It’s happened again . No satellite TV🙀

[Dustydog]

Very weird. Same thing happened at the Waterrow Woosiefest some years ago.
Here at Clachtoll Sutherland , uninterrupted view , sat meter shows 84% signal strength and 83% quality for Astra 2S. Sky box says no signal. Wasted too much time on it and still nothing. Given up and going for a beach walk.
It worked perfectly at Moffat and Culloden.
At least iPad works tethering to I phone. Never had all this ridiculous tech stuff as a kid camping. Must regress 🤪

 

[otherclive]

Very weird. Same thing happened at the Waterrow Woosiefest some years ago.
Here at Clachtoll Sutherland , uninterrupted view , sat meter shows 84% signal strength and 83% quality for Astra 2S. Sky box says no signal. Wasted too much time on it and still nothing. Given up and going for a beach walk.
It worked perfectly at Moffat and Culloden.
At least iPad works tethering to I phone. Never had all this ridiculous tech stuff as a kid camping. Must regress 🤪

Perhaps you could call in and see Saxo Appeal for some tips, as he's in Scotland.

 

[Hutch]

Did you not realise, that the satellite signals are blocked due to the Sutherland and Highlands Inland Treaty, during the Haggis migration back to Toblermory, for the breeding season.

 

[Hutch]

View: https://youtube.com/watch?v=ey794pYaYCU&feature=shared

 

[Lutz]

Very weird. Same thing happened at the Waterrow Woosiefest some years ago.
Here at Clachtoll Sutherland , uninterrupted view , sat meter shows 84% signal strength and 83% quality for Astra 2S. Sky box says no signal. Wasted too much time on it and still nothing. Given up and going for a beach walk.
It worked perfectly at Moffat and Culloden.
At least iPad works tethering to I phone. Never had all this ridiculous tech stuff as a kid camping. Must regress 🤪

I strongly suspect that you’ve locked on to a good and powerful satellite but it’s not Astra 2. That sort of thing has happened to me on occasions.

 

[RogerL]

Are you sure you've got the elevation correct - it's very low in that part of Scotland - my offset dish looks like it pointing into the ground when I'm in the North-West Highlands.

 

[Lutz]

Are you sure you've got the elevation correct - it's very low in that part of Scotland - my offset dish looks like it pointing into the ground when I'm in the North-West Highlands.

If you’ve got the elevation wrong you wouldn’t be getting such a strong signal, albeit one that’s not Astra 2.

 

[Dustydog]

Are you sure you've got the elevation correct - it's very low in that part of Scotland - my offset dish looks like it pointing into the ground when I'm in the North-West Highlands.

Thanks chaos.
Yes, double checked angle of elevation 18.4 degs. Azimuth on the compass circa142 degs.
LNB angle correct too.
The last two sites my “Sproket” semi professional meter locked onto Astra 2 within 20 seconds of gently moving the dish.
Quite a few new arrivals this afternoon so will leave it until tomorrow for another try.

 

[Woodentop]

Don't forget that the dish has a built-in 25deg elevation when the the dish is vertical so if you need less than 25 deg elevation the dish will actually look tilted down.

 

[RogerL]

Don't forget that the dish has a built-in 25deg elevation when the the dish is vertical so if you need less than 25 deg elevation the dish will actually look tilted down.

Dishes vary - some don't have any offset.

 

[Lutz]

If you're getting a good signal, which apparently is the case, (you mention 84% strength and 83% quality) then you can only be locked on to the wrong satellite.

 

[Mr Grumpy]

Dishes vary - some don't have any offset.

Some have apple pie and custard 🤓

I'll get my coat 🥴

 

[JTQ]

This is where taking advantage of our Avtex TV's built in "EasyFind" feature is so good.
The associated LNB's "traffic lights" LED, visible there at the dish itself give a sure indication of whether the satellite is the right one or not.

Clearly I could invest in an all singing sophisticated meter, but with only a personal need to identify our one "right" satellite cluster, this technology is spot on and already paid for in the Avtex build.

 

[Dustydog]

After two attempts and a discussion with Sky I am pleased to report Sky TV is NOT available everywhere in the U.K.🙀.

Here at Clachtoll beach Starlink is available at a stupid price.

Our mobile phone provider EE has good 4G cover so radio , some live and i player programmes can be watched.
A good book takes some beating👍

 

[otherclive]

After two attempts and a discussion with Sky I am pleased to report Sky TV is NOT available everywhere in the U.K.🙀.

Here at Clachtoll beach Starlink is available at a stupid price.

Our mobile phone provider EE has good 4G cover so radio , some live and i player programmes can be watched.
A good book takes some beating👍

So much for the improved footprint that reduced my signal in southern France. Not a very patriotic move. Mind you precious few folks to upset where you are . But at least you have decent weather whilst it is bucketing down in Wilts.

 

[Gafferbill]

Alan ......at least you have blue skies and the Sun.
You wouldn't want to be outside fiddling with a Sat dish here!
Torrential rain all day today and the same likely tomorrow here in Weymouth

 

[Woodentop]

After two attempts and a discussion with Sky I am pleased to report Sky TV is NOT available everywhere in the U.K.🙀.

Here at Clachtoll beach Starlink is available at a stupid price.

