Most people that take their RV out only during summer don’t take TV as a necessity since they’ll only be camping for at most a couple of weeks. While out on the campgrounds, they can easily kill time sightseeing wildlife, hiking, or even finishing up the book they’ve been reading the past month.
But for people who spend nearly all the year RVing around the country, these activities can quickly become a boring routine. For these groups of people, fresh entertainment is needed to enjoy and maintain this “nomadic” lifestyle. Aside from YouTube, what else provides fresh entertainment? Of course, it’s TV!
With the right setup, campers can enjoy all their favorite TV shows on the road with little to no hassle. If you travel a lot in your camper truck, you may find this article very useful. In this piece, we’ll go over two Direct TV RV antennas that campers can choose from. Without wasting any more time, let’s jump right into it!
Why Direct TV May be a Better Satellite Provider for You
There are few other satellite providers aside from Direct TV; one of them is DISH. While DISH offers a more flexible payment plan, its channel selection and package tiers are not as large as Direct TV’s. Also, all their plans start at low prices which can be quite helpful if you’re looking to save some money.
On their Premier package, which is their highest package, you get channels like HBO, SHOWTIME, STARZ, and Cinemax. Whereas, on America’s Top 250, DISH’s highest plan, you don’t get the above-mentioned channels. Now, to top it all off, Direct TV offers NFL Sunday tickets to users that subscribe to any of their top four package tiers. So, if you’re an American football lover, this should be a no-brainer.
Mounted vs Portable Antennas
Roof-mounted and portable TV antennas are the two main types of satellite TV antennas for RVs. Both have their pros and cons, so you’ll have to decide which one makes more sense to you.
Portable TV Antennas
If you’ll be going for this option, you’ll need a tripod as this is where you’ll be setting up the equipment each time you make camp. Depending on how skilled you are, setting up a portable antenna can take up to an hour to complete and become functional. So, if you don’t want to miss a particular show, you’d have to get this process started early enough. Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4icwv50J_Xk to learn more about setting up a tripod.
Once you’re camped, set up the tripod and level it. This is important as you wouldn’t want the slightest breeze throwing it off balance. Once that’s done, attach the antenna and manually adjust it to the specific angle where you’ll receive the signal. It’s important for you to know that this step of the process can take a while.
If you’ll be staying in that location or spot for a while, you’ll most probably be leaving the equipment outside day and night. To keep it secured and prevent theft, you may want to have it chained to your RV and padlocked. Portable antennas are ideal for campers who want satellite television for several vehicles.
Roof-Mounted Antennas
If the previous option appears to be too stressful for you, then this should be a great option for you. It is much more convenient as you don’t have to set it up each time you camp. Unlike the other option, you don’t need to save space for this antenna since it is always mounted on your RV. It is also less likely to be stolen seeing as it would be difficult to unscrew it without being caught.
If you camp a lot in heavily forested areas like Great Smoky Mountain National Park, you may not get very strong signals. Tall trees affect mounted antennas quite a bit so this is something you may want to keep in mind when deciding. That said, whenever you find yourself in open areas, signal strength is remarkable. Click here to find more campgrounds across the United States.
A roof-mounted antenna is a great option for campers who plan on using their RV for a long time. If you’ll be upgrading yours in a year or two, it isn’t worth the investment, especially if you intend to sell it off. When you remove a mounted antenna, it leaves a few holes and you’d be surprised how much value your RV could lose because of them. This is why most people with mounted antennas sell their RV without taking them off.
Final Thoughts
Setting up camp in time for your favorite show is definitely easier with a mounted antenna. You don’t have to find the right spot and spend a good amount of time getting the perfect angle for a signal. Having one mounted on your RV may cost around $150, although several factors could make the price go higher. But regardless of how much you spend, you’ll quickly realize that it’s worth it.
On the other hand, a portable antenna can also be mounted temporarily on the roof of your RV with the right kit. This gives you much more flexibility when you consider how you can easily change its position to get a stronger signal. Think about what we said earlier about heavily forested areas. You also get to keep your antenna since no damage is done to the roof anytime you mount and unmount it.