Running Satellite Cable

Bob Landry · 11-12-2010, 06:24 PM

I'm curious if anyone has run the RG-6 cable through their JayFlight to a satellite receiver and how did you get there? I have a 22FB but I assume most of the small Jaycos are constructed the same way. I just don't see how to snake the cable through the walls. I can mount the exterior jack close to the existing TV Cable connector, no problem there. The issue is that the TV and the cabinet closest to it are on the curb side above the dinette. I suppose I could run it under the chassiss, up through the wheel well and up along the corner by the dinette, but I would rather not have a visible cable hanging nor do I want to remove any of the interior skin to run the cable through the walls. I'm a pretty mechanically and electrically inclined dude and the rest of the installation will be a piece of cake.. I do a lot of marine installations for high dollar customers so I'm pretty anal about it looking like a factory installation. Just off the top of my head, I'm thinking across and under the trailer, securing the cable to the trailer frame using padded cable clamps, up through the wheel well on the curb side, into the dinette seat storage compartment, next to the shower wall, and then up the inside of that wall to the end of the cabinet by the wall mounted TV. I'm never gong to have more than one TV in the trailer and it is where it's going to live from now on. Actually, I guess I could go up through the floor into the settee storage area and avoid the wheel well There is an access cover to get to the back of the shower faucets, but I havn't pulled it off to see if there's a path for a cable up through that wall. Ideas, anyone?

1mtnman · 11-12-2010, 07:07 PM

Bob, I am trying to understand what you are attempting to do. Let me ask some questions as i have been trying to help my friend with his TV cabling problems also.
Do you have a Cable TV receptacle on the outside of your trailer? Do you have a power amp for your batwing antenna?
If both of these questions are in the affirmative then you could attach your RG-6 cable to the cable receptacle on the exterior of your trailer and get your satellite that way.

Bob Landry · 11-12-2010, 07:26 PM

Yes, I do have the batwing and amp. I didn't know if that was compatible with satellite or if I needed to run additional cable. I need to go out to the truck and get the Winegard information, I suppose. Thanks for the info.

1mtnman · 11-12-2010, 07:43 PM

Bob, depending on what year your TV is you should be able to get local digital TV stations using the batwing. LCD's that were made in 2006 and later have a built in tuner so they will receive the digital signal without a converter box.
This web site will tell you what digital stations are available for your location.
http://www.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/maps/

1mtnman · 11-12-2010, 07:53 PM

The batwing will not receive satellite TV so unless you have satellite input access, a dish and satellite receiver you will not get satellite.

Bob Landry · 11-12-2010, 09:22 PM

I do have the external coax connector for cable. I also understand the batwing does not receive satellite. We go to places where there is no stations transmitting so I want to add satellite. I'm simply trying to find out if my trailer is pre-wired with RG6 and from there, where in the signal line does the sat receiver go since the trailer has the batwing and amplifier already installed.

Denise · 11-13-2010, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Landry

I'm simply trying to find out if my trailer is pre-wired with RG6 and from there, where in the signal line does the sat receiver go since the trailer has the batwing and amplifier already installed.

Bob, We have the G2 that has the satellite connector outside. I can't help ya with the techie stuff, but can suggest if you don't find the answer here, try calling Jayco direct at 800 283-8267. Keep checking back with this thread as someone who eventually will read this may also have the opportunity to share their experience with the identical techie situation.

Also, any chance you could add your tt description to your 'signature' (shows up every time you post)? It could help others who might be able to help you if they could see right off what type/year/etc Jayco you have. Let us know if you need help with the signature.

Definitely post what ya wind up doing with the RG6 thing

1mtnman · 11-13-2010, 11:01 AM

Bob, if you only have a cable external source you can use that connector for satellite. What you may have to do inside at the coaxial plate is to go behind the plate and make certain that the cable source is connected to the the plate connector. There should be two adapters on your inside plate where the TV hooks up. One will be from the batwing and the other from the cable. The cable source goes to the satellite receiver and then another R-6G cab;e goes from the receiver to the TV. I have two cables going to my TV, one from the Batwing and one from the satellite. It requires that I change cable sources depending if I am watching satellite or digital TV. It does not matter if your coaxial cable that you presently have wired from you cable source is R-6G or regular TV cabling.

