Directional aerials
Hi, I have a 2017 Swift Major 4 EB. It came with an omni-directional aerial which the salesman said was great because there's no need to swivel it looking for a tv signal anymore. So far I've been very disappointed with the lack of TV reception and am thinking about replacing it with a directional aerial. Would this be a prudent thing to do?
If I have to go down this route the model I've been considering is the Vision Plus Status 570 but it's quite pricey.
Any advice/help would be welcome.
Cheers, Andy.
Comments
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The so called"omni directional"aerial has never been very good unless in direct site and close to the transmitter, the majority of caravan manufacturer's now use the status directionals and they are by far superior
i am not sure but I think the amplifier you should have with your currant aerial can be used so it may not work out quite so expensive,you could always e-mail vision plus and ask
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It might be worth you trying a £10 antenna off e-Bay first to see if it makes any difference from the one fitted. You can plug it straight in the back of the TV and work along from there to find if the signal drops. If you can see the red lights on the TV mast at night then an omnidirectional antenna should work fine.
If it does not then you could well have a loose connector somewhere. They are not always easy to find as sometime there is a cable run join hidden behind furniture.
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No such thing as a "Digital Aerial" Hakinbush -- just good ones, fair ones & terrible ones !
MaxH, you say "Lack Of Reception" does this mean you get no reception at all or just poor, limited reception..
If you get NO reception I have to ask --> you are tuning your T.V. at each stop -- if not you wont get a piccy anywhere.
Brian A B M
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This article is very informative with no nonsense critical advice.
http://www.aerialsandtv.com/touringaerials.html#OmniAerial
Hope it helps
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As Nav says in a good signal area the Omni aerial should work fine. Same with the directional one, in a good area it does not really matter where you have it pointing. However, when the signal strength drops they really come into there own. The difference is as great as no channels / lots of channels, depending on where you have it pointing. They also have the advantage that you can tilt them on there side when the signal is vertically polarised. Sometimes the case with smaller repeater transmitters.
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The omni-directional aerials are pretty useless and can't understand why they are still fitted.
Most CC sites have aerial points on the bollards these days so very rarely need a good aerial.
I bought a directional one off Ebay years ago and fitted it myself. A huge improvement.
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Don't know which type of TV you use Max we have a status directional on our Hymer which comes with a fitted tv. ( terrestrial/freeview & satellite/satview + DVD. Having used satellite systems for many years we recently purchased a SatGear set up from Amazon £130-00, on ours neither the box or the sat finder of use as it's plumbed in on the telly. I'd consider this alternative sooner than pay whatever for a directional.
Happy caravanning.
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Depends on the type of omni directional. We had an Avtex one and the only times it worked was when the transmitted signal was vertical. Even within sight of the main transmitter it did not work because they transmit horizontally. We have a status directional which is called a log aerial. The poles on it, hidden inside, are different sizes so that at least one will pick up a signal and another will act as a reflector to enhance the signal. With the supplied amplifier not failed to deliver in the last 5 years. The new one we have (2017) does not have a signal strength meter built in like the old one so I have downloaded an app on my phone , Antenna Aligner, which has worked well. By the way I told the supplying dealer that the aerial was not fit for purpose and threatened to sue them. The directional was fitted!!!!.
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