioned kicking himself for forgetting that slight “feature” when he brought it to the painter. :)

Steve

[RKassl]

My satellite system is based on the Dish Network. I use the Dish 500 and a sat mount that I made out of PVC pipe. I am able to lock on two the satellite at 119 and 121 degrees. I have the network feeds on the the 119 satellite. The set up usually takes less than 10 minutes when I use the satellite finder. I have the satellite receiver box in the Monty and pay Dish 4.95 per month for the extra receiver. No way am I going to rip the home system out every time we roll out the driveway.

[Montana_1240]

RKassl,

I forgot…Some people do have homes they want to leave their receivers in. :)

(Like us. This is our home, and I sure wouldn't want to move the TIVO anywhere!)

As I've become familiar with setting this dish up, it's gotten easier all the time. In fact, the past two times, I've gotten over 80% Signal Strength, the first shot!

I do notice that there's about a 5 degree difference of Azimuth settings, between the DirecTV website, and the receiver's information. I found the receiver to be more correct, as I used to have to almost always move the dish further west than the website had said.

I'm guessing that relying upon the receiver's info is the big reason I've gotten so much better at it.

But back to the original question...It seems to me that all dishes are just fine for reception on at least DirecTV. (I'm guessing that some alteration would be needed for low-end after-market dishes to account for DISH Network's skew. But that is just a guess.)

If one is expecting the DirecTV's free dish, and one doesn't feel compelled to build one into their rig, that one is great to start with. Besides, with the entertainment center in my slide-out, I wouldn't want to have to have exposed coax that some installer would run through the ceiling and drop out next to the slide to be connected to my receiver, that way. (Having relied upon Circuit City to install my XM Radio, I'm leery of having installers try to do anything "on-the-cheap" like they did with that antenna!)

Steve

[ols1932]

We have DirecTV and I have the dish mounted on a 2x8 which I line up with the satellite signal using a satellite finder (it's a signal sensitivity meter), then nailing the 2x8 down with tent pegs. Works very well, and is simple to set up.

Orv

[gojodo]

Thanks to all for sharing your experiences. Sometimes it seems we are all alone trying to find our way through this new world of RV life, but then we get this kind of support and realize we are truely a community supporting each other. Thank you.

[Montana_1240]

Gojodo,

I do hope that you post something to let us know what dish you’ve settled on. I’m sure that any of them will work fine with DirecTV. It stands to reason, since the free one they gave us works great.

And if you feel compelled to go with the Satellite Meter, I’ll let mine go for $15 and postal charges. It’s only been attempted to be used twice. (I think maybe it needs an attenuator, or something. Saw that in some info on line about using them.)

Steve

[richfaa]

Gyro..try this next time with your signal meter. Turn the control knob all the way off (counterclockwise)the trun it up till you just get a reading .That signal is always there and is coming from the sat receiver.Leaving it at that point start looking for a increase in signal, if you get a increase that pegs the meter or goes very high , turn the knob a bit counterclockwise again,try to keep the signal in the center of the meter dial.The sig meter should work very well.We use it all the time...

[snowbunny]

Anyone using Bell Expressvu? If so where do you get the right altitude and azimuth angles when in the USA?

[OntMont]

If you go to the Telesat Canada website, there is a tool there that lets you input Lat and Lon and it will return the coordinates for each of their satellites. ExpressVu uses the Nimiq satellite at 91 degrees.

Here is the link: https://support.telesat.ca/LookAngle/

[OntMont]

quote:Originally posted by Gyro
I do notice that there's about a 5 degree difference of Azimuth settings, between the DirecTV website, and the receiver's information. I found the receiver to be more correct, as I used to have to almost always move the dish further west than the website had said.

Don't forget that the website is probably giving you true compass readings, you have to correct that for the local variation which changes with geographic location. You can find maps showing Magnetic Variation values on the internet.

[eztraveler2000]

I just set my Direct TV dish today at the seasonal site that I have, on top of a hill with no trees to interfere. Wind is an issue here and keeping the small tripod that CW sells is difficult to keep upright. The ground has a lot of rocks in it and is difficult to drive anything in the ground here. I had an idea to take an old umbrella base for an outdoor table that you add water to, about 4 to 5 gallons that I wasn't using and mounted the short mast and dish from that set up I had on the tripod into the the center hole that holds the umbrella. I checked for level, used some small slivers of wood for shims around the mast and center hole. We will see how it works when in gets windy here and it is windy here quite often. We may have to make adjustments if the wind moves the dish sideways but it won't fall over. Looks like it may be a cheap solution for my problem, will report back on my progress. Just thought that I would pass this on. Possibly any large container that will hold sand or water like the large containers for collecting used motor oil would work.:)