Sat and Terrestrial TV in the caravan

[wood4me]

Hi folks,

I have a caravan fitted with Terrestrial cabling (75 ohm), a Winegard antenna for good reception areas and an external antenna socket for reception black spots. I recently bought a satellite setup and am hoping to use the existing cabling setup and avoid cutting more holes in the van to add a separate RG6 inlet socket and internal wall mount.

What's bugging me is that the LNB gets the 12 volts it needs from the receiver, a Strong 4664x, when I direct connect it, i.e., LNB to sat. finder, sat finder to receiver, then to TV. The sat. finder works and I can get Optus C1 up.

When I route the LNB cable through the Terrestrial external antenna socket, and make the necessary cabling changes inside the van, the sat. finder does not work eg., no 12 volts, because the receiver does not fire up.

The external socket was tested when we were at Moonta (TV Blackspot) in S.A. last year and we got reception via the cable supply from the services pole.

The Winegard antenna has a small amplifier circuit board behind the wall plate into which the antenna feed goes, and the output is via an F connector to the TV. The installers have mixed Pal and F connectors but the system works for terrestrial.

Are there any mods or workarounds?

Thanks in advance.

Wood4me

[tagg]

"Are there any mods or workarounds?

two cables


Tagg

[beer4life]

Hi folks,
I have a caravan fitted with Terrestrial cabling (75 ohm), a Winegard antenna for good reception areas and an external antenna socket for reception black spots. I recently bought a satellite setup and am hoping to use the existing cabling setup and avoid cutting more holes in the van to add a separate RG6 inlet socket and internal wall mount.
What's bugging me is that the LNB gets the 12 volts it needs from the receiver, a Strong 4664x, when I direct connect it, i.e., LNB to sat. finder, sat finder to receiver, then to TV. The sat. finder works and I can get Optus C1 up.
When I route the LNB cable through the Terrestrial external antenna socket, and make the necessary cabling changes inside the van, the sat. finder does not work eg., no 12 volts, because the receiver does not fire up.
The external socket was tested when we were at Moonta (TV Blackspot) in S.A. last year and we got reception via the cable supply from the services pole.
The Winegard antenna has a small amplifier circuit board behind the wall plate into which the antenna feed goes, and the output is via an F connector to the TV. The installers have mixed Pal and F connectors but the system works for terrestrial.
Are there any mods or workarounds?
Thanks in advance.
Wood4me

G'Day Cobber,
The existing external and Wineguard wiring are probably made common with a no DC pass splitter. The requirement for Satellite is totally different DC levels. The Wineguard probably has an amplifier that needs the 12 Volts.
The Satellite STB supplies 12/18 Volts for Vertical/Horizontal Polarity of the various Satellite Transponders to the LNB and should be kept separate from your other antennae wiring. Otherwise damage could result.
The Cigarette lighter socket is for use of your 12 Volt operated STBs. (Either Satellite or Terrestrial.) If you are using the 240 volt to power your boxes, you don't need to use it.
Kindest Regards, " The Druid "......

[wood4me]

"Are there any mods or workarounds?

two cables


Tagg

Two cables? Can you please explain! I was asking politely for a workaround. Your cryptic message implies that perhaps you do not understand the problem. That's O/K. Just ask and I'll try to simplify it for you.

[wood4me]

G'Day Cobber,
The existing external and Wineguard wiring are probably made common with a no DC pass splitter. The requirement for Satellite is totally different DC levels. The Wineguard probably has an amplifier that needs the 12 Volts.
The Satellite STB supplies 12/18 Volts for Vertical/Horizontal Polarity of the various Satellite Transponders to the LNB and should be kept separate from your other antennae wiring. Otherwise damage could result.
The Cigarette lighter socket is for use of your 12 Volt operated STBs. (Either Satellite or Terrestrial.) If you are using the 240 volt to power your boxes, you don't need to use it.
Kindest Regards, " The Druid "......

I received this email from the Winegard tech in USA. I post it here just in case any-one else wishes to solve a similar situation.

"In almost every case, the external port runs to the wall plate on the inside
of the coach. This wall plate is designed to block the satellite signal in
an effort to protect the cable system in the park.

The best way to use this port is to install an A-B switch between the wall
plate and the external port. Have one side run to the plate and the other to
the satellite receiver."

[yfz]

Hi wood4me

I have done what you are trying to do to my van. Remove the outlet in your van and look behind it. You will see 2 or 3 coax cables, 1 is from the antenna and the other is from the external outlet. Disconnect the cable that goes to the external outlet and connect it to your sat receiver. Problem solved!

[porkop]

Two cables? Can you please explain! I was asking politely for a workaround. Your cryptic message implies that perhaps you do not understand the problem. That's O/K. Just ask and I'll try to simplify it for you.

Thats a wee bit rude. Tagg was offering a suggestion.

In simple terms for you, you cant mix terristeral and satelite lines together, easily! Look at Multiswitches with Terristeral multiplexing, splitters with powerpass just to name two.

I go with tagg's suggestion, run a dedicated coax for satelite. A man of your talents should find it relativility simple.

[Bob&Chrissy]

Hi folks,

I have a caravan fitted with Terrestrial cabling (75 ohm), a Winegard antenna for good reception areas and an external antenna socket for reception black spots. I recently bought a satellite setup and am hoping to use the existing cabling setup and avoid cutting more holes in the van to add a separate RG6 inlet socket and internal wall mount.

What's bugging me is that the LNB gets the 12 volts it needs from the receiver, a Strong 4664x, when I direct connect it, i.e., LNB to sat. finder, sat finder to receiver, then to TV. The sat. finder works and I can get Optus C1 up.

When I route the LNB cable through the Terrestrial external antenna socket, and make the necessary cabling changes inside the van, the sat. finder does not work eg., no 12 volts, because the receiver does not fire up.

The external socket was tested when we were at Moonta (TV Blackspot) in S.A. last year and we got reception via the cable supply from the services pole.

The Winegard antenna has a small amplifier circuit board behind the wall plate into which the antenna feed goes, and the output is via an F connector to the TV. The installers have mixed Pal and F connectors but the system works for terrestrial.

Are there any mods or workarounds?

Thanks in advance.

Wood4me

Hi

This is a very common problem luckily with a very simple solution. Most RVers use what is called "The Eye" ($25). This is a white plastic tube with a sealing cap. You drill a 7/8 hole through the side of the van. Watch out when doing this as many vans use loose insulation and it will catch. The gadget comes with all sealing washers and takes 5 minutes to install. All you do is pass the RG6 sat cable through the fitting. Others here will agree that the LEAST number of connectors you have the more reliable your system will be. You can get the "Eye" at larger caravan accessory dealers - they are made in SA. The guy comes to most caravan shows - it is a top product. It wont work by the way with sat cables with RF supressors fitted as they wont fit through the hole.

Take care

Bob