I'm so glad I haven't got one!

[Podney]

Thankyou,thankyou,thankyou!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’ve now realised what that thing is in the cupboard above the fridge. Well,I think so........it’s rectangular,black plastic on the back,glass screen on the front and two wires going out the back of it. I think it must be a televisual aid of some sort.

And what is this thing called a fire stick,of which you speak? We use kindling at home,and have a good supply of logs,but do not have a wood burner in the van.

I’m confused.

 

[Jaws]

Thankyou,thankyou,thankyou!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’ve now realised what that thing is in the cupboard above the fridge. Well,I think so........it’s rectangular,black plastic on the back,glass screen on the front and two wires going out the back of it. I think it must be a televisual aid of some sort.

And what is this thing called a fire stick,of which you speak? We use kindling at home,and have a good supply of logs,but do not have a wood burner in the van.

I’m confused.

Well if you are talking CB radio a fire stick is a helically wound ground plane antenna !

 

[Minxy]

Well if you are talking CB radio a fire stick is a helically wound ground plane antenna !

Ooooo ... I love it when you talk all technical!

 

[Tigertom]

Thanks for wasting your time

I was aware of the perceived irony but I freely acknowledge trawling through posts isn’t particularly productive........same as most tv output

 

[Herbyventures]

As someone who has spent years enjoying watching other people getting hopelessly drunk and falling over their own tents at motorbike rallies, or playing 'guess the nationality' on a French beach, (the Brits are the ones fiddling about trying to be modest with towels but the Germans get the best sunburn) I am thoroughly looking forward to the entertainment provided when we finally go somewhere in our almost finished van conversion. Just hoping we're not the ones providing it.....

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[Minxy]

Nothing is as funny as watching caravanners put up a full width awning for the first time ... it can keep you entertained for hours!

 

[Captain Yoghurtpot]

Internet and firestick for me..Sat dish has been in the shed now for two years.Must get it sold,,BUSBY.

Might be interested in it if you do sell it Busby!

 

[Captain Yoghurtpot]

Nothing is as funny as watching caravanners put up a full width awning for the first time ... it can keep you entertained for hours!

If I see someone struggling like that I have often offered a helping hand and on most occasions it has been accepted.
We were all novices once and to this day, some of us are more organised or practised than others.
I really dislike it when people watch others struggling or falling out , and just treat it as a form of entertainment whilst basking in their own glow of possible superiority.
We are all human beings, and it costs nothing to help, or to ask if any help would be appreciated or needed.
I speak from very bitter experience of once arriving on site, with a well practised routine of putting up our caravan awning, which was large, and with colour- coded poles, in what later became a downpour of rain, but was dry when I started.
Our caravan was oldish, but clean and tidy, and on inserting the awning into the rail it got stuck for some reason.
I tried and tried to free it but no joy.
Then the rain came and I got very wet.
Plenty of warm , snug, very nice and new caravans , with built out barriers with wind breaks were no doubt enjoying their early evening entertainment at me and my awning and not one offer of help, as I gradually became more and more sodden.
A figure then appeared, from a tatty and old tent, but with a well laid out pitch and asked if he could help.
Result, awning up and pegged.
He was an old hand, very skilled and gave me some even better advice on my already known knowledge, which has proved invaluable over the years.
Cup of tea later in the van, asked him how the site was.
Apparently, ( it was a private mixed tent and caravan site, not a club type site) he informed me that he had spoken every morning as he made his way to the ablution block, with a cheery good morning, and not one of the posh new caravans had even acknowledged him .
How sad is that?
I am neither too proud to accept help, or to have my offer rejected, but if I saw anyone in need of help, I would never feel the need to just watch and use it a a form
of entertainment for my own self gratification.
What is wrong with people?

 

[Minxy]

I never said I wouldn't help, and would of course if needed, and have on many occasions actually put awnings up for people with them watching so they can see how it is done, but sometimes it's best not to interfere unless they look like they want you to ... some people have a lot of 'pride' and it is clear they want to do it on their own ... sometimes we've gone over to see if they want a hand and been scowled at for 'insulting' them by asking!

When we were at Newark show one February it was blooming cold with snow forecast and for some unknown reason a couple had turned up with a tent, they'd never used one before, nor put one up, and didn't have a clue! We put it up for them then the ungrateful so and so's didn't even use the blooming thing!

Mind you, don't think I'd have wanted to stay in a cold tent in sub-zero temperatures!

 

[sedge]

Can somebody please advise me whether it is worth £20-40 to change from wildcamping to a site for one night in the hope of catching the spectacle described in the OP? If it does not happen can I get my money back?

Much cheaper to stop on an aire, and the same cabaret available. It's the much larger van that blocks your view and your sunshine, also draws all the internal blinds as soon as parked up and you never see the people again once parked up.

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[Casper46]

We have a sat dish for the simple fact that I wouldn't know a Firestick if I saw one, I don't understand streaming or downloading.
When we park up we don't put the dish up to test reception, we leave it until we are tucked up for the night. If the telly isn't viewable we watch a video. The problem with not using the dish is that it has a pretty blue light on it
and it's somewhere to aim for after walking Casper in the dark.

