Portable auto satellite antenna

Topic: Portable auto satellite antenna (Read 1541 times) previous topic - next topic

Portable auto satellite antenna

June 10, 2017, 02:30:21 pm

Does anybody use an automatic portable sat dish (. Tailgater etc)? Fixing to get away from my old standard def Direct Tv receiver and go with HD, most likely Dish. Don't really care to put 2K+ worth on the roof.

[fixed topic title typo - Michelle]

Re: Portable auto satillite antenna

Reply #1 – June 10, 2017, 02:56:16 pm

Bruce,

It will be several weeks before we can report back, but we just bought a King Tailgater and their new quick-connect roof mount to try. Quick Release Roof Mount Kit for KING Portable Satellite Antenna

Intrigued by the roof mount that lets you mount the Tailgater on the roof, but take it off easily if you need to use it in portable mode for better reception.

Just FYI, if you want to buy both and have a local Camping World store, through tomorrow CW has the Tailgater on sale for $349 and you get a $50 gift card with purchase. Buy the roof mount as a second transaction so you can use the gift card. Works about about $20 cheaper than Amazon.

Re: Portable auto satellite antenna

Reply #2 – June 10, 2017, 03:37:45 pm

Good idea, Michelle, let us know how that works. We got so sick and tired of fooling with our old King roof-mount, that we got a King Tailgater (DISH), sat it in a old lawn chair and worked fine until we got to another site with a few trees to the south. Got this tripod and, YES!, worked perfect!

Re: Portable auto satellite antenna

Reply #3 – June 10, 2017, 03:46:37 pm

Bruce we the Dish tailgater and have had it for two years, had a roof mounted King done took it off and junked it. Love the tailgater. Good luck. Hey you going to make it to Wyoming?

Re: Portable auto satellite antenna

Reply #4 – June 10, 2017, 07:29:22 pm

Quote from: bbeane – June 10, 2017, 02:30:21 pm

Does anybody use an automatic portable sat dish (. Tailgater etc)? Fixing to get away from my old standard def Direct Tv receiver and go with HD, most likely Dish. Don't really care to put 2K+ worth on the roof.
[fixed topic title typo - Michelle]

Howdy Bruce, We use the Dish Carry-out Satellite. We've had the system for over 7 years of full timing and set up in 46 states. Has always worked well. It came with 50ft of cord. I made a 100ft extension, so we can set it 150ft from coach. We've had to do this a several times to avoid trees, overhangs, etc. Link: Amazon.com: Winegard GM-1518 Carryout White Automatic Portable Satellite TV...
I use these guys to help determine where to set the Dish. Satellite Finder / Dish Alignment Calculator with Google Maps | DishPointer.com
Good Luck, Dave A

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Re: Portable auto satellite antenna

Reply #5 – June 10, 2017, 07:54:22 pm

We had an OLD Winegard Carryout, used it for years, never a problem. Made a mount for it on the Tracker very convenient, and GREAT conversation starter. Then Dish changed something on their transmissions and it stopped working. Gave it to a neighbor who uses it on Direct TV just fine.

Now have King tailgater, have not been impressed, doesn't seem to pickup satellites as well as the old one. Now traveling up thru Wyoming and only getting 110 & 119. Kinda sucks.

Re: Portable auto satellite antenna

Reply #6 – June 10, 2017, 08:59:49 pm

Quote from: bbeane – June 10, 2017, 02:30:21 pm

Does anybody use an automatic portable sat dish (. Tailgater etc)? Fixing to get away from my old standard def Direct Tv receiver and go with HD, most likely Dish. Don't really care to put 2K+ worth on the roof.

[fixed topic title typo - Michelle]

You need to go with Dish net.for HD. Directv, won't work on any type of dome dish's.

Re: Portable auto satellite antenna

Reply #7 – June 10, 2017, 11:38:53 pm

We've used the Winegard G2 with DISHTV for about two years now and love it. High def and supports two TVs on different channels (kind of as long as they are on the same satellite).

Re: Portable auto satellite antenna

Reply #8 – June 11, 2017, 11:44:43 pm

I'm using the Winegard Pathway X2 for Dish. I bought it locally at PPL in a package that included a new Dish receiver. It has worked fine for about 6 months now.

However, if I hadn't run out of patience I think that I would have ordered a new Winegard Carry-out for added flexibility in trees. Most of the newer units use a single coax cable for both TV signal and power back to the antenna to change satellites. This limits the distance that you can position the unit away from the coach to about 50 feet. My previous Carry-out has a separate DC power cable which, with extensions, I have successfully extended as far as 300 feet from the coach.

Re: Portable auto satellite antenna

Reply #9 – June 12, 2017, 07:06:32 am

Bruce, we use the roof mounted G2 and have had no issues. We combine it with the King HD antenna for local stations which saves 10 a month and a lot of frustration. Since you are full time you may want to check out some of the alacarte options Dish offers. We took 40 bucks off the bill from the pay as you go 200 offering. Watch for deals and you can do both hardware pieces for around 500.

Re: Portable auto satellite antenna

Reply #10 – June 12, 2017, 03:41:26 pm

We have used a Tailgater for 3-4 years, coast to coast w/o any problems other than trees. We only have 50' of cable so at times we are limited as to reception.

