Satellite Antenna Question

Westyray · 04-23-2018, 04:11 PM

We have had a new Pinnacle 36FBTS on order for several months and we are scheduled to pick it up tomorrow. One of the options we ordered (dealer installed) is a Traveler Sat. Antenna. Received a call from our salesperson about an hour ago that all Pinnacles are NOT wired for any satellite antenna on the roof. I'm finding it very hard to believe that in 2018, a manufacturer would not wire for this. I looked around the campground I'm in and see about 6 5th wheels with Sat.antennas on the roof. Really disappointed with this and I'm seeing the Pinnacle as something less then the Pinnacle.
Does anyone with a Pinnacle have a Satellite antenna on the roof? If so, how was it cabled? Thanks!

RVhiker · 04-23-2018, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westyray

...One of the options we ordered (dealer installed) is a Traveler Sat. Antenna. Received a call from our salesperson about an hour ago that all Pinnacles are NOT wired for any satellite antenna on the roof. ...]\

Maybe some clarification is needed. It sounds like you ordered a dealer installed option of a Traveler Satellite antenna. Your dealer says your trailer is not wired from the factory for a satellite antenna. Yet your dealer previously agreed to install one and this is, presumably, part of your contract with the dealer.

Is the dealer now saying he can't install the antenna he previously contracted to install? People, even dealers, install all kinds of antennas all the time. Even if your new trailer is not "wired" for one, this is not an obstacle of any sort. Your dealer should be easily capable install a satellite antenna on the roof. Which he, apparently, has already contracted to do at the cost specified in your contract!

Rustysocket · 04-23-2018, 05:14 PM

My Eagle was not "factory" wired to the roof for Sat either and I don't believe any of Jaycos are. It was not that big of a deal for my dealer to install a Trav'ler it and I would think any competent dealer could do something like this. In my case they followed the tank vent pipe from the roof into the underbelly and ran the cable that way to tie into the existing wiring in the coach.

Mopar_Earl · 04-24-2018, 04:19 AM

My 2017 Eagle is sat wired but not at the roof level. I use an automatic sat on a ladder mount. I can take it off and move it to get a view of the sky if needed. I wouldn't want a roof mounted sat as we camp in state parks and you'd never get a view of the sky. Been to many parks that had no view of the sky at all.

As posted, a good RV tech should be able to fish cabling to the roof and install it.

Earl

JetTech · 04-24-2018, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mopar_Earl

My 2017 Eagle is sat wired but not at the roof level. I use an automatic sat on a ladder mount. I can take it off and move it to get a view of the sky if needed. I wouldn't want a roof mounted sat as we camp in state parks and you'd never get a view of the sky. Been to many parks that had no view of the sky at all.

As posted, a good RV tech should be able to fish cabling to the roof and install it.

Earl

Depending on which service you want or need, this may not be possible using the smaller domed units. In my case, we wanted DirecTV's HD service, which was only possible with the Travel'r roof mounted antenna. I believe DISH has HD service available in the smaller domed units, but not DirecTV.

That's not to say you can't pull out a Travel'r and put it in the grass, as we did for awhile. It just got heavy and monotonous when setting up, and I was constantly worried it'd disappear at $1500! Ultimately, I mounted it on the roof of my 377RLBH using the stiffener plate that's available. I ran the cable inside the roof cavity to where the vent goes down into the basement, and continued along the frame rail and up into the slide that has the living room tv. That put all my controls right there at the "entertainment center".

As a side note, I didn't want the cable running outside on the roof to the vent, so I poked a hole through the roof, and gained access to the roof cavity by pulling the bathroom skylight/vent trim out. That gave me a few feet in each direction to run the cable, and I was easily able to get over to where the blackwater vent goes down to the basement area.

skinners25 · 04-24-2018, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JetTech

Depending on which service you want or need, this may not be possible using the smaller domed units. In my case, we wanted DirecTV's HD service, which was only possible with the Travel'r roof mounted antenna. I believe DISH has HD service available in the smaller domed units, but not DirecTV.

That's not to say you can't pull out a Travel'r and put it in the grass, as we did for awhile. It just got heavy and monotonous when setting up, and I was constantly worried it'd disappear at $1500! Ultimately, I mounted it on the roof of my 377RLBH using the stiffener plate that's available. I ran the cable inside the roof cavity to where the vent goes down into the basement, and continued along the frame rail and up into the slide that has the living room tv. That put all my controls right there at the "entertainment center".

As a side note, I didn't want the cable running outside on the roof to the vent, so I poked a hole through the roof, and gained access to the roof cavity by pulling the bathroom skylight/vent trim out. That gave me a few feet in each direction to run the cable, and I was easily able to get over to where the blackwater vent goes down to the basement area.

