The conversion of the Freeburgh Cabins and Caravan Park in Victoria to the VAST service
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Freeburgh is located in the Ovens Valley in regional Victoria and until it switched to digital-only TV signals on 5 May 2011 it was served by an analog self-help retransmission facility that broadcast national and commercial television services. The local council which operated the facility and the region’s broadcasters decided not to convert the transmitter to digital.
Residents in Freeburgh, who were reliant on the self-help transmitter for services, and unable to receive a digital terrestrial signal from another transmitter, were eligible to access the government-funded Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST) service. Eligible residents were also entitled to receive assistance under the Australian Government’s Satellite Subsidy Scheme (SSS).
This good news story and accompanying video examines the experience of the Freeburgh Cabins and Caravan Park in converting their permanent residents and guest accommodation to the VAST service.
VAST service
The VAST service in remote central and eastern Australia commenced in June 2010, prior to the switch off of analog signals in the Mildura/Sunraysia region. VAST provides free-to-air television services via satellite to viewers who are unable to receive digital terrestrial television services or if their analog self-help transmission tower is not being upgraded to digital.
The VAST service provides the same number of television channels that are available in capital cities. It features standard definition and high definition channels from the Remote Central and Eastern Australia commercial television licensees, Southern Cross Seven and Imparja, as well as the ABC and SBS. The commercial licensees provide the primary network programming from the Seven, Nine and Ten networks as well as the digital multichannels 7TWO, 7mate, GO!, GEM, ONE and Eleven. The ABC and SBS provide their full range of channels on a state basis including the multichannels ABC2, ABC3, ABC News 24, SBS TWO and SBS HD. Viewers of VAST in Freeburgh receive ABC Victorian services including ABC1 Victorian news.
VAST also provides viewers with access to the local regional news services by the commercial broadcasters in their relevant terrestrial licence areas. These services are provided through a dedicated news channel.
Freeburgh Cabins and Caravan Park, Victoria – Implementing the VAST service
Mr David Collins is the owner and manager of the Freeburgh Cabins and Caravan Park which is located about 10 kilometres from Bright in the high country of regional Victoria.
The park has 20 cabins for short term holiday rental while 40 or more people have long term residential agreements for either a caravan or cabin. Additionally, the park has about 80 caravan sites.
Before the analog signals were switched off in regional Victoria, the Freeburg Caravan Park was reliant on a local analog self-help retransmission facility for television services. The park found that the self-help facility was often unreliable due to transmission faults caused by storms and lightening. It was not uncommon for lightening to disrupt transmission and, “for one period of 13 months, there was no TV because of a lightning strike”. The community had to pay $5,000 to restore the service. A back-up automatic diesel generator also added to the expense of operating the facility and was a further source of unreliability.
Given these problems, the park welcomed the arrival of the VAST service, especially as it offers the same number of channels available in metropolitan areas. Many of their guests come from Melbourne and have an expectation that they will be able to access a similar range of services as Melbourne. Mr Collins researched what was involved to convert all of the caravans and cabins to the VAST service. He engaged a antenna installer and discussed the cost, technical issues associated with satellite reception, use of existing TVs and the cabling of cabins.
A major obstacle in converting the cabins and caravans to the VAST service was that trees blocked the line of sight to the satellite. To overcome this, a satellite dish was either placed near the cabin where a clear line of sight was available, or one dish was used with a clear line of sight to provide a signal to multiple cabins, with most of the caravan and cabin sites having overhead cabling.
A key element of the design was to provide an appropriate solution for the three types of users in the park: people with long term residential agreements; people staying in cabins for a short term period; and people staying in caravans for a short term period.
Long term permanent residents in caravans or cabins at the park were eligible for assistance under the Australian Government’s Satellite Subsidy Scheme (SSS). The scheme engaged a contractor to undertake the installation work with each resident making a contribution of $200. Mr Collins assisted all his long term residents with completing and submitting the necessary paperwork to ensure that each eligible person received assistance.
Park management separately organised the installation of satellite reception equipment for its cabins. A VAST set-top box was installed in each cabin which is connected to a satellite dish. Mr Collins sourced the set-top boxes and satellite dishes from a distributor in Melbourne and then worked closely with the antenna installer to ensure the satellite dishes and cabling met the needs of guests and caused minimal disruption. Where possible existing cabling was used and satellite dishes were shared between cabins which reduced the overall cost of installation. Additionally, by bulk buying both the VAST set-top boxes and satellite dishes from the same supplier in Melbourne, Mr Collins was able to obtain a reduced price.
People staying in caravans for short periods are advised in writing before they arrive that they will have to provide their own satellite reception equipment. Travellers are able to obtain permission to access the service for a period of six months, with the possibility of further renewals upon application. Park management has also converted the television in the games and amenities room to the VAST service and therefore caravans and others without their own satellite equipment can view free-to-air satellite television in this room.
Conclusion
The long term residents are very happy with the VAST service and some have purchased a new digital television so that they can fully enjoy the wide screen and high definition programming. Short stay guests are also very satisfied with the VAST service which provides the same number of channels as Melbourne. Many of the guests are not aware that the service is provided via satellite.
Unlike the self-help retransmission facility, VAST does not have extended outages guaranteeing a reliable service for residents and guests. Residents also enjoy the additional choice of channels which has increased from five to 17 including the Victorian regional commercial news bulletins.
The Digital Switchover Taskforce has released a factsheet, Free-to-air satellite TV for hotels, motels and caravan parks, which provides accommodation providers with technical and costing advice to assist them to upgrade to the VAST service.