"D.Duck" wrote in message
news

How does the satellite reception work aboard your boat? What kind of
mechanism keeps the dish pointed at the satellites(s).

I know when I align my shore based system it is very sensitive to proper
positioning for adequate signal strength.


I'll have to answer after I set it up on the boat today.

I did a lot of research on this and talked to several people with DirecTV on
their boats.
Many have the full-blown "TracVision" systems, permanently installed, that
have automatic dish aiming using servo motors. These systems are supposed
to work even while underway.
I really don't need that since the last thing I'd do underway is watch
television.

Others have a simple, manually aimed dish like those usually mounted on
houses. I have been told by those that use them that it works well unless
the wind is really strong and blowing the boat around. The 3-foot tide
difference does not bother it.

I bought a simple, but good quality portable dish and a receiver. I am
going to try setting it up in the rear section of the upper station and see
how it works out. If the boat movement screws it up, my backup plan is to
fabricate a bracket and mount the dish on a piling at the end of the finger
pier and run the cable to the cable TV input on the boat. I'll use a cable
coupler at the dish, so when I get underway, I'll just unplug the cable,
wrap it up and stick it in a storage bin.

The advantage of this is that the system remains portable, so I can use it
on the Navigator or next summer on the GB. We can also use it on the rare
occasion that we take a trip in the Sprinter RV.

BTW .... I did this once before when we had the house in Florida. I wanted
DirecTV service in a hanger that was quite a distance from the main house.
I bought a cheap, portable dish at Radio Shack, tie-rapped it to cement
blocks sitting on the ground behind the hanger and it worked great.


Eisboch