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02-06-2022, 12:48 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 9
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Cell Booster Dealer Install 2021 2911BS
Just had the dealer install a Winegard Cell Booster on my 2911BS. I am pretty certain they did a terrible install but thought I'd ask on here since I'm not an RV mechanic. I would have thought the cable would have been run inside the RV and not along the roof. Am I wrong?
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02-06-2022, 04:59 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2021
Posts: 272
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What the is that!?! That looks like a horrible installation they did to me. Yes it would have been better if they had went straight down from the roof and then sealed it up. Or moved the antenna somewhere closer to where the cable was going into the trailer so you didn’t have so much cable just sitting on top. (I will admit I don’t know the installation requirements for the Winegard booster, so maybe the outside antenna needs to be more centrally located). I personally would be afraid that the tape will deteriorate and/or come off allowing the cable to move around and destroy itself.
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02-06-2022, 05:33 PM
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#3
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2021
Posts: 98
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All I can say is…….Wow!
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02-06-2022, 05:47 PM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Westfield Indiana
Posts: 96
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I would have done a neater installation but it would be more difficult and it would take longer (I.e. it would cost more). I expect your install is not entirely unusual. Have you seen how cable TV installers do a house install? Wires draped hideously along the outside or even over the roof.
__________________
2023 Forester 2351LE/2022 Chevrolet Express 3500
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02-06-2022, 06:03 PM
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#5
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Pickin', Campin', Mason
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: South Western PA
Posts: 19,074
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Cell boosters need the antenna mounted as far away from the repeater as possible so I'm sure that's why the distance.
Could they have done a better job... sure but in all fairness, that install will likely never give you a minute's worth of trouble unless you drag something across the roof. If you do that, you likely have bigger fish to fry.
__________________
2022 Cedar Creek 345IK 5th Wheel•Solar & Inverter•2017 Ford F-Series SCREW 4x4•Factory Puck•B&W Companion•TST Tire Monitor w/Repeater•Sinemate 3500w Gen.
F&AM Lodge 358 Somerset, PA - JAFFA Shrine - Altoona, PA
Days Camped ☼ '19=118 ☼ '20=116 ☼ '21=123 ☼ '22=134 ☼ '23=118☼ '24=86
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02-06-2022, 06:08 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Camping some place I hope
Posts: 584
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Looks like you chose the wrong two options.
Do you want it:
Fast & Cheap - but it may not be correct
Cheap & Correct - it will not be any time soon
Correct & Fast - but it will not be cheap.
__________________
2019 Chevy 3500 4x4 Crew Duramax
2021 Wolf Pack Toy Hauler
2019 Street Glide
2023 Road Glide ST
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02-06-2022, 07:01 PM
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#7
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by camper_Lucy
Looks like you chose the wrong two options.
Do you want it:
Fast & Cheap - but it may not be correct
Cheap & Correct - it will not be any time soon
Correct & Fast - but it will not be cheap.
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WTH are you talking about? I didn’t take it to a homeless person but to the dealer who assured me they do these installs all the time. Thanks for your input, much appreciated.
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02-06-2022, 07:13 PM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 9
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The distance makes sense. I just would have thought the cable would have been run into the roof at the antenna and run to the repeater inside the camper and not run on the roof. Perhaps that’s not possible though.
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02-06-2022, 07:15 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: SW PA
Posts: 907
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Nothing wrong with that install. The two antennas must be mounted at least 20-25’ apart to prevent oscillation, booster will not function if it oscillates. Running in the roof space may not be possible depending upon the roof construction. I did a very similar thing when I had my Forester. Antenna was mounted on the ladder coax ran from there to near the front of the roof and I used the sat prep coax to bring the signal into the electronics cabinet where I mounted the amp and interior antenna. I used as you have eternabond tape to secure the coax to the roof. Stayed put for 3+ years until I traded the coach. The eternabond was still a PIA to remove.
On my current Newmar I had the factory run the necessary coax as a special when it was being built, that is not something that most builders will do.
I expect you wil have many years of trouble free use with your install.
__________________
2021 Newmar Baystar 3401
2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk toad
2017.5 Forester 3051S Traded 7/2020
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02-06-2022, 07:24 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: SW PA
Posts: 907
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Yaya81
The distance makes sense. I just would have thought the cable would have been run into the roof at the antenna and run to the repeater inside the camper and not run on the roof. Perhaps that’s not possible though.
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Most likely your roof is laminated construction and there is not a channel that runs it’s length. Typically laminated roofs are completely built on a bench except for the roof membrane and then placed on top of the walls. Wiring channels are routed in the foam and wires put in place before the actual structure is glued together. The only way to add additional wiring is to go from light to light and try to push a snake through the foam. It can be done but is very time consuming and may not be possible due to structural pieces of wood or aluminum going side to side.
