Has anyone taken their 'home' system on the road?

Gypsy Traveler · February 20, 2015

Hi everyone,

Hubby is still researching our TV viewing options.

Has anyone taken their home receivers and satellite dish and hit the road?

If so, have you run into any issues?

Thanks!!

WeBeFulltimers · February 20, 2015

That's exactly what I did and have had no issues in 4 years. Am presently using Dish Network 1000.4 dish and VIP722 HD receiver. Works great and can normally be set up in about 15 minutes.

Al F · February 20, 2015

For the last 3 summers, traveling 3-6 months of the year, we have taken the Dish Network receiver from our house on our travels. We installed a Winguard Traveler on our MH. No problems.

We also update our "service address" to whatever area we are going to be staying for a week or more so we can get the "local channels" in that area. In the west many of the local channel coverage areas cover 200 miles from the city in most every direction. As long as you don't move out of that huge area you don't have to change your "service address" every time you move 50 or 100 miles.

Dennis M · February 20, 2015

For the last 3 summers, traveling 3-6 months of the year, we have taken the Dish Network receiver from our house on our travels. We installed a Winguard Traveler on our MH. No problems.

We also update our "service address" to whatever area we are going to be staying for a week or more so we can get the "local channels" in that area. In the west many of the local channel coverage areas cover 200 miles from the city in most every direction. As long as you don't move out of that huge area you don't have to change your "service address" every time you move 50 or 100 miles.

We do the same thing, works great - used to do it with a portable dish, now we also have a Trav'ler.

Mariner · February 20, 2015

We just took a reciever box from our daughters home, and have been using it for 5yrs. now. The coach has the dome system which is not hi-def. We'll be upgrading to a Trav'ler in a couple weeks when we get to Silver Springs, FL. That is if we can find someone to install it.

gg923 · February 20, 2015

We moved our Dish Hopper and two Joeys (and the solo) to the RV when we sold our S&B. Our RV has a Winegard Satellite (DIsh). We have not had any issues other than trying to figure out how the RV was wired - which I think we have accomplished now. As mentioned above we have to have the service address changed when we move - usually only when we lose the locals. When we change the service address, we typically pick a central location within the state we are headed to. Trees can be an issue so our site selection normally includes trying to stay in the open. We have a carry out dish (the one from our S&B but I haven't rigged it as of yet.

Dutch_12078 · February 20, 2015

We switch and swap our Dish Hopper and Joey, and our Dish VIP211k receivers between our coach and NY cottage as our mood and needs at the time dictate. We have a permanently installed 1000.4 dish at the cottage, and a tripod mounted 1000.4 dish we carry in the coach. When we have the VIP211k on board, we sometime also use the single satellite crank up Winegard dish on our coach roof. As the others have mentioned, we change our service address as we move around to get the local channels. I prefer the Dish customer service chat system for that, since it only takes about 5 minutes. The only downside to changing the locals is that if one of our kids wants to watch TV when they stop in to check on the cottage, they'll have to watch the locals from the over-the-air antenna instead of the dish, since the cottage is likely out of range of which ever spot beam we're currently using.

Gypsy Traveler · February 21, 2015

Thanks everyone.

I'm trying to keep our starting costs down because everything is adding up. I think we'll have to do a tri-pod for a while.

Dutch_12078 · February 21, 2015

A tripod mounted dish gives you a lot of aiming flexibility. My typical setup time is in the 15 minute range, not including changing the locals online. i carry three 50' lengths of RG6 cable for hookup, but I've only needed all of it once. Most of the time, one length is more than enough.

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SWharton · February 21, 2015

We have been doing this for 15 years. No problem. I recommend a good tripod, a place to go is TV4RV.com, he has pretty much everything you need. There are also apps for your smartphone that can give you the coordinates but the best app is the on that shoots through the trees and shows you where the satellites are,saves a lot of aiming frustration. I use these apps: DP AR, Dish Align and Compass. DP AR is the one that uses the camera so you can check for tree problems.

edatlanta · February 21, 2015

X2 about what SWharton

said about the tripod system from tv4rv.com. I have been using mine for almost 5 years full time and it works great and is very easy to set up and aim. I use a through the camera lens app also.

I use DirecTV with DNS so I don't have to change locals and my DVR is always programmed right. My locals are from NYC.

SWharton · February 21, 2015

Thanks Ed, I forgot to mention that we also use Diectv with DNS, set up every night, get the NY stations and neverhave to change our DVR once it is set up for NY.

We recently got a new DVR from them(Genie, "free"), keep that one in the house and the old HR22 in the RV, just turn them on and off depending where we are, home or rving.

edatlanta · February 21, 2015

I have a HR44 Genie and also a HR24 in the bedroom. I have WholeHome so I can watch any recorded program on either TV. I had the HR24 when I got the free Genie and just moved it to the bedroom and kept it. There have been a few times when I needed to record 2 more programs after the 5 on the Genie at the same time. Such as when they have free premium movie weekends. I don't subscribe to any movie channels, but on a free weekend I an get a lot.

Overkill? Maybe, but this is my home and I do like watching TV.

Dutch_12078 · February 21, 2015

I use a low cost modified roof mount tripod that's easy to set up and level, along with a dish that's also been modified so that no tools are normally required to set everything up. I don't know which sat service the OP has, but with Dish, we can easily get the actual locals for our current location, and using our receiver's "PASS" feature we never have to reset the DVR to record programs no matter what channel they're on. This time, we also left our Hopper set up at our NY cottage, so we can even watch programs that were recorded while we were under way using the "Dish Anywhere" option.

horizon36 · February 21, 2015

We have a SWM system in our coach with a Genie and second HD receiver in the bedroom. My set up allows us to still use the old crank up roof top antenna to get SD. When we are staying somewhere for a few days i'll set up the tripod and big dish. I also use the TV4RV tripod and it makes hitting the satellites very easy. It also does not get blown over.

Gypsy Traveler · February 21, 2015

Fabulous info everyone thanks!

littlegrayeagle · March 3, 2015

I have directtv. I to take a box from home and hook it all up when I get to where im goin. first I need to get the zip code of my location to get the right elevation and azmith. the only other problem I have is if the box has been off for to long I have to call directtv up to fix the 771/772 code to find the signal. any remidies.

LindaH · March 4, 2015

the only other problem I have is if the box has been off for to long I have to call directtv up to fix the 771/772 code to find the signal. any remidies.

When we were DirecTV customers, you could do this online. Do they no longer offer online reauthorization?