Just Browsing Satellite vs Aerial

Brente1982

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So it's getting to the point of finalising the options I want. One thing I'm weighing up is satellite (if the Sphere system is an available option from factory) vs the standard Wyngaurd Aerial.
Obviously both have their pro's and con's. Aerial being that you can generally pick up reception in populated areas where obstructions occur whereas satellite can be affected by trees in the line of sight to the satellite.
Obviously out in the middle of bumb f*** Idaho satellite will come into its own. And if you're after foxtel reception than satellite is the only option. But given id be camping, getting away from foxtel might be the idea in a sense.

What are people's thoughts. Does anyone know if jayco will fit the Sphere sat system or any of the other available systems from factory?
 

Drover

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First up I would go the Wyngard Snowflake TV aerial, picks up vertical and horizontal signals, a lot of them don't, vertical signal is very common around the country and the basic antennae won't pick it up outside a few Kms away...............going to Sat TV means a Vast STB, depends how much money you want to throw, if you go handraulic on the ground or push button job on roof that does it all itself.... Roof mounted gear steer away from some of the plastic dishes as the wind affects them, I have a tin dish which I mount on a post at either end of van, I fitted a dual LNB so I can use Foxtell and have fitted it so my VAST STB and Foxbox are all hooked up and I just switch between them using a remote, once the Foxbox is plugged in no more cable changes are needed..................mine all run on 12v which was a bit of a saga for the iQ3 trying to a 12v power supply that would work, I ended up with a Toshiba TV 12v regulated unit which matched the iQ3 requirements just changed the socket, seems the box likes a goodly bit of juice to fire up which your standard 12v jiggers didn't like.
Contrary to popular belief if you want FTA outside the reception area you will need a Vast STB, a Foxbox will not provide FTA channels once you leave your postcode and you can't change it, an iQ3 or 4 must have dual LNB (2 cables) ..................... I find that using my portable dish means on most river camps I can still get a Sat signal and be parked in a nice spot where fellas roof mounted ones can't have both as trees get in the way, just like the portable solar panel advantage....
I can get a lock in a couple of minutes with just a compass and inclinometer, so saving a few hundred on a fancy electronic gizmo.........but have been known to curse sometimes........... for a ground job $500 will get you the basic and for the roof job $2000 plus.......... I think I would buy aftermarket than let Jayco fit, I've seen the poor QC on TV fit outs....

Is it all worth it ????????? ................ I honestly don't know but does provide a distraction in yucky weather, besides no sense leaving it at home for months paying for something I can't use, thats why our internet is mobile, travels with us just add an aerial and works fine.....
 

Brente1982

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Thanks for the reply. The idea was if I went satellite is get a vast box for FTA. A lot to weigh up I guess, and I'm sure the minister of war and finance will have a say aswell.
 

mfexpanda

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We have the roof mounted sat from jayco.I would not buy a van without it now.
It’s the sphere so much easier than the portable sat dishes and in a different league to using the normal aerials.
 
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Brente1982

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The Sphere dish is tin yes @mfexpanda? Same size as a couple of other brands I take it? Don't suppose you know how much it cost to get installed? I have the expanda options list but it isn't a listed option on there.
 

Bluey

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I have both but got rid of the snowflake cause its crap i have a Voyager caravan antenna made in Port Elliot SA i adapted it to go on my mast on the van turns vertical or horizontal but have to do that by turning it its a good arieral and i have a foxtell dish which i set up manually both are good i dont mind setting the satalight up or tv and hasnt cost me dearly
 

Drover

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Talking to a mate about this today as he had one on his old vans roof, he reckoned not only did he have to park in a spot where trees weren't in the way he also had to position things so the dish didn't put a shadow over his panels, so between tree and dish shadows he got the *it's, his current van has a handraulic dish and portable panels so he parks in the shade and runs the leads out, reckons its worth the extra stuffing around and next van change he takes the gear with him.............
 
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Brente1982

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Oh it's a conundrum isn't it. Caravan parks I'm likely to use I could get around it easily enough with site selection (I'm pedantic like that) it's just free camping that I'd need to think about.
 

Crusty181

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Talking to a mate about this today as he had one on his old vans roof, he reckoned not only did he have to park in a spot where trees weren't in the way he also had to position things so the dish didn't put a shadow over his panels, so between tree and dish shadows he got the *it's, his current van has a handraulic dish and portable panels so he parks in the shade and runs the leads out, reckons its worth the extra stuffing around and next van change he takes the gear with him.............
I can certainly see the benefits of the auto dish, and in our case we search out full sun spots for our solar anyway. Ive never really been frightened of the sun, and more often than not we can position the van to provide any necessay shade. So we manage clear sky views most of the time for solar and satellite. Ive got over 70mtrs of coax ... never needed it

That said, we're tv peeps so id likely carry a portable regardless if i had an auto dish ... just to ensure we get interuption free Home & Away, ha.

Speaking of Home & Away, last week in Gippsland with my mate i was horrified i had to endure both $hitsvillian rubbish as both Home & Away and bloody Big Brother ... the tag team of small screen rubbish. Anyways, it was a trip designed to showcase a possible lifestyle unfamiliar to him so if rubbish tv floats ya boat, small inconvenience
 
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Drover

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Depending on the trees but mostly we end up in the sun, camping along the Murray or similar rivers with those big bluddy trees people must think I'm weird (well probably right) stop, stand beside car with arm pointing North at about 50 deg seeing if tree's are in way of sat sig......... no drama in Western Qld, no tree's.
 
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Crusty181

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Depending on the trees but mostly we end up in the sun, camping along the Murray or similar rivers with those big bluddy trees people must think I'm weird (well probably right) stop, stand beside car with arm pointing North at about 50 deg seeing if tree's are in way of sat sig......... no drama in Western Qld, no tree's.
Ive had satellite tv for over 10 years now, back before Select TV which was via the Intelsat 8 satellite. (@Drover, now Intelsat 8was a weak signalled bugger of a thing to pinpoint). Back then there were no "kits" or programmed STBs. We generally will have tv of one type or another every night, and with all the travel we've done (and theres been a little bit) i can only recall one spot we couldnt get a signal on the portable dish, but plenty of spots a auto dish would have been impossible. I dig out a pick where i managed a signal thru a 1m x 1m hole in the thick tree canopy ... William Tell style. Very impressive i think you'll agree. No-one onsite at the time (ie the Princess) appreciated the advanced skills required.
 

Drover

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They rarely do compadre, they rarely do................ wandering around with a dish, compass and a beer, dragging a cable looking for that gap in the tree's..........then some fat bustard in a Winnabago parks in front of the dish.......out with the "Slade" CD quick smart before they get comfortable....lol,lol,lol.....
 

Crusty181

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A gold medal at the Satellite dish pointing Olympics. Auto dish aint going to help you here .... not without a chainsaw

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