Sat TV and coffee

Submitted: Thursday, Mar 15, 2007 at 02:56
ThreadID: 123406 Views:5179 Replies:6 FollowUps:7
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Hi All,

Haven’t asked a question for a while and there are still so many to ask. Do boggers use sat TV and what is the most popular way of dealing with the dish? I have seen the roof mounted models but they don’t strike me as being up to continuous corrugations - am I wrong here? Now don’t stereotype me but does anyone take their cappuccino machine with them? I have grown very fond of ours and as far as kitchen appliances go it is one of our most used. How are you storing this?

Kind regards

Theo
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Reply By: Hoppingaround - Friday, Mar 16, 2007 at 03:57

Friday, Mar 16, 2007 at 03:57
Sat dish on portable tripod enables you to locate in line of sight of sat if obstructions where you may want to park van.
Do take your capiccino machine as we also rather enjoy good coffee when we want.As for storage,you will find a space.
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Reply By: Burt and Mary - Friday, Mar 16, 2007 at 06:50

Friday, Mar 16, 2007 at 06:50
Use a tripod to miss trees and other foreign objects. Travelled with a couple for a while with rooftop dish and was a pain. Half the time and possibly more had to put out his tripod to get a picture. Made a bracket so dish sits behind gas bottles.
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Reply By: Bushtracker - Friday, Mar 16, 2007 at 19:45

Friday, Mar 16, 2007 at 19:45
Theo and other Boggers to be: They get set up and played with here all the time, and here are my observations both here and in the Bush....

On the automatic deployment rooftop model, the Oyster, I myself would have questioned how well it would hold up in the bush and on the corrugation.....

But I have to say, that with the 16 I have been following the progress on, there have been no serious problems... One minor water leak due to a gasket, on minor repair, but overall they have been performing admirably well.... Against my expectations....

They are VERY expensive, at last quote:
The new system cost inc digital tuner $5710.00.
Installation is $450.00.
Card reader for Austar/Selectv etc $295.00.
(This is from an outside Contractor, we do not supply this kind of gear....)

Money no object, these are very nice and raise themselves to zero- in on the satellite with a push of a button... But there are a variety of tripod mounting systems, and flat suitcase storage models that you put up yourself with a level bubble, map related lattitude adjustment in degrees, and compass heading... We might have as many as 200 satellite systems running, and storage is done nicely under the bed like Motleys, or in the tow vehicle, depending on the individual situation and tow vehicle. Obiously larger trucks and canopies have easier storage...

These "Manual" systems are available from various companies from about $1500 to $2500. Myself? I like the Oyster, but do not own one. As little as I would watch TV when in the Bush it is hard to justify as I do not live in my van. My preferred model in general, is probably the style of the Abrolga, in a flat case. Stores easy, and is not up in the air like the tripod models that have to be pegged down in the wind.. The Abrolga works well, but I understand their are cheaper models that I have no experience with....

Best Regards, and I hope I have been a help, seeing them set up here and run here all the time....
"The Last Stand In Open Country"

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Reply By: Deleted User - Saturday, Mar 17, 2007 at 01:09

Saturday, Mar 17, 2007 at 01:09
Thanks everyone for their responses.

Kind regards

Theo
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Follow Up By: Rockgoc - Monday, Mar 19, 2007 at 06:49

Monday, Mar 19, 2007 at 06:49
Our sat system is the best thing since sliced bread and it enables us to watch tv anywhere! I would not hesitate to recommend that you get one of the Abrolga systems. More expensive than the rest, but comes with it's own case which is then used to set up the dish.
We also have a Rancilio coffee machine which is mounted to the counter via screws and aluminium angle. It does not seem to have suffered with corrugated road travel, and I can still have a decent cuppa when I want to. Easy still prefers his instant crud.
Cheers, Jan O
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Follow Up By:- Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 03:00

Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 03:00
Once hooked on the real stuff it is really hard to go back to instant! I have a delongi magnifica or something like that and it is smart - does the lot. Just add beans, water and milk and get a perfect cup. Been getting fresh beans from Cairns and this no doubt adds to the pleasure. All good things come out of Qld it seems.
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Reply By: Noosa Fox - Saturday, Mar 17, 2007 at 06:22

Saturday, Mar 17, 2007 at 06:22
We have our Coffee machine with us, and everyone in our group enjoyed a coffee one day on our trip down to Mallacoota. Now that we have power available we will use it each day here.

