TV aerials

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A search on here reveals hundreds of post about GPS aerials etc but nothing on what is the best boat based TV aerial. I don't want to fix it to the mast head but plan to run it up the (port!) flag halyard when we want to see something on the goggle box. Nor do I want to spend a big bag of money for a TV "dome" thingy that one sees on some boats. I don't value TV that highly but don't mind spending £100 if needs be. Any recommendations?

TIA

Rob
 
Any TV reception using a portable antenna inside the boat is always going to be a bit of a lottery. The broadcasters work on the assumption that their consumers are going to have a moderate gain yagi mounted twenty or thirty feet above ground level - provided everyone in their coverage area can get a decent picture with that sort of setup, then they are happy. As soon as you deviate from this, all bets are off - if you are close to the transmitter, you'll get good reception on a paperclip stuffed into the antenna socket but as soon as you get a moderate distance away, the chances are that you will start to get a broken picture.

On our previous boat, the dealer quoted me around £300 to put one of those omindirectional mushrooms at the top of the mast. I thought this was silly money - the antenna cost about £70 one-off over the counter in the chandlery and he already had the mast down - so I told him not to bother - after all (thought I) all I have to do is haul somehting up on the pennant halyard. We put up with quite poor reception in many locations for the next couple of years till we swapped the boat. On the replacement, I swallowed my pride and paid up the £300 for them to shove a £70 antenna on top of a mast that they already had down and run a cable through - the difference is fantastic - we get good reception almost everywhere we go.
 
We use a powered digital aerial from Tesco's that cost peanuts. It works fine with a 19" Panasonic set, sometimes from within the boat and occasionally outside the companionway.
 
Used to use the 12v cheapies but the telescopic antenna snap off too easily and you can't leave them out in rain.

Bought an Avtex 12v aerial it's smaller has a suction or a clamp mount and it's waterproof - really good bit of kit never failed to get a signal even in Scotland.

Google - Avtex or look on Ebay - about £35/40.
 
The best kind of TV aerial for you depends a bit on your circumstances.

Omnidirectional aerials like the ones listed above are fine if:-
-You are in a fairly high strength signal area
-You are watching whilst on a swinging mooring or at anchor
-You can position the aerial at a good height.

However, directional aerials such as the Image 620 shown here http://www.jacksons-camping.co.uk/12vtv/aerials/statusaerials.htm
will always provide a better signal, like for like, if the aerial is pointed in the right direction.

So if you're not sure on the strength of the signal, watch in a marina or moored to a river bank, and can't achieve big height, go for a directional aerial.
The whole kit is less than £60 and works very well.
 
Robih said:
A search on here reveals hundreds of post about GPS aerials etc but nothing on what is the best boat based TV aerial. I don't want to fix it to the mast head but plan to run it up the (port!) flag halyard when we want to see something on the goggle box. Nor do I want to spend a big bag of money for a TV "dome" thingy that one sees on some boats. I don't value TV that highly but don't mind spending £100 if needs be. Any recommendations?

My tv aerial was only £100 and it's at top of mast, it's dome shaped and reception is every bit as good as home. As far as I can see you either have tv and it works or you don't have it. Why have something that doesn't work very well?
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