Satellite TV connection question

[mdnitschke]

I am having no luck with connecting a satellite dish to two receivers in my recently purchased 2013 Heartland Prowler 30 ESS (guessing the model number, something close to that). I tried the city cable TV connection with no luck. An RV dealer said they do separate cable installs inasmuch as the cable tv input just doesn't work for satellite. So far I am routing the satellite cable through the door, but am I looking at taking the trailer to an RV dealer for an expensive service call?

 

[danemayer]

Re: Satellite TV conSatnection question

Hi mdnitschke,

The cable TV feed goes through a signal booster where it's combined with the signal from the rooftop antenna. Satellite signals will not pass through the signal booster, so that connection will never work for satellite.

If your trailer doesn't have a separate external connection for satellite, you might do best to add one near the entertainment center.

Alternatively, although not quite as elegant, is to use flat coax that goes through the window. It's flat enough that you can keep the window closed.

 

[cookie]

Hello Mdnitschke and welcome to this great informational forum. Lots of great helpful people here.
A little more information might be needed, such as which satellite system are you using. Dish or DTV?
One coax coming to the trailer? Wireless second receiver?
As a temporary solution many people run the coax in by feeding along the side of a slide next to the seal.
As far as paying for an expensive dealer install you might consider just adding a connection to the side of your trailer that will feed the satellite signal through the wall.
Cheap and easy.

Peace
Dave

 

[NHCelt]

A few tips from my experience.

1. Portable sat dishes like tailgater normally restrict you to 50' of coax, including what is inside the trailer.

2. RV wiring had multitudes of barrel connectors, resulting in signal loss. They are also usually the wrong barrel connectors, and the connections always seem to be loose. You will have a signal loss at every barrel connection.

3. Use high-quality quad shield cable and high-quality compression fittings. Signal strength improves with quad cable and improves dramatically with fewer connections. Direct is always better, but practicality requires one wall plate.

4. For wall plates, which are pretty much a necessary evil, make sure you replace the cheap white barrel connector with a blue ceramic 3GHZ barrel connector.

5. For me, it was easier to add an exterior port on the side of my fifth wheel than deal with the rv wiring mess..

Everything that you ever wanted to know about barrel connectors;

https://www.tselectronic.com/tech_notes/right_f81.php