how long does it take to set up satellite dish

[GillC1]

Just wondering on average how long it takes someone to setup their satellite dish. You may wonder why i am asking, i have just returned from C.C site in Tenby. A guy turned up at 3.00pm put up his awning and at 8.30pm he was still trying to setup the satellite. at one stage he was almost on the roof of his caravan. I am not opposed to people having their creature comforts but i would have thought the first thing to be done after the awning is up is to open the beer and the wine, and that only takes 30 seconds.

I don't want to upset all you satellite owners but surely it can done quicker than 41/2 hours.

 

[ColinA]

About 10 minutes if I have line of sight, if not there's no point in trying

Colin.

 

[AnnM1]

Hello Gill C

We have also experienced this long drawn out practice of attempting to set up a sky dish receiver! We were sat opposite a caravan which turned up, put up the awning and then tried to obtain sky reception --- this took him 4+ hours of 'annoying whistling' which only stopped briefly in order for him to open a beer can! It nearly drove us mad. We are (or should I say were) considering this option but I am not so sure now. Surely, they can be set up quicker than that --- if not they should be left at home!!!

Ann

 

[Lutz]

10 minutes is about average, too, although I have had occasions where the elevation angle was wrong because I had travelled too far from the last location to be able to leave that as it was before. Then it can be really nerve-racking until the source of the problem is found.

 

[ProfAlGoogle]

Normally takes me around 2 minutes' that's in this country & in Europe. If it took any longer than 5 minutes' I would not bother, going away in your caravan is for quality time and relaxing (beer springs to mind!) not for getting all frustrated trying to obtain a satalite signal.

Allan & Gill.

 

[Lutz]

The longest I've ever seen was the caravanner opposite on the last site we stayed at. He spent two whole days and even went all the way home in between to get another dish (presumably the LNB was defective and it took him all that time to find out).

 

[ProfAlGoogle]

Must admit that I cheat a bit Lutz, as I have just installed a Maxview crank up system that is permanently fitted to the caravan roof, it makes it one heck of a lot quicker to locate the Astra satellite than when I used to use a mobile system on a tripod. Down in the south of France a couple of weeks ago, and it took literally a couple of minuets to lock on to the satellite, with the added bonus of being able to fine tune it from within the caravan in seconds.

Allan & Gill.

 

[MikeAce]

It takes me a maximum of 5 minutes, i carry a compass that points out satellites instead of N,E,S,W to get it in the general direction then i tune it with a satellite meter.

The dish is on a tripod and is easy to put up.

(I am also an ex satellite engineer so its a doddle to me)

 

[Robert_374242026]

The longest I've ever seen was the caravanner opposite on the last site we stayed at. He spent two whole days and even went all the way home in between to get another dish (presumably the LNB was defective and it took him all that time to find out).

Hi Lutzt for a moment i thought you were seeing me except i was in Dresden.For me it turned out the dish was to small for uk viewing.

 

[JeremyClarksson]

5 mins but it can take longer if you set things up wrong i.e. wrong satellite, sat finder fitted incorrectly etc.

I expect the long times quoted were from people setting up for the first time with out proper instructions.

A good reason to try it at home first!

 

[WatsonJohnG]

It can take a long time if the LNB goes down and that is one reason I stopped using the Arcon Sweety/Multimo type of dish

With the Sky mini dish type with the LNB on the end of an arm its easy to get a replacement LNB in most places.

You need to be able to decide which bit of kit/cabling is at fault and the easiest way is to find a kind neighbour who will allow you to swap bits with him.

I lent my spare dish to a friend in Brittany as his perfectly aligned Multimo had conked out

 

[scottironsbtinternet.com]

On average it takes under 5 mins.The quickest ihave done it was 2 mins in France

 

[WatsonJohnG]

I have the Maxview semitronic on the van roof and I mark the pole inside the van when I locate the satellite .

In France last month the van/pole were in exactly the same position as they are on the drive a home

When you consider that the thickness of a pencil line is the difference between being "on" the satellite or "off" it that was amazing!

 

[Frank_374237154]

Depends on dish.A large 66cm Maxview on a tripod produces a much larger signal than a small dish,and has a wider "window" for detecting satellite.Mine took around 10 minutes to set up elevation at home the first time,thereafter it takes less than 5 minutes to set up on site.

Previously I used a small domestic dish on a home made base.This took 35 minutes the first time I used it!

 

[Dustydog]

I use a 66cm maxview dish on a tripod. best was 1min, worst 35mins. Why so long? My fault, wrong elevation angle.

The authority on this subject is David Sullivan. See his web site at "www.satelliteforcaravans.co.uk".

If you follow all his brilliant advice you should never have a problem subject to no obvious obstructions eg trees.

Cheers

Robbo

 

[blu]

Hi all

Agree with Alan i used the info from that website once and have never had a problem since.Never takes more than 5mins and having even once had a signal with no adjustment.Pure fluke.I use a 43cm dish which i paid just

 

[trucker]

I have only set mine up 6/7 times and the longest has been about 20 mins, of late 5/10 mins. What I cant get the hang of is the st meter, I dont understand it it just busses and flashes what for I dont know. I now just turn the tv so i can see it through the window and watch the bars move and lock on that way moving the dish slightly from east of south towards south.

Kevin H