Television on the boat.

[Dan Mapes]

We used Directv on Freedom for 17 years and with the original stock circular dish. Eventually we went with the 18 inch oblong but never used the large hdef antenna. One of our dock neighbors had the hdef antenna mounted on a board pointed up through their canvas bridge enclosure. We had ours on a board pointed through the enclosure or on the aft deck lid when we could not clear the hard top over the bridge.
When it came time to cruise down the East Coast and the Bahamas we used the Follow Me TV disk tracking system. When we were tied up at the dock I would use it to point the dish and then shut it off. As long as I did a good job of stabilizing the boat with the lines it was just fine unless I moved around on the boat quickly. Freedom was 13.5 in beam and my 230lb frame was enough to rock the boat. If the antenna was aiming to the beam this would change the inclination enough to drop the signal temporarily.

The follow me was mounted aft of the arch on a pole that was anchored in the arch with a soft mount on the hard top below. Weight of the assembly was carried by the arch. The bottom of the pole fit into a block that was drilled out to mate with the pole. The block was screwed down to the hard top.

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[pizzazsdaddy]

If you are in an area with close enough access to multiple broadcast channels, the over the air solution is reasonably simple if you can still find a Spectrum 813 Antenna with a built in 36-40db amplifier. You can also use any roof mount antenna without built in amplification, but you need to add a 36db amplifier near the tv antenna input. I've done this on several boats. And yes, smart TVs will give you all the wi-fi content you can handle.

[Boatsb]

I install a lot of the 14 inch Shakespeare amplified antennas. They work fine where I go and i dont need tv when I'm out to sea. The boats a getaway not a more of the same.

[tom5518]

You can also use any roof mount antenna without built in amplification

Would something like this work?

[SKYCHENEY]

I like the Dish Network equipment much better than Directv. I use my dish receiver with an Intellian I2. The receiver is also connected to an over-the-air antenna and acts as the tuner for the digital signal. It also downloads the programming guide for the local OTA channels so I can see what is on or coming on and can even set the DVR based on that. All HD and easy to use. I have heard many complain about KVH, but my Intellian just works.

[Boatsb]

More often its the service than the dome.

I have not had one customer ask for dish. They all want the sports packages from direcTV. The fun with Direct is no one there has any knowledge of the marine system and customer service is not a priority AT ALL.

[SKYCHENEY]

More often its the service than the dome.

I have not had one customer ask for dish. They all want the sports packages from direcTV. The fun with Direct is no one there has any knowledge of the marine system and customer service is not a priority AT ALL.

I get all the sports channels on Dish. I can't imagine what I might be missing. And at $73/month for service to the house, the boat, and the motorhome, I can't complain.

[Tim Powell]

Dial 1800 6013142 try it for 20,00 bucks i get 32 chanels no wires just plug into the tv antemma about 5 inches tall
so so cheap and easy you will need to do it soon now can get 2 for 20.00 dollars plug an!!d play
CAN NOT GET CHEAPER THAN THAT

[Boatsb]

I dont ter more than 2 channels with the little indoor antennas.

I sell bunches of these because they work up and down the coast here.

[Tim Powell]

I dont ter more than 2 channels with the little indoor antennas.

I sell bunches of these because they work up and down the coast here.

I have that in the cabin and sticks in the bed rooms was simple to hook up no wire, the dome does out perform the stick.