TV Aerials

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CaptainThames

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Not exactly the cutting edge issue of motor boating (although it depends on your perspective), but while in the process of upgrading the home comforts, I am looking at fitting a permanent omni-directional TV aerial rather than the little in-door type thing I currently use. Can anyone recommend a good one, or ones to avoid.
 
Funnily enough, thinking about doing the same thing but when they asked for about £80.00 at the caravan shop I thought I'd persevere with the B&Q, besides far to chilly to nail it to the radar arch, she refuses to climb up there in this weather.
 
In my experience you'll be dissapointed with the performance of all of them. You're better off with one having a powered gain control just dont expect to be able to watch Eastenders whilst anchored in your favourite cove. You might get a watchable signal in a marina if you're lucky. If you have to watch TV, you can spend £'000's getting a sat dish fixed to your boat but probably best idea is to get cheapo DVD player hooked up to TV and watch your fave movies. If you've got neanderthal kids a PS2 also keeps them occupied for hours
 
There are two makes of omni aerials for tv, both look like a satellite dish, and one has a spike coming out of the top. Both need additional battery driven amps to work adequately. The normal glomex and the other make appear to have similar characteristics, but there is a better glomex with a much better aerial response, but its about £120.
 
I got a posh thingy from a caravan shop. Big picture of a boat on the box. Inside it said. Not for boats!! Anyway it worked sort of ok till it met the sea, then.........Fzzzzzzzzzzz.
I now have the bit of bent wire suplied with the tv. It works as good if not better!!
 
Assuming you are referring to VHF/UHF off air reception. We use a Shakespeare one and is reasonably priced and works fine as far as omnidirectional antennas go. I also have a client who uses them on his commercial vessels for the passenger entertainment systems and he is happy with them. But whatever, will never be as good as a multielement antenna such as one might use on land.

I think for the UK you have to order Shakespeare antennas direct with Shakespeare in USA (a google will get them) but they dispatch them from an UK warehouse (that's how it was anyway).

John
 
For what its worth we've tried all sorts of "Flying saucer" types, all useless, as someone else said as soon as they meet salty air, forget it. Please don't waste your money.

For us a cheap indoor VHF/UHF amplified aerial run off an inverter with a freeview digibox and move the aerial about for best reception has been the only real solution. Spending 000.s on the other sorts seems ridiculous when one of the reasons for buying a boat was "to get away from it all".

With 2 teenage boys do understand "pester power" though, but as others have said get a PS2, that plays DVD'd too!. Buying a Jet Rib & a Jet Ski also seems to have done the trick, but of course that was cheap too..... not!

All the very best with it, Paul
 
Sounds a very all encompassing dismissal.

Have you tried either of Naval or Shakespeare?

They, at least, don't let the water in and are specifically made for the marine environment. Have had the cheaper Shakespeare ones on 25 - 40 knot boats that operate 10 hours a day for some years with no problems. Have had one on my own boat for nearly 9 years.

John
 
You're probably right very general, but generally true. Have scoured http://www.shakespeare-marine.com/ and can't find a UHF aerial, perhaps I'm missing something, any advice?? Naval aerials didnt do much on Google?? Am very interested to know more, but preparatory saucer aerials readily available in UK are generally rubbish IMHO Paul
 
Those are them, thanks Brendan. Not sure of the price of the Naval ones these days but Shakespeare are reasonable price (at least Australasia and in USA).

Quite agree with you Planty, the run of the mill ones, especially ex caravan shops etc, or of that ilk, are unsatisfactory.

Note, I am not saying they have magical reception, only as good as one can expect from an amplified omnidirectional antenna - but generally better than having an inside type one (especially when underway where rabbit's ears, or anything with directivity is useless) and are essential in a metal boat, of course. They are less effective on the lower VHF channels just above 50 MHz (if those are still used in the UK?) because of their small size relative to the signal wavelength. In a marina with crowded masts around can be a problem.

John
 
Lets not forget that in any harbour, by the nature of them, your on the lowest point on earth and usually hooked round a cliff face, hopfully from all directions. It's not much wonder that nothing works well!!
 
I can't find anything on the telly at home, let alone take it on the boat, the mobile stays at home too, A nice quit ancorech, a full size fridge ,(runs for 10days on batts) full of beer,and food, she likes red wine room temp /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif, what more do we need... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif PS don't even look at papers!
 
\'Ere....\'ang on a mo.......

10 days on batteries??????? Sounds to me like its full of pork pies !!!!

Lets see...say about 2amps/hour average for 24 hours is 48amp/hrs a day x 10 = 480 amp/hrs at one third total capacity = 1440amp/hrs = 13 x 110A/h batteries .....not saying you ain't got 'em but that is rather a lot ! Or have you sussed a way to beat the basic physics of refrigeration?
 
Re: \'Ere....\'ang on a mo.......

Thats what it says in the book , compresser drivin, 5 days is the most iv'e done sofar,hic /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
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