So you have a Motorhome or Caravan, tour in the UK and Europe and want to watch TV? This is the kit that you need. A popular accessory for all caravan owners to take their Sky satellite systems on holiday in the UK and Europe where a dish is required to gain a sufficient reliable signal. Using a system like this will give you up to 200 Digital TV stations, almost anywhere and you don't even need to pay a subscription. The advantage of this system over a conventional aerial is that 98% of the UK is covered by satellite signals whereas Terrestrial aerial signals only cover 75%.

Please keep in mind that larger dish sizes are needed when touring in Europe. Our advice would be to take as big a dish as you feel comfortable travelling with and setting up.

54cm for most of UK and northern France
64cm for all of UK and mid France
78cm for all of UK and France coverage
88cm as a minimum for Spain, and you won't receive BBC1, BBC2, ITV1 in southern Spain. This is the biggest that fits on a tripod and will give you the most flexibility in tough to get signal areas such as Spain.

Package comprises of:

Receiver Not supplied as standard. Available as an option.
Options: We have added the two most popular examples of refurbished Sky receivers. If you have a specific model in mind however you can ignore this option and add the receiver you are after as a separate product; here

Triax 54cm Solid Satellite Dish with LNB. This is a folding arm dish; ideal for tourers short on space.
Options: For the difference in coverage between the dish options, please see the text above.

Maxview Tripod Stand suitable for dish sizes up to 90cm with universal mast fixing. Long legs and additional locking device ensure stability. Lightweight at just 1.6Kgs. Complete with tent pegs for secure fixing.
Options: The swivel head option has an additional section of tubing at the top of the tripod that allows the dish to be turned without the need to turn the tripod itself. The Deluxe upgrade is an altogether robuster design with a telescopic head that extends an additional 65cm and comes complete with carry bag.

10m professional installation quality cable. Double screened satellite coax offering the maximum in low loss specification and interference protection. Complete with connectors.
Options: Extra cable allows you to put the dish further away - useful for clearing obstacles

Satellite Bleeper to correctly align your satellite dish for optimum reception. Provides acoustic signal information. No external power supply required.
Options: Better, more expensive meters have extra functionality and are generally more precise which makes the alignment process easier.

Compass to help locate Astra 1, Astra 2 (Sky Digital) and Hotbird satellites.
Options: The digital compass upgrade has a few key advantages; Built in temperature gauge, magnetic correction facility and a versatile mount allows fixing to a dash or cab window. The Maxview Digital compass has all the features of the digital compass but also has Satellite mode which allows direct and easy location of the satellite.

We also provide easy to follow alignment instructions for setting the whole package up when you arrive on site. Developed by SDS' own satellite engineers to make the alignment process as easy as possible.

Other Options explained:
LNB: The twin LNB option is ideal for users of Sky+ or other PVR equipment. This option also includes a further 10m of cable with connectors.
Card: The Freesat from Sky card allows Sky receivers access to Channel 4, Channel 5 (and variants) and Sky Three. This card can only be used with a Sky receiver.
Dish Holdall: The dish holdall can comfortably hold and protect your dish (up to 64cm), Tripod and alignment aids.
Water Proof Socket: Allows an external TV aerial or satellite dish to connect easily and neatly to the TV equipment inside the vehicle.

How easy is the kit to setup? Satellite signals are much more precise than aerial so the alignment procedure requires a more structured approach. This is not to say it is harder; often people find that it is easier than an aerial because the satellite is always in the same place. What it means however, is that you need to be methodical, patient and follow the instructions.

What are the benefits over a roof mounted dish? The best thing about a tripod based setup, apart from cost, is the flexibility. With a roof mounted dish, if you are berthed behind trees then you are stuck. With a tripod system you are only really limited by how much cable you have. Unless you are in a fringe area, you could quite easily situate the dish 100m away providing you had that much cable!