 

[nicholsong]

Much cheaper to stop on an aire, and the same cabaret available. It's the much larger van that blocks your view and your sunshine, also draws all the internal blinds as soon as parked up and you never see the people again once parked up.

On all the Aires we have been to we have never seen anything more than roof awnings being extended and table and chairs put out.

 

[busby]

Might be interested in it if you do sell it Busby!

PM d you,,BUSBY.

 

[Minxy]

On all the Aires we have been to we have never seen anything more than roof awnings being extended and table and chairs put out.

You don't get out much then do you! With the exception of very remote aires where we may be the only visitor we've always seen at least one MH with a satellite dish stuck up ... when a new foreign (ie not UK) MH arrives it's often one of the first things they do.

 

[Vic. Parsons.]

In Portugal, a French registered MH pulls up near us and surprise surprise, the first thing they do is put the dish up. They then spend the best part of an hour trying to line up on the satalite..........through the trees. Down with the dish, move forward 20ft, up with the dish, fiddle fiddle, still no good. Drive up the other end of the aire where there's no trees and Bingo, found the satalite.
They then drew all their blinds and we never saw them outside again.
It's a long way to travel just to watch TV and it makes you wonder why they bothered.

Another French MH pulled up under some trees, up went the dish, no reception so moved forward and caught the dish on a low branch and bent it well out of shape. No TV for a while then......

We had an Oyster which we never used because it was the old system and Oyster wanted £500 for the upgrade. We decided there was nothing on the network worth spending £500 on.
The Oyster dish has now gone and is replaced with a conversion to a much more useful solar panel which tracks the sun.
For viewing, we have 3 TBs worth of films and series which means we chose what we want to watch instead of ending up watching rubbish or advertisements.
But, it is still fun to watch the dishes go up and down.

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[nicholsong]

You don't get out much then do you! With the exception of very remote aires where we may be the only visitor we've always seen at least one MH with a satellite dish stuck up ... when a new foreign (ie not UK) MH arrives it's often one of the first things they do.

Recent posts have been on setting up other things than satellite dishes, so my mind had drifted onto them.

We do a lot of wildcamping and often are alone on Aires.

Anyway I have never been interested in or watched to see how long a dish takes to orientate. Maybe because we are not concerned with TV. We still have one, which when solo in UK I used to watch for news/weather. It has not been on in 10 years since we got coupled up. My English language news comes via the internet.

Geoff

 

[sedge]

We do the same as Vic. Parsons. - so because we take a laptop with us anyway, we can watch whatever on the lappy if and when we want to. However we've been having this game of crib as a holiday pursuit since 1989 if not '88 and absolutely no sign of the holes on the board disappearing yet (though we have worn out several packs of playing cards) so obviously the game isn't finished yet!

We also like doing crosswords and both enjoy reading.

 

[G-RMPS]

We have what appears to be a TV. Never attempted to switch it on. BTW what’s a film?

However happy to debate the pros and cons of malt

 

[555 FRY]

Have you found the mythical unlimited data abroad? Usual 20-25Gb is only a few nights viewing on Netflix, Amazon, Iplayer etc. Great for a short break but very limited for anything longer. Satellite is still the only proven way to gorge on as much live UK telly in Europe as you want.

Unlimited sims all have a cut off point abroad, usually at about 20gb. We use a bt sim fixed at 100gb and never have a problem.

 

[63720]

Never had satellite we always get TV through data. Once on a site in southern Spain I noticed a flat panel receiver about A4 size on a German van, I asked the owner if he had a good signal with such a small panel, yes he said we get what we want but you(English) get what you're given.

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[Captain Yoghurtpot]

Internet and firestick for me..Sat dish has been in the shed now for two years.Must get it sold,,BUSBY.

Hi Busby
Think I have replied to your PM to me but not sure if I did it right.
I am still interested in your sat dish and tripod if still for sale.
I got your PM ok under the mail icon and have tried to reply by return.
Have you got it please.
Cheers
Iain.

 

[busby]

Hi Busby
Think I have replied to your PM to me but not sure if I did it right.
I am still interested in your sat dish and tripod if still for sale.
I got your PM ok under the mail icon and have tried to reply by return.
Have you got it please.
Cheers
Iain.

Will message you later Iain,,

 

[jezport]

You can buy a lot of data for the cost of a satellite system.
I know what you satellite users will say. "what if theres no signal?" But what if theres trees or heavy rain or wind?
I have Virgin Go, Netflix, and all the other apps and can also get freeview on my phone, tablet or laptop with a freeview hotspot box so certainly dont need a dish.

 

[Littlewheels]

Got a Sky dish, a TV and I tow a Smart car. I leave my mains lead coiled up and leave my grey waste dripping slightly Gives you lot something to moan about. Why on earth are you bothered so much about others you have to write about it. Live your own life and not others! We all buy vans for different reasons.

You do all that but.......do you wave