Whether you are on the road or camped out for a while, you’ll still want some sort of entertainment in your RV. Cable and satellite TV are a great way to fill in the time. Whether it’s watching a movie with your family or catching up on your favorite show on a cold or rainy day, cable has you covered.
In order to watch your shows, you’ll need to hook up cable first. The level of challenge can depend on the RV park and your RV. Otherwise, the process is a simple matter.
Hooking up cable at an RV park is often as easy as plugging their cable line into an external adapter on your RV. An internal switch may also need adjustment. We’ll go into more detail below.
Make sure your RV park has cable
While researching your destination and RV park, be sure to do one thing: Ensure that the RV park offers cable. Not all of them do, and the last thing you want to do is show up and be eager to watch some TV to wind down. This is not a moment you want to learn that they don’t offer cable.
Also, bring your own coaxial cable just in case. It’s a good idea to bring two 50 feet cables. We suggest two cables because one 100 foot cord can be too long and require additional work. Long cables can also suffer from degraded signals. Two can be joined together with a switch if needed.
How to connect to cable at the RV Park
The actual connections at an RV park are traditionally on posts that are behind or in front of where you park your RV. You’ll also have the option for an electrical hookup for your battery and internals that need electrical without drawing from your battery.
Park close to the post suggested above. There may be lines or markings in the area so you don’t get too close! You will likely have to bring your coaxial cable out of the vehicle with you to begin connecting. You can choose between connecting the coaxial to the vehicle first or to the post first.
Regardless of which order you choose, you’ll want to find the cable port on your RV. The port for cable on your RV often looks similar to a gas cap. Underneath, however, is a port that looks like the eraser holder for a pencil. You’ll want to take the end of the coaxial cable and connect it to this port. Attempt in some way to coil up any remaining cable that reaches your RV. People are more likely to trip over a cord that is laid out versus coiled up.
Note that it’s possible to have two different ports. They often lead to the same part of your RV. It shouldn’t matter which one you use so long as you plug it in.
While connecting it, you’ll only need to hand tighten with your fingers. Don’t use a wrench or you could actually make it too tight.
Do I need to do anything inside my RV to hook up to cable at an RV Park?
This answer depends. Some RVs have a cable booster. This is a box, often in the wall, with a switch for cable and other outlets. This box receives the signal and amplifies it.
If you have one, ensure that it’s set to cable. You should also read the RV owner’s manual to ensure it’s set up right. They aren’t always clear and our instructions could go more than a few ways!
Other RVs simply use a cable box and a jack inside.
After that, the connection is the same you make at home. Your TV is probably already hooked up to the booster or cable box you use for the signal.
You may need to do a “scan” on your television, especially if you are in a new location. Otherwise simply switching your televisions’s input to cable should bring all your channels. A channel scan is something you’ll likely want to search in your TV’s manual or online for, as it can be a rather specific path.
Expect for a channel scan to take a few minutes as the TV and box are scanning through all potential channels.
What could go wrong?
The most likely issue to have is a problem with your cable booster. Cable boosters can be confusing and are the link between the exterior wire and the interior.
We suggest you read the manual if you have it, but many of them have a light that turns on when the booster is functioning. Pushing the light or a power button can solve obvious issues. Otherwise, ensure the switch on the booster is in the right input.
Conclusion
Connecting to the cable system at a typical RV park is a matter of following their guidelines. The post should be easy to say and connect with a coaxial cable. Be sure to bring enough to connect, though not just in one cord. Once you have everything connected, you should be set to go.
With these instructions, you’ll be ready to travel around while still being able to enjoy the latest movies, shows, and news. You don’t have to be disconnected from the world around you while traveling, and many RV parks are ready to accommodate you with cable.
