| Author | Message | ||
| H3-40 Rating: N/A |
New satellite dish should be here Tuesday and was wondering, where the heck is the best place for it on the roof? I have 3 low profile roof airs that are kind of evenly spaced. I have seen the white domed dishes up front, in the middle, and on the very back of the roof. What's best? What would look best? Thanks Ace | ||
| Jack Conrad (Jackconrad)
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Ace, I am installing a new Winegard Road Trip low profile SAT antenna on a 102A3 that I am working on. The installation manual gives specific distance from obstructions based on the height of the obstruction. ie. 18" cleartance from a 6" tall obstruction, 28" from a 9" tall obstruction, etc. Hopefully, there will be something similar in you manual. Jack | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
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Some of it will depend on how easy/hard it will be to get coax and power cables from the dome to the control panel. Richard | ||
| H3-40 Rating: N/A |
I'm still open as to wher eexactly my receiver will be and I don't have a ceiling in yet so it should be fairly easy to route the cable/s. What I really would like to know is what would look the best from the outside? Ace | ||
| niles steckbauer (Niles500)
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Ace - I may be mistaken between the VIP and your road coach - but mine has a recess at the rear which holds my MotoSat - the depression provides for some protection - I think you already would have spotted this so I apologize - but I think I just found a difference between your coach and mine - HTH | ||
| JW Smythe (Jwsmythe)
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Something to keep in mind, you want to keep your cables as short as possible. Long cables require a signal booster (cheap from any retail electronics place). I've only run into problems at about 100 feet. Most of us won't have problems with that, since our largest buses are only about 40'. You can run into some long cable lengths if you say put the dish on the front of the bus, and wire through the bus to the rear for your TV, but then change your mind and extend the wire to the front again. For example, 38 foot along the roof and 6 feet down from the dish in the front to your original installation location. Another 6 feet up, 35 feet forward and 6 feet down to the new location makes the total run 85 feet. A powered multiswitch should help you there. I'm planning for DirecTV receivers in several locations in the bus, so a powered multiswitch is already required for me. I'm also a bit of a nut with my wiring, so I'm planning for a rather large wiring tunnel down the drivers side roof line, where my existing engine control wires are. That'll let me run any additional wires as necessary. Personally, I'm planning my dish on the back of the bus. I'm going to be putting a lot of wiring infrastructure back in the old air handler area. | ||
| Arthur J Griffith
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Another Question about the same subject. Is there any problem running the coax cable for the dish in the same wire chase with 12Vn and 120 volt currents. If so any percautions that should be taken. Any info on this subject would be greatly appreciated. THANKS-ARTHUR | ||
| H3-40 Rating: N/A |
Well it's here, JUST arrived and just as promised! Gotta check it out... Ace | ||
| JW Smythe (Jwsmythe)
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Arthur, As a rule, it's a bad thing. We're taught to make sure signal and data (anything carrying a signal) do not run parallel to each other. You can get cross talk, inductive currents, blah, blah, blah. You're SUPPOSE to run them with a degree of seperation, and have them intersect at 90 degree angles if the must cross. In real life, it's happens all the time. Look under your desk or behind your TV. If it's anything like mine, it's a nasty cluster of cables, where things have been moved around so many times they're just a big twisted knot. Make an effort for the cables not to run parallel and directly touching for too far. These small dish systems (DirecTV, Dish Network, etc) are digital, which will forgive for a lot of electrical noise. If you have trouble acquiring or maintaining a signal, your cables may be too close together. For analog signal cables, like a regular TV antenna cable, or the cables from your receiver to TV, VCR, DVD player, etc, if you see a regular noise pattern showing up or hear a hum that's a clue those cables are too close to your power cables. It's typically 60Hz (60 cycles per second). If you know what to listen for, it's a pretty obvious sound. In audio, it's just a low hum. If you've ever accidently touched a 110vac line, it's what that pain would have sounded like. If you've done that, you'll know exactly what I mean.  | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
