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Updated 03/06/2004
We
will be moving aboard our "new" C-45 in a couple of weeks.
While there's tons of electronics below decks, we are interested in
simply having a good working television, computer connection and telephone while
at the dock. The other electronics
related to gps and radar is already in place.
The marina where we're going isn't equiped with cable or phone hookups.
I thought of having "DirectTV" put a satellite dish on one of
the pilons in our slip, but they are less than anxious to put their equipment at
a site where we could disappear at the bat of an eye.
So, what are the implications of installing a dish ON the boat?
All my local "advisors" say "no sweat, just hook 'er
up", but I am regretably super ignorant as to this sort of thing.
Those of you that do have wireless communication/reception, please give
me an inkling as to what's involved in this upgrade.
Here are the requirements: Television
hookup with access to premium channels. E-mail
and internet access. Telephone
communication. Is this possible,
and if so, what are the costs involved. We
will be based in our slip for the majority of the time, but do plan on cruises
in the 7 - 21 day range, that is, until social security sets us free.
This may be really elementary to you electronics folks, and please excuse
me but I am . . .
. . . feeling really dumb in this venture,
We
have had DirecTV aboard for several years.
I have mounted the antenna atop a lazarette and on the sternrail.
Both locations are equally acceptable.
Our marina also said no antennas mounted on pilings; however they seem to
be changing as there are now three antennas on pilings. If you can mount on a
piling, this is preferable to the boat because the piling will not move in winds
and waves. Even the movement from
boat wakes will affect reception since a 1.5 to 2 degree variation will weaken
or lose the signal. For the same reason, it is not practical to plan to use any
satellite system at anchor (or a mooring).
You will also find that the signal degrades in strong rains since the
basic signal is weak and the rain absorbs some of the signal.
Mounting
the antenna is not a complicated task. You
merely have to bolt it in place, run an antenna wire to the receiver, and then
aim the antenna. The receiver will
help with the aiming; you put in your zip code and the receiver tells you the
compass angle and elevation for initial aiming.
The a signal tone increases if the aim is improved.
It is all explained in the installation manual.
If
you cannot handle this, then you have much to learn and build your
confidence
before you should attempt cruising. You
will not be able to
call
a technician when you are anchored in some remote cove.
I suggest
that
you buy a copy of Nigel Calder's book entitled something like
"Boatowner's
Mechanical and Electrical Guide", and start reading.
It does not deal with TV, or the repair of GPS or other electronics; but
it has good coverage of basic electric wiring, engine repair and maint.,
refrigeration, and many other topics.
If
you don't feel like spending 5000 bucks for a mobile satellite dome on your
mast, then the next alternative down is the house dish, which you can't really
get good signals with if it's on the boat. You need to mount it on your piling,
or put it in a bucket of concrete on the dock. Floating docks may make it a
piling-only deal. I've thought a lot about this and decided just to go without
satellite tv for the meantime. I can get folks to tape my favorite shows for me,
or I can get the whole season on DVD later on.
Television, with a decent amplified antenna topside, will pull in a good
number of local stations. News,
weather, PBS, drama (I prefer to record broadcast programs when I'm doing
something else, and watch them later and "zip" through the
commercials. No CNN, Hx Channel,
etc., but I'm finding more enjoyment spending time watching the tube, anyway.
I just watch what I've recorded when I want to watch something. It's wonderfully liberating, and is a good way to wean
oneself off of the couch and on board – or somewhere I can be productive.
I like this!
DirecTV seems like it will give you more channels, but don't they
require
a separate phone line between the receiver and the "station" that's
broadcasting the signal? I'm told
they do. I can't imagine a dish
would be very much fun unless it were stationary and stable, as mounting on a
piling.
You
can have a dish onboard for TV but the requirements for Internet
through
the dish raise the bar too much. The dish will lock to a satellite within 0.5
degrees but unless it's dead on the internet portion does not work. This does
not make any sense to me as all the data is digital but that is the fact. Sat
systems run the who gambit from free with a 3 year contract to $200-300. I have
Bell Expressvu (like directTV) and it costs me $90.00 /month for all of the
services.
I
have put the dish on a piling in my marina and no-one ever stole it, and if they
did, its the cheap part of the equation (around $100.00 CDN).
This
link is company that sells Sat tracker that will work at anchor for $850 if your
marina insists the dish has to be on your boat.
For
TV, I have heard that XM radio is
going to have a movie system
in
place soon, this would be great. There is a tracking mount for a
dish
antenna follow-me-tv.com