More things to do

New toy arrived this morning, just got to fit it now, then somehow work out where to drill the hole for the co-ax, then try & fathom out the cable runs in the roof-space, should be fun!!

Watch this space.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawriespics/6240005949/in/photostream/

HI modelman,

As they say, the difference between Men & Boys is the cost of their toys

Looks a great bit of kit, now the fun begins .... good luck

Brian

Thank you.

Managed to remove various panels etc. & fed power & co-ax cabling from the rear to the front locker where all the 'gubbins' will be, placed the dome assy on the wifes car-roof alongside & powered it all up with the cover off to see what happened!!
A 23" LED tv that will normally be face-down in the overhead locker is stood up & since its a little too tall, it leans forwards at exactly the right viewing angle!!
But its weight is biased rearwards so keeping it nice & secure. ALL the wiring is totally hidden from view, is controlled via the vans on board switches.
Upon 'firing her up' the TV told me 'No-signal', I selected the sattelite I wished to use & the dish started searching, up & down, then round & round & within a short while had locked-on & 'Bobs your Auntie as they say, a picture, so if its dry tomorrow I'll whack a hole in the roof & bung it on, then button up the panels & hopefully have nothing left over!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawriespics/6240602087/

The dishes in these domes look quite small. Can they be made of more sensitive materials since they're out of the weather?
I'm looking to buy a similar system but have doubts about the raised sides on the roof of my 2009 Nuevo weakening the signal received. Decisions decisions....
ps Like the GSX1400 - I've got a CB1300S.

They come in 30cm & 40cm, I chose the later as they both share the same casing.
I don't understand 'more sensitive materials' as they utilise ABS dome & base which is transparent to signals, the dish appears to be powder-coated steel & the chassis bits, plated steel, don't really see what else they could have used.
I recon it would be ok on your van since the signal comes in from (in Scotland) at a low-ish angle, so long as the upstands are no more than say, 100-150mm, then it will probably clear the sides allowing for a clean signal.

As for the 1400, when I bought it, it was blue & white, but after a year or 2, I fancied a change, but not wishing to 'mess up' the original stuff, I bought wheels,tank, guards, panels etc. from various breakers, cleaned & filled where nesessary & sprayed everything in the back garden!!
So It can all be put back to original in an hour or two.
As for your CB, I love 'em to bits & would have bought one, & I feel are a bit better built, but I prefer the symmetry of twin pipes, rather than the 4 into 1 setup, probably too set in my ways, all stems from my rocker vs mods/Bonneville/Brighton days!!

By 'more sensitive' I meant 'doesn't have to be weatherproof'. Same theory applies to military listening stations up here.
Have you been given a footprint of where it will work? (Does it include Scotland & France?)

A mate of mine has a 1400 and it's quite similar to my 1300 but I like the weather protection - we do Europe twice yearly and he gets wetter than me!
I agree that Hondas are well built, but only the metal - the rest is as crappy as the rest.

modelman wrote: probably too set in my ways, all stems from my rocker vs mods/Bonneville/Brighton days!!

Hi Modelman.

Great times (the 60's),

I would have taken my T100 (couldn't afford a Bonneville) to Brighton, if it hadn't been for the big 'Yellow' streak down my back

He who ups and runs away, lives to run away another day

Happy Days

Sorry Folks, gone 'off topic' again ..... I'll 'badge' myself

Brian

Well, another job done.
The assembly is PU bonded & screwed down, ALL cables hidden, interior panels replaced & everything powered up ok, great picture quality & it finds sattelites fairly quickly, & everything inside looks 'standard'.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawriespics/6243096387/in/photostream

Re the bikes, I've sold over a dozen recently to give me a bit of room in the workshop (its full of machinery now), only got the GSX1400 & a beutiful GS1000 shaft left!!

Opps, sorry, forgot to answer a question, yes I do have the footprint for the sattelites, Astra28 covers entire UK, & the others just about the whole of europe, right down to spain & across to west side of russia.
As for weatherproofing, well I noticed some 5mm holes in the base & was about to cover them when I wondered if they were for somehow 'balancing' air-pressure or for condensation issues, so I left well alone, after all, they were designed by so called 'experts'!! There is no gasket/seal around the dome to base joint, but there is a good overhanging lip.
One other thing, great care will be needed if driving under branches etc. the dome is only about 1-1.5mm thick, the strength is in its shape, a whack from even a small branch will easily smash it, I may even make a metal deflector bar for it.