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Hey Ace, I think you should recess the dome into the roof 6-8 inches. That way it will be almost entirely invisible. Based on the previous work you have done, this should be a piece of cake. Richard | ||
| herman Rating: N/A |
Think about the shading effects of trees, which can block the signal. I'm thinking that, in any kind of campground situation, you are more likely to have trees towards the rear of the parking spot. OTOH, if you are also planning on a portable, tripod mounted dish to address this very contingency, then protection of the roof dish from physical damage (road debris re. the front, tree limbs while backing re. the rear) argues for placing it more amidships, and letting the roof airs take the hits. | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
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While I was traveling for several months I found that I had to have a portable dish and tripod. There were just too many places where the trees blocked reception. Richard | ||
| H3-40 Rating: N/A |
Richard, though I'm sure it can be done, I am already skeptical about drilling a 5/8 inch hole thru the roof. What your suggesting is a hole like 24 iches! Nah, I'll stick to the 5/8's hole. It's easier to seal and quicker too! The dish looks like brand new. Has everything a new one has but was missing one length (35') of coax which will ship out tomorrow after a phone call. The guy I talked to said go out and buy it. It should only be about 20 bucks and I calmly said "NO, I already paid for it so send it to me"! He agreed! Looks like a pretty simple install except they say to run the cables ON the roof and insert them thru AT the point where it will connect. I think I can go directly thru and run them along the inside roof line in my chase! Can't wait but my thoughts are still up about WHERE on the roof it should go. Up front is ok but it will take all the tree limb hits first. Inbetween the A/C's is ok but looks kind of out of place. Uh decisions can make you crazy! Maybe that's been my problem all along! Ace | ||
| Randy Davidson Rating: N/A |
My H3 seems to rise to the rear so the last AC unit is slightly higher off the ground then the front. I'd put the dish up front to ensure it was at the lowest possible point. And, it will look fine. Why are you asking? You're the one who has to like the looks! :-) Randy | ||
| FAST FRED Rating: N/A |
Most of the PP campsites have more trees at the back than out front . Perhaps you would have a better chance at getting a clear shot of the sky with the unit foward. The front mounted unit will also be easier for other PP campers to see. FAST FRED | ||
| Crane Rating: N/A |
I have noticed that at most of the campgrounds, the dishes are mounted at the front of the roof. I think this gives the benefit of the open sky by the road. I also noticed that the guys carry a portable unit for when the roof unit cant find the bird. technoogy for tv lololol | ||
| H3-40 Rating: N/A |
ok guys the bad news! Nice day out weatherwise (not too hot) and off early (my choice) decided to install the NEW Dish/dome. Up on the roof I go and after doing all the necessary prep work (per the manual) needed before installation, I find out that something just isn't looking right with this dome! Next to my low profile a/c's, it's huge. I measure the height and it's a whopping 15 inches tall which makes it about 5 inches taller than the 10 inch a/c's and when fully aired up, I'm at 13'4" which also means very little room to spare! The Low profile domes are supposed to be 12 inches putting it at 13'6" which is maxed out! I have a call into them now and as it was yesterday about the missing parts, I need to wait for them to call me back! Yesterday it was 4 hours, today, who knows! Anyone else experience this same service from King Controls or King Dome or King Dome 2? Stoill don't know who it is I'm dealing with as all calls go to the same people!  | ||
| crane Rating: N/A |
I have been looking at a flat panel, under 6" high on the roof or you can mount on a tri-pod for portable use. http://www.satcomweb.com/passportline.htm My thoughts Crane | ||
| H3-40 Rating: N/A |
Well here's the latest! Received a call back from same guy I talked to yesterday and got nowhere. He states IF the box say's LPR (low profile) and the unit itself says LPR it's definitely a LPR and what I ordered. Ok I ask then why does it measure 15 inches? He says, impossible because the serial number I gave him says it's an LPR. By the way, the serial number is a label on the unit that was placed by a human and covered with clear packing tape. Hmm, I don't guess there's a possibility that a wrong sticker could have been applied to the wrong unit? He say's Impossible becuase now the computer say's it's a LPR. >getting nowhere fast with this guy< so I ask to speak to either his supervisor or the woman we ordered it from. Supervisor was out to lunch so the woman we ordered it from gets on the phone. I started from the beginning (yesterday) and explained the whole story up to now and she agreed to send another unit out today UPS BLUE Label and she would be very interested in seeing the unit I was originally sent after I send it back. She said it sounds as though there's a snake in the woodpile. So now I wait for the new unit! Geezzz... | ||