We keep ours in the back of the car as it gets a softer ride in there. I have heard of other machines being damaged when transported inside the caravans.

Brian
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Follow Up By:- Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 03:02

Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 03:02
Hi Brian,

I would have thought that there was nothing in these units to really break providing they can't move about!?

Kind regards

Theo
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Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 03:38

Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 at 03:38
Beatit,
For a bit of an education on the subject, please read TIP # 114 "Household vrs Mobile Appliances"..... And you will understand that some of the gear like this is just not made to travel...

You will soon learn how to pack, and your favorite wines for instance with the original cardboard dividers in a locker... Ha!
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Reply By: Goodpal50 - Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 at 09:14

Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 at 09:14
We have the Oyster system installed on our Bushtracker delivered in October 2006. So far we have travelled the Donohue and Plenty Highways ( rough gravel with plenty of corrugations and bulldust) through to Alice Springs and then the Mereenie Loop Rd to Kings canyon that had more corrugations than the Donohue/Plenty and on other gravel roads and tracks in South Australia.
TheOIyster has stood up to it all and we are happy with the system.
We had the Abrolga and this Oyster system is so much easier and you dont have to worry about finding somewhere to store it.
We agree it is relatively expensive but as I tend to go off fishing for many hours at a time leaving my wife at the van site it is good for her to be able to tune in and watch something if she wants to.
The only thing you have to be careful of is making sure you have a clear line of sight to the North with no trees etc in the way. Mind you we have sometimes been surprised to be able to get service even when we seem to have been aiming right into the trees. Also sometimes the satellite signal seems to be off and on occasions we have had to try a couple of times before the dish has locked on to the satellite.
Overall we are happy we purchased the system and the picture quality leaves terrestial systems for dead.
Michael and Margaret
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Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 at 18:48

Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 at 18:48
Boggers,
You can accept this as a normal response from those I follow with the Oyster System...

In all fairness, it is the tops, and you can take this without Bias, as Bushtracker does not sell or install them; it is an Outside Contractor...

Money no object, it is at the top. Thanks to Michael and Margaret for the nice report. Myself, I do not have one, but in all fairness I think about it, and might on my next van... I am only away a week or ten days at a time at the Reining Horse Competitions, but miss the news... Might do it myself. Regards, Ranger
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Follow Up By: Noosa Fox - Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 at 19:59

Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 at 19:59
Steve,
What happened to the idea you had last year of having an Oyster that could be in the van and run a lead into the house and use it in there as well?

For the others, we travelled with Conrad last year and his Oyster stood up to rough conditions without any problems at all. Conrad with his Dutch background liked to watch European stations and this unit easily moved from Australian stations to stations thoughout the world, all done at the push of a button.

Brian
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Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 at 20:11

Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 at 20:11
Well Brian,
The coax connection idea to service both has merit...

I think it would work, and someone might still might do it... But out on the road at Reining Horse Competitions I have very little time to watch TV.... And the Austar System only cost $275 to put the system in on the Ranch House at the horse property... While my idea could work, there was not the "Free Satellite Reception" for Austar that I thought, I would still have monthly fees... So it came down to a why bother...

See, I really wanted the subscription Financial News Networks that I follow, Bloomberg, FNN, that sort of thing that would need a monthly fee for the Oyster as well.. It came down to $275 and monthly fee vrs $6000 and a monthly fee...

If I get the Oyster, and I still might, I don't need to park it out at the property... I already have an Austar there now.. I think my idea has a great deal of merit for someone that wants normal TV.
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