Satellite dish

[Jeff Watt]

Hi,

Well I just have been on my first extended trip with my 05 Patriot Thunder and enjoyed the trip - a couple of little issues, leaking fuel line to the genset, and a possessed headlight switch (lights come on for no explanation).

I am asking for any thoughts from other owners, although I expect almost all are based in the USA and have one of the US satellite operators. My coach has a TracVision system and I believe it works well, however for me my only option with it is to use BELL ExpressVU satellite. Now this poses three problems, one I already subscribe to Shaw (StarChoice) so I would have to get an account with Bell. Secondly the Bell system doesn't extend to the deep South of the US.  Thirdly, Bell is not what we call support friendly, i.e. if I call while in the US they will shut the system down.

SO, I have been thinking of changing the TracVision for a different system that accesses the StarChoice satellites. I know this will be about a $3500 touch, but I want to be able to access it from anywhere without too many complications.

Has anyone put one of these units on their motorhomes, example WineGard Trav'ler or Motosat HD? I know they aren't quite as aesthetically pleasing as the tracvision and one better remember to lower it or it is screwed....

Thoughts..

Thanks,

Jeff

[Joel Weiss]

We have a Winegard Trav'ler for DirecTV and love it.  It is exceptionally reliable at finding the satellites even through moderate tree cover.  When it's down it can hardly be seen so I don't see the aesthetic issue as all that significant.  Furthermore, it works far more reliably than the aesthetically pleasing but awful King Dome I had on my Class C.  And yes, it is necessary to remember to lower it, but that is simply part of our checklist and walk-around check.

[JimDyer]

Hi Jeff,

We have a Shaw ground dish, and can verify all the tales about Bell and how good they make the Post Office look. But I know nothing about the mobile units......I tried a Kingdome and got nowhere.  

But I can tell you it's nice to have the US networks at 2 different times (Eastern and Seattle) plus 6 sets of Canadian networks, plus DW's 'gay decorators' plus two sports neworks, Peachtree, etc.  Makes me chuckle every time my winter neighbours complain!

Oh, and the summer disconnect works like a charm. 6 months after I email in the seasonal disconnect I get an email..."your shaw satellite service will reactivate on October 12, 2011" and they really do cut off the billing for six months.....

Jim

[Larry Fisk]

I had the MotoSat HD installed on ours and love it. We even got HD channels in most of Alaska and Canada. We have direct tv service. It is more expensive than the winegard but so far we are very pleased with it's performance.

[Ken Buck]

Do you notice your headlights on after you use the windshield wipers? That's the one that amazed me.

Ken

[Jeremy Parrett]

Ken, the headlights are activated by the wiper control. This was done as by law you must use headlights when your wipers are in use. Switching off the ignition will reset the headlights off.

[Jeff Watt]

Thanks for the comments about satellite dishes. I don't think the Motosat or Winegard look bad, just the round smooth dome looks more aerodynamic, although design and performance can be mutually exciusive. More research and finding an installer to come.

Straying from my topic of a satellite dish, I'll relay my headlight story.

The two comments regarding windshield wipers and headlights makes me think there is some connection. I was driving in a light rain, so the wipers were on. We parked at my wife's uncles yard late afternoon. Nothing out of the ordinary. The next day they were inside and I was doing something in the coach when he called me for lunch and mentioned the headlights are on. So i checked the switch - off, turned ignition on and off a few times and they went out. Didn't give it another thought.

That evening (3:00 AM) as I was up for you know what, I noticed the lights were on. Tried the switch a few times, the ignition a few times - to no avail. Rather perplexed and as there are no near neighbours and we were plugged in I went back to bed. In the morning I tried the switch, ignition, keypad (why not) and generally stood around stumped.

So I went to the electrical bay and disconnected the headlights. Needing daytime running lights in Canada, I used the driving lights when on the road. I just arrived home and haven't looked at it more depth.

Jeff

[Ron Rowe]

Jeff
I had a Winegard placed on my 06 PT in order to get Starchoice; and it works good.  I have previously had Bell; it works down south but you start to loose some channels in TX (TSN).  Bell will try to charge you $15.00 to put your system on vacation, where Starchoice does not charge.
Cheers!  Ron

[Ken Buck]

Ken, the headlights are activated by the wiper control. This was done as by law you must use headlights when your wipers are in use. Switching off the ignition will reset the headlights off.

