| Location | Orford, Tasmania |
| Service | VAST satellite TV installation |
| Installer | Michael Starling |
| Warranty | Three years |
Why Orford relies on satellite for TV
Orford sits far enough up the East Coast that the terrestrial signal from the Hobart transmitters just doesn’t reach with any reliability. For free to air TV out here, VAST, the Viewer Access Satellite Television service, is the standard fix rather than chasing a weak signal with a bigger antenna.
Why the dish went in the yard, not on the roof
VAST dishes need a clear, unobstructed line of sight north, and on this property the roof aspect and the established trees around the house meant a roof mount would have been fighting for signal for most of the day. Putting the dish on a ground mount out in the yard gave it a clean, permanent line of sight to the satellite that the roof simply couldn’t offer, and made it easier to fine tune the alignment and access it for future servicing.
Setting up a stable ground mount
We set the mount on a concreted post well clear of the fence line and any overhanging branches, angled and aligned precisely for the satellite footprint over Tasmania. A ground mount needs to be just as solid as a roof mount, since wind loading on a dish this size doesn’t disappear just because it’s at eye level instead of up on the roof.
The result
A strong, stable VAST signal and a full range of free to air channels, set up in a position that will keep a clear line of sight for years without fighting tree growth or roof obstructions.
If you’re on Tasmania’s East Coast
Properties in Orford, Triabunna, Swansea and other East Coast towns are often too far from the Hobart transmitters for reliable terrestrial TV, and VAST is usually the answer. If your roofline doesn’t give a clear shot north, a ground mount can be a better option than fighting the signal from up high. Our VAST satellite dish installation service covers both roof and ground mounted setups. Give Michael a call on 0420 998 592 for a free quote.