Re: Portable auto satellite antenna

Reply #11 – June 12, 2017, 04:11:58 pm

to Verizon and Dish! Problems zero over the years. Should there be a question/issue, gasp!, We get a real person who knows what the deal is. We quit paper trail , get our bills on the 'net, pay by phone. Dish lets us cancel and hold when their service is not needed. Other than the satellites changing every once in a while and having to re-boot, big deal!

Re: Portable auto satellite antenna

Reply #12 – June 13, 2017, 05:25:25 pm

Just ordered a Dish Tailgater and receiver from Dish outdoor (Pace) $398.00 shipping included. Should have it by the weekend, we'll see how it works.

Re: Portable auto satellite antenna

Reply #13 – June 13, 2017, 05:37:57 pm

Quote from: bbeane – June 13, 2017, 05:25:25 pm

Just ordered a Dish Tailgater and receiver from Dish outdoor (Pace) $398.00 shipping included. Should have it by the weekend, we'll see how it works.

You'll love it! As I said, a broken down lawn chair works fine, but in trees, the tripod gets it.

Be patient when it starts to boot-up. it can take some time.

Re: Portable auto satellite antenna

Reply #14 – June 13, 2017, 11:25:08 pm

Helped my neighbor with a tail gator Dishnet today. We put their mount kit on it for his roof. Only issue is, the dish has to be set with the handle pointing north. I guess the dish only rotates 340 or so degree's. It wouldn't hit any bird, till we turned it around. Luckily, we hadn't screwed it down yet. At least that is what the dish guy told them last year. They were using it in a portable configuration till now.
Personally I would take the wingaurd carry out any day over the tailgater, they don't have this issue.
This model #'s VQ4400 and VQ4450
Cheers

Re: Portable auto satellite antenna

Reply #15 – June 17, 2017, 01:33:16 am

Picked up the dish tailgater and Wally so far all is good set up was easy even though the weather is awful.

Re: Portable auto satellite antenna

Reply #16 – June 24, 2017, 08:45:03 pm

Had the Dish tailgater and Wally set up for about 2 weeks all is good no problems so far. No problems that is, once you get past trying to set the mobile account up correctly. Next issue is to get an inverter set up to power the Wally at all times, otherwise it goes through the setup every time it looses power, I.E. turning the inverter on and off.

Re: Portable auto satellite antenna

Reply #17 – June 24, 2017, 09:19:23 pm

I put in a UPS just to carry the satellite receiver. Has parasitic draw at all times

Re: Portable auto satellite antenna

Reply #18 – June 24, 2017, 10:25:42 pm

Quote from: bbeane – June 24, 2017, 08:45:03 pm

Had the Dish tailgater and Wally set up for about 2 weeks all is good no problems so far. No problems that is, once you get past trying to set the mobile account up correctly. Next issue is to get an inverter set up to power the Wally at all times, otherwise it goes through the setup every time it looses power, I.E. turning the inverter on and off.

I put a small $100.00 300 watt pure sine wave invert up behind the TV, runs every thing. Even left it on all night, batts still up. Got tired also of the reset, every glitch, like starting gen etc.Put another $50.00 one for the rear TV.
We have an in-motion Trac Star with DTV Tivo, 15 min. load every glitch. Also we can record any time. Don't worry about leaving it on.
Went to Seattle 2 weeks a go, left it on 24/7 for 4 days. Only turned the TV off
Chris

Re: Portable auto satellite antenna

Reply #19 – June 25, 2017, 08:43:19 am

Quote from: gracerace – June 24, 2017, 10:25:42 pm

I put a small $100.00 300 watt pure sine wave invert up behind the TV, runs every thing. Even left it on all night, batts still up. Got tired also of the reset, every glitch, like starting gen etc.Put another $50.00 one for the rear TV.
We have an in-motion Trac Star with DTV Tivo, 15 min. load every glitch. Also we can record any time. Don't worry about leaving it on.
Went to Seattle 2 weeks a go, left it on 24/7 for 4 days. Only turned the TV off
Chris

Just curious, what brand did you buy and how long has it been working?

Re: Portable auto satellite antenna

Reply #20 – June 27, 2017, 10:06:10 am

Quote from: craneman – June 25, 2017, 08:43:19 am

Just curious, what brand did you buy and how long has it been working?

I went back to look, there are no more for sale. Can't bring the old listing up.It is some off brand import.Been using it a year. 300 watt pure sine wave.Paid $39.00 on Ebay
There are tons of them on there.
It called for #10 wire. I ran #8 down the pillar, under the sofa, in into the house batts with a 15 amp auto reset able breaker. Did it while in Yuma, super easy

Re: Portable auto satellite antenna

Reply #21 – June 27, 2017, 10:27:22 am

Have used this one for many years, not cheap but have never had a problem with them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFfTE0wO0HI

Re: Portable auto satellite antenna

Reply #22 – June 27, 2017, 11:06:04 pm

Quote from: jcus – June 27, 2017, 10:27:22 am

Have used this one for many years, not cheap but have never had a problem with them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFfTE0wO0HI

Looks just like the $39.00 one I bought, but it is blue.

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