You think you could post a pic of the roof setup? I'd really like to see how it looks!

JetTech · 04-24-2018, 09:12 PM

I can, but it may take a couple days until I get a pic of it! Sorry!

skinners25 · 04-25-2018, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JetTech

I can, but it may take a couple days until I get a pic of it! Sorry!

No problem...I don’t have mine yet...

JetTech · 04-25-2018, 06:28 PM

Gonna give this a try, but uploading pics never seems to work well on this forum!

JetTech · 04-25-2018, 06:32 PM

It turned them sideways, but hopefully these will work. As you can see, I pretty much ran the cables straight into the roof rather than run them down the roof to the vent stack. Once in the roof, I did run over to the vent stack and down to the basement.

Be aware, use the sealant that Jayco calls for. Even though I did, the roof membrane swelled up for a few days. Scared the hell out of me!

Rustysocket · 04-25-2018, 08:17 PM

Essentially this is what my dealer did as well, Not as clean as Jettech's but similar. My dish was close to the vent and so my cables go a little different direction, then down through the roof as yours do, then they fished the wire from the ceiling over to the vent pipe and ran it down into the underbelly. I opted to make a shelf in the underbelly for the Traveler control box and power inserter because of the location of the entertainment center withing my large slide. I have one receiver that stays in the coach all the time, and then we sometimes take one or two more DVR's for the bunkhouse and bedroom TV's if we feel like it.

As someone else stated there are some pros and cons to a roof mounted travler. It is by far the easiest way to get HD DirectTV. I have only had two occasions where I simply could not get a signal due to trees, one was solved by relocating to another site. I view this system as only part of our entertainment package which is complimented by netflix, roku, redbox rentals and the wal-mart 5$ movie bin. I've done many iterations of TV signals / attennas there is no perfect solution that works everywhere and gives everything.

skinners25 · 04-26-2018, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JetTech

It turned them sideways, but hopefully these will work. As you can see, I pretty much ran the cables straight into the roof rather than run them down the roof to the vent stack. Once in the roof, I did run over to the vent stack and down to the basement.

Be aware, use the sealant that Jayco calls for. Even though I did, the roof membrane swelled up for a few days. Scared the hell out of me!

Looks great! Thanks!

JetTech · 04-26-2018, 09:46 PM

So as for the controller, I wanted mine mounted inside near the TV in the rear living room. In order to reach, I had to purchase the extension cable. Basically, the cable routing on my 377 was from the satellite, down into the roof, over to the vent stack, down into the basement. I had to poke a 3/8” hole through the closeout material and ran back alongside the left frame rail. In the 377, the kitchen slide has the main living room TV in it, so I ran the cable through the scissor fitting along with the other cables for that slide, and up into the cabinet above the TV. It already had a power outlet in the cabinet, so now I have control inside the RV. I was worried the weather would go T/U one day and I didn’t want to have to run outside to lower the dish. It’s happened once already, and while the wife could care less, I sure was patting myself on the back! A DRY back at that! lol

ETCrockett · 05-04-2018, 08:16 AM

I purchased the Direct TV Satelite with Pinnacle. The dealer installed it close to the HD antenna. I believe they pulled the satellite cables down the same path as the HD antenna cables once they were through the roof.

Wampuscat · 05-05-2018, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westyray

We have had a new Pinnacle 36FBTS on order for several months and we are scheduled to pick it up tomorrow. One of the options we ordered (dealer installed) is a Traveler Sat. Antenna. Received a call from our salesperson about an hour ago that all Pinnacles are NOT wired for any satellite antenna on the roof. I'm finding it very hard to believe that in 2018, a manufacturer would not wire for this. I looked around the campground I'm in and see about 6 5th wheels with Sat.antennas on the roof. Really disappointed with this and I'm seeing the Pinnacle as something less then the Pinnacle.
Does anyone with a Pinnacle have a Satellite antenna on the roof? If so, how was it cabled? Thanks!

My 2017 Pinnacle is not wired for a roof mount dish. I ordered the Winegard Dish 1000 Traveler and had the dealer install it. The controller is in the storage compartment because I didn't want to put any more holes in the trailer. Works great with no problems at all.

Westyray · 05-08-2018, 07:29 PM

My Pinnacle did come in a couple weeks ago and of course .... no Traveler. The dealer didn't really want to install one due to the fact that installation of that antenna voids the warranty on the unit. Really a major disappointment so I ended up calling Jayco directly and was told the same thing. Using a portable Winegard G3 now and at least for the next 2 years.

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