Mobile Phones

Re: TV Antenna
I would like details of your set up.
We currently use the GME "Flying Saucer" as you do not need to find the signal. Great unit where reception is good but fails in fringe areas.
We have been parked next to others using Wineguard and they had a signal, we did not. (Fringe area)
I am considering Wineguard for new van but guess what.
Steve reckons that thier no good. But he says the same about solid jockey wheel tyres.
Turist

We have a winegard on our van which was reluctantly fitted by Bushtracker, Steve told me it would fall apart in a few hundred Ks, but it is still going strong after 43,000Km. The only modification we did was to put rubber adhesive strips on the roof at each end so that when it winds down it is held tight on the rubber, hence no rattle of damage to it. Aerial works well. I would also have them put their normal aerial point in the van for those times in country caravan parks where you need to connect to parks antenna to get reception. Also dont have TV securely mounted when travelling. They shack to bits. Brian

Thanks for the tip on the TV, I've been thinking about that and you have decided for me. I have been carrying it surrounded by pillows and will continue to do so. What about a microwave oven, any comments about this?. I reckon when someone decides to build a caravan park they find a place with the worst possible reception and put it there. Most of the manufacturers fit the Wineguard (wonder where the name comes from?). Vibration would be their worst enemy and you have solved that. No doubt Steve has seen them fall to bits and is worried about the warranty implications. For a new van I would get one fitted and did consider retro fitting one on my van but decided against it after solving the problem of carrying a yagi. I will post some pics next week on how I did this. Ernie

Have had some experience with the GME when a friend asked me to "have a look at his brand new one which was as much use a a row of **** on a boar pig" unquote. After much hairpulling and wasted time I deep sixed it. Not a cheap article I might add. I will post some pics early next week on how I mount and carry the yagi. Nomad (Ernie)

okay here is another question for everyone. we are looking at getting the campersat but also recognise perhaps the need for something in local areas. the wineguard gets a good vote from most that have them, what about the multidirectional domes? we also tossed up about a Panasonic tv unit that can do video and dvd combined. but wonder whether it would be better to get separate components? we are looking at the LCD screens mounted on an arm so it can be moved in different directions but wonder if they will be secure enough given what you are saying about vibrations etc. These are a joint effort between Bushtracker and Sound in Motion (who are developing a website with info for Bushtrackers) and wonder what you think of the idea of this set up. Angie

HiYa Angela. Ya better get back here quick and get your four wheel drive before they ban em. Plenty of self seeking jerks here wanting to get their picture on TV spruking about all the envoirmental damage we do. They say nothing about all the road frieight which should be on the rail but thats another story. The campersat roof mounted setup is not cheap about $3.5k I think. They are physically large and I am sure Steve would not approve. I have been told you have to securely stabilise the van with legs as any movement will cause the picture to get the ducks and drakes. You can get a ground mounted setup but I would be concerned about theft. They take a bit of effort to tune in. We have at this stage decided not to go down the sattelite track as most of TV is rubbish anyway. Get youself a good radio with short wave and listen to that when needed. A lot better quality entertainment than TV. The LCD TVs seem to be the way to go and it can be a big an advantage to be able to swing it around. I would not go for 240 TV/DVD unit as the less you turn on your inverter the better. Have a look at marine websites for 12v stuff. Some people set up a large screened laptop with a DVD player and TV tuner trouble is with that is the laptop is useless while someone is using it as a TV. I am not sure about charging the batteries on the laptop but I guess you would have to use the inverter. I am going to get a smaller sinewave inverter to keep in the Patrol to charge my laptop when travelling. Everything has rechargable batteries these days. A digital camera is an example. These are a must have and only get a good quality one that is small. I can carry mine in my shirt pocket and its magic. I have a got a lot of shots with it when I would not had an SLR with me. I have an SLR which is now gathering dust. Nomad

G'Day Angie.
From experience I would not travel with anything that is cantilevered such as a screen on a swinging arm.
We use a swinging arm arrangement for the tv but the tv is carried on the bed and secured by a nylon strap passed under the mattress. We learnt not to 'hard stand' the tv after destroying the guts of 2 units. Also destroyed a hard fixed vcr, too many moving parts not designed to accept shock.
New van will have dvd designed to accept shock.
Microwave lasted the distance ok, we fitted a small slide bolt to the door and travel with rotating dish stored in drawer.
Buy a microwave with mechanical clock settings, resetting electronics all the time is a nuisance.
Ours was, and new one is, LG, about $130.

Re Campersat.
We use campersat with a remote stand for the dish.
I have had a close look at the roof top mount and for sure it would not last long on corrugations. Much too much slop in the construction.
Also you have to be sure to park your van 'in sight' of the satellite and not behind trees etc.

Another essential for Angie.
Get a bread maker. They work well off geny or inverter.
We soon got sick of frozen tasteless bread and that is all you can get in remote areas. There is a new model out that is a combination of a small electric oven and bread maker.made by Breville. We are upgrading to this unit in the new van.

Angie, After much research and discussion with Brian at Sound in Motion, we have fitted a Sony 17" flat screen monitor which is driven by a unit called a Jaton X-Media Dreambox. This is a combined TV Tuner and video driver which will also accept inputs from a DVD player. We have forgone a tape Recorder/Player but then again, we hardly ever watch or record tapes now!. The double bonus for us is that the space above fridge which was going to be vacant for the TV is now a cupboard and we haven't had to give up space to store TV while travelling. The flat screen is on a swivel mount which is strapped to wall when travelling. All this gear operates on 12 Volts. This is the theory anyway. Am biding my time on reporting on this stuff and others on theis forum until we collect our van next month and see that the theory actually works! Motley PS For info on the Jaton box, have a look at http://www.jaton.co.th/