How do you use your sat TV dish?

iana · Guru

How do you use your sat TV dish?

Phillipn · Guru

iana wrote:
Access Antennas Sat dish.
OK I brought one, its big 83cm. anyhow I'm wondering how people out there use theirs.
Do you for instance deploy it every time you are camped, instead of using the normal TV aerial, or do you set it up only when there is no signal to the van aerial?
Do you leave it set up over night at free camp areas. Seems a little push by persons unknown will put out the settings.
Do you leave it set up all day when you are away at caravans parks and or free camps?

1 Yes, If we are interstate and want to see news from our home state.

2 Yes, Attached to the van with a security cable.

3 Yes, in caravan parks. with security cable attached.

JohnR · Senior Member

We purchased a Sphere Sat Dish & Sat King Vast Box from Sat Plus at Maroochydore Qld. Dish is mounted on the roof of our 23' Jayco. Requirements were to cover the Nullarbor and the North West of WA. Failed miserably and had agents in Perth and Broome trying to fix the many problems. Virtually every thing was replaced and systems updated (Versions). When it works it is very very good but did not meet our needs in the North West of WA.

JohnR

Brenda and Alan · Guru

We use the sat dish at most campsites as we know what programs we wish to watch and what time they are on. We do not carry any other arial

We leave the dish set up when away from van usually a free camp or low cost site and have had no problems in four years.

Alan

Hey Jim · Guru

Hi Ian,

Yep to all, I set ours up every stop. I use a good compass to find 64.5deg nth east I used to use three tent pegs to pin the legs to the ground.

I know Santa has a Ryobi 18V rattle gun in her sack biggrin biggrin biggrin cause I put it on her I phone camera so there were no mistakes at my favourite toy shop Bunnings. smile

From now on three 200mm coach bolts plus the above for quicker setup. biggrin Plus to power the legs on the van and wheel changes.

I have not had problems from other campers. Just watch out for little ones playing nearby and tell em to POQ and play else were if the are playing chasings in the dark.

Ho HO Ho Jim smile

D and D · Guru

Ours is set up whenever we set up (well mostly, the coax connectors currently need replacing so that prevents it working at the moment). Never had problems with people moving it, the weather or me bumping into it cause most of the problems (doesn't like rain on the sat dish). Ours is permanently attached to a pole on the draw bar so we haven't had anyone try to pinch it. The most important component is the digital satellite finder but the coax cable keeps breaking inside the joiners and that is a real PITA. Other than that no real problems.

Dave

iana · Guru

Do you guys not use the TV aerial because the aerial doesn't work most of the time, or cuts in and out, being digital?

Do you find that you have to move the sat dish around to get a clear view of the Optus satellite? or does it work wherever you plonk it down (assuming no trees in the way). The reason I ask is that I could make it so the tripod fastens to the "A" frame of the van. Quick release with bolts.

Anyway thanks for the replies so far.

D and D · Guru

The sat dish provides another option in program selection. Different start and finish times, programs from interstate and sometimes different programs all together. We use the two types of antenna to complement each other although the satellite does have the advantage of working anywhere whereas the digital is a little more picky about where it works.

The satellite works so long as there is a clear, uninterrupted view of the sky along the axis of the dish and the LMB.

Dave

Delta18 · Guru

Hey Jim wrote:
Hi Ian,
Yep to all, I set ours up every stop. I use a good compass to find 64.5deg nth east
Ho HO Ho Jim

You would only aim that direction in very limited places on a line from the satellite to 245deg south west. Divert from that line and your compass heading will be different.

Iana, I set our dish up every night when travelling and if staying for more than a night the dish stays up until we leave, either on a tripod to clear trees or on a pole on the van drawbar. It has never been security attached in any way.

JackieP · Senior Member

Hi Iana, we have a SatKing setup and do not carry an ordinary antenna as i found most of the time when free camping there was no tv reception or we were in a hollow and didnt have a long enough pole for the antenna. Provided there is no obstruction close by the SatKing is easy to set up ( i have wikicamps on my tablet that has a satelite finder so makes locating the satelite a piece of cake ). When we set up it stays set up untile we leave whether it be free camp or caravan park and have had no probs with it being tampered with

iana · Guru

Delta18, with the dish mounted on the draw bar what has been your success rate at setting it up, as opposed to having to relocate the dish to a different spot to find the satellite?

