I'm now eyeing a Windegard Movin View Satellite Disk (MV3500A) as the next add on to my trailer. I got up on the top of my trailer and did the measurements and the best place for it given line of sight obstructions, (A/C and hayrack) the best place for it is between the A/C and the bathroom vent. The problem is the Cimarron has the composite like roof, and I'm afraid that #10 screws that come with the dome will not hold the dome to the roof under travel conditions. Since this location is over an already finish LQ, I don't have any way to put a plate on the underside of the roof for bracing. How can I find the roof bracing from the roof side? If I could figure out how to place it on the roof so that the supporting feet are screwed into the roof braces, that might solve my problem. If I put it over the horse compartment where I could add bracing, it would be too close to the hayrack for clear line of sight. Any suggestions? Buying a new trailer isn't a choice. :-)
Posted 2006-09-28 5:40 AM (#49268 - in reply to #49239) Subject: RE: Winegard Movin View Satellite Dish
Expert
Posts: 1283 Location: Home of Wild Turkey Whiskey
The first thing that you need to know is whether the cieling has been dropped down. Most likely it has, you can drop the bottom dust trap from your A/C unit and see if there is a spacer(usually wood) between the a/c bottom clamp(square) and the upper a/c unit. Measure it as it will tell you how much of a drop you have in your ceiling. In placing the dish, you have to be able to get power to the unit and signal wires from it so location may need to be adjusted to get theese wires to/from the dish. That's why you see them typically in the front of the trailer over the bed. You can fish the wires needed above the cabinet in the nose or the cabinet/s at your feet. Knowing the drop and whats below the location of the dish makes sending the screws into the cieling a little safer, mine is held in place with 4 #12 1 1/2 screws. It has passed the 80 mph test. The dome units are very easy to set up. One thing to keep in mind your reciever box needs to be connected to a live feed at least once a month or it will loose it's program. I found this out the hard way, I bought an extra reciever box just for my horse trailer, I couldn't get it to work after long periods of non use, called dish network and they said it has to be hooked up to a live dish so it can recieve the updates, don't have to be on, just plugged in and hooked up to a pointed dish. Now I take the reciever box from the bedroom in the house so I don't have that problem anymore.
Posted 2006-09-28 9:58 AM (#49293 - in reply to #49268) Subject: RE: Winegard Movin View Satellite Dish
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 560 Location: Mena, AR
HWBar,
What kind of roof do you have on your trailer? Did your screws hit anything like a beam or wood in the LQ ceiling?
I did look at the bathroom vent, and there is at least a 5 inch drop in the ceiling. There is a light in the bathroom directly in front of the vent where the rear dome bracket would go, but I think I will be able to remove the vent to see if there will be anything I might hit with screws. The location of the dome is will be within 3 feet of the TV cabinet, so I'm planning on running the cable over the top of the trailer, then thru the roof into the TV cabinet. The TV cabinet also happens to be directly above the battery, so I'll run power from battery up into the TV cabinet.
I have a disk on stick now, and I have to set it up and call directv everytime I get ready to leave town to make sure I have a live feed. With the dome, it sounds like I can just leave it on at home, and won't have to worry about it.
Thanks for the advice, I'm begining to feel like I'll be able to handle the installation.
Posted 2006-09-28 1:56 PM (#49301 - in reply to #49239) Subject: RE: Winegard Movin View Satellite Dish
Expert
Posts: 1283 Location: Home of Wild Turkey Whiskey
I have a 4 star with an aluminum roof, I use 1/2 thick mdo under the Aluminum in mine. I have done a Hart trailer the same roof material as yours. If you use #12 or #14 self tapping screws you will be ok.
Posted 2006-09-29 7:34 AM (#49329 - in reply to #49239) Subject: RE: Winegard Movin View Satellite Dish
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 335 Location: Decatur, Texas
Be sure to park where the dome can "see" the satellite or you will still have the same problems as your dish on a stick, a non-activated receiver. They don't work well at all when you park your trailer inside a shelter.
Posted 2006-10-29 9:24 PM (#50804 - in reply to #49239) Subject: RE: Winegard Movin View Satellite Dish
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 560 Location: Mena, AR
Well, I got the dish. It sat in the living room for two weeks while we waited for our schedules to sync up with nice weather and today was the day. What a great day it was today, couldn't have been nicer. My husband had a stud finder that worked on finding a bean. We marked it, pre-drilled the holes, goo'ed it up good with the sealant that came with the dish and screwed it down. We got real lucky with running the cables. It was real close to the fridge vet, and we were able to run the cable down the vent and through the cabinets to the TV. Hubby hooked up the power to the D/C that was in the TV cabinet, put the wires on the switch that came with it, which he had mounted in the TV cabinet. He turned it on, and it worked! It took almost 4 hours, and was real easy. If your the least bit handy, I think you could handle it. I even had time to ride for a couple of hours after we got done. I'm so spoiled.... I told my husband he was out of excuses for not going with me on rides.
Winegard Movin View Satellite Dish
