Hi all, new member and first post. Just retired and heading off for our second journey, this time through the center of this great country. We are now in our third day at Ayers Rock and can't believe we cant get any coverage of the cricket and only limited AFL. The pub hasn't even got fox I know we come away to get away from all that stuff but a bloke has to know whats going on in the world of sport. I've given up my Grand Final seat for this 3 month trip. Now my question, what do you know about satellite dishes and digital boxes and VAST. On perusing the net there are plenty of options out there, but on reading some blogs there are some shockers. I see some advertised in the caravan and camping mags, but when you read the reviews on them you get some mixed opinions. I will be in Alice Springs in about 3 days and I've been told I could get one there. Has anybody got some advice, I don't want to end up with a dud. And can you get them in 12 volt so you can use them free camping.
I heard this morning that there's been an election called. I wonder if Julia will win? See what I mean.
Wombat 280 said
12:40 AM Aug 11, 2013
I thought John Howard was running for PM
Tezzaworth said
12:48 AM Aug 11, 2013
You need a sat dish too. I'll see if I can get a bulk buy
Patto44 said
12:57 AM Aug 11, 2013
Go to www.satplus.com.au.
They can deliver to your next van park.!!!!!!!
You need a dish and a decoder (similar to a set top box).
Register as 'traveler' and away you go.
Hope this helps,
Patto
Tezzaworth said
01:04 AM Aug 11, 2013
Thanks Patto, Good looking little camper your got there, Tell me have you got one yourself and what sort of dollars am I looking at.
Patto44 said
01:22 AM Aug 11, 2013
We have had one for several years now. It cost about $ 600 all up. They now have a better decoder/pvr box which has a 500gb hard drive etc. etc. which is advertised on TV. I believe that is about $600 by itself, if you need it.
The dish packages are about $250 - $300 plus the Vast box which was around $ 300 for the one we bought.
Cheers
Patto
Patto44 said
01:24 AM Aug 11, 2013
Also, go to www.mysattv.com.au --- lots of info.
Delta18 said
01:41 AM Aug 11, 2013
Six Greenbacks should get you set up. As said, go to www.satplus.com.au and talk to them. I would recommend the Satking box, 12/240v with PVR function.
That box is around $270, then you need a dish & LNB, (140ish) tripod, cables & connectors maybe another 1-150$. That box has a built in sat finder but I would suggest a programmable sat finder for around $100.
Stay away from the van mag kits, you may (IMHO) be disappointed.
Feel free to PM me if I can help.
Cheers Neil
Tezzaworth said
01:47 AM Aug 11, 2013
Thanks Patto, have been looking at the satplus site will do a bit more homework and contact them about possible delivery. Helps to hear direct from a happy purchaser. How many K's per litre do you get pulling your 5th around.
Cheers Tezzaworth.
Patto44 said
02:12 AM Aug 11, 2013
Tezzaworth wrote:
Thanks Patto, have been looking at the satplus site will do a bit more homework and contact them about possible delivery. Helps to hear direct from a happy purchaser. How many K's per litre do you get pulling your 5th around. Cheers Tezzaworth.
I have a 6.7 litre Dodge RAM as a tug. With the van on I get about 18 litres per hundred k's.
Worst I've had was from Wentworth to Broken Hill with a strong head wind all the way and used 23 litres per hundred.
Tezzaworth said
03:58 AM Aug 11, 2013
That's pretty good considering my V8 turbo diesel is only getting 5.5klm per ltr which comes in the same as 18lts per 100 pulling my 6.5 mtr van, that's on pretty good days sitting on a 100. What weights your 5th wheeler looks like 1/2 a house.
Tezzaworth said
04:05 AM Aug 11, 2013
Thanks Neil (Delta 18) between you and Patto you seem to have me on the right path. Nothing like getting the nod from happy users.
Cheers Terry
Dunmowin said
04:07 AM Aug 11, 2013
Our sat dish & 12v decoder, cables & LNB, tripod and sat finder cost us $700.00 ready to go, fortunately, our van was already wired for satellite, and we had a 12 v digital tv. We bought ours through a reputable company in Albany WA - Albany TV & installation. They set up the entire thing for us, including instructions on how to find your satellite.
Watch out for the company who advertised for cheap setups in the caravan mags, it has already been discussed in previous posts that these guys only look after them selves.
