VuQube

[Sarah and Ian]

Hello does anybody have one of these satellite systems. How are folk faring with them in the winds we have been having. How do you secure them to a roof??

 

Thanks in advance.

[jonesthenuke]

Ours blew over but stayed on the roof. I do not want to find out how well it floats! As a temporary measure I tied it to some chain on the roof with Ty-wraps (so very inelegant). Planning now to find/make a set of rubber coated magnetic feet. Its a downside of how portable they are.

 

I am open to any better suggestions.........?

 

Chris

[Guest]

I am open to any better suggestions.........?

 

Chris

 

Astonishingly expensive fixing brackets are available. (from the US)

 

 

http://www.rvplus.com/king-vu-qube-install-kit-w-bracket-mb-410.html

 

I have seen a Dutch Barge replica with one of these brackets but I don't know how readily it is removed.

Edited February 4, 2014 by The Dog House

[Grace and Favour]

Hello does anybody have one of these satellite systems. How are folk faring with them in the winds we have been having. How do you secure them to a roof??

 

Thanks in advance.

Does 'Thomas' have handrails in 1" steel by any chance? -

 

(Ours does, and I sourced some super clamps for 1" round handrails to which we fabricated a sturdy flat plate (and to which we've fixed our aerial) it never moves in any type of weather - and is a sound base for adjusting when we're out cruising)

[jonesthenuke]

I think I'll avoid the "astonishingly expensive" approach, I really want to stay with a system that I can easily lift on and off as required.

Chris

[jckm2000]

Try 'magpads', got my solar panels mounted on the roof with them.

C.

[jonesthenuke]

Try 'magpads', got my solar panels mounted on the roof with them.

C.

Magpads seem ideal, just need to work out a suitable size that will resist the wind but not be so strong that I cannot pull the VuQube off the roof!

Thanks, Chris

[johnmck]

That is one rather expensive bit of kit to be temporarily fixed. Personally, I would worry about its security from theft, but more so, where do you store it when not in use?

[jonesthenuke]

That is one rather expensive bit of kit to be temporarily fixed. Personally, I would worry about its security from theft, but more so, where do you store it when not in use?

Agreed its quite expensive, so when not on the boat we take it home (so some advantage over a fixed mount system) and when cruising it lodges neatly alongside the Gardner.

 

Once at home its available for use either at home or on my son's VW split screen camper.

 

Chris

[b0atman]

how do these remote control vuqubes work ?what is remote control I have vision of tv type remote or is it something different ?

[jonesthenuke]

how do these remote control vuqubes work ?what is remote control I have vision of tv type remote or is it something different ?

Its a satellite dish in a box and connects to a small control unit which you have inside. When you want to use it, put the dish outside pointing roughly south (no need to align more than that. Fire up the control unit and it automatically seeks out the satellite, saving you the effort of aligning the dish. The gain is in the set up time, and applies if you relocate frequently, else a fixed dish and manual set up will probably be more appropriate.

It will not be to everybody's liking, some will no doubt see it as a gimmick, but we find it a useful device.

 

There are two versions, fully automatic as above, and a cheaper one where you control the dish position from inside. I do not see much gain from this personally, so have the fully automatic version.

Chris

 

Edited to add the manual version description

Edited February 5, 2014 by jonesthenuke

[jonesthenuke]

Try 'magpads', got my solar panels mounted on the roof with them.

C.

Just got the Magpads (bought 20 for approx £24). 78 by 53mm rectangular rubber covered magnetic bases with 6mm fixing stud. I have found the studs screw directly into blank holes in the base of the Vuqube. With 4 fitted the whole assembly sticks very securely to a radiator in the house (so hangs on at 90 degrees), though have yet to try it on the boat.

 

Good suggestion, thanks.

Chris

[paulmellors]

I'll be interested to hear how you get on with the magpads.

 

We've got a VuQube and have been thinking of something to make it bit more secure.

[jonesthenuke]

I'll be interested to hear how you get on with the magpads.

 

We've got a VuQube and have been thinking of something to make it bit more secure.

Having tried it over the last week the VuQube sticks well to the roof with 4 magpads but not so strongly that you cannot pull it off. We had a few periods of reasonably strong wind and it did not move. I do not think it would survive an out and out gale but I judge I would bring it inside well before the wind reached extreme levels.

 

I still have the magpads screwed into the blank holes in the bottom of the VuQube. Its not wholly secure as the plastic is not threaded nor has inserts. A bot of epoxy glue should solve this.

 

 

For the low cost and ease of fitting this looks a good solution to me.

 

Chris