Absolute newbie

**Stu** · 05-05-16, 01:45 PM

Hi to all members, we have recently purchased a new 22'6 full size caravan (which the wife wanted for our future grey nomad travels).
We have started to do some free camping and we now find we are in need of a satellite free to air system or foxtel system.
As usuall there are so many companies out there selling these products I am not sure where to begin.
We live in SA so maybe we should start looking locally.
I would be most interest in what systems other members are using and can advise us.
Thanks in advance.
Stu

**Tiny** · 05-05-16, 02:21 PM

Ok, to simplify VAST is Viewer Access Satellite Television.

You can qualify for the commercial stations ,7-9-10 etc, by being a genuine traveller & filling in an application- Traveller's Temporary Certificate @ & renewing every 6 months. This link also provides info about the VAST system.

Then purchase equipment, VAST certified decoder, UEC 4121 or 4639, Satking or Humax. Or a VAST Certified Cam & Card to go in a DVB-S2 satellite decoder.
You will need to do some reading on what you want out of the decoder, just watch TV or record TV (1 or 2 tuners for multiple recording/watching) etc.
All you need to know is in this part of the forum for VAST.

You will also need a dish recommend ~80cm in size with a suitable 10700 K-Band LNBf.

Plus cabling.

Hope that helps & now gives you some more questions.

**mtv** · 05-05-16, 02:51 PM

In relation to the dish, there are several options.

There are folding dishes which literally fold in half.

Some have folding LNB arms, others are removable.

There are fully automatic motorised dishes and manually operated 'crank-up' types.

The auto/crank-up type are quick and easy to operate, but being fixed on the van roof, you must park the van so the dish has a clear view of the sky in the direction of the satellite.

This is where the portable (and much cheaper) ground-mounted dish has the advantage of being able to be placed on the ground anywhere convenient (with the required clear view) away from the van.

There are numerous satellite shops and often caravan sales/accessory centres that will have all the equipment available to view.

You can also purchase online. eg:

I highly recommend a satellite meter that has a signal quality reading display. eg: left & middle pics

You would be best to purchase as a kit, which usually is cost effective.

eg:

**Thala Dan** · 05-05-16, 03:48 PM

Stu,

As an ex-carvanner, a couple of comments:

If you intend to use your system when you free-camp, think about a VAST receiver (and TV) that can run on 12 Volts, as well as mains. Running the system on 12V, as opposed to Inverter/generator 240V, is more reliable and more efficient. There are also many areas where you are not permitted to run a generator.

I strongly recommend the tripod mounted dish, as opposed to roof mounted. Not sure where you aim to travel eventually (probably everywhere) but there are lots of places where you really need to be able to move that dish around to get a clear shot - again, particularly if free-camping in the bush.

If you go with the external dish, you'll need a F-type wall penetrator to bring the dish coax into the van, if one is not already fitted.

Beware the Wineguard penetrator (if you have a Wineguard TV antenna mounted on the roof)........the external inlet for cable TV (found in some parks) marries up with the Wineguard antenna coax coming down through the wall cavity. Whilst this tie-in is OK for the cable TV system, it's not the best for bringing in a satellite coax.

Without doubt, the single biggest satellite issue we witnessed in ten years caravanning, was people ready to commit homicide whilst trying to find the satellite with a simple squawk box meter.

As MTV says....get a decent one that gives you some idea as to whether you are on the correct satellite.

The Clearsat meter in MTV's link is perfectly adequate............many members of this forum bought one when they first came out (self included) and there is a thread on the forum, about them.

Only thing I would mention, though, is that as much as I admire Satplus and their service, fact is you can get the same meter for a lot less on eBay:

And don't get carried away with the meters that have a tiny TV screen in them.....they are more expensive, you don't need them, and the "cheaper" ones only handle DVB-S.....it is far better that you can find the DVB-S2 signals directly.....which you can do with the SF500.

Another crowd to check out for a VAST kit is:

I have dealt with both Satplus and Access Antennas and always received reliable service from both.