Directv in LQ

[Threeday33]

Hi everyone-
I am a new LQ trailer owner. My husband decided to buy a Directv satellite and receiver for the trailer (I would be fine with network tv only because you all know how little time you have to watch TV at horse shows!)

Anyway, I am struggling with 2 things. We were only able to find a signal and get the dish working at 2 or 3 events (with quite a few where we couldn't get it working). Nobody at Directv seems to be able to help. The only suggestion anyone has had for me is to buy a dish tracker from an RV store to help with set up. I have no idea where to start looking for one of these.

The other problem I have is with the account management. I am limited on the number of times I am allowed to "suspend" the account. I only want to use the satellite at shows or when I go somewhere for long term training. I don't want to pay for the service when I am not using it.

Obviously, it doesn't seem worth keeping unless we can figure out how to get it working more often. I tried to cancel the service but we are locked in to a year contract. I temporarily suspended our service so I could work on figuring out what to do next. This is a real headache for something that is certainly not necessary!

Do any of you have a LQ trailer with a satellite dish? What is the best way to set up/work the account and how to you find a signal?

Thanks!!!
Chrissy

[grandprixjump]

I used to install satellite and portable can be fun to use and aim...
1.) Do you have a meter to use in aiming it?
2.) You need to go to the screen where you type in a zip (This is Zip for showgrounds or wherever you currently are, NOT your home) and get your elevation and direction (ALWAYS SOUTHWEST) to satellite.
3.) The pole you are putting it on needs to be as straight as possible UP
4.) Set the elevation on the back of the dish. IF multi LNB you will need to set skew (Twist) also.
5.) Hook the meter into the line between the dish and box
6.) Swing the dish back and forth till you find the satellite, you can then confirm the correct satellite with the box. (You can do this without a meter, but requires having the TV turned up enough to hear the tones outside at the dish).

PM me with questions you need a direct answer for...

[Threeday33]

Thank you! That seems complicated, but helps. I don't think I have a meter. What type should I get and do I get it from directv or somewhere else?

So people actually do use satellites in their LQ trailers? Any other advice on ways people made it easier would be appreciated.

Chrissy

[Where'sMyWhite]

Threeday33... I don't have a LQ trailer but there has got to be something out there for campers/RVers who travel who also use satellite for TV.

Check around on camping/RV sites and see what you can find.

Heck, even the NASCAR guys get DirecTV in their pit box during the race so it possible. :)

Sorry I couldn't be more actual help...

[Frank B]

Perhaps you could transfer the receiver you have licensed at home to the LQ whenever you travel, then put it back in the house when you return.

As grandprixjump stated, you can access an internal on-screen meter to tweak the satellite position once setup. The instruction manual tells you how.

Try finding an RV forum. You'll find out how the "pros" do it, and probably a lot of things DirecTV doesn't want you to know! (We need an evil-grin smiley!)

[grandprixjump]

Thank you! That seems complicated, but helps. I don't think I have a meter. What type should I get and do I get it from directv or somewhere else?

So people actually do use satellites in their LQ trailers? Any other advice on ways people made it easier would be appreciated.

Chrissy

You can get an inexpensive meter pretty much anywhere that sells satellite stuff or camping stuff. It's about the size of a pack of cigarettes, and should cost anywhere from $10 to $30.

The easy way would be to either get one of the self aiming dish's on top of your LQ or one of the flat panels you see on top of SUV's sometimes, I think they cost about $1000 or more depending on what one you get..

[IslandGirl]

Do you subscribe to DirecTV at home? If you do, you can use one of your home receivers in your trailer. That's what I do. We have three receivers in the house, so I just take the one out of the spare bedroom when I go on the road. That way, I get all the channels on the road that I get at home. If you don't, you might want to look into getting it.

I have a KingDome satellite on top of my LQ trailer, and follow the procedure described above by GrandPrix Jump (I also make sure I have the longitude and latitude of wherever I'm going in case the ZIP code method doesn't work). However, I don't have to aim my dish (which is the difficult part) because it's permanently mounted, and automatically finds the satellite. I do, however, have to make sure I have a clear view of the south/southwestern sky (no trees or buildings). Since you have a portable dish, you'll have to get the knack of aiming it when you get to your location. From what I understand, though, an inexpensive meter and some practice is all you need.

