Many of us have become used to clear, static-free television reception from the 75-channel, cable system at home. RVers are often disappointed however when we only get reception from a few local TV stations as we travel to different areas in our motorhome. On some days, we have no usable TV or radio reception at all since we are too far from local stations or are parked somewhere in the mountains where some roof mounted antennas cannot pick up transmissions from a nearby city.

Some people have used satellite antennas on their RVs for many years to solve the problem of TV reception. Do you remember the old six-foot antenna from A&E that took up most of the roof space on the RV?

My wife and I had been using cable at home for many years and really didn’t want to lose any of our favourite channels when we were on the road.

Enter KVH TracVision
When KVH asked RV Lifestyle magazine to test its satellite antenna system, I decided to see what the small antenna could bring in from the sky, to our home and on the road. Canada has had two satellite TV systems up and running for several years now. Bell ExpressVu and StarChoice claim to provide reception to anyone in Canada.

A few years ago we tried the StarChoice system, but now it operates from two different satellites so it requires a larger elliptical dish with two LNB receivers pointed in different directions.

We chose to use the ExpressVu service because it was compatible with the KVH antenna and ExpressVu encourages people to use their system both at home and at the cottage. The only difference is that RVers have their cottage on a different lake each weekend. Not only can we still get all our favourite stations at home, we can also follow our local TV and 42 audio channels wherever we travel. We simply had to get used to a new set of channel numbers.

Wherever we are now, we can look at the weather channel to find out what is going to happen in the area where we plan to travel. We follow the movie network across the country, and receive up to 300 channels of quality, digital programming, with all our favourite networks, radio stations and CD quality sound.

The L3 antenna that Jeff Carew at Apache Camping Centre in Thornhill, ON installed on my roof automatically searches for the satellite even as my wife and I drive down the road. Since the antenna tracks the satellite even as you go around corners, it is possible for passengers in a motorhome to watch their favourite program or listen to CD quality music.

KVH has been one of the world leaders in the satellite communications business for years, providing systems for land and sea to the military, buses, trains, and cruise ships that ply the seven seas. They have received the Best Product Award from the National Marine Electronics Association for the last three years.

The KVH antenna mounts on the roof in a 32-inch diameter housing that is only 14 1/2-inches high and does not need to be raised or lowered for travel like a regular TV antenna. When you are getting ready to leave the campground, all you have to do is turn on the power switch so that the antenna can continue to point at the satellite, even as you drive.

The L3 antenna can turn up to 30 degrees in one second. That means you will not lose the satellite unless you go around a 90-degree corner in three seconds (hard to do in a motorhome). Even if you park off level, the antenna compensates automatically to continue holding the satellite signal. Two motors inside the housing keep the dish pointed in the right direction, one for azimuth (horizontal rotation) and the other for elevation.

TV reception with the dish depends on the antenna being able to see the satellite. If you park your RV in a heavily forested area where the trees block out the sky, you will have difficulty with reception. By mounting the antenna towards the front of the RV it is easy to get a clear view of the sky from most campsites. However, on a trip to Alaska, we had to move our RV to improve reception after parking behind a tall building that blocked the antenna’s view of the satellite.

Normal home-style antennas mounted on a tripod, or the crank-up style, need to be covered to prevent heavy rain from falling between the dish and the LNB receiver and interfering with the signal. This is not necessary with the KVH since it’s housed in a weatherproof ABS plastic cover, called a radom.

Mounting the antenna on the roof was simple. An aluminum plate was fastened to the roof and caulked so that there would be no leaks. Then the antenna in its plastic case was carried up and screwed into place. The TracVision L3 has a dual LNB receiver so two receivers can operate on separate channels at the same time, or a TV and a computer hooked up to the Internet. A 12-volt power cable, a data cable, and a coaxial cable were routed to a hole in the roof and down inside to the TV. Of course, Jeff sealed the hole where the cables came through to prevent moisture damage inside the coach.

KVH also builds other satellite receiver models including the TracVision SA designed for stationary use at a cost comparable to old-fashioned fold-down satellite antennas. It does not have to be stored during travel like other types of antennas that would be bothered by wind, rust and corrosion. When it comes time to go on the road again, we simply unplug our ExpressVu receiver from the TV set in the living room at home and move it into the motorhome. As soon as we turn on the power, the antenna searches for the satellite and stays locked on as we travel. We have the same TV programs available on the road that we have at home.

For further information contact: KVH Industries at (401) 847-3327 or fax (401) 849-0045, they are on the Web at www.kvh.com

Apache Camping Centre: 117 Langstaff Rd. E., Thornhill ON (905) 889-3161