Snipe satellite dishes - do they last the course? (1 Viewer)

Millie's Mum and Dad

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Aug 11, 2014
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Well we've signed on the dotted line for our 2008 Swift Bolero 630EW, ordered the microwave and the extra mains socket in the washroom for my hairdryer (essential) and now we just wait. One question still unanswered tho. We don't really want to fork out another £2K for a sat dome so our thoughts turned to the Snipe which I've read a lot about on here. And £550 is a lot more appealing. However, our MH dealer won't install one. Says they're rubbish and the motors pack up.

Anyone had this problem?:cautious::cautious:

Annie
 
Mar 21, 2009
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Can't comment on the motor as we've only had ours for a couple of weeks but hubby installed ours & the set up & operation was easy (he's a bit of a technophobic so was exptecting lots of swearing & fould language but none surfaced)
So far we've been getting good pictures wherever we've been.
Suspect the dealer won't make so much money out of a Snipe.
Ours was £560 off ebay including the base plate for the roof.
 
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scotjimland

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I think they are too new on the market to know if they 'last the course ' ..

I had a Google and can't find many complaints.. but know where you're coming from.. can they be 'that' good at that cost.. ?

time will tell.. come back in five years . :LOL:..

Unless you are going to France, do you really need satellite TV .. ?

Freeview with a decent aerial is fine for most sites in the UK ..

I was thinking on fitting a dish.. .. then decided against.. when we go abroad the last thing we need is TV..

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Steve101uk

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My question about snipe is what size dish is it equivalent to? and how does it fair on astra 2 in southern France where an 80 cm dish would now be required?
 
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JeanLuc

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Not related to the Snipe, but concerning your comment about having a mains socket in the washroom, I am surprised a dealer would fit one in this location. 230V standard sockets are not allowed in bathrooms at home in order to reduce the likelihood of shock. I would have though the same applies in a motorhome.
I understood that in a house, any 230V outlet has to be fed via a transformer.

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scotjimland

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Not related to the Snipe, but concerning your comment about having a mains socket in the washroom, I am surprised a dealer would fit one in this location. 230V standard sockets are not allowed in bathrooms at home in order to reduce the likelihood of shock. I would have though the same applies in a motorhome.
I understood that in a house, any 230V outlet has to be fed via a transformer.

nothing in the caravan electrical regs to say specifically that you can't..

6. - All circuits must be provided with a protective conductor. All sockets are to be three pin with earthed contact and must have no accessible conductive parts. If two or more systems at different voltages are in use, the plugs of the differing systems must not be interchangeable. ELV sources must be 12 V, 24 V or 48 V when dc, or 12 V, 24 V, 42 V or 48 V when ac. Such ELV sockets must have their voltage clearly marked. Wiring may be flexible or with at least seven strands in non-metallic conduit (wiring systems which will allow fire to spread along them must not be used) or sheathed flexible cables, with the smallest conductor being 1.5 mm2 in cross-sectional area. Where 240 V and extra-low voltage circuits (usually 12 V) are both used, the cables of the two systems must be run separately and must both be insulated for 240 V. Since the wiring will be subjected to vibration when the caravan is moved, great care must be taken to ensure that bushes or grommets are used where it passes through metalwork.

however, it does say

Where a caravan appliance may be exposed to the effects of moisture, it must be protected to lp55 (protected from dust and from water jets).

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/7.9.2.htm

I read that as.. if there is any risk of splashing on the socket outlet it should be protected IP65 .. personally I wouldn't put a 230v socket in the bathroom.. protected or not.. a hairdryer can surely be used outside the wet room..
 
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Voyger1010

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Oct 25, 2013
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our MH dealer won't install one. Says they're rubbish and the motors pack up.
Hi there, I have one and wouldn't be without it , I've had it for 2 and half years on two different motorhomes, no problem with motor or the dish or with the setup. They are pretty robust and appear to be very well made, as they can be mounted on the roof in all weathers, with an additional plate
Have mine so that it is not fixed on the roof, that way I can move it round the blessed tree that always seems to be there, wherever I park up.
So mine is not fixed to the roof therefore didn't need motorhome dealer to fit . easy to do the connections yourself and all the instructions are in the box(The motorhome dealer probably will be only to pleased to fit an oyster or some such at £2500 ) so I think you have your answer.
I've used mine down in Biscarrosse, south of Bordeaux , and in Lake Garda Italy and it works fine, also if you have the satellite receiver that can pick up Hotbird and Astra 19 sats, (lots of foreign and some English programs on them)you will be okay too. As for the 240v socket I am sure your dealer will put it out of harms way (water on it etc. ) but check with him, to make sure you get it where you want it, for the hair dryer, bearing in mind other comments on here. Hope it help, All the best
 
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Lenny HB

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Had one for a year, did have a problem with it not shuting down properly it was the switch the dish contacts with when it goes down. Could have fixed it myself but as it was still under warranty phoned Avtex they colected it the next day new one received 3 days later.
As for reception don't notice any difference to the 85cm Oyster on the last van received UK channels as far south as 40km north of Orange

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Lenny HB

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Not related to the Snipe, but concerning your comment about having a mains socket in the washroom, I am surprised a dealer would fit one in this location. 230V standard sockets are not allowed in bathrooms at home in order to reduce the likelihood of shock. I would have though the same applies in a motorhome.
I understood that in a house, any 230V outlet has to be fed via a transformer.
It's standard on all the Hymers I have seen, both of our Hymers have had them as has every new Hymer.
 
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Nov 6, 2013
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Well we've signed on the dotted line for our 2008 Swift Bolero 630EW, ordered the microwave and the extra mains socket in the washroom for my hairdryer (essential) and now we just wait. One question still unanswered tho. We don't really want to fork out another £2K for a sat dome so our thoughts turned to the Snipe which I've read a lot about on here. And £550 is a lot more appealing. However, our MH dealer won't install one. Says they're rubbish and the motors pack up.

