Portable Satellite Systems

[retiredhappy]

OK, am looking at Windgard Carryout and VuQube portable satellite systems. Carryout just needs to be plugged into receiver and VuQube has a remote to set up the satellite. Anybody have either of these? How easy are they to set up?

[Dawn309]

Karen, I have the Windgart (sp?) portable dome. I really like it. It is extremely easy. Just plug it into your receiver, then plug in the 12v. It goes to whirring and when it finds the signal it locks on and you have TV.

[chalet05]

I have the Winegard Carryout. Red and Dawn also have it - oops, posting at the same time as Dawn.

It works with Dish or DirecTV (which I have). You attach the coax cable to the Carryout and your rig. Plug one end of the 12 volt cord into the Carryout. Go through the satellite setup with your receiver and follow the steps in the manual EXACTLY (don't ask how I know) so that you plug the other end of your 12 volt in at the proper time. The Carryout searches for the satellite and verifies setup. The 12 volt can then be unplugged from outlet and Carryout.

I have had a few issues - like it telling me it can't find the satellite when it already has.

It is not HD for DirecTV, can't remember about Dish

[Acadianmom]

I have a VuQube but have had it for a few years. From what I read the controls may be different. I don't have a remote. I find it very easy to use. Hook it up to the receiver and TV and electricity, set it out where it has a clear view of the Southern sky, push the button and let it search. A few times I have had it lock on the wrong satellite and I just push the button again. The few times I have had trouble was because I was in too much of a hurry. You need to leave it alone for a few minutes. The only thing I don't like is that I have to run the wires through a window. I tried hooking it up to the outside cable connection and I never could get it to work like that. I have so many wires and buttons for my TV that I might not have had the right combination. I guess I could get a satellite connection installed but since I have a dome on my motorhome I never have seen about one. I only bring the VuQube when I think I won't be able to use the dome.

Martha

[mitch5252]

Martha, what George did for me was to disconnect the built in cable connection (from the outside connector and up through the walls and through a sealed cabinet) and then he hooked up a cable to the inside of that built in connector in the wall and neatly ran it up to my "tv area". (I had him do this because I also hated having to run the cable through a window.)

Anyway, now I can use it to hook up to either the campground cable connection OR my satellite receiver - no going through windows. I can run out and snap a pic if you'd like.

The End.

[mitch5252]

I just googled reviews on both satellites...

Using Amazon customer reviews - Winegard Carryout scored 4.5 out of 5 (43 reviewers). The VuQube 3.0 out of 5 (33 reviewers).
I haven't read the reviews yet, but reviews for the Winegard were all 4s and 5s, except for one 3 (because it wouldn't work in Alaska).

[Acadianmom]

Thanks Mitch but I don't think a picture would help me. My cable connection is in a panel all the way on the back side of my motorhome and the TV is in the nose cone. If you would see all the wires that I have up there. The previous owner did some work of his own and I don't have a clue what some of it is for. My motorhome is in the shop right now. When I get it back will look and see if I can see which way the wire runs. It looks like since I can get cable to work I should be able to get the satellite to work too but maybe not.

Martha

[retiredhappy]

Thanks Ladies. Looks like I will try for a Winegard Carryout.

[Azusateach]

Thanks Mitch but I don't think a picture would help me. My cable connection is in a panel all the way on the back side of my motorhome and the TV is in the nose cone. If you would see all the wires that I have up there. The previous owner did some work of his own and I don't have a clue what some of it is for. My motorhome is in the shop right now. When I get it back will look and see if I can see which way the wire runs. It looks like since I can get cable to work I should be able to get the satellite to work too but maybe not.

Martha

Martha, depending on the type of cable used, you may not be able to use the same one for satellite as you do for cable. There's something different about them that doesn't make them "play" nicely together. BUT you might be able to get someone to add a connector to your rig in the same area as your cable hook-up, and then thread a coaxial cable into your nosecone. I had that done in my new trailer, so I could have a TV in the bedroom as well as the living room. But I do have to use the right outside connection for the right "mode" -- cable or satellite.

Is everyone thoroughly confused now?

Laura

[Azusateach]

Thanks Ladies. Looks like I will try for a Winegard Carryout.

Karen, I LOVE my Carryout. But just remember that they're BIG. As long as you don't mind having them ride on your bed or the middle of your floor (I doubt that you've got underneath storage for it), you won't regret getting one. After watching friends futz with their portable dishes for literally hours (myself included before getting the dome), it's been worth every penny I paid for it.

Laura

[mitch5252]

My single coax cable must have been raised right - it plays very well with both campground cable AND satellite signals, although not at the same time (and no HD involved).

Laura, do you receive and utilize HD tv? If not, there's really no reason to not be able to use RG59.
I even use the ultra-thin coaxial cable with no issues running 3 x 25' sections together. All the f connectors are the same.

[Azusateach]

My single coax cable must have been raised right - it plays very well with both campground cable AND satellite signals, although not at the same time (and no HD involved).

Laura, do you receive and utilize HD tv? If not, there's really no reason to not be able to use RG59.
I even use the ultra-thin coaxial cable with no issues running 3 x 25' sections together. All the f connectors are the same.

Mitch, I've got two "intake" plugs on the outside of my trailer -- one is labeled for cable, the other for satellite. I can only assume that there's a difference in the internal wiring to give me two different recepticles. I've tried using the cable for the satellite and it doesn't work. I certainly don't presume to understand everything about how the trailer is wired, but this is the second one that has had different plugs for the two types of systems. I just call them as I see them.

And no, I don't use HD. I was told by the Direct TV folks that trying to configure the HD receiver/recorder would be a pain in the behind when using the Carryout. The recorder portion would work fine, but getting the receiver to work properly would be a hassle. So I just take one of my regular SD receivers along.

[Bethers]

The actual kind of cable used, unless hd, is the same. It sounds like yours is simply direct wired separately for both internally within the rv Laura. The cable connection outside on many RVs might not be able to be used to connect the satellite. That said, I'm on satellite right now, connected via my cable connection on the outside of my rig. So you never know. If I got one of these systems, I don't know if it could be connected this way. But I loaned my regular coaxial cable to someone at a state park with one and they used it and connected it via their outside cable connection. Maybe they had to have wiring done for it, I'll never know. But they used the cable I use to connect to cg cable systems. Mine was longer than theirs and they needed the extra length.

[mitch5252]

Here's a dual RV "F" connector receptacle. Having this wired properly would prevent you from having to switch the cable going into your receiver or tv to use either cable or satellite. You would have two cables of the same type - one going into the back of your satellite receiver and the other going directly into the television.

I don't have this; I only have a single "F" receptacle , so I would have to move the inside cable from one connection to the other, using the same cable for either application (cable OR satellite).



Well darn - haven't we beat this topic to death!

[Redwahine]

I'll add my 2 cents worth. Just got back from first trip with our Winegard Carryout. We have the simple non HD receiver that can be connected in the house. I just take the receiver and connect to the RV TV and set up the Carryout. The only humbug about using it while traveling is having to call The provider, DirectTV, to change the zip code to get the nearest network channels. If you don't have a home base ( as in full timer) you get a DNS and you don't have to change the set up every time you move. Now that I'm home, I have to call to have it set to our home channels.