Indoors dish?

Lafcadio

Hi,

I have no previous experience of digital or satellite, but am interested in getting a digsat system that would allow me to view for free BBC and stations Asian languages.

However, I live in a ground-floor apartment (east-facing near Heuston station) and affixing anything to the outside of the apartment block is against the Management Company rules that I signed up to when I bought the place. (i.e. if I did install anything outside I could be brought to court for breach of contract). The main window is very large (2m high * 3m wide) and faces onto a large open green space with the nearest building being about 3 storeys high and 100m away.

Is it possible to use a dish indoors, and if so does my east-facing direction preclude me from receiving a clear signal?

thanks

chernobyl

Originally posted by Lafcadio

Is it possible to use a dish indoors, and if so does my east-facing direction preclude me from receiving a clear signal?

thanks

The straight answer is yes but its very subjective.
Trial and Error is the only way but it could prove costly and you have no previous experience, so its a double whammy.

You wont get a pro installer to do this [imo] so you are left to your own devices, so hit google and do your research.

Lennoxschips

You need to point roughly south-east for the satellite BBC is on (Astra 2D), so who knows, maybe you will be able to see it through the window. Get your hands on a magnetic compass, if you can see clearly towards roughly 145 degrees (the direction of Astra 2D from eastern Ireland) through the window, then maybe you can get it.

A satellite does not need to be bolted on to to a wall btw, it can also be bolted to a pole in the groud. You could also hide it under a plastic deck chair or in a bin, seeing as satellite signals can travel through plastic.

Greenman

AFAIK a rough rule of thumb is "look to see where the sun is at 11am" However this might be the answer to your prayers http://www.digicams-uk.com/prod30.htm
(Sorry for the am pm mixup) I'm up since 3.30AM !!!!

dmeehan

Originally posted by greenman
AFAIK a rough rule of thumb is "look to see where the sun is at 11pm"

however make sure you do this on June 21st as you *may* not be able to see the sun when it is dark:D

jez

I'm thinking of taking my old grey dish down to the mobile home .
This is so I can take the decoder down at weekends. It'll have to be put up on the pole at the end of caravan which has the RTe aerial on. My question is -- When the pole sways slightly in the wind will the reception go off slightly??

Appreciate feedback and if necessary advice,

Thanks

Lennoxschips

Did a quick search on Google... maybe one of these is your answer? (Don't know how wind resistant they are, I have no camping experience myself)

Capt'n Midnight

eh.. 3 degrees means you are looking at completely different satellite - (eg: 13E/16E/19.2E) - ie. you might just about get away with a pole that vibrates but not swaying.

But since a dish can be at ground level you don't need to stick it up a pole - bolt it to a paving slab !

I posted links to a caravan site for SKY - can't remember where it is now - somewhere on satallite forum,,

---

Indoor dishes - 21 degrees is low enough so apart from the loss through the glass (double glazing is worse - any coating esp. gold / mirror is not good) you also have to worry about the bounce angle. If the dish is more than 45 degrees off east/west from the window then there are two effects - a) greater loss through the glass - cos at an angle there is more of it to go through and b) at a certain critical angle the signal will simply bounce off the glass. - Taking all this into account - trial and error - best thing to do is borrow an analog dish / box from someone and try it out (analog 'cos easier to see if you are getting a signal + more borrowable) and even then you won't pick up a signal from Astra 2...

Lafcadio

thanks for the replies. I checked with a compass and the large window doesn't face east, more south-east, 145 deg to be exact. I'd like to try out a dig sat system before buying though, and as I don't know anyone with satellite, is it possible to rent a dish + digibox for a short period (day or week)?