Need to leave window open , but keep heat out!

[Chris.Holland16]

Hi , this is going to sound daft but..

I need to keep the heat in (it's cold outside)

I need to keep the window open.

there is a small 30cm satellite dish on the window sill I need for sky digital (the tv reception here is appalling - dreadful - you can barely make out the shapes on the screen)

This dish is realy really small - unbelievable

With the window open , how can I keep the heat out.

Are there any really 'heavy' curtains or anything.

Incredibly, despite the temperature difference it's not *too* bad.

I use a sheet of fabric to cover the hole in the wall (light proof curtain lining from john lewis).

As well as that I draw the curtain.

Any suggestions please?!

[Andy]

You need a better solution than this: it is a security risk for a start. Any reason why you cannot mount the dish externally and feed the cable through the window frame?

If this is not possible, Option 1 is to source a big rectangle of styrofoam ( not expanded polystyrene ) cut slightly oversize vis a vis the window. Then place the dish outside and squeeze the styrofoam into place.

Option 2 is to make a secondary window frame to fit within the existing frame when open. It need not be a big deal, get some wood and using appropriate stripwood/beading build up a secondary window frame with a sheet of acrylic glazing it, which will be a plugfit into the existing open window: it could all be done with the lengths of stripwood you get in those selection drawers in the DIY warehouses. Use small panel pins/glue to hold the beading in place, larger panel pins/glue to hold the L profile frame stripwood together. Drill hole in frame to accept aerial cable and voila! If you're accurate enough you could make the frame a pushfit, otherwise you'll need to think up a way of locking it to the existing frame. Will take most of a day to do, from driving off to get the materials to having something workable to put in position.

Andy.

[Rob Morley]

Hard to tell without knowing what sort of window you have. Have you considered building up a few layers of that self-adhesive foam draught- proofing strip to fill the gap?

[Chris.Holland16]

Thanks Andy

Forgot to say:

- I rent

- Window is above 2nd floor on private fenced courtyard with CCTV

Window is approx 1.5 metres high, 1.4 meters wide

Maybe I can buy a sheet of persex/acrylic glass the same size as the hole in the wall?

I'm new to diy... forgive me for asking.. do I go to B & Q for this?

Andy wrote:

[Haam Sup Lo]

the signal should go through the glass, so you potentially could mount the dish indoors completely. If signal attenuation is too much, a bigger dish will do it.

I have a 10mm hole in my window frame that the cable goes through - It'll be easy to polyfiller in later.

[meow2222]

ask landlord if you can fit one neatly and permanently, it may be an asset for future tenants

NT

[Dave Fawthrop]

| Hi , this is going to sound daft but.. | | | | I need to keep the heat in (it's cold outside) | | I need to keep the window open. | | there is a small 30cm satellite dish on the window sill I need for sky | digital (the tv reception here is appalling - dreadful - you can barely | make out the shapes on the screen) | | This dish is realy really small - unbelievable | | | With the window open , how can I keep the heat out. | | Are there any really 'heavy' curtains or anything.

| Incredibly, despite the temperature difference it's not *too* bad. | | | I use a sheet of fabric to cover the hole in the wall (light proof | curtain lining from john lewis). | | As well as that I draw the curtain.

A sat dish will receive a signal through *plain* glass, but not through the more modern heat saving glass.

uk.tech.digital-tv is thataway >>>>>>

They know more about sat reception than I do.

[Chris.Holland16]

It's ddouble glazing

yep, i'm using freesat from sky . got my box for =A399 from simply digital.co.uk

outstanding value! no more subscription fees!!

My landlord in a company. I live in keyworker accommodation. each room is like a tiny rabbit hutch, yet I pay =A3500+ per month (cos it's London)

[Dave Fawthrop]

| > A sat dish will receive a signal through *plain* glass, but not through | > the more modern heat saving glass.

| It's ddouble glazing

A sat dish *should* receive through old plain glass double glazing but not the new glazing with heat saving glass. Have you tried closing the window and re adjusting the dish to see the sat?

[Sparks]

Would something like this be of any use?

is a flat cable (about 2-3mm thick (from memory, the last time I saw one!)

I have no idea if it will drastically affect the signal, but as it is quite short, I would think it will be OK.

If your windows have a rubber type seal, it may be possible to close the window on it (and it is only about £4 so no great loss if it doesn't!)

You will also need a short normal co-ax (with F connectors on) to go from the dish to this thing, then use your original cable top go to the set top box.

Sparks...

[Chris.Holland16]

The window has atleast 2 panes and is the heat saving ones.

This may sound crazy, but I don't care about having the window open if I can have my digital tv! It's worth it.

Plus the wall is really thick (i.e. the window sill is very deep/wide)

[Sparks]

Maybe you have misunderstood me here! This thing is designed to be shit in the window, (I am assuming the cable is through an open window at the moment, and this is the problem)

Or have I misunderstood you here, and the dish is actually inside the house, pointing out of a fully opened window? - if so, can you not fix it outside somehow, and use the cable I suggested?

Sparks...

[Owain]

And a lot more in heating bills, I presume.

Ask all your neighbours if they want sky/freesat and if you get enough saying yes petition the landlord company to install a communal system.

Owain

[Andy]

B&Q, Wickes, Focus Do-It-All, or a builders merchants or sometimes even a sell allsorts stack-em-high sell-em-cheap hardware emporium cum garden centre place ( if you know any! ).

[Chris.Holland16]

Hi.

the dish must be inside with the window open (very thick windows)

the tenancy agreement bans the dish being installed externally

l live in a large keyworker/student complex (maybe a thousand people)

my monthly rent incudes my electricity

the tv reception (without skydigital) is so bad you have to user your imagination to figure out what is supposed to be on the screen. (I've tried using a booster, other aerials etc)

So I gave the Kerstan 30cm dish a chance and bingo - cystal clear sky digital.

I suppose I only need the window open for about 2 hours a night... not too bad

[Owain]

I think it's unacceptable that a development of that size doesn't have a decent communal distribution system, at least for Freeview but prefereably for satellite as well.

If the reception is that bad then I think you could probably argue that the prohibition on external installation is unreasonable and an unfair contract term.

I hesitate to mention the words "rent strike" ...

Owain

[Stuart Noble]

Sounds like somebody screwed up with the design of this place. The BBC would presumably be interested in 1000 licence fee payers unable to receive their daily dose of brainwashing.

[Colum Mylod]

...

The way I've seen a 60cm concealed was to have the LNB & rod protrude through translucent flexible perspex [proper name fails me!] which was cut to fit the gap of an open window. The dish proper was behind the plastic. Ideally this arrangement should be 1st floor or higher to prevent scrotes attacking the LNB. The plastic provided good heat insulation and is transparent to the 11GHz you want.

Getting a communal dish etc is not going to provide a quicker solution.