__________________
2021 Newmar Baystar 3401
2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk toad
2017.5 Forester 3051S Traded 7/2020
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02-06-2022, 07:26 PM
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#11
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve-W
Nothing wrong with that install. The two antennas must be mounted at least 20-25’ apart to prevent oscillation, booster will not function if it oscillates. Running in the roof space may not be possible depending upon the roof construction. I did a very similar thing when I had my Forester. Antenna was mounted on the ladder coax ran from there to near the front of the roof and I used the sat prep coax to bring the signal into the electronics cabinet where I mounted the amp and interior antenna. I used as you have eternabond tape to secure the coax to the roof. Stayed put for 3+ years until I traded the coach. The eternabond was still a PIA to remove.
On my current Newmar I had the factory run the necessary coax as a special when it was being built, that is not something that most builders will do.
I expect you wil have many years of trouble free use with your install.
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Thank you. I appreciate your feedback.
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02-06-2022, 08:15 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Northern Foothils CA
Posts: 1,405
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I would at least tape the cable the entire length for protection and to make sure nothing gets wedged under it.
__________________
2021 2205S Rockwood Minilite
2019 F 150 Lariat 3.5 Eco Fx4 Max Tow
Equal-i-zer WDH, 1809 lb payload
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02-06-2022, 08:32 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2021
Posts: 272
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While technically not wrong, I do believe the dealer could have put a little more thought into it and ran the cable in a better position. Or atleast taped the entire thing. I’m not saying they did a bad job, just a subpar one in my opinion. Yes the distance between outside antenna and inside antenna makes a difference, so the location might have been what was needed. When I installed my booster (WeBoost not Winegard) I put the outside antenna on my ladder, and the inside one is on the opposite end of the trailer so I have plenty of distance. Maybe with yours the outside needed to be towards the front and your inside towards the back.
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02-06-2022, 09:58 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 4,854
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve-W
Nothing wrong with that install. The two antennas must be mounted at least 20-25’ apart to prevent oscillation, booster will not function if it oscillates. Running in the roof space may not be possible depending upon the roof construction. I did a very similar thing when I had my Forester. Antenna was mounted on the ladder coax ran from there to near the front of the roof and I used the sat prep coax to bring the signal into the electronics cabinet where I mounted the amp and interior antenna. I used as you have eternabond tape to secure the coax to the roof. Stayed put for 3+ years until I traded the coach. The eternabond was still a PIA to remove.
On my current Newmar I had the factory run the necessary coax as a special when it was being built, that is not something that most builders will do.
I expect you wil have many years of trouble free use with your install.
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I agree!
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02-08-2022, 08:12 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 9,458
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Tape?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Backcountryboondocker
I personally would be afraid that the tape will deteriorate and/or come off allowing the cable to move around and destroy itself.
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If that tape is Eternabond (probably is), it's NEVER coming off.
__________________
Larry
"Everybody's RV is not like your RV."
"Always take pictures with the button on the right."
"Always bypass the water heater before opening the low-point drains."
Sticks and Bricks: Raleigh, NC
2008 Cherokee 38P: at Ivor, VA permanently
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02-08-2022, 10:14 AM
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#16
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Pickin', Campin', Mason
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: South Western PA
Posts: 19,074
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry-NC
If that tape is Eternabond (probably is), it's NEVER coming off.
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Agreed, and for those saying it should be taped the entire length of the cable... I personally wouldn't do that. As it is, it allows water to continue to shed off both sides of the crowned roof without the tape creating a continuous dam.
__________________
2022 Cedar Creek 345IK 5th Wheel•Solar & Inverter•2017 Ford F-Series SCREW 4x4•Factory Puck•B&W Companion•TST Tire Monitor w/Repeater•Sinemate 3500w Gen.
F&AM Lodge 358 Somerset, PA - JAFFA Shrine - Altoona, PA
Days Camped ☼ '19=118 ☼ '20=116 ☼ '21=123 ☼ '22=134 ☼ '23=118☼ '24=86
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02-08-2022, 10:19 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: SW PA
Posts: 907
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When I used Eternabond to secure the coax on my previous coach I placed 2' wide "straps" across the cable every 3 feet or so for the reason 5picker stated. Never had an issue. Occasionally had to pick a leaf or pine needles out from under the cable.
__________________
2021 Newmar Baystar 3401
2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk toad
2017.5 Forester 3051S Traded 7/2020
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