caravan aerial

djrlittleton

looking for a high quality aerial suitable for a caravan, that is soarview suitable as a lot of the camping suppliers are very outlandish with there prices

could anyone post a few links please

John mac

something like this should cover you for most of the country.
check here for location of caravan.

Donegal_TDI

Status 540 is what I settled for in the end.
See here.....

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Caravan-motorhome-status-540-directional-aerial-long-/300456444108?pt=UK_ConElec_TVAerials_RL&hash=item45f49980cc

Ronnie Raygun

You might get some ideas here & you should be able to source the necessary bits & pieces from local suppliers.

It depends I suppose if you want a dedicated caravan setup that can be left in place permanently or something you rig up yourself on site. The latter is likely to be cheaper & perform better if spec'd correctly.

SalteeDog

That status 540 is one pricey aerial although it does look suitably futuristic.

watty

It's worth €40 at most. It's just a very basic €12 Yagi in a fairing.

I'd have used a regular pole and roof top aerial with clamp to clamp it on to the tow part when parked. No point in having aerial up while driving.

zg3409

Now that you have chosen an aerial you need to be aware that you need to point it at the nearest mast.

As well as pointing it you need to turn it from flat (like in the photo) to standing up (vertical) depending if the mast is sending out the signal horizontal or vertical.

After all this is done then you need to re-scan for channels. If you are in a very weak area then it might not work. Coverage on this map is designed for aerials at the height of rooftops. The closer you are to the nearest mast, the better it will work.

You need to repoint and flip the aerial every time you switch location. You will also need to re-tune if you are in range of a different mast.

For example:

http://www.saorview.ie/make-the-switch/coverage-map/

In athlone, your aerial needs to point northwards. It needs to be flat (horizontal) and during autoscan it should stop at 47 and find all the channels. A compass can be handy as it can get confusing as to which way is north. Blindly twirling the aerial and re-scanning is not fun. Check the website in advance of heading away.

Donegal_TDI

Status 540 allows you to change direction and height of antenna, and change polarisation with a little handle, all from within the caravan or motor-home. The kit also includes a 12v amp with 2 outputs, one for TV and one for FM radio, and it is relatively easy to fit. There are better performing antennas out there, but as a package it's hard to beat. If you arrive on site and it's pelting rain, you can get up and going with your Saorview without getting wet

SalteeDog

Perfect for the Irish summer then

Donegal_TDI

Yup!

I'm just about to put one in my own Caravan,
a Dethleff 530SK Pacific,
along with a satellite dome,
satellite pvr receiver,
sound system
and TV
all running off 12v.
May post here if anyone is interested.

As I'm a farmer,
my cattle are still in due to the crap weather in Donegal
and slow grass.
Hopefully will get them out soon, things to do

zg3409

Donegal_TDI wrote: »

Yup!
May post here if anyone is interested.

If possible take photos etc. I'm sure it would be of interest to a few people.

wilson10

What about this, says it will work worldwide

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Best-Motorhome-Caravan-Boat-Indoor-Outdoor-Digital-Freeview-TV-Aerial-Ariel-/120917238135?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item1c273aa177

zg3409

wilson10 wrote: »

What about this, says it will work worldwide

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Best-Motorhome-Caravan-Boat-Indoor-Outdoor-Digital-Freeview-TV-Aerial-Ariel-/120917238135?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item1c273aa177

That one seems expensive for what it is. For Caravan use I think it is not really suitable for the following reasons

1) It seems to be mounted using a magnet, so designed for metal (not alumium) roof mounting. Most caravans are fibreglass, so it will not mount

2) The cable needs to run from outside to inside, the plug is already fitted so you would need to drill a hole the size of the connector to get the cable in, not ideal

3) The main problem is this aerial is NOT directional There is no need to turn it, but that also means it's true gain is terrible. I would suspect it will only pick up a decent signal if you are within 3 or 4 miles of the transmitter mast, any further and it will simply not work.

4) I suspect an indoor aerial inside the caravan would work better than this as all indoor aerials are at least a bit directional and you can adjust them for best reception.

I think this is all hype and not suitable for a Caravan. Yes it may work in some cases most of the time in real life usage it will not.

Coverage of Saorview is based on rooftop (think 30ft) mounted directional aerials. If you use a 10ft mounted non directional aerial then you will not get as good coverage as the coverage map suggests.

http://www.saorview.ie/make-the-switch/coverage-map/

Macy0161

Our new 'van already has a satellite dish (previous owner had a sky sub, so they simply brought that with them). Not sure I'll even bother with an aerial but if I do I'm thinking "normal" ariel on a pole that is clamped to the bike rack*. TV watching isn't a priority when we're away, so it is pretty far down the list to be honest, and we will have freesat (which does give RTE and Newstalk radio). No way could I justify €200 plus that the specialist aerial works out delivered is - a rain jacket would be cheaper!

*I am going to check whether this is going to be an issue, but if it's strong enough to hold 3 or 4 bikes, it should be ok for a small enough ariel on a lightweight pole.

Antenna

zg3409 wrote: »

3) The main problem is this aerial is NOT directional There is no need to turn it, but that also means it's true gain is terrible. I would suspect it will only pick up a decent signal if you are within 3 or 4 miles of the transmitter mast, any further and it will simply not work.

The main problem is it is only suitable for vertical polarisation - which would do for all DTT in certain counties (such as the Netherlands), but in this country (and the UK) you mostly encounter horizontal polarisation from the main UHF TV transmitters.

Is that ebay page some type of joke?

