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TV4RV FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER
Vol. 3 - No. 2
Wiring an RV for Satellite TV
I started using my satellite dish in the RV about 10 years ago.  My first attempt at getting a signal did not go well and I had no signal.  Since this was before I had a computer or internet access, I relied on the standard trial and error method of resolving the problem.  Eventually I discovered that if I ran the RG-6 cable directly to my receiver instead of through the cable input on the side of the RV, I could get a signal.   I later learned that the splitters and power amplifier within the cable and antenna lines were interferring with the satellite signal.While most newer RVs have a dedicated satellite input connection, many RVs have a connection panel that looks like the one in the photo below.  It has a 12 volt outlet and a RG-6 connection terminal.  It supplies the TV feed from either the antenna or the cable connection.

Sat-Cable2.JPG (74121 bytes)
My RV had this type of connection and I looked behind the front plate only to find various cables connected to a circuit board.  I had no idea which cable was connected to which source.  Since the cabinet that held my satellite receiver backed up to the bathroom sink vanity, it was fairly easy to run a new, RG-6 line from the outside wall of the trailer through the storage compartment and up the plumbing drain opening, then through the wall into the satellite receiver's cabinet.   Now I was able to have two separate inputs on the RV, one for satellite TV and one for Cable TV.  See the photo below for my new installation.

Sat-Cable.JPG (64371 bytes)
It wasn't until ten years later that I stumbled upon an article (author unknown) that would have made the installation a bit easier and neater.  I cleaned up the article a bit and put it into pdf format with photos and step by step instructions that detail how to convert this existing setup for satellite use.   It's too lengthy to put in the newsletter but well worth downloading and saving for future use.  Download the article here.

On January 1st the US Post Office dropped a major bomb on the eCommerce industry.  In the process of increasing their shipping rates, they changed the method the shopping carts use in their online interface with the Post Office database to supply live rates for shipments.