This partucular requirement varies by state. Many states do not require it, and I found no federal statute for it yet. A couple of states only adopted the law last year, so I'll bet it was a convenience feature added by Beaver, not a requirement by law. I only looked at a couple of the states language, both of which require the operator of the vehicle to have headlights on when the wipers are in use, not that the vehicle turn them on automatically.

Just like the dimming switches in many of our vehicles for overhead lighting, the headlights coming on automatically and not being able to be turned off by the headlight switch might make someone think there is a problem.  

JWatts clarified further that it happens when parked also, so the wipers aren't the cause of his problem.

Ken

[Robert Mathis]

If you are planning to come to the "deep South", why not get a subscription to Dish or DirectTV and get a portable dish on a tripod? I have a KVH in motion dome, but I just purchased a protable dish for less than $70.00 on ebay and it works much better han the dome.

[Keith Oliver]

Re Sattelite dish:
My purchase was March 2011.  The coach came with a KVH R5, in-motion dish.  This can see only Dish, Direct and Bell.  Neither of those are suitable for Canada and US.  So if we can get rid of that bit of roof top ballast, we will.
Shaw, on the other hand, has just given us a dish for our summer home on Saltspring Island, and will provide a sattelite dish for our coach, or for our boat, or both, and even for our home in Coquitlam, when we get around to it.  All on one monthly rate, cancellable for any period of two weeks or more, up to 6 months.  For the MH or the boat, the $99 dish they will provide, on a $50 tripod, may not be pretty, and of course won't work "in motion", but since most of our TV watching is for the 11pm news, the fancier ones seem a bit extravagant.  Both Wineguard and Motosat have "in motion" dishes that can see Shaw, but, as Jeff notes, at a high cost.
Shaw also claims their coverage is the broadest of all, stretching up the BC coast as far as Alaska (relevant to boating) and down to Mexico, should we ever stray that far south.  The only downside I can see is giving up a little stowage space while on the road.

[LarryNCarolynShirk]

It is my guess that Monaco had to add the Headlight on feature with the wipers to satisfy Canadian law, on the coaches sold through Canadian dealers.

Larry

[Keith Oliver]

The Canadian requirement is for the headlights to be on All the time, (daytime running lights) not just when it is raining.  I had to add a DRL module to th eelectrical bay when I brought mine across the border.

[JimDyer]

It is my guess that Monaco had to add the Headlight on feature with the wipers to satisfy Canadian law, on the coaches sold through Canadian dealers.

Larry

Wrong! Headlights on with wipers is a US thing. Canada has a requirement for DRL (Daytime running Lights) which means headlights on at least 50% strength when the vehicle is in motion.  I added that feature to mine by putting in a relay which energizes the lights when the ignition is on. Simple, cheap ($6), and effective.

[Jeff Watt]

Keith and Jim are correct regarding DRL. Mine were working fine and that wasn't my problem. It was the unexplained turning on that makes me ponder the complexities of the system. At 3:00 AM with the lights on (but switch and ignition off) I could toggle between high and low beam, and use the interrupt switch on the wheel to momentarily turn them off. As I am decompressing after the trip and also it being Thanksgiving here, I haven't given the headlights much thought - will look tomorrow. Any other thoughts??

Regarding satellite dishes, I have been thinking of the basic dish/tripod setup and may go that route if for nothing else as a back-up when parked under trees. The new Shaw receivers are significantly smaller than previous and now will fit without much problem in the compartments; the older receivers (HD anyway) are huge - size of a thick dvd player.  

There is another manufacturer based in Canada that designed their dish for SHAW - looks interesting and besides the local RV dealer/service is a reseller and installer. Still pricey at $2500 plus install. It does have a built in GPS and allows for  automatic, semi-automatic and manual tracking.

http://www.explorersc2000.com/en_home.html

I contacted the company and they recommend the 75cm dish if planning on going deep south US or far North. Essentially the same price. The bigger dish is a bit heavier and obviously larger when up.

Jeff