Anyone had this problem?:cautious::cautious:

Annie
 
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Aug 18, 2014
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Not related to the Snipe, but concerning your comment about having a mains socket in the washroom, I am surprised a dealer would fit one in this location. 230V standard sockets are not allowed in bathrooms at home in order to reduce the likelihood of shock. I would have though the same applies in a motorhome.
I understood that in a house, any 230V outlet has to be fed via a transformer.
& you cannot get a building works completion on a Spanish house if there isn't a socket in the bathroom !!! :LOL:

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Lenny HB

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A much more sensible idea, my van had only one 12v socket in the whole van (not counting Fiat dash ones) & 4 mains sockets, what a waste of time in a vehicle designed to be used on the road.
Also the socket takes the standard cigar lighter size plug instead of the better quality Hella ones they used to use.
 
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Nov 5, 2011
232
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A-Class
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Well we've signed on the dotted line for our 2008 Swift Bolero 630EW, ordered the microwave and the extra mains socket in the washroom for my hairdryer (essential) and now we just wait. One question still unanswered tho. We don't really want to fork out another £2K for a sat dome so our thoughts turned to the Snipe which I've read a lot about on here. And £550 is a lot more appealing. However, our MH dealer won't install one. Says they're rubbish and the motors pack up.

Anyone had this problem?:cautious::cautious:

Annie

Our Snipe (not the £650 jobby) has to be fitted by someone Avtex approved that may account for the dealer's comment.

We've been full-timing since September 2014 & our Avtex Pro-Max equivalent to a 75cm dish () cost £1300 fitted on the site in UK where we were. We're currently at Le Cabri (http://www.lecabri.eu.com/cabri/index.htm) east of Bordeaux & had excellent reception of UK channels apart from when it was peeing it down last night!!! Had to retune it to watch Inspector Montalbano on BBC 4-whatever turns you on!

Our Hymer is 2012 & has mains in the bathroom that I use to recharge my electric toothbrush.

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Feb 16, 2013
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Mains socket in a bathroom is crazy, why would you want one , can't you come out and use a hair dryer, what do you do at home as you won't have a mains socket in there if the regs are adeared to.
 
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The Lobster

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However, our MH dealer won't install one. Says they're rubbish and the motors pack up.

Interestingly, I note that "Snipe v2" is now being advertised on a well known auction site - if you read the adverts the say that the improvements are:
  • New Construction: No mechanical damage when lifting the antenna from it's carry case. Improved Home position incl. Locking system ensures a firm and secure grip while driving.
  • New Mechanics: The durability of the transmission has been greatly improved by the use of die-cast aluminum.
  • New engine: The new powerful engine, reinforced with a 18: 1 ratio, has a high torque and provides for the alignment of less noise.
  • New Controller: The new controller can store up to 13 satellites. Through the LCD display to the user all the information displayed easily and clearly. Firmware updates can be performed directly on the controller with a USB stick now very easy, without the controller must be connected or removed on the PC.
Note the transmission and motor improvements. Presumably this is because v1 did have issues in these areas. There was a lot of debate on another thread about where you could reasonably roof mount the Snipe, and whether you should go for the Snipe Pro instead (stronger mount, otherwise identical, somewhat more expensive). I note that the Snipe v2 is still being sold with "Mounting plate for mounting eg on the roof of an RV".

I'm very taken by this sort of flat planar array antenna design - much more sensible (in principle) than a traditional dish. I don't have satellite (yet) but Snipe is the one that's top of my list at the moment...
 
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Charlie

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I keep looking at the Snipe. Like the looks of it and of course the price. Seems a hack of a lot in comparison for the money.

Not really sure we need satellite so dont really want to spend the large amounts of money some of the systems which dont seem to offer anything more . (y)

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laneside

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We have had our Snipe for about 18 months now and it has never failed us and we now live in the Limousin where it works perfect. We have been down below Biaritz and still got the freesat channels from Astra 2 but below there it becomes a no go
 
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Charlie

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Thanks for the replies !!

Is it worth going for the V2 ? I can find just the one V2 on EBay at a good price but it's from a German seller. Have no issues buying from Germany though. All the rest on EBay are the expensive Pro series or what I take to be the standards non V2 version.
 
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Billy23

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Thanks for the replies !!

Is it worth going for the V2 ? I can find just the one V2 on EBay at a good price but it's from a German seller. Have no issues buying from Germany though. All the rest on EBay are the expensive Pro series or what I take to be the standards non V2 version.


Go to EBay Germany, go mine there, lots to choose from. I would get V2 as they did have some problems with the motor on V1 and have put stronger motor in V2.

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The Lobster

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I assume Avtex re-brand them - the OEM is Selftsat. You can see how clearly they support roof mount from their product pages here:

They are South Korean, which may be why they are able to deliver at such a compelling price. They seem very innovative compared to the dish makers - e.g. their new "Snipe Air" appears to combine the Snipe dish with an 8-way LNB and Wireless router to let you watch different Sat channels on multiple local devices e.g. tablets, phones :)

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RowleyBirkinQC

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Our Snipe v1 has been roof mounted for over a year now and continues to work ok. It was sourced via ebay, from a UK AV vendor who had it shipped from Germany at a very reasonable price. The package included the roof mounting plate. As has been said, the original marketing materials promote roof mounting. I've not looked at the price differential, but assuming not stupidly wide, I would probably go with the v2 if buying again today - only because in comparison with v1 it should presumably have addressed some now known limitations/weaknesses.
 
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Geo

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Didn't the Germans have a good few problems with the V1 and V2 back in 1940s :whistle:
 
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