Does movement within the van cause the dish to loose its track when persons on board move about?

-- Edited by iana on Monday 7th of December 2015 12:10:13 AM

Tomcat · Senior Member

iana wrote:
Access Antennas Sat dish.
OK I brought one, its big 83cm. anyhow I'm wondering how people out there use theirs.
Do you for instance deploy it every time you are camped, instead of using the normal TV aerial, or do you set it up only when there is no signal to the van aerial?
Do you leave it set up over night at free camp areas. Seems a little push by persons unknown will put out the settings.
Do you leave it set up all day when you are away at caravans parks and or free camps?

Hello Iana

We have had a dish runing vast for about 3 years and it does take some learning.

The following are the reasons we deploy the sat dish.

1. Obviously when you want tv and you can't get a signal from the ariel. Im sure someone will say you don't need tv but at night I do.

2. As I am lazy we only set up if we are staying more than 1 or two nights.

3. We set up the dish if we haven't seen B&B for several days and are wondering how our favourite soap is going.

I personally have mucked around for up to an hour finding the signal. We leave the dish out once set up as we find free campers li are an honest lot.

We carry out dish in the front boot of the van because our A frame is full of other stuff like the Fire Drum.

I recently bought an old fashioned magnetic compas to find the direction of the satellite. I have on occasion used an app on my samsung android called dish pointer pro. There are many web sites out there that help you find the direction and elevation to point. so you can get your settings while you have the internet. What I mean is if you know where you are going you can get the direction settings prior.

We were at Theresa Creek dam one time and a fellow camper put me onto this sat finder.

iana · Guru

Thanks Tomcat. I'm not that concerned about how one finds the satellite with the compasses and all that, but rather if having the dish mounted in a fixed position such as the "A" frame is practical or do you guys need to move the dish about to get a good "line of sight to the Optus sat.

The unit I have has a strong tripod with holes already to mount/fasten on the base of each leg. If I drill and tap into the chassis of the van "A" frame it can be hard mounted as a Theft deterrent. There's no way I can see, to hard mount it on the back of the van, no structure strong enough to support it.

JayDee · Guru

Just wondering why you would need to drill holes in chassis. Why not try one of those lung U bolts with a bar over each of the threaded ends and then attach the nuts( do you get the picture U U U ) I sure it would work. Just my 2 penceworth.
Jay&Dee

Delta18 · Guru

iana wrote:
Delta18, with the dish mounted on the draw bar what has been your success rate at setting it up, as opposed to having to relocate the dish to a different spot to find the satellite?

Does movement within the van cause the dish to loose its track when persons on board move about?

-- Edited by iana on Monday 7th of December 2015 12:10:13 AM

I use a single pole on the drawbar (mounted with a Jockey Wheel clamp) and provided i have parked without trees in the 'line of sight' to the satellite I have no problems setting up, it only takes minutes to do.

You suggested mounting your tripod to your drawbar, I would advise against this as the tripod is better carried in a compartment somewhere and used in situations where you need to get the dish away from the van due to trees or such.

Moving about in the van has no effect on reception even without the stabilisers down.

I'll take a photo later when the rain stops. smile

elliemike · Guru

We have an Ariel but it stays at home now. Been using the Sat dish for about 5 years now I think. I set it up most nights even for one night stands. I can mount it on the rear or front of the van on a pole. Or if necessary use a Tripod. Never had anything ever stolen while camping. That includes Europe, USA, NZ, Australia. Never chained Solar panels or Sat dish. I did lose a tripod this year I drove away from it at the Keep River NP and never missed it till a week later.

I have a compass but almost always use the WIKI CAMPS App sat finder which comes with WikiCamps

Takes me about 15 minutes to set the whole deal up on the Tripod with pegs if needed. Bit faster if I use the van mounted pole.

