Satellite Radio Antenna to the Roof

[Fire_Instructor]

Any suggestions on how to route the wire to get a satellite radio antenna to the roof of a Jayco 5'er? On my older unit, I ran it through the roof mounted fridge vent, but this unit the fridge is in a slide, so the vent is a side mount, which would put the antenna on the side of the unit, and partially shadowed by the awning roller.

Thank you for any creative suggestions that might be out there...

[Paintinfool3]

Where is your tv located

[sebring96hbg]

Something like this to get to your entertainment center?




http://amzn.com/B008GYKSP4

http://amzn.com/B008GYKKUC

[RVhiker]

I mounted an XM antenna and brought the lead in through a roof vent. The wire is small, and I drilled a hole through the metal flange that sticks up that the lid seals against. I sealed the hole with a wad of butyl putty. Since the hole is above where any water puddle on the roof might rise to, and since I have a cover over the vent, there is no leak.

The antenna itself is mounted to a small piece of sheet metal, which is also attached to the metal flange of the roof vent.

[Grumpy]

The antenna will work in the roof vent. It's plastic and signal will go right through. That's where I had mine mounted in the SENECA.

[RVhiker]

Grumpy, that is a good idea. How did you mount the antenna to the inside of the roof vent?

[Fire_Instructor]

So how did you route the wire down from the roof vent, so that it didn't show?

[Fire_Instructor]

Originally Posted by Paintinfool3

Where is your tv located

It's a 377RLBH.... It's got four factory televisions, plus hookup for a fifth! Living room, master bedroom, slide-out bedroom, and outside TV, plus a hook-up for yet another TV in the loft.....

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by RVhiker

Grumpy, that is a good idea. How did you mount the antenna to the inside of the roof vent?

Velcro to the cross bar.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by Fire_Instructor

So how did you route the wire down from the roof vent, so that it didn't show?

The wire is small enough I could tuck it under the moulding. I also used some plastic wire mold. The small round type for speaker wire.

[Fire_Instructor]

Originally Posted by Grumpy

The wire is small enough I could tuck it under the moulding. I also used some plastic wire mold. The small round type for speaker wire.

I'll look at that option! Thank you for the idea!

[klassic]

Where is the wire suppose to end, at the stereo in the slide?

[Fire_Instructor]

Originally Posted by klassic

Where is the wire suppose to end, at the stereo in the slide?

Ultimately. Which means that I need to route it to the wire loom supplying the slide. So that it flexes as the slide operates...

Unless you have a better suggestion?

[RVhiker]

Originally Posted by Fire_Instructor

Ultimately. Which means that I need to route it to the wire loom supplying the slide. So that it flexes as the slide operates...

Unless you have a better suggestion?

I've been using XM for a while now, so my information may not be current. With that proviso, there are two XM antennas I've encountered. One is the "house" antenna. It's lead in wire has a multi-strand flexible core. The "car" antenna has a very small solid copper core center conductor. I'm not sure that either type would stand up to repetitive flexing. What is the lead in from your antenna like?

[klassic]

That's what I thought you were going to have to do. (Go to underneath the slide)

I gave it some thought for a bit, because I was going to do it until I found out it was $10/mth to add an extra receiver.

You need to get the wire into the space behind the basement storage wall then you have a few options to get it to the bottom of the slide.
I was going to go down the stink pipe vent and mount the antenna on top of the vent cap.
Taking the back wall down in the basement I could see the vent stack pipe in my rig and was going to drill a small hole in it, then fish a fish tape up through the hole and out the top. Then seal up the hole.

If you think that idea "stinks" then....
With the amazing 360 view of you trailer on the Jayco site I can see your fan vent in the kitchen is fairly close to the wall.
You should be able to stick your arm through the truss space (in the middle of the picture) to the top of the wall. I'm pretty sure that's where your wire for the fan's wall control is going to come out and there will be a hole drilled large enough for them to get the RJ11 connector through.

If you want to do the antenna mounting inside the fan, like mentioned, or pass the with through the side edge of the fan to the roof, like mentioned, you could maybe fish the wire down that hole in the top of the wall into the wall and make your way to the basement through holes in the closets.

Here's a picture of where you would have to stick your arm. I was able to stick my long skinny arm in there, but if you have Popeye forearms you might not get in.