Avtex AQF431 Fully Automatic Portable Satellite

[TonyG]

Hi
can any one help, i am thinking of buying the above unit, has anyone got one, i would really be interested on how it performs and i would be really interested on the coverage of this unit, exspecially south of France etc.There seems to be little information on teh internet or even Avtex web site

thanks in advance

 

[RogerL]

Where would you put it in operation to stop toerags walking away with it?
The dish can't be any bigger than 48cm from the dimensions given so you'd need to check satellite coverage maps.

 

[Surfer]

Isn't it fitted onto the roof of the caravan?

 

[RogerL]

Isn't it fitted onto the roof of the caravan?

It's on rubber feet - it could be placed on the roof but also anywhere else on the pitch.
The roof-mounted ones are typically £1,500+

 

[graham_somersham]

I seem to remember there is no strong point on the unit with which to secure it to stop it walking. It might be worth checking if it is simply a badge job, if so there may be reviews of other brands of the same unit and they might also be cheaper....

 

[GrahamDerby]

i bought my system from Aldi,it works fine, i can think of better things to spend £650 on. Or is it me being tight?

 

[JTQ]

As its an automatic satellite seeking unit then you could get away with just deploying it when required so security is not then a real issue? Still feel that would be a bit too much hassle for me though.
I would certainly not feel the investment worth it for us; I find no real difficulty in setting up my 54 CM Trax dish unless the pitch requires particularly attention to pointing through vegetation. In some ways doing that elusive "sweet spot" finding with my dish and audio signal finder I feel is going to be easier than moving this unit about and waiting to find if it succeeds or fails.
Going the conventional route does allow you to buy a bigger dish if when away you find your dish is too small, with very little expense. Our 54 CM dish works in the French Pyrenees in all but really bad weather. For further East I would probably recommend a 60 CM conventional dish, however the bigger the more hassle it brings in respect to transporting etc so bear that in mind.
Sorry for being negative re the unit, but I am far from convinced of its attributes for the significant extra cost. If your new to this and concerned about setting up then IMO those that struggle are not systematic in their approach or have too small a dish, both easy issues to address.

 

[TonyG]

No i currently use a maxview 66cm dish on tripod with no issues. having said that i am toying with the idea of the unit above or the camos dome.
There are no pockets in a shroud,,, and i quite like the idea of press one button and it does the job for you