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the RV Lifestyle you always dreamed eBook - Instant Download
There is something
really cool about RV satellite TV, and it isn't necessarily the RV bit,
if only because it is very difficult to keep the dish locked to the
satellite every time you steer a few degrees. No, it is the
installation bit.
All satellite TV
requires a satellite dish pointing towards the
satellite. Yes, the dish must point nearly exactly at the satellite up
in space. If you are not particularly handy, there are many packages
out there that help you; if you are particularly handy, drop into an
electronics outlet and pick yourself up a small dish (almost always 18
to 20 inches). Satellite dish hardware is almost entirely universal,
despite the dynamic nature of satellite technology: signals from space
hit the dish, which bounces the signal to the low-noise block
converter, or LNB (it's the thing sticking out from the dish). In turn,
the signal is sent from the LNB down the line to the satellite
receiver. The receiver is always proprietary hardware, so it is
impossible to point the dish at a competitors satellite and expect
anything to happen.
It would be your job to point the dish nearly directly at the
satellite. Because all broadcast satellites are in geosynchronous orbit
(that is, their orbit around the Earth is exactly the speed of the
Earth's rotation, essentially fixing it in place), you would normally
only have to set the satellite up once and be done with it; in an RV,
the dish will not normally point to the satellite (unless you're
driving in a very straight line for a very short time). This means
that, once you are at the RV park, you need to align the dish again.
There are plenty of cheap tools that aide you with this, and most
satellite receivers have software that helps you. Of course, the
receiver will be inside the RV and you won't be, so it's best to get a
satellite signal strength meter.
There is one last option, if you don't like to get your hands dirty:
automatic satellite dishes. These analyze the strength of the signal
coming in and adjust automatically. But isn't there something entirely
unique about getting out there to point a simple dish directly at an
unseen satellite hovering miles above you in space? Heck, you might
even want to consider getting yourself an RV just for the RV satellite
experience. It is one of the greatest advantages of satellite TV, to be
sure: The installation is not permanent; you can take the dish with you
and watch TV anywhere.
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Quick Tip #1
The
view of the sky from your house might affect if you can get a good
transmission with a satellite dish. If a tall building is in between
your house and the part of sky where the satellite is, you may have to
get cable.
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Quick Tip #2
If
you live in a remote area, the cable company might not service your
area. Call your local cable provider to find out.
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LIve the RV Lifestyle you always dreamed of
/w this downloadable RV eBook you MUST READ!
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