What's Inside RV Satellite Antennas? Experimenting with King Dome and Tailgater Mobile TV Dishes

Recently I picked up some mobile satellite dish units. These are intended for an RV or truck where you want to watch TV wherever you park. They have some pretty cool built-in tracking and satellite aiming stuff. I haven't really figured out what I can do with them, as I'm not much into TV myself. I'm hoping someone out there has an idea for how to modify or reprogram these to point at other satellites, use them as radiotelescopes, or something else. If you have an idea, leave it in the comments!
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[@trekintosh]

This is really cool! You mentioned wifi, and I think the idea of a super long range automatic wifi tracker for camping or what have you would be really fun. Watching it scan to different wifi signals as one drives along would be quite entertaining.

[@CarsWithHayden]

That’s actually really cool, I was never interested in satellites but now I am

[@Jackobisnotenough]

Hell yeah, satellites baby, HYPE!

[@Superkuh2]

Solar radio telescope, though I have no idea how to change so they can actually be controlled. I imagine most of those remotes are assuming the terminal hardware speaks Diseqc. You could just start by putting them pointed where the sun passes at 1pm or so and capturing transit recordings every day.

[@cobraspottedwolf8791]

Hood of Subaru approved workbench

[@mokomothman5713]

This is arguably, one of the more interesting finds you've gotten. is there a way to reformat the data the satellite is receiving/sending- maybe piggyback image data from somewhere?

[@saveitforparts]

I'm hoping to play around with it more, I have so many projects right now it's hard to keep up with them all!

[@tekvax01]

yes, you can reprogram these systems for other satellites. I use to have one at work that picked up ANIK F1 and F2.

[@mattparker9726]

2:28 and you do the coolest experiments! I don’t know how I missed this video, dang algorithms.

[@saveitforparts]

There's so much content on KZbin that it's hard to be seen sometimes. I have a few more Satellite things in progress, right now I'm bogged down trying to combine the computer and receiver hardware into one unit that's more convenient than my briefcase-o-junk.

[@tekvax01]

Point of clarification: It is not just an LNB, it is a feed horn, waveguide and an internal LNB.

[@M.TTT.]

Lol "the entire thing smells like its been inside a smoker's lungs for the last 30 years". My dad got a Polaris ATV from some old guy, I had to fix some wiring on it. Thing took like 6 months to a year to air out even after washing it twice.

[@devinsullivan6160]

The shape of these dish work pretty well with WIFI at 2.4ghz, even if it's just a rubber duck antenna in place of the feed horn. Very directional though, and the FCC does not approve of such high Dbi antenna: Tread lightly.

[@saveitforparts]

I didn't realize the FCC had issues with Wifi antennas. I used to jam a wire in a Pringles can for free internet in college!

[@fritzgolden6237]

@@saveitforparts But now you're famous. FCC is full of SIFP fans. You'll probably be OK.

[@joshuabessire9169]

Seeing the dome on the tank makes me think you can make a mini Sgt York AA gun. The latrine will never know what hit it (spoiler: it was potatoes. And last night's chili)!

[@scottarmstrong5607]

I'd put my Starlink Dishy inside one of these king domes and mount it on my van. Might need to modify the dome to make it taller, but that wouldn't be terribly difficult.

[@ERR0RR]

Thinking some more about it, could you attach a directed yangi antenna with high range and use it for a a drone with maximum reach from the controller?

[@saveitforparts]

I might have to try that, just need to balance it so the motors aren't torqued more than they can handle.

[@sadiqkhan2490]

Nice work

[@hony1717]

dude i love this channel

[@L1mJahey]

Death Ray?

[@ERR0RR]

Make a ICBM tracker

[@saveitforparts]

I have part of an old Air Force missile tracking radar sitting around... Was going to give it to a collector I know but they moved out of town.

[@AaronzDad]

Clearly you need to upgrade to the remote with the rhombus and heptagon

[@mike97525]

I would like to see a wifi receiver. great vid thanks😎😎

[@justinhealey-htcohio3798]

Wow! Ok if you lived in Ohio & we knew each other we would definitely be friends!

[@TheDistur]

Kinda small for a solar tracker I guess? Cool bit of kit anyway.

[@isthattrue1083]

You made a tank?

[@saveitforparts]

Yeah, the tank video is here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6XHmHapps90Y6M

[@frankram2303]

I have a dumb question ? How can I tell if my Rv dish is direct Tv or dish network thx my wall mount says king-dome

[@saveitforparts]

It might say on the side of the actual antenna dome on the roof. I believe most of the commercial dishes will technically work with either Dish or DirectTV (and maybe Bell in Canada), since they all use similar frequencies. You'd have to have the right receiver box for one of those companies. You might also need to re-program the dish depending how aiming is controlled. So far I've seen about four aiming systems (and there might be others). One is essentially manual with an up/down left/right control, so you have to consult a chart of elevations and angles and then point it yourself. Another type has a two-button remote that is probably preset for one specific company / satellite. You can re-program it if you want another company, or if you drive far enough that you need to switch satellites. A third type has a more complicated remote / wall panel that lets you select different satellite numbers. The last type I've seen is aimed and controlled only by the receiver box through an on-screen setup menu. I hope that helps! I'll try to link to some manuals I found as well.

[@saveitforparts]

Here's a manual for the wider King-Dome dish I played with. It has either a panel or remote with two rocker switches (on/off and triangle/circle). It could also have the fancier programming remote that I can't afford :-) kingconnect.com/content/Product%20Manuals/LEGACY/KD2000%20Manual.pdf

[@saveitforparts]

Here's a manual for the Tailgater dish that needs to be manually aimed: www.manualslib.com/manual/636884/Vuqube-Vq1000.html?page=3#manual

[@saveitforparts]

Here's one for the newer Tailgater dish that needs the receiver to aim it: www.manualslib.com/manual/670320/Dish-Network-Tailgater.html?page=1#manual

[@saveitforparts]

And here's another one that maybe auto-tracks as you drive? I don't think mine does this, and I don't have this control panel. There are probably a lot more possible models so you might have to do more research to find the correct manual for yours! www.rvtechlibrary.com/electronics/kingdome_9762.pdf