Satellite dishes - do I need one?

I am pretty sure that before the last major changes in satellite spot beams people in the north of Scotland needed a slightly larger Sky dish to those south of the border because of the southwards bias of the beam. I don't think this has been necessary since the spot beam was changed and I think it was one of the excuses used by the BBC to have a tighter spot beam which disenfranchised  so many of us that travel across the channel. Perhaps that was what  Navigateur thinking about?

David

I would have thought any 'tightening' of the spot beam around a centre point (Leicester was mentioned) would make even some UK places more difficult for reception.....and that has to be the fringes of Scotland, doesn't it?...

unless the beam is actually slightly larger but has a more defined 'edge'.

either way, Sky reception last autumn was 'normal' and the UK spot beam is still accessible in the French Med area...with an 85cm dish as stated by TG.

thise with satellite 'domes' (while great for UK bad weather viewing) will find they 'run out of puff' in France pretty quickly as they are the equivalent of (roughly) a 40cm dish....

In answer to the question posed by the OP, I would say "no".  We have an Avtex DRS TV and because I admit that I like 'gadgets', I bought the  Avtex flat satellite dish with Easyfind technology and it works brilliantly.  So easy to set up and gives a good reliable signal.

However, experience has shown that there is only one site in the UK that we go to regularly - in Devon - where the terrestrial BBC signal is so poor, that the satellite dish is required.  The rest of the time, the directional aerial in the van is fine and I have to confess, I don't bother taking the sat dish away on most trips.

I will have you know that these were the official "Dive Northampton" 2014 El Gouna trip group T-shirts! (We now wear them when we are decorating!)

So I see.