Bob Landry · 11-13-2010, 11:04 AM

Right now the question is, is the existing coax from the external jack RG6. The Jayco brochure says it is supposed to be prewired for satelitte, but that does require RG6 as opposed to RG59. I'm going out to work on the trailer today and I'll look. If I can't see enough to tell, I'll call Jayco CS and ask them. Then it looks like the only other requirement is to change the cable feed configuration so that the sat cable feed goes directly into the receiver and not the Wingard amp since sat signals won't work well going through any type of splitter. That would only require moving the coax feed from the amp to he receiver and then going from the receiver to the splitter input with a short jumper of RG59. Once it comes out of the receiver, it's my understanding you can pretty much do what you want with it. My installation will be pretty simple since I'm only using one television in the trailer.

Bob Landry · 11-13-2010, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1mtnman

Bob, if you only have a cable external source you can use that connector for satellite. What you may have to do inside at the coaxial plate is to go behind the plate and make certain that the cable source is connected to the the plate connector. There should be two adapters on your inside plate where the TV hooks up. One will be from the batwing and the other from the cable. The cable source goes to the satellite receiver and then another R-6G cab;e goes from the receiver to the TV. I have two cables going to my TV, one from the Batwing and one from the satellite. It requires that I change cable sources depending if I am watching satellite or digital TV. It does not matter if your coaxial cable that you presently have wired from you cable source is R-6G or regular TV cabling.

Mine is set up the same way. The batwing feeds the amp as does the cable input and to switch between the two all I dois push the button on the face place. It would seem that to chance between the BW abd the cable that is all that would be needed, except the sat cable should go to the receiver and then to the amp. I don't see any other means of switching the inputs.

Bob Landry · 11-13-2010, 03:37 PM

I pulled the module out of the wall to see how it was set up. The trailer is in fact prewired with RG6, Now my only question is can the cable input from the external jack stay connected the way it is or does it have to go directly to the satellite receiver and then to the TV. I've read that the sat signal doesn't work well with splitters and I don't know if the wall unit constitutes a splitter or it it just an amp for a weak signal. I'm gradually getting all of this sorted out. I've never dealt with satelitte before so all of this is a learning curve.

4weekends · 12-24-2010, 09:43 PM

Have you found out the answer to this yet? I have the same questions. I have a 2003 Kiwi Too and can't seem to get satellite signal from exterior coax outlet to interior tv.

namusmc65 · 01-07-2011, 10:16 AM

Bob:
You can connect the satellite cable to your outside connector. Just turn off the tv antenna amplifier inside on the tv outlet and hook up your satellite receiver and you are good to go. Your unit should probably be wired with the RG-6 cable. In my 2001 Jayco I put an additional connector outside the unit for my satellite and a new connector on the inside next to my tv jack. That way I can watch satellite tv on the main tv and the wife can still watch regular tv from the tv antenna in the bedroom. I'm a football nut so have to have satellite! lol
Also new user on this forum as we just purchased a new Jayco G2 31RKS and traded in the old unit. Pulling the unit with a 2008 Ford F-150 with the 5.4l engine and so far no problems. Been up a few hills but not sure I want to tackle any mountains with it.
Joe Hinson
Georgia

Bob Landry · 01-07-2011, 03:10 PM

No, you can't do that. The dish requiers 12VDC to operate. The Winegard batwing amp will not pass 12V to the dish via the standard cable wiring. This is from Winegard, not my opinion..

hammer · 01-08-2011, 05:36 AM

I don't know what kind of dish you've got. I have never seen one yet that requires 12v.

Bob Landry · 01-08-2011, 06:01 AM

The 12V is supplied by the receiver, it's not a seperate connection. I'm not a satelite expert, I'm only going on what I was told by a tech support rep at Winegard. That's good enough for me. I ran a separate cable.

Seann45 · 01-09-2011, 10:03 AM

I ran mine in through where the power cord used to be... I changed my power cord to a plug in style... photos are in mod my RV section here...

rray32539 · 01-09-2011, 10:05 PM

How to modify your TV cable connection for satellite

clutch · 01-10-2011, 12:15 AM

I was told by the salesman that our 2011 is ready for satellite. I will find out for sure on Tuesday. If it isn't it will be.

cekkk · 01-11-2011, 11:15 AM

For what it's worth, on a September trip we couldn't figure out why my sat dish wasn't feeding from the outside sat/cable connection to the inside jack. Got Dish to come out. The guy told me that trailer systems only work with satellite dishes half the time. So I ran an unsanitary cable run into the trailer. I really hope the new Eagle's cable system will work as intended. Otherwise I paid a Ben Franklin for a dish and tripod for nada.

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