Roof Mounted Satellite Dish

csthomo
csthomo Forum Participant Posts: 13
edited January 2018 in Caravans #1

Hi - Can anyone offer any advice/guidance on the suitability of mounting a crank-up satellite dish on the roof of our Lunar Clubman SI or is this a no no with caravans. Thanks.

Comments

  • ForestR
    ForestR Forum Participant Posts: 326
    100 Comments
    edited January 2018 #2

    Cannot offer any installation advice but a Lunar Delta twin axle was on site opposite us until this morning with a large roof mounted dish fitted.

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2018 #3

    Don't know if you have experience of satelite dishes but the free standing ones may just offer that opportunity to find that elusive beam on certain pitches. It's a matter of pros and cons again but I do prefer the freestanding type. They are so much cheaper too and offer easy cost free transfer when new van comes along.

  • Vulcan
    Vulcan Forum Participant Posts: 670
    edited January 2018 #4

    Quite right, a major problem with a fixed dish is that it gives you no leeway if there are obstructions such as trees etc.

  • csthomo
    csthomo Forum Participant Posts: 13
    edited January 2018 #5

    Great thanks.

    Next :) has anyone come across the Icecrypt 1600 satellite full HD receiver?  Apparently, the way to receive BBC and ITV in Spain.

    Thanks.

  • Vulcan
    Vulcan Forum Participant Posts: 670
    edited January 2018 #6

    The  Icecrypt 1600 is a standard generic receiver but I do not have experience of it. I can recommend Technomate as they have very sensitive receivers.

  • Phishing
    Phishing Forum Participant Posts: 597
    500 Comments
    edited January 2018 #7

    Totally depends on roof strength. Dealer should be able to advise on strong points where they can be fitted. Its not just the weight of the dish it is the wind and lateral forces at 70mph causing it to flex the roof.

    It is not typical to fit crank up type on caravans due to the fact that you have to climb up 2.6m to crank it up, this means you need a 5 step ladder to get up to activate it.

    If you need rooftop dish then try something like a snipe, not cheap but small footprint and good reception and fully automatic.

    Unlike TV antennas there is no advantage in having the dish high so most put them on the jockey wheel or on a ground level tripod. The ability to move them around to find a sweet spot is an advantage.

  • NutsyH
    NutsyH Forum Participant Posts: 534
    edited February 2018 #8

    You'll be very lucky to get BBC and ITV in Spain on any receiver, unless you carry a massive (1 meter plus) dish around with you. 

    All UK broadcasters switched to the narrow UK only beam a couple of years ago.

    We can get the UK channels about as far south as the Dordogne with a sky box and an 85cm dish, but after that its sky only. Some peeps manage to get the UK channels as far south as Provence.

    A couple of years ago we were in Oropesa, about 50 miles north of Valencia and had no BBC etc. However, another English couple on site had a fixed 1.5m dish installed on a pole as the lady couldn't survive without Eastenders for the winter - yes, really. They then got the beeb and itv, on a normal humax type box.

     

    Good luck

    Paul

     

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,867 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #9

    I would have thought you need to ask the manufacture about the suitability of mounting a satellite dish on the roof of your caravan. If that is OK I would suggest going down the route of a fully automatic dish as its so much easier. We have one on our motorhome and we have got all UK programmes as far south as Carcassonne with an 85cms dish. For Spain you might need a dish capable of getting the Intel907 satellite. I think Oyster is capable of that but it is not as straightforward as it seems as the encryption keeps changing!!!

    David

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #10

    I note Sky are intending to very soon cease transmission by satellite and go 100% Internet.  Is that perhaps where you should put the money?

  • GodivaNige
    GodivaNige Forum Participant Posts: 606
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    edited February 2018 #11

    Sky won’t stop satellite transmission until all potential and existing users in the UK have access to high speed broadband... so a long long way off yet. They’ll introduce a streaming only service and monitor how many take it up in favour of a dish, but a complete switch over is not happening anytime soon.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #12

    satellite beams can easily reach the remotest parts of the uk giving ultra hq content, not so easy over the net for those that get very low download speeds....and not to mention the huge data quantities involved

    it will be a while yet....

  • Surfer
    Surfer Club Member Posts: 1,303
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    edited July 2018 #13

    With the Ice crypt receiver apparently you can pick up BBC & ITV as far down as Malaga in Spain.  Not sure how it works as we do not have one.