Best antennae choice for Dish setup for a newbie!

[dmascheck]

I see so many different units from Tripod mounted units to the contained ones.

Questions:
1. What unit seems to perform best for you?
2. Permanent mount on roof or tripod?
3.I worry about mounting on the roof and causing a leak in the roof.
4. Can you use a Dish card from a TV in your house to sign on to a unit in a trailer.

I hate having to pay for another unit when we have several in my house.

[oldbird]

I have two, a Wineguard Traveler 1000 mounted on the roof and a portable G2 incase I'm in the trees. The one on the roof I sealed it with that stuff that comes in a roll and after installing it covered it all with electrometric roof paint. Use a receiver from your house, dishnetwork supports this. The G2 can get all three satellites.

[dmascheck]

Your unit is on the higher side comparing it to the one Dish has. Is it that good? Why not just use the tripod and it would cover trees or open sky instead of having both?

[oldbird]

For years I had a tripod and got tired of aiming it. Now I just push a button and five minutes later its downloading the TV guide. Same with the G2.

[wingnut60]

Glenn,
I'm just getting too old to push buttons...need something that takes it out of the basement, checks the sat view, sets it on the ground and plugs it in. I do have a button-pusher inside the trailer--my wife won't let me touch anything.....

[oldbird]

haha, When you get to old to push buttons better find a old folks retirement home! :shock:

[Rockyhud]

I know this post is a little old but it's of interest to me as well. Our new to us RV has a roof mounted auto-dish antenna (rotates and finds the best signal auto-magicly), BUT it's setup for use with DirecTV, not Dish (our preferred provider). So, if I'm reading this right, it sounds like a Dish home receiver (like VIP722 we have at home) can be used in our RV once we've converted the auto-antenna to pick up Dish satellites? I still need to look into how to do this last part.

[dmascheck]

Seems to be the consensus! I don't have one as of yet and don't want to be screwing a unit into my roof, so I'll opt for a tripod mount which gives more flexibility. Especially if you have trees where you park.

[wingnut60]

Need to find someone who has the tripod Dish antenna and watch them set it up before making your decision...

[oldbird]

I couldn't have said that better Joe! That's the last thing I'll do again. PITA

Get a winegard G2 or another type portable if you can't get your roof antenna converted.

[dmascheck]

I'll check in to it!

[joleyred]

We are in the same place with our decision, and don't know enough about it to ask questions. I want a satellite dish, preferably a roof mount that doesn't require a contract, and possibly one that will connect to the internet. Is that a possibility? The WiFi in almost all parks is really nonexistent. We are part timers, so I don't want to be tied to a contract. Which dish is the best, will it receive an internet signal. We have a 2016 36RSSB3 and need to get some of this resolved. Thanks and Merry Christmas....

[oldbird]

No TV sat will get internet also, that I know of. I used to have a motosat and could piggly back the internet LNB with two LNB's of dishnetwork making it a 'dual' dish but motosat datastorm dish is out of business. You can check it out here: http://www.datastormusers.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi/index.html

I got rid of that motosat after 5 years and bought a Traveler Winegard 1000 for dish network mounted on the back of my DRV. In the middle of the roof on the DRV I mounted a https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/a-new-satellite-option-rv-datasat-840-antenna-insta-sat-service/ and now can get online anywhere unless there are trees, etc. Very expensive but we spent a lot of time south of Mt Rushmore and in the UP of Mi where there isn't any cell service.

[Rockyhud]

I have done some preliminary research on the Wineguard site and deterined, so far, that I can get a replacement reflector and LNBs that support Dish Network. I just haven't gotten any pricing on the conversion yet. The auto-dish antenna system is basically brand new as the owner replaced it shortly before they put it up for sale, so it would be nice to take advantage of this new antenna first and see if there's any need for a portable unit later.

As for combined Internet and satellite TV setups, Glenn is right. As best I know there is no satellite TV provider that combines actual satellite sourced Internet service over the same antenna system as what TV signals are received. If I recall, Dish used to and and maybe still does, provide combined service but essentially does this by utilizing locally available Internet service, via cable, DSL or over the air broadband service and bundles the service costs. A call to Dish or DirecTV should get you the answers you need.

[dmascheck]

Many take their Dish box out of their house and put it in their trailer for the time they are mobile.

I worry more about cell signal and or Wi-Fi. I have over 600 movies purchased on Apple, as long as I can get a decent signal, I have access to the movies for entertainment. I need to see if I can copy most on a 5 terabyte drive for the times we can't get a signal!

