Satellite dishes on 'vans

[CaptLimey]

Hi to all 'vanners.

Has anyone information, experience or a good website regarding satellite dishes that are suitable for mounting on a caravan to receive U.K. broadcast signals in Spain and/or Portugal?

Regards CL

 

[lacroupade]

http://www.conrad-anderson.co.uk/

while you are looking at their cruise control stuff....

 

[wildbri]

Hi captn, I understand that the bbc have reduced the size of there satt foot print, which means you may need a very large dish in spain. problem with fixed dishes as motor caravanners have found is its all line of site, so you fine a lovley shaded site with grand view and there is a large tree or hill in the way. With a dish thats not fixed you can move it around your pitch and have it sat on a tripod.......... or you do as we do....... take lots of books and let the world destroy its self, whilst we are happy and unaware... regards bri

 

[CaptLimey]

Many thanks to Lacroupade and Wild Bri for the response.

Lacroupade, the web link is interesting, he's got lots of stuff I simply can't live without! Many thanks.

Wildbri the advice re tripod mounted moveable dishes versus fixed dishes is much appreciate and very sound. It can be best described as 'a blinding glimpse of the bloody obvious'. If one pitches in a shady spot, it is unlikely to be in line of sight to any satellites! So all these expensive direction controllable or self seeking fitted systems have their limits.

Re taking a heap of books, I totally agree and we always do but we also like to keep in touch with current news. But to be honest, on our return, we always find that our absence from home has had little effect on world affairs!

Kind regards, CL

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

Bri, can you recommend a tripod suitable for a domestic 60cm dish. Towsure have
jacked up their price by a tenner for 09 catalogue!

 

[lacroupade]

is that £54 one on the above link too dear TtT2?

 

[terranolady]

We got hold of an old sky dish and when we went on to sky +,kept the old sky box.We then used the frame of one of those portable airers as the stand and put the dish on that. Works a treat ! We can get all the freeview channels as we kept our old card.(Dont want to watch too much telly on hol' ! but its great in the evenings )

 

[zippy656]

We got hold of an old sky dish and when we went on to sky +,kept the old sky box.We then used the frame of one of those portable airers as the stand and put the dish on that. Works a treat ! We can get all the freeview channels as we kept our old card.(Dont want to watch too much telly on hol' ! but its great in the evenings )

now that sounds like a good idea for getting sky + !!

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

is that £54 one on the above link too dear TtT2?

cant see it maybe having a blonde moment, but if hd tripod soundsok as said towsure
stuck a tenner on theirs this year. mind new van has omni aeriel and have bought a
new lcd with freeview built in. unless desperate seems more clutter to carry unless
got a roof mounted dish - if can find space as it has 6 roof vents and would consider
a fixed solar panel than cost of a noisey heavy genny.

 

[lacroupade]

http://www.conrad-anderson.co.uk/mobilesatellitetelevision/B2554-LNB.htm

theres a price list in there somewhere that had it at £54.

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

http://www.conrad-anderson.co.uk/mobilesatellitetelevision/B2554-LNB.htm

theres a price list in there somewhere that had it at £54.

certainly looks the tripod, pity made redundant by above thoughts.

other disadvantage is more pitch clutter, something else to get nicked!

 

[lacroupade]

certainly looks the tripod, pity made redundant by above thoughts.

other disadvantage is more pitch clutter, something else to get nicked!

I thought vanners were salt of the earth and all that?

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

I thought vanners were salt of the earth and all that?

sure most are but doesnt stop other theiving magpies visiting the field. heard of whole
sites being ransacked for aqua rolls etc. on rallies where generally you get to know
everyone or someone knows others you dont 'aliens' atleast stand out.

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

we have a smalll free view box they work fine with all newish status type antennas and we have no issues, though to be honest i rarley set the TV up and preffer a book!

 

[CaptLimey]

we have a small free view box they work fine with all newish status type antennas and we have no issues, though to be honest i rarley set the TV up and preffer a book!

Hi Plank

Forgive my ignorance but can I ask what is a 'status type antenna' and where can I find one?

Also, do you know if one will work on our free view box in France and Spain?

Regards CL

 

[tezzer]

hi capt, there the white , round things with a point on top, you see on roofs of caravans, most of the later vans have then, as for working in spain, i cant help im affraid.:nenau



tezzer

 

[zippy]

Hi Plank

Forgive my ignorance but can I ask what is a 'status type antenna' and where can I find one?

Also, do you know if one will work on our free view box in France and Spain?

Regards CL

Hi There

Status is a company. They make caravan aerials. The status 'omnidirectional' aerial is the mushroom type on the top of the vans. They are worse than useless. The newer Status directional aerials look more like conventional aerials. They are on an extendable mast which you push up and turn from inside the caravan to get the best picture. They are great and i can pick up even quite weak signals. You can retrofit them to the van but it involves putting a hole in the roof - not for the fainthearted!

Regards
Lee

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

Hi Plank

Forgive my ignorance but can I ask what is a 'status type antenna' and where can I find one?

Also, do you know if one will work on our free view box in France and Spain?

Regards CL

they are the standard roof mounted antennas on most modern vans, they aree a bit pricey but can be bough at mst caravan dealers or from ebay, the later ones do pick up digital signals very well. though i have one on a 1999 caravan that is not so good but on a 2004 brilliat picture so they must have improved them.

but if i didnt have one fitted i would perhaps go for somehting cheaper, as yo dont need anything special ariel wise to pick up freeview just a decent ariel pointed towards the closest transmitter, remember with a normal ariel you can set it up quite well by lookingat the direction of everyone elses, and making sure you also have the elements either horizontal or vertical to match those around you.

when you have no reference poitn and are just moving it around to try and find a decent signal, you need to try the areil in both planes to get the best results.

 

[CaptLimey]

My thanks again to Tezzer, Zippy and Plank for the 'Antenna 101 lesson', I'm such a newbie at this stuff!

Still have a blank re what might work best in Spain to get Freeview/Astra signals to my new Freeview equipped TV. Do I go for a conventional terrestrial antenna, the latest 'Status' or a huge tripod mounted satellite dish?

I'm leaning towards the latter - anyone got one or have experience of receiving Freeview/Astra signals with one in Spain?

Regards CL

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

i would go for a conventional anteena, cheaper and usualy more flexible if a bit more trouble! if you get a black tipped univesal one you should have no problems in virtualy any location status do one complete with an extending alloy pole system and various clamp options.

The round ones with a pointy top i reffered too do have their drawbacks and if you really need tv you do some times end up resorting to a conventional antenna on a pole anyway, so why spend all the money and cut holes in the roof?