wints Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 Having just returned from 6 weeks in France we are now thinking of going further south (Portugal / Spain) early next year. I took the maplins system alongside a spare sky dish and got reasonable reception using a combination of both until we got round St Tropez when we were losing most channels after dark. If we do venture further south will I be able to access astra 2 southern beam using the 12 volt decoder in the maplins suitcase ? If not I have a spare sky decoder but will I then be able to get astra 1 ? The sky dish I was using has been u bolted to an aluminium wash broom stick thing, and that jubilee clipped to the rear ladder. After a couple of false starts (bad connections on sat cable) I got reception within minutes using a compass without sat finder. regards Allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Ord Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 You should be o.k. with the system you have with the proviso that you will have to change to the southern transponder and you will have a limited channel availability. No BBC TV but all main BBC radio, Sky News, Channel 5 and Five Live also Five USA and a load of third rate movie channels plus lots of radio music channels. A larger dish for southern Spain and Portugal would be too big to be portable as it needs to be 1.8 metres in southern Spain to get reliable BBC and ITV.I use an Oyster 85cm dish which is fine in southern France and down to just Peniscola in Spain but after that it's onto the southern beam and a limited choice and a smaller dish is just as good. Bill Ord Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry1956 Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 hi, the year before last, went down to italy, we had a signel from bbc1 most of the way into france with our 63 maxiview and sky pace box, then it just went. This year just before we went away I was lucky to be given a 90cm dish, and was ablt to get all channels most of the day only losing some later at night. This was at the bottom end of italy. I did get a good sat finder that informs me which sat I am picking up and what beam, this cut down on a lot of time trying to aline on the wrong satallite. michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy T Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 Terry, What sat finder are you using that will distinguish between satellites please? Where from and how much would be useful too! Andy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wints Posted October 23, 2008 Author Share Posted October 23, 2008 Bill Ord - 2008-10-23 4:38 PM You should be o.k. with the system you have with the proviso that you will have to change to the southern transponder and you will have a limited channel availability. No BBC TV but all main BBC radio, Sky News, Channel Hi Bill are you saying that the 12 v decoder as supplied by maplins (and lidl) can be set to receive the astra 2 southern beam ? If this is so then I would stick with this as it will also receive the other sats which I understand the sky box will not. Am I reading this correct ? regards Allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 Allen Your 12v reciever will pick up any beam from Astra 2 that is strong enough, but you won't get BBC ITV etc as they are not transmitted on south beam, nor will the sky box pick them up but it will other channels. The sky box can be tuned to any satellite (it was 'forced' on sky by regs) but it is a right pain to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4petedaniel Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 Hi I have just finished fitting a 66MM maxiview Statellite to my MH I am hoping to use my Sky box.I will be going down south to Spain in a few weeks time any suggestions on how to set it up or is there any better box I can use I would be grateful for Any inf on this subject as I dont realy have a clue Petedaniel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 If you have a Sky box and viewing card there are a few ITV1 regions on Astra 2A, which you can get with a smaller dish that is required for the Astra 2D signal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Ord Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I endorse all the comments here. BBC does not transmit on southern beam, as I said in my first post. There are one or two ITV regions which doe have a stronger signal on Astra north beam, ITV channel Islands comes to mind but personally I can't be bothered. Bill Ord Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Bill Ord - 2008-10-24 12:15 PM I endorse all the comments here. BBC does not transmit on southern beam, as I said in my first post. There are one or two ITV regions which doe have a stronger signal on Astra north beam, ITV channel Islands comes to mind but personally I can't be bothered. Bill Ord ITV Channel Islands is FTA on 2D, but has a stronger signal than other ITV's and is used a lot by expats. The ITV1's I'm talking about are encrypted on Astra 2B (north) and need a Sky box and viewing card to receive them. I picked them up easily with my Maxview Crankup in Pisa and Florence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philman Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Michael, are you saying you managed to get BBC/ITV at the bottom of Italy with a 90cm dish? I didn't think it was possible. Were you picking up the North Beam? Congratulations. I used to get everything in Southern Sicily with an 80cm until they moved to a different transponder . Phil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry1956 Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 In answer, yes I did get all channels for a few hours each day, with them breaking up at around 6 o clock, but it was clear skys and I had a very clear and strong signel. Its a dish I picked up off ebay and the LND is a lot better then the maxiview one which was not able to pick up any thing at all. I am sorry but the meter is in france and I have forgotten the name, I also picked this off ebay and it was just over £100 new. It comes with software that you download to the unit which then holds details of 80 or so satellites and their beam and signel codes, you input your lat and lon and it will point you to the correct point to aline the dish etc, and then it shows you the name of the satellite you are picking up and then how to find tune the dish, at one point I started with 60% signel and by turning the LND just a bit was able to get 90%. I only get all the toys out if we are remaining in one place for some time and its safe to do so. I was at the top end of italy at the time, will be going back early next year and going down a bit more, so it will be interesting what I can pick up. michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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