Camos Crank Up Flat Sat System

[HOVIS1]

Has anyone fitted the above item to a Caravan?
I want to substitute the factory fitted "Status" crank up TV Aerial, for this.
Will it fit into the existing hole / cupboard ?
My 'Van is a Bailey Ranger GT60 2 Berth.

 

[Gafferbill]

Something to consider……

Any fixed systems suffer the drawback that the caravan would have to be repositioned if a signal could not be obtained due to it being blocked by a trees or buildings.
This might mean moving pitch otherwise your expensive equipment would be useless.

The flexibility of a dish on a tripod is hard to beat as it can be placed anywhere on your pitch to obtain a signal.

 

[HOVIS1]

Thanks for your response, howverer, the dish in question is full directional , not fixed.

 

[RogerL]

Thanks for your response, howverer, the dish in question is full directional , not fixed.

You'd still need to move the caravan if you can't get line-of-sight view of the satellites.
The other issue is that in high winds the dish would rip the caravan roof off if you didn't put it down in time.
I'm minded to get a fully automated dome dish for my next caravan - quite a bit more expensive but safer than any dish in high wind, whether roof or tripod mounted - in our case we rarely use formal sites with small (relatively) pitches, preferring CLs and good commercials.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

I fitted the Maxview Semitronic mounted on the roof about 5 years ago and have transferred it between 3 vans now
I carry a tripod and dish back up in case trees are in the way after using common sense and first telling the site reception that we would very much like to watch Sky TV
They will then usually(so far always) tell you the best pitches for clean line of site of the satellite
I have only needed to use the back up dish 2 times in 5 years due to full site etc--not counting the times its been on loan in France to other campers
I find it much better than using a seperate tripod as the digibox can be installed at home and the dish is aimed from inside the van which is great when its raining
If in doubt about the pitch I can power the digi box up from a small inverter and check line of site before lowering the steadies
Its true and a valid point that you do have to lower the dish in conditions such as today but then I've seen many tripods blown over--including mine !
I chose the Semitronic because it is mounted on a pole that is attached firmly inside the van thus taking the strain off the roof
Hope that helps

One slight drawback with the Semiktronic is that it doesn't like cold weather so if its windy and at freezing or below it won't lower unless you stand on the bed and warm it up via the Heki roof light using a hair dryer

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[gordone6]

Hi,
We have a Camos Flatsat fitted on our caravan, find it great only ever moved pitch once for signal in many trips. Never had any wind problems and get excellent signal. When flat on the caravan roof can hardly see it as it rides very low when in the down/travel position.
We find much better than the tripod type satellite set up systems as we never have trouble with losing the signal because of wind or someone accidently knocking into it. Also if you are a winter caravaner you are setting up in the warm and dry with a cuppa in the other hand.
Be careful of those commenting who had never tried one, in our opinion an excellent piece of kit

 

[RogerL]

What's the strongest wind force that yours has handled, Gordon?

 

[gordone6]

Didnt measure the wind force, but we used it over the Christmas Period when the wind was strong enough to rock the caravan with the steadies down. We do have a substantial roof on our caravan, german the type you can walk on.
Gordon

 

[RogerL]

Didnt measure the wind force, but we used it over the Christmas Period when the wind was strong enough to rock the caravan with the steadies down. We do have a substantial roof on our caravan, german the type you can walk on.
Gordon

I didn't mean for you to have measured it - I tend to note the weather forecast when strong winds are around. We've been out in Storm Force 10 when it was almost impossible to stand.
But I think the difference is your very solid roof!

 

[gordone6]

Wind: We were on a hill in S Wales I would estimate the wind force to be 6 or 7 it was when everybody in the UK was experiencing high winds, we had the Camos up all night and as I previously said the caravan was rocking on its steadies, and we did not lose the signal once.
Best advice is to speak to a couple of companies that fit satellite dishes on caravans and ask them if they have any experience of the Camos Flat Sat.
Gordon

 

[RogerL]

My concern wouldn't be the Camos - it would be the caravan roof!

 

[WatsonJohnG]

I think that you would put the dish down long before any roof damage occurs simply because if the wind is that strong it would have blown the dish off the satellite and no picture would mean no satellite dish needed

I have had my Semitronic on 3 vans over 5+ years at 100 nights per year and when it was removed the roof was as new apart from a small plate to cover the hole so I don't think that it should be a worry

 

[gordone6]

I agree with John, do we know of any cases where a dish has blown off the roof of a caravan?
As previous mentioned phone round a few companies that specialise in roof mounted dishes, I did before I decided to go ahead. I had a dealer fit mine cos putting a hole in the roof you only get one chance and there is always the possibilities of wiring in the roof. There are direction and experiences of caravaners fitting dishes to caravans on the internet, at least one on fitting the Camos. But I considered it and chickened out, would have liked to have a go it did not look complicated but as I said only one chance with a hole in the roof.
Gordon

 

[NickinFrance]

I often see caravans towed behind white vans on autoroutes here at 100 kph+ with their sat dishes up.