TV Antennas.
Submitted: Friday, Mar 02, 2007 at 00:55
ThreadID:
123374
Views:
7848
Replies:
5
FollowUps:
4
This Thread has been Archived
Escapees
Does anyone have a good idea on what works well in TV antennas? We have a satellite dish and that is fine but looking to add a simple external antenna such as a happy wanderer / Saturn Omni or similar. Any advice would be appreciated.
Reply By: The paca people - Friday, Mar 02, 2007 at 04:35
Friday, Mar 02, 2007 at 04:35
Hi Escapees,
Unfortunately our pre-loved BT did not have a Wineguard power boosted antenna from new and the subsequent wiring-in of such is a bit of a problem.
We purchased an un-boosted Happy Wanderer for something like $120 and definately could not recommend it.
Whilst on the West Coast at Cleaverville [near Karratha] we purchased a 02MM-DR12 DigiMATCH 12 element UHF aerial for $51, mounted it on the PVC pipe supplied with the H.W. and got good reception where the H. W. gave almost nothing. However we should have purchased either the 01MM-DB 19 combined UHF/VHF version of the same aerial or the compact 11MM-MM12 seven element model specifically intended for caravans so we could get both frequency ranges.
At the same ocean front campsite, the neighbouring motorhome/bus had a PhaseLink said to be un-boosted ?] aerial and they picked up all the available channels UHF and VHF very well.
It might pay you to look at the following webpage.
Site Link
Good luck with your viewing.
Martin B.
AnswerID:
570766
Reply By: Bushtracker Buck & Babe - Friday, Mar 02, 2007 at 17:20
Friday, Mar 02, 2007 at 17:20
Escapees,
We have a winegard and it does us well. We also have the Abrolga satellite dish (purchased back in 2004 when sats were not quite so readily available) and we love that too.
Angie
AnswerID:
570767
Reply By: Kenso - Friday, Mar 02, 2007 at 23:07
Friday, Mar 02, 2007 at 23:07
We have the Wineguard internal wind up and find the reception terrible, (from the same beach Martin spoke of at Cleaverville , no picture barely sound) is there a booster for this unit?
And hey Martin, were you following us? :)) is your profile shot the same as ours? (at Millstream top of the Fortescue River only different angle? :)
Paul & Beccy
Karratha
AnswerID:
570768
Follow Up By: The paca people - Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 01:59
Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 01:59
Hi Paul & Beccy,
Sharp eyesight !
Yes it is the Fortescue in Millstream taken in early June 2006. We progressed in about 300m beyond where the pic was taken but encountered a mud bath a couple of hundred meters long. Disgression being the better part of valour, we turned around [not an easy task on a cross-slope dirt track] headed back across the "causeway", took the pic and carried on to Cleaverville.
If you have reception problems with your Winegard aerial, check that you have a full 12volts at the masthead connection. On our previous Van we could only receive VHF channels and got nothing on UHF - this was on the beachfront at Busselton and one could virtually see the transmitter tower at Bunbury about 35km away across the bay. Problem turned out to be an incomplete fracture in the outer sheath [it was the old "silver paper" type] of the aerial cable near the masthead. We were getting only about 2.8v across inner and outer circuits at the aerial lead plug at masthead end. Measured the resistance of the inner wire and it was negligible; measured the resistance of the outer and it was significant [cannot recall actual numbers]. Replaced the antenna cable from masthead down to van and then got perfect reception on both UHF and VHF.
Cheers and safe touring from Martin B.
FollowupID:
847312
Follow Up By: Noosa Fox - Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 03:03
Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 03:03
Have you got the small black button pushed in that turns on the booster. If it is on there will be a green light showing.
After we had some repairs done and they had to disconnect the wiring we found that we had almost no reception, and on investigation I found that the wires at the back of the Winegard panel had been connect up wrong and it wasn't getting any boost, so this may be the problem with yours.
For those using a portable antenna, I have been told that the aluminium swimming pool poles that have a twist handle to entend the pole work very good as TV antenna poles.
Brian
FollowupID:
847313
Follow Up By: Black Cobra - Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 13:27
Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 13:27
Brian,
Good idea but how is the reception with the brush on top of the pole, do you have to align the bristles in a certain direction. LOL!
Stewart
FollowupID:
847314
Reply By: Kenso - Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 03:37
Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 03:37
Yes Martin, even now when we have'nt had any rain to speak off since March 06 its still flowing over the road, literally an oasis in the desert!. Great native Catfish!
Hi Brian, where is this green light? I may have the budget model as I dont remember seeing any, we live about 2k from the tower and still the reception is poor. Must be something wrong somewhere! will have another look as soon as I get home from work (Before I open the Vino....)
Paul
AnswerID:
570769
Follow Up By: Noosa Fox - Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 02:16
Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 02:16
The green LED light is next to the power socket and the plug where the TV co-ax plugs into the wall unit.
Brian
FollowupID:
847315
Reply By: Burt and Mary - Monday, Mar 05, 2007 at 06:23
Monday, Mar 05, 2007 at 06:23
Digimatch Explorer with amplifier is the go and kills the Winegard for performance. Saturn Omni is expensive rubbish as close friend tried one and returned, and so is everything else really as they will not do all channels in all polarities around Australia. What is more Digimatch and amp is cheapest solution. It we do not get a picture on the Digimatch Explorer we take out the sat TV. Have a Humax 12v digital set top box which is great and according to experts is most sensitive set top box $130
If you are looking for good techo information always check on the caravan
forum as it is one of the few places you find intelligent qualified information according to Collyn. Check this link for caravan aerials as it is the exact setup we have caravan aerial
AnswerID:
570770