Our mobile phone provider EE has good 4G cover so radio , some live and i player programmes can be watched.
A good book takes some beating👍

Sorry Dusty but Sky is available everywhere in the UK, it is just that in some places - Clachtoll beach being one of them - the dish needs to be a bit higher than a caravan or motorhome. A bit of research looks as though you might be at about 10m above sea level but with a hill of in excess of 50m in the direction of the satellite and no more than a ¼km or less distant. Get up the hill to the SE and it will work, but that I guess is impractical?

 

[Dustydog]

Sorry Dusty but Sky is available everywhere in the UK, it is just that in some places - Clachtoll beach being one of them - the dish needs to be a bit higher than a caravan or motorhome. A bit of research looks as though you might be at about 10m above sea level but with a hill of in excess of 50m in the direction of the satellite and no more than a ¼km or less distant. Get up the hill to the SE and it will work, but that I guess is impractical?

I spoke to a tech lady at Sky who confirmed no go. I guess if I was higher there’s a chance but not practical.
Hopefully at Ullapool and Gairloch we will have some success 🤔🤔
Thanks for the advice, very interesting, Do you think we will be ok at the next stops?

 

[RogerL]

After two attempts and a discussion with Sky I am pleased to report Sky TV is NOT available everywhere in the U.K.🙀.

Here at Clachtoll beach Starlink is available at a stupid price.

Our mobile phone provider EE has good 4G cover so radio , some live and i player programmes can be watched.
A good book takes some beating👍

That may be a different restriction to Freesat, which works fine on Benbecula which is further north-west - although Sky TV and Freesat both use the same programme transmissions they use different EPG channels so it may be the Sky EPG which doesn't reach all parts of the UK.

 

[RogerL]

Sorry Dusty but Sky is available everywhere in the UK, it is just that in some places - Clachtoll beach being one of them - the dish needs to be a bit higher than a caravan or motorhome. A bit of research looks as though you might be at about 10m above sea level but with a hill of in excess of 50m in the direction of the satellite and no more than a ¼km or less distant. Get up the hill to the SE and it will work, but that I guess is impractical?

That hill, Cnoc nan Cnamh, is about 500 metres away from the campsite - at about 70m high and converting the 18.4 degrees to 0.3211406 radians, a dish at sea level would only need to be 218 metres away to clear the hill.

 

[Dustydog]

That may be a different restriction to Freesat, which works fine on Benbecula which is further north-west - although Sky TV and Freesat both use the same programme transmissions they use different EPG channels so it may be the Sky EPG which doesn't reach all parts of the UK.

The Scourie Caravan site is first class for a Sky or Freesat signal and has been for the last 20 years. Talking to the Clachtoll site owners they can’t even get terrestrial TV. The transmitter for the area barely covers 50 homes in Lochinver and the very nearby area.

Here’s a photo of the hill, not even a Munro! Doesn’t look much but on the other side the slopes look worse to me especially the road from Lochinver to here.
But many thanks for the technical input , it really is appreciated, thankyou.

 

[Buckman]

That hill, Cnoc nan Cnamh, is about 500 metres away from the campsite - at about 70m high and converting the 18.4 degrees to 0.3211406 radians, a dish at sea level would only need to be 218 metres away to clear the hill.

Obviously a site I dare not visit. LOL!

 

[Devonisheaven]

We are all different I know, but my wife and I simply cannot understand this need for TV when away on a break or holiday. The walk along the beach appeals far more than sat in the caravan watching , or trying to watch TV, it does seem to rule peoples lives. 🤷

The lengths and expense people go to in the desperate attempt to watch British TV in France is mind boggling! Why this need to spend a chunk of your holiday watching TV when in a foreign land is beyond me, surely there are far better things to do.

Try not bothering with the goggle box when on holiday…………You will feel far better for it. 👍

 

[otherclive]

We are all different I know, but my wife and I simply cannot understand this need for TV when away on a break or holiday. The walk along the beach appeals far more than sat in the caravan watching , or trying to watch TV, it does seem to rule peoples lives. 🤷

The lengths and expense people go to in the desperate attempt to watch British TV in France is mind boggling! Why this need to spend a chunk of your holiday watching TV when in a foreign land is beyond me, surely there are far better things to do.

Try not bothering with the goggle box when on holiday…………You will feel far better for it. 👍

Why not let people choose their own approach to life. You clearly have a views, others have theirs. We had a simple satellite system which we used throughout Britain and down into southern France. We are not addicted to tv but I like the news and some documentaries. Even at home Tv rarely goes on before supper time. Each to their own.

 

[Dustydog]

We are all different I know, but my wife and I simply cannot understand this need for TV when away on a break or holiday. The walk along the beach appeals far more than sat in the caravan watching , or trying to watch TV, it does seem to rule peoples lives. 🤷

The lengths and expense people go to in the desperate attempt to watch British TV in France is mind boggling! Why this need to spend a chunk of your holiday watching TV when in a foreign land is beyond me, surely there are far better things to do.

Try not bothering with the goggle box when on holiday…………You will feel far better for it. 👍

We tend to do our walking the hills and beaches during the day😁.
Setting up our Sky box and dish usually takes less than a few minutes.
We enjoy the live football matches and catching up the news.
It certainly doesn’t rule our lives as you suggest. Why do you say that?