Satellite TV

While travelling for extended periods opens up an almost infinite number of new entertainment options for adventure-loving grey nomads, sometimes it can also make the old favourites seem even more important.
After all, just because you have spent most of the day bushwalking, fishing, fossicking, socialising and reading, it doesn’t means you can’t put your feet up at 6.30pm to watch the latest episode of Neighbours. Or does it?

The further you get off the beaten track and out and about into remote and rural Australia the more temperamental television reception generally gets. Yikes! What are you going to say to the grandchildren on the phone when they ask you what you thought of the last Dr Who episode?
Don’t panic! Happily, advancing technology has made this grey nomad nightmare a thing of the past, if you make the effort to get yourself properly set up.

Satellite television and radio is available anywhere in Australia in superb digital quality. The bottom line is that, providing you have clear line of sight, Satellite TV will enable you to watch all of your favourite shows in incredibly remote locations … and if you are currently viewing satellite Pay TV at home it is now also possible to take your Pay TV on the road.

Okay, without getting too scientific, because the signal is being beamed to you down from a satellite some 36,000 kilometres away, your reception will no longer be affected by the usual sources of interference that often interrupts local antenna reception. You don’t have to worry about mountains, weather patterns or electrical interference any more. Basically, the goings on at Summer Bay are as accessible to you in the Kimberley as they were when you were sitting in your living room.

Although it sounds easy, it is crucially important that you understand that this is a complex technology and that you buy the right equipment to suit your needs and your budget … and that it is properly configured. Satellite Pay TV services … as well as ABC, SBS and the commercial channel satellite broadcasts are all encrypted to ensure they are being watched by the right market.

As with anything, there are a number of options for you to look at when choosing your satellite system. Considering the technology involved and the pleasure the system can bring, they are surprisingly affordable … starting at just a few hundred dollars … but there are factors you may wish to consider as you look at upgrading your selection. Obviously your own financial position is of critical importance, as is a consideration of where you are going to go and how long you are going to go for.

If you are prepared to put the time and effort into learning how to set up a satellite antenna yourself, you can get a very affordable ‘DIY’ type set-up. Although it is probably not the best for grey nomads who are constantly on the move, those who like to stay in one campsite for an extended period before moving on may decide it is worth the extra hassle to save some cash. Remember, you will also need to store the equipment while you are travelling, perhaps under the bed or similar.

More popular with on-the-move grey nomads who make plenty of shorter stops are the rooftop systems which take away the hassly satellite dish set-up routine. Some may be set up manually, but from inside the van, while others are fully automated and it is simply a matter parking up the rig, putting the kettle on and switching on your favourite show. How easy is that? As you climb the cost ladder, you can now get satellite set-ups that enable you to watch TV as you are on the move … but these are generally used by coach companies rather than even the most fanatical TV watching grey nomad.

The Australian Government is now funding a new free to air satellite service called VAST (Viewer Access Satellite TV service). It will provide remote regions of Australia with the whole range of digital channels similar to what is seen in cities, ABC1,2 and 3, SBS1 and 2, ABC and SBS HD, ABC 24 hour news channels, 7,9 and 10 networks in SD and HD 7 two, GO, ONE HD, Regional news channels and soon GEM and 7 mate. To access the VAST system, you need a satellite dish and a set top box.

So here you have it. While satellite TV is certainly not a necessity for you to enjoy life on the open road, it certainly brings an often welcome sense of home to even the most basic of camping spots. I guess you really can have the best of both worlds! And when the show is over, why not ask the friendly couple camping next to you to come over for a drink. After all, that’s when good neighbours become good friends.

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