Satellite Hook Up

[funfinder]

I have a 240x with an external cable connection. I tried to hook up an satellite through this external connection but I could not get a signal. Any suggestions or thoughts as to why I get no connection? Did not matter what internal tv connection I used I could not get a signal.

[Jerry]

I had the same problem. Had to run a new cable (satellite compatible cable) To the TV. I left a little pig tail out the back of the trailer for hook up.

[funfinder]

Hi Jerry,

Thanks for the reply. Looks like I need to do some rewiring. I searched this forum for other topics regarding the satellite hookup. Seems the signal booster interferes with satellite signals. I like your idea to run another cable and leave a hookup outside the trailer. Where did you come out with yours. Where is the pigtail that you left for hookup?

[Rus Lwt001]

OK. I realize these posts are little old, however, I really need to understand this problem. I have a 2012 285RLS Shadow Cruiser. I just purchased a portable Satellite dish and will be using my Direct TV receiver from home. I was planning on running the cable from the dish to the standard cable/air connection on the outside of the trailer and just switching it to "cable" for reception. Then I would connect from the wall outlet to the receiver. So, is it a fact that these wall outlets cause an interference and won't allow reception of the satellite signal? I don't plan on ever using the TT Antenna for over the air channels ever again. It is so absolutely bad - Jensen Omni Directional Antenna. What I read is I have to remove the wall plate inside and run a direct line to the receiver? Please assist if you can. Thank you.

[funfinder]

From what I understand is that the booster for the antenna interferes with the satellite signal. I had to run cable directly from satellite to tv to get it to work. If you can bypass the booster you should be ok.

[webslave]

The problem is the "booster". For regular television (off the air), it needs to be "ON" to feed 12v to the amplifier in the antenna head. For cable it needs to be "OFF" (turns the 12v circuit in it off). The problem with turning the 12v circuit off is that there is internal circuitry that keeps current from back flowing to the "cable plug" (probably either switching transisters or even simple diodes) which would be bad for the campground's cable system if you were to plug into the campground's cable system before turning the amplifier off. That same circuit protection that prevents 12v from flowing out the cable inlet also keeps the satellite feed current from flowing out to the satellite dish...the satellite dish needs that current for the amplifiers in its feedhorns and for changing feedhorns to see the multiple satellites that are in use (sometimes 2, sometimes 3, depending on whether Dish or DirecTV. That's why you can't just plug your satellite antenna's feed into the cable connector and get a signal to the receiver.

On "upscale satellite ready" trailers, there is a "jumper" panel that will allow the satellite receiver and dish to communicate utilizing the cable inlet... There are schematics on the web for how to do it in a trailer that doesn't have it built in...you can search for one, or, as others have suggested, just run a "satellite only" cable from your receiver to the dish outside. If you are never going to use the rooftop antenna for off the air television, you can probably pull the wall plate and take the cable end off, remove (unplug) the other connections and then just buy a regular cable wall plate and connect the cable end to it. Save the amplifier wall plate for future re-installation for another user...they might want to simply replace the lousy Jensen with a better antenna like the Jack-Off-The-Air antenna. Personally, I have a trailer with the satellite ready system in it, but, I don't currently, nor do I ever plan on taking my home satellite system "on the road". With most campgrounds now having cable and my Jack Off The Air antenna for over the air signal reception, I don't need the other (satellite) feed and I can get local channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and PBS) which prove to be problematic with satellite once you are a couple hundred miles from your "home" base.

That's the "why" of the problem

[Rus Lwt001]

Thank you Don. Very comprehensive response. I think I will open it up and see what I'm dealing with. Honestly I never would have thought this could cause a problem, but I am glad I found this info before spending hours while camping trying to get it to work. I appreciate the information.

[LagoAZ]

I could not get a cable signal inside or out. After hunting around I found coax cable behind the cabinet with an exposed wire and no fitting crimped on. So basically the only TV signal I get is what the TV is picking up internally. Maybe the cable guy ran out of fittings that day and said "eh.... good enough"

[Rus Lwt001]

I went out to the camper yesterday and pulled the antenna/cable outlet. Man oh man. I never expected to see so many connections for this system. TV, Radio and 12V. I can see now how it would interfere with the satellite signal. I thought about placing a splitter on the incomming "cable in" prior to the connection, but decided to just leave it alone. So, i got lucky and was able to run a new cable up though the bottom of the camper, straight up to the receptacle. Drilled a new hole and mounted a separate plate. Left the original in-tact. Now I have a dedicated satellite cable at the underside of the TT. I'm good. Thanks everyone for the help.