Pete-B Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 Hi, I'm looking to get a satellite dish (on a tripod) for occasional use in the UK only when on sites where normal reception is poor. I didn't particularly want to spend a fortune on one but in the same breadth don't want to waste money on rubbish. I don't know anything about them so I'd welcome any advice or recommendations. Thanks for any help. Peter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veletron Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 You'll not go wrong with something like: http://www.satgear.co.uk/portable-satellite-kits/economy-portable-satellite-dish-kits/nk40-satgear-compact-portable-40cm-satellite-dish-kit-with-optional-receiver-1 You should go for something a bit bigger for Northern Scotland though - they do a 65cm version. That kit does not come with a receiver - but if your telle has one built in then you wont need one anyway. On my first van I used a 30quid system for 7 years with no issues - Maplin 'dish in a suitcase' - but they don't come with tripods. Loads of cheap kits on fleabay as well. Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevina Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 What Veletron suggests. I have a 65/68cm Fracarro Penta dish (£50) and that gets BBC/ITV as far as Perpignan and Piedmont so 40cm would do just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
747 Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 I scrounged a new Sky dish (when we had Sky installed at home), I bought a good quality camera tripod for about £20, a secondhand Sky box and I was satellite ready. The van I had at the time had an external TV/Sat point which made it easy to set up. It served us well until I part exxed the van. In windy weather I had to use pegs as ground anchors and a bungy (or 2 in gales). The advantage I had in stormy weather was being able to set up the dish on the lee side of the van. In fact we have been on a site when everyone else had to wind down their rooftop dish but we were OK. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 If the OP doesn't have an external TV/sat mounting, a workaround is to purchase a short section of flat coax to feed through the gap between window and frame. https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Audio-Video-Cables/Flat-coax-cable-window-doors-F-socket-F-socket-0-2/B004QSE14S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 747 - 2017-03-04 8:37 AM I scrounged a new Sky dish (when we had Sky installed at home), I bought a good quality camera tripod for about £20, a secondhand Sky box and I was satellite ready. The van I had at the time had an external TV/Sat point which made it easy to set up. It served us well until I part exxed the van. In windy weather I had to use pegs as ground anchors and a bungy (or 2 in gales). The advantage I had in stormy weather was being able to set up the dish on the lee side of the van. In fact we have been on a site when everyone else had to wind down their rooftop dish but we were OK. :D You don't have problems with wind with a dome.. We can get enough channels down in Spain with ours. Get BBc/ITV in northern Spain no problem! PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veletron Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 There are a good bet for through-window: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wentronic-11953-GB-Connector-Window-extreme/dp/B000L0XJH0/ref=pd_day0_23_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=TYQQBNP15J2YJW3JVB0B My tiny dome gives up half way through France, but I like its 26cm profile. I'd need a fair monster on the roof for TV into Spain + it would look well daft on a PVC. I bought a tripod mounted dish that I use for 2-way internet when parked up down the end of a glen with no mobile (bits bought off ebay) - I'll stick a TV LNB on this next time I feel the need when abroad. dish: http://photos.veletron.com/index.php/album151/Wifi/dish Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 I have seen a dome being used on the ground in Spain! It would be more wind resistant than a dish. OK I guess if you have somewhere to store it!! PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 Since the OP's use is mainly in the UK the use of a stand-alone satellite dish sounds ideal and an economical solution. If his TV has a satellite decoder then this is unlikely to have EPG (electronic programme guide). So, just buy the current weekly TV programme guide. If just a standard TV then a Sky digibox will give you EPG. Or just buy a cheap FTA (free to air) digibox without EPG. The pointing of the dish at Astra 2 (UK TV programmes) can be a bit hit and miss. Best to carry a handheld compass and point it between 139 and 147 degrees (whole circle compass bearing). The elevation will be between 18 and 26 degrees. All angles given are only relevant to the area of the UK. I've used a satellite finder meter to assist in finding the satellite. When you've found the satellite and got a picture on your TV, powerdown the TV or digibox and remove the satellite finder. Insert a flylead to bridge the gap where the satellite finder was. Then power up again. This procedure is to avoid damage to the TV decoder or digibox. Best of luck, you'll soon get the hang of it. Just make sure there aren't any trees in the way between you and the satellite. In Scotland, because of the low elevation angle, you may also need to be aware of mountains in the close proximity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veletron Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 Yep, the lack of an EPG is a pain in the neck - the TV's with built in sat tuner are all FTA (free to air), and you only get a now/next 'EPG'. I have had a couple of 12V sat boxes off fleabay that claimed to be FreeSat (which does have an EPG), alas these turned out to be simple FTA receivers with no EPG. Proper FreeSat boxes are of course available, but I am yet to locate a 12V version. If you have a Sky box, this will also work, but both the freesat and sky box would need an inverter. Apparently the reason for no EPG is that they charge a fee to build it into a device, and the UK market is too small for 12V TV manufacturers to deploy a custom firmware specifically for the UK. If only there was an actual standard - well there is, but its that rubbish now/next thing! As for setting up the dish, get the dishpointer app for your smartphone and download a 'level' app. I worked out the elevation offered by my LNB arm as 11degrees, so the elevation I need on my phones screen is then the elevation of the satellite for my location minus the 11degrees. Once the elevation is set that can be locked off and the dish rotated to the right angle (Azimuth), and then fine tuned with a sat finder. Takes under 5 mins end-to-end which is important in Scotland when the midges are having you for dinner! Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 Good advice, Veletron. I've only just become a smartphone user so will try the dish pointer app. Suggest the OP buys some push-on F plugs for use with the sat finder and fly lead - makes life so much easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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