The thing to remember about TV nowadays is that since the digital changeover things have improved greatly for campers. The new digital signals are generally stronger, so coverage with a weaker caravan aerial is quite a bit better. However the big difference is that digital either works or it doesn't - not like the old days where you could hear the audio and watch a fuzzy picture.
The aerial that PC recommends, the Status directional, is indeed one of the best, but it is "directional" - which means you have to rotate it for the best signal - usually it will work in any position, but the more remote you are, the more likely you will have to rotate it before you view. If you don't fancy this (and I don't) the same company make an omnidirectional aerial - the one that you see often that looks like a flying saucer - and this works almost as well. When I park up, I just switch on the TV, get it to scan the channels, and if it works it works and if it doesn't then we do something else with the radio or computer. Most of the time it works.
Sometimes you will get channels, but you will see little blocks of interference in the picture, which makes viewing difficult. These are the situations when the directional aerial would have been better. But it is also a useful tip that if you do see the square blocks just moving the van forward or back a yard can make a difference. This is because the wavelength of the radio signals being received is less than a metre, so moving the aerial just a short distance can make the difference between the signals arriving "in phase" or "out of phase".
I have never tried the small amplified aerial in the post by MF, but I have read good reviews - good enough anyway, and not bad enough to advise against. It will work in most situations.
But it is fair to say that the only way to maximise your chances of reception is to have the biggest and best aerial you can afford, as high as possible. Thats why you often see caravaners on sites putting up a pole with a traditional aluminium house aerial on it - they are the best of all.
The aerial that PC recommends, the Status directional, is indeed one of the best, but it is "directional" - which means you have to rotate it for the best signal - usually it will work in any position, but the more remote you are, the more likely you will have to rotate it before you view. If you don't fancy this (and I don't) the same company make an omnidirectional aerial - the one that you see often that looks like a flying saucer - and this works almost as well. When I park up, I just switch on the TV, get it to scan the channels, and if it works it works and if it doesn't then we do something else with the radio or computer. Most of the time it works.
Sometimes you will get channels, but you will see little blocks of interference in the picture, which makes viewing difficult. These are the situations when the directional aerial would have been better. But it is also a useful tip that if you do see the square blocks just moving the van forward or back a yard can make a difference. This is because the wavelength of the radio signals being received is less than a metre, so moving the aerial just a short distance can make the difference between the signals arriving "in phase" or "out of phase".
I have never tried the small amplified aerial in the post by MF, but I have read good reviews - good enough anyway, and not bad enough to advise against. It will work in most situations.
But it is fair to say that the only way to maximise your chances of reception is to have the biggest and best aerial you can afford, as high as possible. Thats why you often see caravaners on sites putting up a pole with a traditional aluminium house aerial on it - they are the best of all.
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