Automatic dome satellites have been on the market for a number of years and definitely deserve some consideration before choosing a satellite system for your motorhome or caravan.

Let’s see if we can weigh up the “pros” and “cons” to help you make your mind up.

The Pro’s and Con’s of dome satellites

PRO’s

  1. Dome satellites are cheaper to buy than a conventional clamshell automatic satellite dish.
  2. Automatic dome satellites are easy to use and very often operate with the touch of a single button.
  3. The outer shell of a dome satellite will protect the dish from harsh weather conditions. You can enjoy satellite television even in high winds.
  4. The dish inside a dome satellite can be a much lighter duty which can really bring the weight down. The Auto Vu Dome and the Roadpro Dome weigh as little as 8 KG.
  5. Relatively simple installation with few cables.

And now the things to consider.

  1. The main downfall to a dome dish is the size of the dish itself. The height of the dome has to be kept to a minimum which means the dish inside a dome is normally around half the size of an elevating clamshell dish. The knock on effect from this is a reduced footprint (Area where you are likely to receive satellite TV).
  2. Height is a definite consideration when having a dome satellite fitted. Most domes will be around 40cm tall from the roof to the very top of the dome. (Don’t forget the height of your motorhome is very often dependant on Roof rails, roof lights, raised bed areas and not the roof itself so a full 40cm will not be added to the height of your motorhome.)

Summary

As mentioned in the section above satellite domes definitely tick a number of boxes but have one main floor “the range”, this is only a problem when travelling abroad and wanting to receive “Free To Air” channels from Astra 28. Realistically dome satellites work very well throughout the UK for all channels but when travelling through France the range is limited. Channels broadcast on Astra 2 f and E (free to air channels) will be limited to Northern area whereas Sky channels which are currently broadcast on will give range to mid-France.

More products coming to this category soon.
Please check back in a few days.