Cable storage

wildwolfproducts

Well-known member
Got tired of rolling up the cable when our auto sat dish can't get a signal. So went to walmart and bought one of those 100ft hose reels. Took a 1/2" bit and drilled out the hole the water runs through when you hook up the hose's. This allows me to stick the RG-6 connector through there leaving some cable sticking out. Then use a adapter to screw both together there.
I have 250ft of cable on it, and its about half full. Leave it sitting under the UDC and pull off cable to where I'm hooking up the dish. Then when were getting ready to leave. Just turn the handle and crank the cable back up fast and easy.
cable reel.jpg
You can see the cable sticking out the right side of the Pic. The carry handle is folded down out of the way in the shot. But flip it up if you need to move it. Plus the crank handle folds shut also so its easy to store in the basement.

I think the hose reel was $22 Bucks at Walmart http://www.walmart.com/ip/Suncast-Garden-Hose-Reel/8587373 and well worth it to make the cable so easy to store and roll back up. May replace the cable on this one with 400ft. That way I can get anywhere to get a signal. Plus tie it up high and out of the way. Some sites we stay in you have to get that far away from the camper to get a clear spot.
Hope the above helps out someone .
Pete
 

ILH

Well-known member
Didn't know that 400 ft of sat cable would pass enough signal.

I did a quick check on the net - it appears max length is about 200 feet before signal degrades. A booster can be used, but should be placed within first 100 feet.
 

RoadJunkie

Well-known member
Holy cow! I've never stayed at a campground site where I might--even remotely--need 133 yards (400 ft.) of cable to get a signal. I believe my receiver has a signal strength indicator to use during setup. You may want to use this type of app to ensure you're getting enough signal.
 

evolvingpowercat

Well-known member
I store my cables, particularly my big ones like my 30 Amp cords, in a plastic bucket used for pool chlorine tablets. It has a easy twist off lid unlike the hard to get off lids that drywall buckets have. Its light and easy to spin to get a nice neat coil in the bucket. And, its shorter than a standard drywall bucket so it fits nice in my pass thru. And it gives me a place to store the big Citronella bug repellent candles I use and a rag to wipe of the cables if they are dirty when rolling them up, in the middle of it inside the cables.
 
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wildwolfproducts

Well-known member
Holy cow! I've never stayed at a campground site where I might--even remotely--need 133 yards (400 ft.) of cable to get a signal. I believe my receiver has a signal strength indicator to use during setup. You may want to use this type of app to ensure you're getting enough signal.

We stay in some campgrounds TVA that has 75+ ft tall Pine trees. You find a signal in a few spots. But if your toward the back of the sites. Its going to take 75 yds or more to get where a signal can be gotten. These trees are thick.
pickwickcampgrounds003.jpg
This is a hot of the tree's. Thick and tall blocks out sky and the sun.
Pete
 

RoadJunkie

Well-known member
OK. These types of forests make me wonder how the pioneers ever crossed from East to West. They must have been some mighty tough hombres.

You know, I wonder if anyone makes a wireless link between dish-type antenna and cable receiver?
 

wdk450

Well-known member
OK. These types of forests make me wonder how the pioneers ever crossed from East to West. They must have been some mighty tough hombres.

You know, I wonder if anyone makes a wireless link between dish-type antenna and cable receiver?

I use cable winders from the 98 cent store and a squared 5 gallon pail from cat litter for the cables.

I think the 12 volt DC supply (about 1 amp?) for the LMB's sent down the cable, coupled with the bidirectional signalling (the receiver switches which LMB's are in use), plus the extremely wide satellite signal bandwidth, makes a wireless dish to receiver link improbable; plus the fact there is no great demand for this.
 

boatto5er

Founding VA Chap Ldr (Ret)
Holy cow! I've never stayed at a campground site where I might--even remotely--need 133 yards (400 ft.) of cable to get a signal. I believe my receiver has a signal strength indicator to use during setup. You may want to use this type of app to ensure you're getting enough signal.

Harrionburg KOA, Harrisonburg, VA. There is only one spot in the campground where a dish can get through the thick tree cover to get a signal. Last time I was there, five dishes were set up in that small opening.
 
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