[Bank of Dad]

We take our direct tv unit out of our house and put it in the motor home. I do what grandprixjump says to do. Once we get to the menu screen to type in the zip code, we just adjust the dish holder thing ( its a clamp and we put it on the back of a folding chair, with a tub of water on the chair so the chair doesn't move). Then we aim it for the correct degree in the southwest sky, and as long as we are not near big trees, or big building, mostly we always find the signal. Having a small compass really helps get the direction. Could take 10-40 minutes of moving it around to find it.

Do a search on this forum.

http://rv.net/forum/index.cfm

[Threeday33]

Unfortunately, we don't have it in the house. I think that would make this easier. Thanks for the advice so far! We have used the instruction manual and the onscreen meter to help us and we can rarely find ANY signal (all say zero). When we do come up with a signal, it is easy to get it all working. One of those inexpensive meters might help and I'm not sure we have the zip code for where we are entered in anywhere so I'll check on that too.
Thanks
Chrissy

[Frank B]

Further complicating the matter, magnet North deviates from Polar North quite a bit in some parts of the US. Considering the dish's narrow beamwidth, aiming is fairly critical to even get any signal, so corrections may have to be made. Throughout the central US it's not too much, but in the Northeast and West it becomes significant and may have to be factored into the initial aiming.

Here's a map (http://www.geo-orbit.org/sizepgs/magmapsp.html) that shows the deviation with instructions on how to apply it to the compass reading.

[LexInVA]

You can get a full DirecTV mobile installation along the lines of what luxury RVs have but it's EXPENSIVE!

[Threeday33]

That is what I was worried about. What I really need to help me with this complicated matter is very expensive. The good news is, we don't need the satellite. I just wish we weren't dialed in to a year contract. My husband got this thinking we'd want it, but I'd rather just watch network TV and DVDs! I thought I'd look for some easy suggestions and see if I can make this work. Thanks so far!
Chrissy

[mypaintwattie]

We have a TrackVision in-motion satellite dish on our RV with Directv. Also had the same set up on our Hummer, and will most likely end up with it when we get a LQ trailer. It works well, especially because since it is in-motion we are able to watch programing while driving, there is no 'finding the sweet spot'. We have Directv at home so they just add it as an additional room. Most RV dealers or service providers can help, I think we went through Camping World.

[LAZ]

No help on the TV thing as I'm a technoidiot, but....

How is that fabulous Chestnut horse of yours?

[Threeday33]

Thanks for asking! He is actually on stall rest recovering from a splint bone surgery he had 2 weeks ago!!! We had a great season after you saw us at the clinic. We were on track to go to Fair Hill to do the **, and a week before I was supposed to head east, he was lame...fractured splint bone. We let it try to heal on its own for a month, but it wasn't healing well enough to be confident that it wouldn't bother him when back in full work in spring. Hopefully he will be back to work around Christmas. Hey, do you run the Lucinda clinic down by you also? If so, please let me know when the dates are confirmed. She doesn't come to our area anymore, and I really want to ride with her again! Thanks!!!
Chrissy

[LAZ]

Thanks for asking! He is actually on stall rest recovering from a splint bone surgery he had 2 weeks ago!!! We had a great season after you saw us at the clinic. We were on track to go to Fair Hill to do the **, and a week before I was supposed to head east, he was lame...fractured splint bone. We let it try to heal on its own for a month, but it wasn't healing well enough to be confident that it wouldn't bother him when back in full work in spring. Hopefully he will be back to work around Christmas. Hey, do you run the Lucinda clinic down by you also? If so, please let me know when the dates are confirmed. She doesn't come to our area anymore, and I really want to ride with her again! Thanks!!!
Chrissy

I don't host her clinic, but a good friend of mine does. I can give you his contact info; she comes in typically during the week after IEA.

I'm sorry to hear he had an injury, but at least it is a good surgery and good prognosis. I wondered why you weren't at Fair Hill....