lifes little luxeries (1 Viewer)

[APACHE 1988]

Took the battery off trickle charge today and bolted it back under the drivers seat. Connected perm. trickle charger on. Going on a tyre hunt tomorrow; one tyre is worn and another has cracks on the side walls. When tyres are sorted I will give the van a good clean and check all fluids. Then I will empty all the storage areas and re pack for a short break.....just the two of us...and with the Caravan store fitted not the awning....Awning is a two man job but Denise is not fully fit yet and I will not be pushing her. Just thinking about up dating the TV. Presently runs through an aerial booster to an aerial on a pole at rear of van but it is very " Directional" and can be a pain to tune in. What would I need to swap to Satellite please? Seen these "Dish in a box" on EBAY and they seem to have got cheaper recently. Would only need UK usage so what size would be best? Also what other parts are required...box or similar? Got to get the van more comfortable as my darling will be spending more time around the van until her lungs are back to being fully functional and she can walk any further than at the moment. Any ideas to make sitting out by the van a better experience appreciated.

 

[Beacons]

A nice comfy chair with a sheepskin as a seat cover. a blanket . a stool tea wine chocolates magazines cooked meals a little bell to summon you off the roof when your fixing your new satalite hope you have some lovely trips and your wife recovers soon.best wishes.

 

[APACHE 1988]

Not sure about the little bell! At the moment she calls me to ask for a cup of tea and is asleep when i get back with it!

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[Debs]

@APACHE 1988 but the sheepskin might be an idea - we bought 3 when skyeskyns did their 20% off in the new year but @Carol negotiated 10% discount for this year if you speak to Laura.

Les just ordered a small one for his motorbike seat - they're all beautiful quality. It's almost as big as the ones for the van seats

Best wishes for Denises continued recovery & lots of relaxing trips for you both.
X

 

[Deleted member 29692]

@APACHE 1988 re your satellite question.

You have two options really:

1. A free standing dish on a tripod that you set up outside the van and manually aim whenever you want to use it.
2. A roof mounted dish that's permanently in position. You can get manual versions but they usually tend to be automatic now i.e. you push a button and it raises itself and automatically locks on to the satellite.

You will need either a TV with integrated satellite receiver or a freesat set top box with both options. You can also take your sky box from home if you have one. That's what we do.

Costs: option 1 not a lot, you should be able to get up and running for less than £100. Option 2 is more expensive, for an automatic one budget somewhere around £2000 fitted.

If it's only for the UK the size doesn't really matter, one of the smaller ones would be fine but there isn't much price difference so I would probably go for a 60cm minimum. The bigger the better really.

 

[ianhyslop]

When I bought my van i had a satellite system fitted , then later on asked myself , why ? ,is not one of the reasons we love the life the fact that we can get away from the BOX . I am no Luddite but do we really need to take loads of electronic equipment with us when we go away ?

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[APACHE 1988]

Thanks Nicknic....will probably go with the Dish on a stick and the biggest dish for the money!!

Ian...when we have grand kids with us in the van we have DVDs on the box to keep them quiet while we fix breakfast. Other wise it gets little use but with my wifes current ill health long walks to pubs and restaurants will be out of the question so I need something to entertain Denise so I can sneak off fishing!!

 

[ianhyslop]

Apache , i feel your pain .

 

[DBK]

If it's just for UK use why not just upgrade your terrestrial aerial? A dish on a stick is certainly no easier to set up as you have to move it on two dimensions. A roof mounted aerial which you can twiddle from inside is the usual solution.

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[ChrisL]

You may find the following website helpfull when trying to allign your dish Link Removed and i purchased a compass and a signal finder which made things a lot easier. The first time you set it up it may take a little while but once you get the hang of it, it becomes easier. You can also buy USB satellite recievers so you can watch on your laptop whilst you are fine tuning your alignment.

 

[APACHE 1988]

Got away this weekend just gone. Only went about 4 miles in total to a local touring site.....with a carp pond. Denise was very busy snoozing in the sun. Came to find where I was fishing and landed the biggest fish of the day. I stood on the sharp end of a snapped windbreak post that pierced the sole of my trainer and stuck in my foot. Denise had to drive home. Both had a wonderful break.