Fed up with my compass! (2 Viewers)

[TheBows]

Hello,

Currently have a dish on a tripod as my satellite solution. Really fiddly trying to get it aligned. I think I need some automation. I want to get Sky in the UK. Can someone recommend a rooftop dish / dome with auto alignment? I am not mean, but what I have looked at is a bit pricey. All suggestions welcome.


Thanks


Stephen

 

[Hymer 1961]

We had an Alden AS4 twin fully automatic Satellite System fitted in March at VanBitz.
It is very neat and has a perforated dish which helps in windy conditions.
Don’t forget to use the Funster 10% Discount Code when booking at VanBitz found in quick links.

• Only 20.5 cm high when closed
• Only weighs 11.7 Kgs
• Only 73.5 cm high when operating
• Only 76 cm wide
• LIFETIME WARRANTY on satellite system
• Two year warranty on controller
• User updated!
• Compatible with SKY boxes and FTA DVB-S boxes
• Only £1799 for the AS4 single
• Only £1999 for the AS4 twin
• Perforated dish makes the system nearly impervious to wind when in use. Guidelines given
• Preloaded for UK & European Satellites:-
• Astra 19E
• Astra 23E
• Hotbird 13E
• Atlantic 5W
• Astra 4.8
• Astra 28 E/N
• Astra 28 E/S
• Very simple system to use, one button selection
• Very fast “lock on” when operating

 

[DBK]

Have you tried using a signal strength meter? You could connect one temporarily in the lead next to the dish then twiddle the dish for maximum signal. If you can see the TV screen then you may find there is a function on the TV to display signal strength . This is how I set mine.

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[scotjimland]

As previous post.. also fitted an Alden AS4 .. lovely bit of kit.

comes with a Lifetime Warranty .. highly recommend it.

However.. I sold the van and left the Alden dish on.. , having bought a caravan I couldn't justify buying another.

I now just use a BROKEN LINK.. bought secondhand with a signal finder , can have it tuned in in a few minutes..

 

[Larrynwin]

We have one of these twin lnb


which never fails but roadpro now offer a mini dome for £699 which doesn’t need a controller and wires direct to sat receiver for U.K. only Astra.

 

[sonny]

Must be an app you can use.

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[scotjimland]

Must be an app you can use.

ah yes.. plenty apps, where would we be without them..

I have tried 'Dish Align" but you still need to use a tuner to get it properly aligned.. and the app doesn't give you elevation .. so pretty much waste of time

you can generally find the direction looking at another dish .. or just use a compass like this..

http://www.pulsat.com/products/Maxv...D_Bory7_stH1UNrnUXSV1j9nrJED7kMxoCcb0QAvD_BwE

 

[DBK]

Must be an app you can use.

I have used an app (AR Satellite Finder from memory) where you point the phone at the sky and the satellites appear on the screen overlain on the image of the sky. In theory it should work but the difficult bit is the phone needs to be calibrated with the GPS and this seems to be a dark art involving much waving of the phone as if you are casting a spell. Sometimes, a very few times, it was useful but mostly it pointed me in completely the wrong direction.

It isn't difficult to find the satellite - south east and up a bit and the more south you go in Europe the more "up" you need.

 

[Wagoneer]

Got chatting to a Dutchman in Spain who had a semi-auto dish on a tripod.

I got the impression you roughly point it in the direction of the satellite you want. Press a button on the control panel, attached to the dish, and it aligns the dish both horizontally and vertically. Once it's done, you can remove the control panel from the dish.

Don't know what it's called but might suit the OP 's requirements. Think he said it was about €500.

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[TheBows]

Thanks to everyone for their comments. Don't know if I could ever bring myself to chuck £1500 at an auto dish. Got to draw the line somewhere.

 

[Mikeco]

I have the crank up Maxview one, fairly easy to find the settalite but the most important thing is that you are inside the van doing it so no one can see you and think that you are a useless tosser.

 

[TheBows]

I entirely see the benefit of your method. The problem is that I would consider myself a useless tosser. Only alcohol could assist! Then I would definitely fail to locate the satellite.

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[Mikeco]

I entirely see the benefit of your method. The problem is that I would consider myself a useless tosser. Only alcohol could assist! Then I would definitely fail to locate the satellite.

Took me 5 seconds to find it the other day when I arrived at Jim’s Jasmin, but I did know where it was from previous times that we have been here. I do however have a very expensive settalite finder which cost me £165 but I have not used it for years.

 

[Wagoneer]

At least nothing can go fundamentally wrong with a roof mounted crank-up dish. On mine, there was a graduated scale for the vertical angle. So, you can use previous settings as a rough approximation of the vertical angle, which doesn't change that much. After that it's just a matter of moving the dish horizontally until you get a lock on the TV screen for say, Astra 2. You can then tweek the vertical angle for maximum signal strength. I've done this in 30 seconds but can take a bit longer.
I now have an auto dish which is OK when it works but a right pain when it doesn't. Spent many hours getting manufacturer support when touring in mainland Europe. At these times, wish I'd still got a basic system.

 

[elamessa]

Hello,

Currently have a dish on a tripod as my satellite solution. Really fiddly trying to get it aligned. I think I need some automation. I want to get Sky in the UK. Can someone recommend a rooftop dish / dome with auto alignment? I am not mean, but what I have looked at is a bit pricey. All suggestions welcome.


Thanks


Stephen

You need one of these

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[Coverco]

I fitted Roadpro Mini Dome this morning, took me an hour to fit it and run the single coax satellite cable to my Cello Traveller tv, no power lead needed. That is it, you turn on your tv and set it to satellite and the mini dome fires up and finds the Astra 2 satellite. It is only good for the UK but it is so simple I love it.

 

[ctc]

£30 for an 85cm offset, lamp tripod from a skip, £17 for a nice LNB, and a few metres of wt65 shotgun cable. Plus a cheap signal meter and a portable sat tv. Perfectly easy no matter how much I've had for lunch.