My advice is to talk in personto someone in Alice Springs when you arrive.
Tezzaworth said
04:55 AM Aug 11, 2013
Thanks Guru, I understand where your coming from & if I cant get the right answers I won't be getting one until I know its OK. I realise that electronics changes rapidly so I don' t want to get stuck with old stock being run out as this months specials.
PeterInSa said
05:22 PM Aug 11, 2013
And get the Sat finder that only locks onto the C1 Sat. also from Satplus.
I also have:
A small digital Thingo that tells you the dish elevation
And a DVD showing every town in Oz with the elevation and North East parameters to point the dish at, but only use this info to get the dish elevation, then you set the dish to the right elevation point the dish roughly North East and slowly rotate the dish and the C1 Sat finder lets you know when you are on the Sat, then do some fine tunung.
Peter
retiree said
08:15 PM Aug 11, 2013
we purchased a satellite complete kit everthing included on Friday from satplus sunshine coast branch full cost 720.00 came back to bus and hubby fully set up registered with vast and up and running in a hr only took about 30mins to set up this is being first time only takes about ten minutes now all decoder all in its place very happy with it and service we got from satplus everthing explained hope this helps you cheers cherylle
NeilandRaine said
10:42 PM Aug 11, 2013
When we were in Alice Jaycar had a complete vast set up for about $500. Jaycar is in the laneway beside KMart
Patto44 said
11:13 PM Aug 11, 2013
Tezzaworth wrote:
That's pretty good considering my V8 turbo diesel is only getting 5.5klm per ltr which comes in the same as 18lts per 100 pulling my 6.5 mtr van, that's on pretty good days sitting on a 100. What weights your 5th wheeler looks like 1/2 a house.
Re your sat dish --- I have 2 sat finders (one came in the package and I bought another one from Jaycar) both work reasonable but can be a bit fiddly in some locations.
I now have an app for my 'smart' phone (I use the word 'smart' very loosely sometimes). It is a freebie called SatDirector and allows you to set it on C1 and is very easy to use.
The dish, LNB, and cables etc are not 'old stock' regardless of where you buy them. The vast decoder I have has been superceded but does not affect anything. The new box is dearer but has a hard drive and can be used as PVR.
The van is legal to 4490kg and the tug 5535kg (gvm). Both come in under their maximum allowable.
Patto
KFT said
11:28 PM Aug 11, 2013
G'day Tezzaworth,
I agree with the comments regarding Satplus and also Satgear.
In Alice Springs you can get all the satplus gear at a company called Alicetronics in one of the shopping centres. I would steer clear of Jaycar as they seem to push the old analogue satfinders which are next to useless.
frank
Tezzaworth said
04:45 AM Aug 12, 2013
Thanks Frank, I've seen that mob advertising on the tv whilst I've been up here, if they h got the right system in stock it would save issues with postage to future camp spots or post offices.
Tezzaworth said
04:51 AM Aug 12, 2013
Thanks Cherylle. It sounds like Satplus is the preferred setup by all on this forum. Will check them out when i get to Alice in a couple of days.
Cheers Terry
Delta18 said
06:11 PM Aug 12, 2013
In my opinion don't get the dish that unfolds and sits on the ground. Get a normal style dish and a tripod. Much easier to set up and secure against wind. It is very simple then to (later) add a pole to your van on the front or back to take the dish which is even stronger & quicker.
Get a dish with a 'quick release' LNB arm rather than a 'folding' type, they are more accurate.
I would definitely look at the SatKing decoder, it is the latest on the scene so is latest technology.
Hi all, new member and first post. Just retired and heading off for our second journey, this time through the center of this great country. We are now in our third day at Ayers Rock and can't believe we cant get any coverage of the cricket and only limited AFL. The pub hasn't even got fox I know we come away to get away from all that stuff but a bloke has to know whats going on in the world of sport. I've given up my Grand Final seat for this 3 month trip. Now my question, what do you know about satellite dishes and digital boxes and VAST. On perusing the net there are plenty of options out there, but on reading some blogs there are some shockers. I see some advertised in the caravan and camping mags, but when you read the reviews on them you get some mixed opinions. I will be in Alice Springs in about 3 days and I've been told I could get one there. Has anybody got some advice, I don't want to end up with a dud. And can you get them in 12 volt so you can use them free camping.
