There is one thing that I can't figure out yet: should I remove the sensar antenna and put the sat-dish there or leave the sensar on.
If I leave it on, I might still get TV-reception with the sensar when I'm parked under trees. And when I take it off, I'm afraid it's going to leave a huge hole in the roof and closet. The roof side might not be the problem, since the satellite dish comes over it, but what to do with that gaping hole in the closet? :|
Another thing is that the dish would be right next to the AC when I replace the sensar with it, so the AC might be a little in the way for good reception in every direction. Also, if I replace, I can use the coax from the sensar, so don't have to put any extra wiring.
What would you do? Install on a different location and keep both, or remove the sensar and install there? I'm standing on a T-junction and can't decide which way to go, so a push in either direction might help before the lights turn red again.
Thanks,
Mark
2001 Ford F350 7.3 Diesel (DRW Crew cab Long bed)
Sonnax TQ and Sonnax 4R100 rebuild - 6.0 transmission cooler and OTW cooler.
2011 Arctic Fox 992 - 2.5kW propane generator - 315AH Trojan batteries - 2kW pure sine wave inverter - 140Wp solar
You might consider leaving things as they are, and instead get a dish on a tripod for satellite TV. The big advantage is that you can place the dish in full view of the sky while you remain parked in a nice shady location, thereby reducing the work your AC has to do. It's easy to set up with a little practice - I usually do it in 3-5 minutes.
The rooftop mount severly limits where you can park and still use it. Since the birds need to be positioned over the equator, in order to see them you will always be parked in full sun.
Thanks for the idea, but that's what we started with. The problem with that is that I have a total lack of patience and we mostly use tv on cold and rainy evenings, so it's a lot more comfortable if the dish is self-aligning in these cases. We're mostly outside when it's warm enough and then we hardly watch TV, so in these cases it doesn't matter a lot if trees block the reception.
It only matters when it's bad weather and we can't get away from trees, but then we could use the sensar if we keep it, or watch movies from our laptop.
Another advantage for a fixed system is that we don't need to find a place for a very unhandy 30 inch dish and tripod if it's permanently installed onto the roof.
We could also use a self aligning external dish, but I'm afraid it's going to get stolen pretty fast. After all it's a +1000 Euro lightweight thing that's only "secured" by a coax cable.
Well just within your post I saw 3 to 1 for leaving sensar.
You could use if needed, move dish away from ac- & though easy enough to make a cover you wont need to address hole in cieling.
Leave the sensar on and install a separate dome dish. Dont be too concerned having it close to the AC. Mine is and very seldom do I not get reception. Usually its a tree if anything. I ran my satcable down thru my frig vent. I have about 2 feet of cable exposed on the roof and that has enternabond tape over it. The rest of the cable is hidden under the AC unit. On my last trip out I had to replace the cable due to a break in it somehwere. I was able to re-do the whole cable from dish to receiver in about an hour in the Wal Mart parking lot. Its just easier to maintain in the event that you have to replace the cable down the road.
2009 Chevy Silverado 3500 dually D/A, Supersprings, Stable Loads, Bilstein Shocks, Hellwig Sway Bar, Front Timbrens.
2010 Arctic Fox 1140 DB, 220 watts solar, custom 4 in 1 "U" shaped dinette/couch, 59 interior and exterior mods to date and still adding
You should consider a Weingard Carryout. They can be stationed anywhere and will self-locate. There is even a ladder mount kit if you want, otherwise, set it anywhere you can see the southern sky.
2012 Winnebago Vista, Triple Slide Ford F53.
Blue Ox Tiger Trak track bar, RoadMaster Reflex Steering,&
"Free sway bar Fix"
Blue Ox Alpha Tow Bar w/Patriot Brake System
Chevy HHR toad.
Or the Dish Tailgator is also a great option and you get HD channels. Not sure if you have Dish or Direct Tv.
1999 Ford F350 DRW 4X4 PSD 6spd.
Banks Stinger Package
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ExtremeAire 150 PSI 100% Duty Cyle on board air w/4gal. tank
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2003 Arctic Fox 1150 loaded except solor
Thanks to all. I've received a PM to warn me about the thin plywood on the roof, so I ordered a metaldetector (only €19) to be sure I screw my dome into the alu framework.
kerry4951 wrote: Leave the sensar on and install a separate dome dish. Dont be too concerned having it close to the AC. Mine is and very seldom do I not get reception.
Thanks for the info, but can I ask you in which direction you usually travel? I noticed that you live more south than me and if you would travel even more south, it's normal that nothing blocks your reception, because the dish aims higher and higher as you go south.
I would like to be able to travel to and see TV in Scotland, for instance, so where the dish aims the lowest. Let's say until 58°North, which is the most northern point of our Astra satellite footprint and to compare: 58°N is just below the Northern province-border of BC/Alberta/...
If you've been there without problems, I'm convinced. (with tv reception that is...)
mark_be wrote: Thanks to all. I've received a PM to warn me about the thin plywood on the roof, so I ordered a metaldetector (only €19) to be sure I screw my dome into the alu framework.
kerry4951 wrote: Leave the sensar on and install a separate dome dish. Dont be too concerned having it close to the AC. Mine is and very seldom do I not get reception.
Thanks for the info, but can I ask you in which direction you usually travel? I noticed that you live more south than me and if you would travel even more south, it's normal that nothing blocks your reception, because the dish aims higher and higher as you go south.
I would like to be able to travel to and see TV in Scotland, for instance, so where the dish aims the lowest. Let's say until 58°North, which is the most northern point of our Astra satellite footprint and to compare: 58°N is just below the Northern province-border of BC/Alberta/...
If you've been there without problems, I'm convinced. (with tv reception that is...)
I got reception as far north as BC/Alberta Canada. Never had issues anywhere in the lower 48 states. We do boondock alot so I even had times when I just had to reposition the rig to gain better reception. I try to keep the back of the rig towards the south as I get further north. Usually not a problem when you dry camp.
Thanks to Snow River TC, who gave me the tip to contact someone @ Northwood Mfg. Without his warning, I would have tried to use screws and would have ended up screwing everywhere until I found something solid below, which would have been...never...
So, I contacted them to know how the roof is constructed and where to find the alu frame.
Seems that Arctic Fox campers stay together by magic, because there is not a single piece of alu frame in the roof. It's only connected to the sides and supported by the cupboards.
The roof only has 1/4 inch of (laminated) plywood and the rest is foam. And that's almost anywhere on the roof (see below)! Under the foam there's 1/4 inch of plywood again. The roof seems to be strong enough that way, since 31 peoplecan stand on it... (see youtube)
At Northwood Mfg. they advised to use bolts with some kind of rubber tip that expands when tightening, but I didn't find that over here, so I used the type below with caulk instead.
(can't send with picture?)
That method is for a satellite dish and the back side of a solar panel. As for the front of a solar panel: they advised to screw that side just behind the dent in the roof, so on the first inches where the roof gets horizontal and to use wood screws there. The reason is that there is wood blocking on this place (and this place only) and then you're sure that the panel can't be lifted by the wind while driving. The blocking on that place is 3 inches thick, btw.
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I've received a PM to warn me about the thin plywood on the roof, so I ordered a metaldetector (only €19) to be sure I screw my dome into the alu framework.
