RV Satellite TV Connection  

The issue comes up quite frequently about if you can use the typical antenna distribution system found in many RV's to hook up a satellite receiver. The answer is yes.

First you need to understand that a satellite receiver supplies D.C. power to the dish through the coax cable running between the receiver and the dish. The second thing is the typical Wineguard antenna amplifier will not pass the D.C. voltage through it, thus making it necessary to make some modifications in order to use the built-in distribution system.

With this understanding, we can proceed with the modifications necessary to make the satellite system work with what the stock RV system provides. Refer to the diagram below for a block description of what is needed and the accompanying text of what is needed.

THE MODS: (These are general instructions and youll have to adapt them to your specific installation.)

First you'll need to get access to the rear of the antenna amp. To do this remove the screws connecting the wall plate to the wall. At point "A" in the diagram, you need cut the coax that is identified as "cable input" (it should be identified on the antenna amp box). This is the cable that is wired to the outside connector for connecting a cable TV cable. The placement of the cut needs to be made so as to provide the ability to bring both ends of the cable to an accessible location. This may require you to add some cable to both end of the cut. Determine where you want the access point located and attach both ends of the cut and terminated cable to a dual coax cable wall plate. Mount the wall plate where you have easy access. Make sure to identify which connection goes to the antenna amp and which goes to the outside cable connector.

With this done, you'll have to decide how you want to make the final connections. This can be done using a switch box or making the connections directly. If you choose the later, make up a short cable with connectors on both ends so it can be used as a jumper cable that will feed the signal from the outside connection to the antenna amp. This makes things work just like it did before the modification was made. You attach the jumper cable to the 2 connectors on the new wall plate. The jumper cable is to be removed when the satellite system is being used.

For use with a satellite receiver, run a cable between the "to antenna" connector on the receiver to the wall plate connector that goes to the outside of the RV. Next, run a cable between the "to TV" connector on the receiver to the other connector on the wall plate. When using your sat system place the "antenna/cable" switch on the antenna amp wall plate to the cable position.

That's all there is to hooking up your satellite system to the stock cable wiring already built into your RV. You can now hook up the cable from the dish to the "cable" input connector on the outside of the RV and have your tv(s) connected to any of the antenna connections in the RV.