[Notanlines]

Could you just imagine; 600 movies stored at home for about $180? Such a deal that would be.

[Rockyhud]

Many take their Dish box out of their house and put it in their trailer for the time they are mobile.


This is what we plan on doing once we (presumably) sell our rural house and property this coming summer. After the sale, our plan is to move our RV to our daughter and son-in-law's property, about 2 miles south of us, and setup residence there for a while. During that time I plan to use our Dish receiver we're using in the home now, using the Winegard auto-dish and Winegard OTA antennas on the roof, once I get the auto-dish converted to Dish Network use. For Internet service, we currently use a local ISP that services our area with wireless broadband coverage and should be able to continue using. Later on, once we're no longer residing there, I'll be looking for another Internet provider.

[oldbird]

Steve, I was considering switching to DirectTV but winegard told me that my sat couldn't be converted?

[Rockyhud]

Glenn, I got the impression at least that our Winegard auto-dish could be converted recently by one of there tech guys when I inquired about that using their online chat. The guy asked what model I had, even providing me a particular model used for DirecTV, and I didn't have that info handy so I couldn't tell him and he couldn't help much at that time. I did say this was a very recently replaced so it almost had to be their latest, but again I couldn't say. I still need to check that out so I'll have more data next time I contact them. It may be that your Winegard setup is older and possibly not supported for that type of configuration change, maybe due to parts availability or other reasons - I'm just guessing. I'll check the model of our setup and let you know what it is. If you're still interested in converting, presuming you have Dish Network components on yours now, we could see if your antenna and ours have interchangeable parts and maybe work out a swap.

[oldbird]

That's an interesting idea Steve. This is what winegard chat told me:
Glenn,

The SK-1000 Trav'ler is a DISH only system, it cannot be switched to DirecTV.

Thank you,

Winegard Customer Support

800-288-8094/800-788-4417

I have been with Dish for 14 years but I'm only looking into my options at this point. My antenna is only two years old so I'm thinking it has the latest stuff. What I'm doing is looking into getting rid of Sprint (worthless data roaming policy) and thinking about AT&T because they have towers where I go. If I switch to them they also own Directv and will give a discount if I switch to them. I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet. :confused:

[Rockyhud]

From what I've determined (from reviewing previous owner receipts) we have a Trav'ler SK-3005 DirecTV Slimline and need the Dish SK-1000 to use our Dish home receiver. I haven't gotten on top to check out the antenna system, since first doing the RV check out before buying, so I'm not certain what would be required to swap the parts, but I'm guessing it wouldn't take much - probably a few machine screws and nuts to remove the reflector and LNBs and arm, possibly as a whole assembly. The cable(s) just unscrew from the back of the LNBs. Let me know if you are might be interested in swapping - no hurry on our part as it will be a while (this summer) before we move into the rig.

[oldbird]

Ok Steve, I'll let you know. I like your signature, I also have an older tow truck. Its a 97 F350 dually that has a lot of mods and tows my DRV very well. I get asked all the time in campgrounds why I use a 20 year old truck. I just say that I can work on it, the new ones forget it!

[Rockyhud]

Thanks Glenn. Being able to work on the truck, when necessary (which isn't very often), is just one of several reasons I still have and use it. I concur about working on the new ones.

[KBL]

That's an interesting idea Steve. This is what winegard chat told me:
Glenn,

The SK-1000 Trav'ler is a DISH only system, it cannot be switched to DirecTV.

Thank you,

Winegard Customer Support

800-288-8094/800-788-4417

I have been with Dish for 14 years but I'm only looking into my options at this point. My antenna is only two years old so I'm thinking it has the latest stuff. What I'm doing is looking into getting rid of Sprint (worthless data roaming policy) and thinking about AT&T because they have towers where I go. If I switch to them they also own Directv and will give a discount if I switch to them. I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet. :confused:

Ok I am A ATT customer for about 15 years and I made the switch from Dish to Direct and it was a bad move Direct is not better and there price is only good for a year then it like doubles and you have a contract that cost you 20 or 25 a month if you leave early. The only channel I get that Dish does not carry is OAN, I like Dish because you can down load your copied shows and movies on to a hard drive, Direct you have to have your system and your laptop set up VIA internet so you can transfer to your laptop or home system.

I am going back to Dish as soon as I can .

[Larry drv 7*3]

rockeyhud our wine garden antenae was just swItching a wiring connection on roof under the units lid to switch from direct to dish