I heard this morning that there's been an election called. I wonder if Julia will win? See what I mean.
Go to www.satplus.com.au.
They can deliver to your next van park.!!!!!!!
You need a dish and a decoder (similar to a set top box).
Register as 'traveler' and away you go.
Hope this helps,
Patto
We have had one for several years now. It cost about $ 600 all up. They now have a better decoder/pvr box which has a 500gb hard drive etc. etc. which is advertised on TV. I believe that is about $600 by itself, if you need it.
The dish packages are about $250 - $300 plus the Vast box which was around $ 300 for the one we bought.
Cheers
Patto
Also, go to www.mysattv.com.au --- lots of info.
Six Greenbacks should get you set up. As said, go to www.satplus.com.au and talk to them. I would recommend the Satking box, 12/240v with PVR function.
That box is around $270, then you need a dish & LNB, (140ish) tripod, cables & connectors maybe another 1-150$. That box has a built in sat finder but I would suggest a programmable sat finder for around $100.
Stay away from the van mag kits, you may (IMHO) be disappointed.
Feel free to PM me if I can help.
Cheers Neil
Cheers Tezzaworth.
I have a 6.7 litre Dodge RAM as a tug. With the van on I get about 18 litres per hundred k's.
Worst I've had was from Wentworth to Broken Hill with a strong head wind all the way and used 23 litres per hundred.
Cheers Terry
Our sat dish & 12v decoder, cables & LNB, tripod and sat finder cost us $700.00 ready to go, fortunately, our van was already wired for satellite, and we had a 12 v digital tv. We bought ours through a reputable company in Albany WA - Albany TV & installation. They set up the entire thing for us, including instructions on how to find your satellite.
Watch out for the company who advertised for cheap setups in the caravan mags, it has already been discussed in previous posts that these guys only look after them selves.
My advice is to talk in person to someone in Alice Springs when you arrive.
Thanks Guru, I understand where your coming from & if I cant get the right answers I won't be getting one until I know its OK. I realise that electronics changes rapidly so I don' t want to get stuck with old stock being run out as this months specials.
I also have:
A small digital Thingo that tells you the dish elevation
And a DVD showing every town in Oz with the elevation and North East parameters to point the dish at, but only use this info to get the dish elevation, then you set the dish to the right elevation point the dish roughly North East and slowly rotate the dish and the C1 Sat finder lets you know when you are on the Sat, then do some fine tunung.
Peter
we purchased a satellite complete kit everthing included on Friday from satplus sunshine coast branch full cost 720.00 came back to bus and hubby fully set up registered with vast and up and running in a hr only took about 30mins to set up this is being first time only takes about ten minutes now all decoder all in its place very happy with it and service we got from satplus everthing explained hope this helps you cheers cherylle
Re your sat dish --- I have 2 sat finders (one came in the package and I bought another one from Jaycar) both work reasonable but can be a bit fiddly in some locations.
I now have an app for my 'smart' phone (I use the word 'smart' very loosely sometimes). It is a freebie called SatDirector and allows you to set it on C1 and is very easy to use.
The dish, LNB, and cables etc are not 'old stock' regardless of where you buy them. The vast decoder I have has been superceded but does not affect anything. The new box is dearer but has a hard drive and can be used as PVR.
The van is legal to 4490kg and the tug 5535kg (gvm). Both come in under their maximum allowable.
Patto
I agree with the comments regarding Satplus and also Satgear.
In Alice Springs you can get all the satplus gear at a company called Alicetronics in one of the shopping centres. I would steer clear of Jaycar as they seem to push the old analogue satfinders which are next to useless.
frank
Thanks Frank, I've seen that mob advertising on the tv whilst I've been up here, if they h got the right system in stock it would save issues with postage to future camp spots or post offices.
Thanks Cherylle. It sounds like Satplus is the preferred setup by all on this forum. Will check them out when i get to Alice in a couple of days.
Cheers Terry
In my opinion don't get the dish that unfolds and sits on the ground. Get a normal style dish and a tripod. Much easier to set up and secure against wind. It is very simple then to (later) add a pole to your van on the front or back to take the dish which is even stronger & quicker.
Get a dish with a 'quick release' LNB arm rather than a 'folding' type, they are more accurate.
I would definitely look at the SatKing decoder, it is the latest on the scene so is latest technology.
Cheers Neil