Camping with a satellite dish

[maze51]

I am glad to have found this forum. My family and I do a great deal of camping, and I wanted some tips on what dish to buy and any satellite locater I may need. All advice will be appreciated.

I searched the forum and found a few threads discussing this topic, but I am still a bit unclear as to what to actually buy. I found the 'Dish Store' on this site and will make all my purchases there.

My main question is, can I take one of my receivers from my house and hook it to a satellite dish, zero it in, and start watching?

HD is not a major issue for me, but if I can buy the needed dish without it being too large, that would be great. Also, money is not an object, so if there are certain items that I will need, please direct me to them. We have a 2 bedroom motorhome with monitors in each one, plus the one in the main salon, so if there is a certain splitter I need let me know. Thanks for any and all suggestions.

 

[PhilipPeake]

The simple answer is that you would need to buy a Dish500 (dish) and something to mount it on -- look at RV websites and stores for ideas -- most people use a tripod made for the job.

Then its just a matter of finding a location where you can see clear sky in the area of the satelites you want to view, lining up the dish and plugging in the receiver.

However, although practical, it is not allowed by your contract. If you want to use a receiver away from your house you basically need a second subscription. Dish do subscriptions specifically for people who travel (RV, truck drivers, etc).

 

[Anole]

satellite reception in the field

You can find motorhome antenna with various levels of automation.
They may cost thousands of dollars, and the motorhome web sites and stores will be happy to take your money.

Or, for $100, you can get a standard Dish-500 with a dishPro Twin LNB, a level, a compass, and a (typically $20) satellite meter.
Oh, and something to mount it on - a heavy tripod suggested above is a good choice.
Get a 100 foot length of proper RG-6 cable, rated for satellite use, too.

When camping, you'll need clear sky to the south, south west , or maybe south east, depending on where you are.
You will want a table or computer program to help you know where to aim, depending on where you are located.

The comments I made in this other similar thread, apply to you as well.
(well, your setup is actually siimpler)
If ya have any lingering questions, just ask.
But try the ideas at home, and practice a few times, and I think you'll easily get the hang of it.

 

[ilkevinli]

How about this.

http://www.satcomweb.com/passportline_body.htm

 

[maze51]

Thanks

Thank you all for your input. That satcom portable sounds like the ticket for me.

 

[digiblur]

How about this.

http://www.satcomweb.com/passportline_body.htm

Wouldn't that only pick up one orbital position?

 

[moseley]

Wouldn't that only pick up one orbital position?

That's called roughing it.

I bought a little 18 inch portable by shakespeare (only $50) on ebay and use a cheap tone meter. But to tell the truth I don't even set it up anymore. Too much work and I go to sleep really early when camping. It also kinda defeats the purpose.

 

[dfergie]

I just got in from camping ( and hunting ) spent 7 out of the last 8 nights out and set up a D* Dish for 61.5 and a Dish 500 for 110/119 using a Sw21`switch and a Lcd Edtv(480p) that will accept 1080i (my HD set I usually use is down) I have my campers set up where I can mount both dishes to them. I also have a tripod from Radio Shack for Tent Camping that works great, when I take it I take Deep Cycle Batterys and a 750 watt inverter along with a 9" ac/dc color TV. This setup works great also...

 

[navychop]

Also, I seem to recall a large flat panel that does not need aiming sold for mounting on van roofs, etc, IIRC. Something like 4' x 6'. Can't remember the name. Does this ring a bell with anyone else?

BTW, you're not camping. You're RVing.

 

[Slamminc11]

Also, I seem to recall a large flat panel that does not need aiming sold for mounting on van roofs, etc, IIRC. Something like 4' x 6'. Can't remember the name. Does this ring a bell with anyone else?

BTW, you're not camping. You're RVing.

If he is "RV'ing" the Dish will require proof of ownership (copy of title) before they will grant the RV waiver.

 

[dfergie]

BTW, you're not camping. You're RVing.

When your over 10 miles from a paved road, 50 miles from town, no hookups, no one in sight and using a genset, you just might be camping...

 

[Hall]

When your over 10 miles from a paved road...

I don't see most RVs venturing off the beaten path that far... Then there's (3) TVs in this RV and "money is no object". I'd like to see what kind of camping this is ! Hell, in my opinion, if you're parking the RV or "camper" on a paved or stone "lot" and hook up to water and electric, that's not camping !

 

[BoisePaul]

If he is "RV'ing" the Dish will require proof of ownership (copy of title) before they will grant the RV waiver.

I doubt that it's worth the effort to do this anymore. The only thing the RV waiver does is allows you to watch distants because your locals may not be available (outside spotbeam, illegal to deliver outside boundaries of market, etc.). Seeing how distants cease to exist on E* in a little over a month, why bother?

 

[dfergie]

Btw good things to bring with for setup... 1. Level, 2. Compass, 3. Signal Meter...

 

[rockymtnhigh]

I just got in from camping ( and hunting ) spent 7 out of the last 8 nights out and set up a D* Dish for 61.5 and a Dish 500 for 110/119 using a Sw21`switch and a Lcd Edtv(480p) that will accept 1080i (my HD set I usually use is down) I have my campers set up where I can mount both dishes to them. I also have a tripod from Radio Shack for Tent Camping that works great, when I take it I take Deep Cycle Batterys and a 750 watt inverter along with a 9" ac/dc color TV. This setup works great also...

Here at SatelliteGuys, we have a different notion of "roughing it."

I would want to be sure that the tent stays dry with all that electronics!

While I haven't taken the TV tent camping, I'll admit that when I made my reservations for next summer's Yellowstone Trip (we loved it so much this June, we decided to go back for more) I paused at the reality of not having Internet access for FIVE days! And thus, no SatelliteGuys.

 

[Slamminc11]

I doubt that it's worth the effort to do this anymore. The only thing the RV waiver does is allows you to watch distants because your locals may not be available (outside spotbeam, illegal to deliver outside boundaries of market, etc.). Seeing how distants cease to exist on E* in a little over a month, why bother?

Because per the dish rules, it is against terms of service to receive a Dish signal outside the contract address, which this would be.
This would be no different than having a cabin or a vacation home. Just because a person is camping outside...

 

[dfergie]

Here at SatelliteGuys, we have a different notion of "roughing it."

I would want to be sure that the tent stays dry with all that electronics!

While I haven't taken the TV tent camping, I'll admit that when I made my reservations for next summer's Yellowstone Trip (we loved it so much this June, we decided to go back for more) I paused at the reality of not having Internet access for FIVE days! And thus, no SatelliteGuys.

First time I saw the movie The Last of the Dogmen, I was in a 7' square tent 5 miles into a deep canyon... (about 45 miles from a town ) with Coyotes occasionally howling, no moon and in lion country and alone that will make ya think (if you have seen the movie)

 

[rockymtnhigh]

First time I saw the movie The Last of the Dogmen, I was in a 7' square tent 5 miles into a deep canyon... (about 45 miles from a town ) with Coyotes occasionally howling, no moon and in lion country and alone that will make ya think (if you have seen the movie)

You must like to carry lots of weight on your back getting into the back-country!! But the image is a powerful one.

On a similar thought, yesterday I tried to convince the wife and kid that we should do some backcountry camping in Yellowstone next summer. The response was instantaneous: "Camp where there are BEARS???" They want nothing to do with it. Oh well... the cabin is dry, warm, and near hot food.

 

[dfergie]

Not back packing, 4-wheeling... go till almost dark and whereever I ended up at set-up tent...

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Not back packing, 4-wheeling... go till almost dark and whereever I ended up at set-up tent...

After I posted that message, I realized that you were most likely 4-wheeling!