| Rob King Rating: N/A |
Hi Ace Here is a link that might give you an idea of how it would look between first and second ac. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1995-2005-Prevost-X-L-45-Motor-Coach_W0QQitemZ4643204170QQc ategoryZ6737QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Rob 91 LeMirage XL Missouri | ||
| Rob King Rating: N/A |
Hi Ace here is at back of coach http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2000-Prevost-Motorhome_W0QQitemZ4641990365QQcategoryZ6728QQ rdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Rob 91 LeMirageXL Missouri | ||
| Muddog16 (Muddog16)
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About a year ago I made a topic on just this same thing, when I was at a Football game I had the opportunity to sit up high in the last row of the stadium, while there two Prevosts both XL's pulled in giving me the complete view of their tops, evidently both were basement type heating and cooling systems, roof was clean! With one exception on the very back of each bus, there was a recessed area, my guess about 4 feet by 4 feet and probably recessed down 8 or more inches. In this recess both buses had their satellite dome's mounted. In diagonal corners of this recess were two scuppers or drains to handle rain or snow drainage. This recess was I'm sure fiberglass and looked like it was factory done (excellant worksmanship)! Just my observation. But that said 8 or more inches off of the top clearance save an expensive satellite system! Pat | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
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Muddog, I recommended this to Ace earlier, but he didn't seem to think it was a good idea for some reason. With his demonstrated skills, it should be a piece of cake. LOL Richard | ||
| H3-40 Rating: N/A |
Richard for once I'm taking the FF theory of KISS, if you know what I mean? Thanks for the pics and info. It's always a pleasure to look at other prevost whether BIG bucked factory ones or like mine, home done! Thanks Ace | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
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Yea Ace, but think of the bragging rights! Richard | ||
| H3-40 Rating: N/A |
Well King Controls came thru as promised and then some, if you ask me! Not only did they ship me a replacement unit (received today) which is definitely a 12 inch low profile, they sent me a BRAND NEW unit. Not a refurbished as ordered. The packing was even different and better than the original refurb I received! I will say that even though they have some questionable "techs" that answer the phone for service, the sales people went over and above. If you order one or need assistence with the one you may already have, ask for Tonya! Don't go thru service or you'll get a run around. Tonya's word is good as gold with me anyway! Ace Now the installation begins IF the rains hold off! | ||
| H3-40 Rating: N/A |
Ok the rains didn't hold off so I had to. Today is noce and got up on the roof to mark off the final destination place for the dome. Done! Drilled and screwed the dome to the roof. Easy enough! Drilled hole/s for all cables and after passing cables thru rubber grommets and sealing everything up, went down inside to hook up internal connections. No problem/s so far. Got everything hooked up per the book and nothing! Absolutely nothing. Checked all connections per the book andfound that main connector to the dome was loose. It says it MUST lock in place and to do so using channel lock pliers. Did that and now it doesn't lock into anything. Anyway, changed out the controller which is slightly different from the original unit and it worked. Now I need to use the cable from the original unit so it will LOCK onto the dome! Sure after everything is now sealed and water tight, I have to re-do it all. It goes to show you that it's best to test it all before buttoning everything up, but it was very hot on top and figured while I was up there, just get it all done! Oh well you live and learn! Hey maybe if I had roof mister, it wouldn't have been so bad! What do you think Richard? aCE | ||
| JW Smythe (Jwsmythe)
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Mental note: Always work under a shade tree. Oh, that one is filed with a bunch of the same. Too bad you can't move a house under a shade tree to work on it's roof. I spent a couple very hot nasty days on a friends roof and in the attic. That goes with another mental note, roofing nails still hurt when you hit your head on them. | ||
| H3-40 Rating: N/A |
Changed the cable and re-sealed the hole. Re-routed that cable and hooked it all back up and all is normal FINALLY! Now to take er' out for a spin, park somewhere like wally world and enjoy my satellite tv! Yea, right if I only had the time. That chore is done and now on to another! Dang women and their list! Ace |