Ivor Cartmell is known as the "Grandfather of Satellites" in South Africa. He studied mechanical engineering and worked as a manager before retiring and devoting himself to satellite reception. In 1994, he received a satellite system as a Christmas gift, which inspired him to start his own satellite business. He now supports 10 installers, supplying them with complete satellite systems at good prices, selling 500-600 systems per year. His dream is to operate his own satellite uplink station. He has room on his property for numerous satellite antennas as well as other amenities like chickens and a swimming pool.

1. ENTHUSIAST REPORT South Africa
„Satellite
Grandfather“
Ivor Cartmell is very proud of his nickname:
“Grandfather of Satellites”. He was born in Zambia,
an area that previously belonged to North Rhodesia. Ivor in front of his locally made 4.0-meter mesh antenna; the holes
In his own quiet way he really does live up to the name in the mesh are so small that this dish is perfectly suited for the Ku-
“grandfather”. And as such he has accumulated quite band. He installed the actuator in such a way that he can turn his
a bit of satellite business experience. antenna nearly 180°! Other dishes include three motorized 2.2-meter
Ivor, who studied mechanical engineering, worked antennas as well as smaller 1.2-meter and 60cm antennas. The “flow-
as a manager in the production of brakes and clutch ered” antenna is pointed to THAICOM at 78.5° east for the C-band with
assemblies. After he retired, he devoted his time to the Ku-band LNB looking at 68.5° east.
satellite reception. The deciding factor was a Christ-
mas present he received in 1994. Ivor explains, “My
son gave me a satellite system as a gift.”
When the PayTV provider DSTV started a few years
later, Ivor started his business. In 1998 he entered
into a cooperation with the religious 7th Day Advent-
ists who transmit the 3ABN channel via THAICOM.
Today Ivor supports 10 installers and supplies them
with complete sets at a good price. “80% of these sys-
tems are shipped with a 65cm antenna, the remainder
get a 100cm dish”, explains Ivor.
He sells 500 to 600 of these systems every year and
utilizes his employees to install about 100 of these
systems. Ivor has ambitions: “It is my dream to oper-
ate an uplink station.” He certainly has the room for
it.
Ivor inside his shack in which he is constantly at work
testing new receivers and pre-programming them
before they are sold to customers.
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2. On this plot in the suburb of Midrand, north of Johannesburg,
Ivor has room for not only numerous antennas, but also for
chickens and a swimming pool.
To the left partially hidden behind a tree are three more 100cm
antennas installed near the corner of the house and aligned to
36° east (for Multichoice), 68.5° east (for Christian Channel)
and 16° east (for the French-language channels from Mauri-
tius and Madagascar).
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