<http://www.wikicamps.com.au/settings/images/screen-satellite1.jpg >

http://www.wikicamps.com.au/satfinder.php

-- Edited by elliemike on Monday 7th of December 2015 10:28:18 AM

kandagal · Guru

Our sat dish is roof mounted & only requires the push of a button inside M/H to deploy the sat dish into working position. So that is what we use all the time.

PeterInSa · Guru

Have a similar setup to Delta18, single pole on the A Frame with our 85cm elliptical dish. For additional stability have a tube going down to near the hitch and another tube to the side, both at around 45deg.

Just point the caravan in a North East direction to get a Sat signal when off the tug, when connected to the tug can still get a sat signal but the position of the van/tug is a bit more critical.

and with the same/similar Sat finder as Tomcat, there great.

Peter

TommyG · Senior Member

We have had satellite TV since 2006 and although we have a supposedly magnificent boosted TV antenna that only works when we are parked under a TV repeater, we almost always set-up the dish. Our sat dish has always lived on the back of our motorhome (MH) and has never been interfered with by anyone at any time. I unplug the cable that goes to the set top box when not in use.
Without the set top box the dish is of little use to anyone unless someone who has damaged their dish wan'ts a new one.
We have a Z shaped pole mounted so that one leg of the Z points up and the other down on the rear right corner of the MH. The mount is fixed to the MH with a scaffold clamp the Z is a length of steel exhaust pipe, bent to shape by the local exhaust/towbar maker, because back in 2007 they hadn't invented manufactured ones yet but you can now buy them from caravan accessory shops. This allows us to swing the dish in a 135 degree arc, so that almost any way we park I can point the dish towards the satellite. Access Antennas have a very good sat finder called Marriage Saver. $173 of Ebay post paid, well worth the price. You still need a good compass and angle finder VAST help gives you the 3 settings you need. It very rare that you will travel far from the previous days settings, so if you take note daily and start from the last known settings you should have it up & running fairly easily.

banjo · Senior Member

Don't have another tv aerial so only use sat tv. been round the whole block, never had any reception issues anywhere and bugger me it's only a 65cm dish !

Mounted on low tripod stand, takes around 5 mins to deploy and be up and running.

iana · Guru

Just posting a couple of pictures. Sat dish 1.jpg

chopit · Senior Member

Seems just about everything has been covered but here is our bit.
We went to ACCESS and got good service from the Eight Mile Plains ( Southern Brisbane ) store.
Got a German Deutsche Technologies Sat. finder. Has a TV screen set to Al Jasera news. The unit is pre-tuned to the correct satellite.
Couldn't be happier. 8 out of 10 it takes less than a minute to find the Satellite.

We use a tripod base and hold the legs steady with photographic sand bags ( Less than $20 for 4 from Ebay ) Some dirt is too hard to hammer in the tent pegs.
Never moved.

We use the set-up all the time as it is so easy.
For security we have a stainless steel cable that padlocks to the 'van. Only used it a few times in areas where there was a lot of passing vehicles.
Good luck.

iana · Guru

I posted those pictures to show where I could mount it, by screwing it to the "A" frame. Didn't put any comments because I don't think they would have gone down too well. Couldn't resize the images on the screen so gave up in disgust.
Chopit you must have the same tripod as pictured, Quite well made by todays standards. Just can't help the feeling I will have to pack it up every time we leave the van to keep "you know who" from worrying.

KFT · Guru

G'day Iana,

I have been using satellite TV for the last 15 years and I use a higher type of tripod than the one pictured.

We stay in CP's and Bush camps and I have only ever pegged ours down so the wind would not blow it over. I have never secured it to the van.

It has never been interfered with and never been pinched in all that time.

Ours rides on the back of the van in a padded bag ratchet strapped to the spare wheel.

Hope that helps

Frank

iana · Guru

Thanks KFT, and yeah I get the message everyone is telling me. Thanks everyone for the info.

Dav4Cris · Senior Member

We have ours mounted on a tall pole bolted to the A frame, can usually leave it on the pole unless we decide to park in the shade. The pole is tall enough that we don't have to worry about facing north the dish is high enough to see over the top of van. If we are near a TV signal we use the TV otherwise I hook up the Sat tv. Use Wikicamps satellite finder to setup. Takes no more than 5 minutes to setup.