Recommend me a TV aerial.

D

Deefor

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I could have posted this in the MoBo section but I'm keen to know what works best for you on the Thames..............

I've just bought a Freeview TV for my little Mayland as SWMBO wants a bit of luxury http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/p

Now for the tricky bit - the aerial. I've had experience of Omnimax and the other omnidirectional aerials and not impressed at all. So i'm thinking along the lines of a directional one and saw this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CARAVAN-BOAT-

As we don't have a lot of storage space on the boat, any domestic type TV aerial might be too big and we could end up damaging the aluminium fins if it's tossed around when stored below.

So what do you guys have - good ones and ones to avoid?
 
Reception on the Thames is so bad that we don't bother and only use the television for occasionally watching a DVD. I don't know if the digital signal might improve things but I wasn't going to bother upgrading the television for the switchover.

Some pubs have quite luxurious television watching areas called bars, tell your other half.

Sorry, not much help.
 
I have a Maplin Satellite dish in a suitcase, which was £49 when i bought it but i think they are about £79 now.
I have tried several different TV aerials without much success, Omnimax and Maxview included.
 
Yup, Apollo's got it.... Portable sat dish and freesat box. Doesn't work if you moor too close to trees etc, but much better than any of the omni things which don't seem to work if you moor any where near water..:)
 
Just tried your links, but neither of them worked - I think they may be truncated.
No matter, being in opinionated mood this morning, having been there done it, spent loads of money on solutions that don't work (high gain, long poles, omni directional etc)

The only ones that works for me and happens to be compact are of theLog Periodic variety. This one is good value and what I use There's no sticky-out-bits at the back but it's still long and awkward to store. You will need an aerial amplifier - but do not buy one built in 'cos they get wet (!) and cease to work.

As others say, reception is very patchy; will probably improve when Crystal Palace goes on to full power and ditto for Oxenford. However, the main problems are that you are at ground level, there are trees in the way between you and the transmitter and there are dead patches for example Marlow to Reading is very bad.

Nearer Oxford is good and Bell Weir to the drainy out bit too.

So that's answered the direct question.

Given all the above challenges, I'd go with a satellite dish as others have suggested:-

  • Easier to store
  • You know where the satellite is
  • You can find a mooring patch where you can "see" the satellite
  • After you've cost the aerial plus an amplifier, you're nearly at the same cost as a Sat: dish.
 
Deefor said:
Hmmm, so now I'm looking at the satellite set ups.

I guess you can get 12v Freesat boxes? :confused:
Click to expand...

Of course, the maplin one comes with both Mains lead and 12V Cigarette Lead for the Decoder box.

The only warning I would give is NEVER plug the Dish into the Decoder while the decoder is powered up as high risk of blowing the Decoder. Connect it all up without power and then power up. (Voice of experience here.....)
 
Trip to Maplins at Maidenhead I think :D.

Guess I'd better buy a satellite finder as well then whilst Im in the store?
 
The maplin decoder does come with a beeper within the software included ie as you pan around it will peep when it finds the satellite. However the finders are so cheap, its a useful gadget to have so I would buy one yes.
 
We have one of these aerials which is plugged into a 12Volt booster (which is very necessary) and into a Toshiba TV. At Harleyford, Shiplake and Bray we get a V good picture but only the five channels which is actually enough for us - and the aerial can stay in the same position, which is a bonus

http://www.busyoutdoors.com/image-530-18-420-uhf-antenna/p139

At Henley the reception is pretty poor due to the hills and trees but then we watch a DVD if necessary. The tv has a built in DVD player

We have the advantage of a high radar arch for positioning the aerial so it might be worth investing in an extendable pole if you go down this route.

Satellites seem ok but I think there is a problem if the boat starts moving on the mooring and the signal is lost

MB Monthly or MB+Yachting did a comparison on these different types of aerials - might be worth a look
 
Cashbuyer said:
Satellites seem ok but I think there is a problem if the boat starts moving on the mooring and the signal is lost

MB Monthly or MB+Yachting did a comparison on these different types of aerials - might be worth a look
Click to expand...

And my little 18 footer moves an awful lot even if a rower goes past :o.
 
Deefor said:
Hmmm, so now I'm looking at the satellite set ups.

I guess you can get 12v Freesat boxes? :confused:

So either one I fix to the wheelhouse http://www.maplin.co.uk/standard-definition-recording-satellite-kit-for-free-digital-tv-508268 or a truly portable in a box one http://www.maplin.co.uk/camping-and-caravanning-satellite-suitcase-system-217921 ?????
Click to expand...

I assumed that as you had a Freeview TV it would be mains powered (small inverters are inexpensive) and there aren't (m)any 12V units around.

No problem - as the camping version is more suitable for your use and it's 12V. The Fortec kit is a bit clunky and has sharp edges, whereas the portable units are easier to modify for boat use.
IMO the Maplin variety is somewhat overpriced; Aldi B&Q and others regularly do offers - you have to be patient waiting for them to come up....

They're not Freesat - which if you like is a brand wrapped up into a nice programme guide "EPG". The raw channels are on the Astra satellites and get packaged up as part of Sky or Freesat. The products above can access all the channels, but you can only watch those which are unencrypted. I won't go any further as the explanation is getting complicated...
 
Just to clear things up a bit - the Freeview Hiatchi TV we've just got (12.15pm ;) has a 12v connection on the rear and we connect to a 12v ciggie socket with an adaptor lead. No inverters on board at present.

Being low down in the water, I think a sat box is the way forward, where we can point to the sky rather than "through" objects such as boats, houses, trees etc.. I can't imagine trying to get a signal when moored next to a flybridge or Broom 450 with a standard aerial unless it's on top of a 20 foot pole :D.

Edit - £90 at B&Q at the moment http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/electric...eivers/Ross-SD-Caravan-Satellite-Kit-11348015
 
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We had a TV on the boat when we brought it and could never get a signal. Gave up took the tv out and made it into a drinks cabinet!

We use a laptop and DVDs or download from Sky or BBC to watch offline.
 
How about Catch up TV via mobile internet?

Works very well in experiments at home, I have never tested it out on the river but most places (with the possible exception of Windsor) should have a good enough mobile broadband
 
rr_123 said:
How about Catch up TV via mobile internet?

Works very well in experiments at home, I have never tested it out on the river but most places (with the possible exception of Windsor) should have a good enough mobile broadband
Click to expand...

The mobile data does work well as long as you have a good 3G signal, you just need to keep an eye on your data useage. We used it to watch Wimbledon last summer with no problems.
 
rr_123 said:
How about Catch up TV via mobile internet?

Works very well in experiments at home, I have never tested it out on the river but most places (with the possible exception of Windsor) should have a good enough mobile broadband
Click to expand...

Yes - watched some of the rugby world cup and the Italian GP on my iPad this way on the weekend when we went for a jolly to London for some reason....
Can be data hungry though.
 
Sulley said:
We had a TV on the boat when we brought it and could never get a signal. Gave up took the tv out and made it into a drinks cabinet!
Click to expand...


Now THAT'S a superb use of space :-)

We have a 12v digital TV and the long pole type of aerial but with varying degrees of success. If I plan ahead I load a few films on the iPad and we watch that.

If I remove the V-birth I could fit a whole BAR in the boat....
 
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