Along with the antenna, you need a satellite receiver. I use a Wally for Dish HD. It is inexpensive (under $100), but has no frills. It does have a remote, but the receiver-to-tv connection is only HDMI or composite video (no coax). This means you may not be able to distribute the signal to most of the TVs in your RV, as most RVs - in their effort be built as cheaply as possible - still have coax distribution systems. However, some manufacturers are beginning to install HDMI cabling.

For me, we have two TVs that we like to connect to by using a HDMI splitter (the Wally only has one HDMI output). I have it setup so each TV can view satellite with the HDMI input and view over-the-air broadcasts on the TV input. This works well for us. Our bedroom TV stays on the broadcast antenna system as it is just too difficult to run a 30ft HDMI cable through a slide out and along the length of the RV.

you can add a DVR, Bluetooth headset, and WiFi adapter to the Wally, so I suppose it is pretty capable for less than $100.

Of course, should you want to spend more money, you could upgrade to a more fancy receiver...

Realize as well, there can be an antenna/receiver compatibility issue. Certain antennas will only work with certain receivers, while other antennas - such as the Winegard TR-6018 can work with both Dish and DirecTV receivers. My advice is to select the antenna first as that is the most critical, then select a receiver compatible with your desired antenna and satellite service provider.

Receivers typically differ between the options (coax output, DVR, etc), but make sure the particular receiver you choose is compatible with the antenna you buy. Also, you can often buy a receiver and antenna as a package which may be discounted.

Compared to our home antenna, our King Tailgater does not quite have the same signal reception. This is not surprising since the antenna in the Tailgater is physically smaller, so it "collects less signal". For this reason, we need to have a clear view of the southern sky. If there are any trees obstructing the view, you can just about forget reception. Even if someone walks in front of the antenna, we do find that we can lose the signal.

Part of the problem is that we are using our antenna on a tripod, about 3ft off the ground. Should we put the antenna on the roof of the RV, then we would not have issues with people or other RVs blocking the signal. However, I have not yet committed to the need to mount the antenna yet.

The coax that is routed between the antenna and receiver must be high quality (and may be included with the antenna), and as short as possible. "Satellite Ready" (2300Mhz or better) coax is preferred. While many RVs do run coax for satellite use, it's been my experience that these installations may be marginal. Often the RV manufacturer will use sub-standard coax, or use installtion practices that induce signal loss. For example; too tight of a turn radius, poor connector installation, crushing or stapling through the coax, etc.

Coax cable manufacturers typically specify a maximum bend radius of 5x times the coax outer diameter. A sharper bend will almost certainly result in signal loss.

Given RG-6, a popular cable used for coax has a diameter of about 0.35" diameter, the minimum bend radius would be almost 2". I think you will find that in many RVs, the manufacturer doesn't even give this a thought. On my coach, I have seen bends that exceed this specification.

Anyting that distorts the round cross-section of the coax - including too sharp of a bend - or crushing the coax under mis-application of tie-downs, cable-ties, or cable-clips will result in loss of signal. This is especially true at the extremely high frequencies that Satellite Receivers operate at.

For that reason, in your initial setup, use the coax that came with the antenna. This means you will likely have to run the coax through a window or door of the RV, but do this for the setup. Once you get everything working, then you can attempt so use the RV's coax (if you have it). That way, you will know if you have a coax or receiver issue. My coach is new, so I luckily didn't have any issues with using the factory coax. But I know several cases where owners had to re-wire the coax in their coach.

While antennas such as the King Tailgater are designed to be portable, you can sometimes roof-mount them. As well, they often have mounting kits for a roof-mount, ladder-mount, and window mount options. These kits will differ depending on brand and model of antenna you pick, so some research may be in order to get the antenna that is right for you.

Of course, you will have to determine if the roof is strong enough in the area you have picked out as well as a suitable path for the coax. Some RVs, such as my Thor/Four Winds Class C was advertised as "Satellite Ready" which actually meant there was a steel mounting plate under the roof for mounting a Satellite Antenna.

Do it yourselfers often run the coax down an existing roof vent - either the refrigerator roof vent (not all refrigerators have a roof vent), or even the external part of the stand pipe to the holding tank. Again, this is highly dependant on your RV, but above all, make sure you follow these percautions:

• Ensure adequate roof strength for the location of your antenna.
• Ensure you do not exceed the maximum bend radius or crush the coax wiring.
• Clamp coax securely to prevent damage.
• Avoid splicing the coax if possible - each splice can introduce problems.
• Seal everything well to prevent leaks.

           
Mounting Options

 

My preferred method of cable entry is with a dedicated entry plate or gland as this minimizes the amount of exposed coax that must be run to reach the stand pipe or refrigerator vent. Ideally, the entry plate will be located mere inches from the antenna. The longer the distance from the antenna to entry point, the more exposed the coax will be, and the higher chance of it becoming snagged on something.