Parkmyauto Ltd Presents This Multi Purpose High Powered (96db) Universal Voltage Application 12V - 240V, (96db) Broadband Digital & Analogue Mobile Mini TV Aerial & Antenna

"96db" !!!!!!!!???????
"Universal Voltage Application 12V - 240V" ??????? - it says elsewhere its a passive antenna!

zg3409

Macy0161 wrote: »

I'm thinking "normal" ariel on a pole that is clamped to the bike rack.

http://www.aerialsandtv.com/atvschoiceofaerials.html#LogPeriodics

This site has a good review of ordinary aerials, but also mentions ones suitable for caravans in terms of strength and ability to take a few bangs. It even mentions caravans.

Some aerials bend and fall apart if they are moved regularly so you need a type that can stand bashing.

You could try source one via that site, or the same one locally.

The main issue you will have it trying to point it, while looking at the TV at the same time. Best to check RTE's coverage map to get the right direction and polarisation before leaving home.

deadl0ck

Donegal_TDI wrote: »

Status 540 allows you to change direction and height of antenna, and change polarisation with a little handle, all from within the caravan or motor-home. The kit also includes a 12v amp with 2 outputs, one for TV and one for FM radio, and it is relatively easy to fit. There are better performing antennas out there, but as a package it's hard to beat. If you arrive on site and it's pelting rain, you can get up and going with your Saorview without getting wet

Sorry to drag up this thread, but I'm looking at the Status 550 myself (linky).
The 12V power - does it come with a 230V regular plug adapter or do you need a 12V cigarette lighter socket to plug it into ?

Also - how is it working for you now - All still good I hope ?

Donegal_TDI

All good. It runs on 12v DC. I have all the entertainment system running on 12v, tv, satellite receiver, speaker system, dcdc converter for laptop. I have used the antenna in London, Birmingham, Antrim and at the last site Lough Key. Works good. Recommended, but get yourself a little signal strength receiver to make life a little easier during alignnent.

deadl0ck

Donegal_TDI wrote: »

All good. It runs on 12v DC. I have all the entertainment system running on 12v, tv, satellite receiver, speaker system, dcdc converter for laptop. I have used the antenna in London, Birmingham, Antrim and at the last site Lough Key. Works good. Recommended, but get yourself a little signal strength receiver to make life a little easier during alignnent.

Cool - the new 550 has a built in signal strength (red/amber/green) on the amplifier.
My caravan does not have any 12v sockets - just 230V plugs, although the lighting is 12V, so I reckon I could tap into that - I can't hook directly to a 12 battery either as there is no battery in the caravan (you must be at a hookup)

Thanks for the info!!

Liameter

You really don't want an amplified aerial. It uses power and the amplifier has little useful effect. You've either got enough signal or you haven't. Amplifying a weak, noisy signal is like amplifying a scratched record that you can't hear because of the scratches. Making it louder doesn't help.

Anyway, why pay for an amplifier AND a fancy plastic cover when you can get far better performance, at lower cost, from a tiny LP20FHV log-periodic aerial (or a larger V10-28L or V10-36L if you have room)?

deadl0ck

Liameter wrote: »

You really don't want an amplified aerial. It uses power and the amplifier has little useful effect. You've either got enough signal or you haven't. Amplifying a weak, noisy signal is like amplifying a scratched record that you can't hear because of the scratches. Making it louder doesn't help.

Anyway, why pay for an amplifier AND a fancy plastic cover when you can get far better performance, at lower cost, from a tiny LP20FHV log-periodic aerial (or a larger V10-28L or V10-36L if you have room)?

Not so sure I agree with you about the amp - I've used an amplified aerial before in the motorhome I had before the caravan; Amp off = nothing. Amp on = All Saorview channels. That's my personal experience.

The reason I like the status aerial is purely for convenience to be honest. No need to dig out the aerial, coax and aerial pole from somewhere under the caravan seats (when there are typically people sitting on them as soon as we arrive), go outside and set it up, and then go in and out repeatedly to get the best signal. It's just not easy to do when there's a baby and pre-school child also needing minding.

Liameter

deadl0ck wrote: »

Amp off = nothing. Amp on = All Saorview channels.

Naturally. Amplifier off = no signal or very little. (Try it with your Hi-Fi amp.)
Even if that wasn't naturally the case, the manufacturers want you to think that the amplifier is doing something useful so you'll pay more for it. But the truth is that the real purpose of an amplifier is to compensate for losses in the coaxial cable. So use a decent cable, not too long, and any aerial will work just as well, if not better.

Peter Rhea

deadl0ck wrote: »

Not so sure I agree with you about the amp - I've used an amplified aerial before in the motorhome I had before the caravan; Amp off = nothing. Amp on = All Saorview channels.

An unpowered amplifier won't pass any signal. Or maybe in this case the amp could be switched in or out, or the gain adjusted, without having to disconnect anything to bypass the amp & get the 'no amplification' condition?

This site was already linked to earlier in the thread. He has since tested the Status 550 & had a look at what's inside the casing.

deadl0ck

Fair enough, it's an interesting site - but as long as it works and gets me Saorview, I'm willing to pay for the convenience that it offers from a set-up point o f view - that's essentially what I'm paying for.

Liameter

Peter Rhea wrote: »

He has since tested the Status 550 & had a look at what's inside the casing.

Interesting; there's no amplifier inside it.

There's a tiny (unshielded - aagh!) PCB connected to the VHF dipole but the "low loss" coax is connected directly to the log-p elements.