TV Antena

[ctva]

I'm looking to afix a TV antenna to the top of the mast but the current one that I have, Maxview Omnimax 360 TV Aerial, "looks too much like a caravan ariel" according to the boss. We are only looking for Freeview reception, so can anyone recomend from experience what works best for them and what would be recommended?

I've found this one, http://www.messales.it/brochures/nargus.pdf but can not find it for sale. Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[Pete7]

First off have a read of this web site:

http://www.aerialsandtv.com/touringaerials.html

Next consider why the flying saucer type aerials have a booster fitted. Could it be that they have to have one because the aerial is so bad?

Faced with the option of £100 flying saucer or believing what the above website said I took a gamble and spent £5 on a Status 430 aerial second hand off e bay. I wondered how I was going to fit it, but needn't have worried it works everywhere in the Solent so far and most of the time it is stuck in a cupboard below decks. I did make a bracket to connect it to the mast spinnaker track in case I end up in a poor signal area.

So the choice is £100 plus quid on a flying saucer type plus the need to power the booster or something cheap a cheerful.

 

[maby]

When we ordered our previous boat, I was overtaken by meanness and refused to pay the asking price of close to £100 to have one of those mushrooms installed at the top of the mast - I then regretted it till we sold the boat - hanging a loft antenna off a halyard looks so amateurish... When we ordered the current boat, I told them to put a mushroom at the top of the mast with a booster amplifier in the electronics bay - the results are fine, it's available immediately and we don't look like gypsies camped by the side of the road!

 

[Slipstream 34]

We have one of these, works well.


http://www.force4.co.uk/7544/Banten-335-TV-Antenna.html

 

[Talulah]

We have a mushroom at the top of the mast. I never bothered fitting the amp for it. Just connected it directly to the TV. (Actually it was about 6 years later I first connected it to a TV.) Much to my surprise it is fine including Freeview HD.

 

[ianj99]

I'm looking to afix a TV antenna to the top of the mast but the current one that I have, Maxview Omnimax 360 TV Aerial, "looks too much like a caravan ariel" according to the boss. We are only looking for Freeview reception, so can anyone recomend from experience what works best for them and what would be recommended?

I've found this one, http://www.messales.it/brochures/nargus.pdf but can not find it for sale. Any ideas?

Thanks

I use a Banten from Force4. It works extremely well even though on the wheelhouse roof.

http://www.force4.co.uk/9696/Banten-Whip-TV-Antenna---18m-cable---Bracket.html

 

[Puggy]

I have one of these http://www.glomex.it/product_details.asp?id=VT300 installed properly up the mast - chosen for exactly the reasons you outline in your OP. small and unobtrusive: you can hardly see it. It does have a power supply but that was easy to install - it uses a standard power inserter. No rubbish cheap panels with knobs on to "increase gain" or some-such nonsense. I am very pleased and great a great signal. No more hoisting cheap caravan antennas up the mast on a halyard...

P

 

[coaster63]

having messed around with various branded TV antenna which always failed to warrant permanent fitting for occasional TV on board I tried a small stubby 5 inch laptop TV dongle antenna meant for cars so is magnetic, so stud on coach-roof on full bean can for stability wallah ! good results usually, away from marinas due to mast clutter.

 

[philip_stevens]

I'm looking to afix a TV antenna to the top of the mast but the current one that I have, Maxview Omnimax 360 TV Aerial, "looks too much like a caravan ariel" according to the boss. We are only looking for Freeview reception, so can anyone recomend from experience what works best for them and what would be recommended?

I've found this one, http://www.messales.it/brochures/nargus.pdf but can not find it for sale. Any ideas?

Thanks

Fitted one of these - Maxview Omnimax 12/24V DC Digital TV/FM Antenna - many years ago, and never had any problem picking up TV signals. I fitted it when there was only analogue and long before digital transmissions, and still works well today.

http://cpc.farnell.com/1/1/117-maxview-omnimax-mobile-aerial-b23441e-maxview.html

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

Fitted one of these - Maxview Omnimax 12/24V DC Digital TV/FM Antenna - many years ago, and never had any problem picking up TV signals. I fitted it when there was only analogue and long before digital transmissions, and still works well today.

http://cpc.farnell.com/1/1/117-maxview-omnimax-mobile-aerial-b23441e-maxview.html

+1 I fitted one of these a few years ago, picks up all stations, everywhere, even when sailing. I have it inside the boat, very rerely I need to take the aerial outside for better signal.

 

[yotter]

I also have a Banten 335, very impressed. Have to retune every so often depending on location, but this no problem. Works well when on the move as well. The TV also doubles as a large chart plotter display from the video output from the laptop, endless hours of fun. I tried to get the Nargus, but there is no longer a UK importer.
Angus

 

[Ammonite]

The philex digidome works really well and the 4g model is £37 on amazon

Also looks move like a bit of nav kit than aerial

You can just chuck away the 240v to 12v pcb or fit a £5 boost buck regulator if you don't want to risk blowing the mast head applifier with 14.4v The one I bought on ebay fits in the original power supply perfectly. It comes with a metal bracket but I fitted a bit of nylon in the base so it fits a 1" pole. All depends if you want a mini project. But looks good and works well and cost less than £50 all in

 

[ianj99]

I also have a Banten 335, very impressed. Have to retune every so often depending on location, but this no problem. Works well when on the move as well. The TV also doubles as a large chart plotter display from the video output from the laptop, endless hours of fun. I tried to get the Nargus, but there is no longer a UK importer.
Angus

Banten is best imho .

Works from the ships supply so no need for a power supply or regulator and has performed faultlessly for 2 years even at wheelhouse roof level.

I did consider masthead mounting but decided the considerable extra cable length may well cancel out the advantage of the extra height.
I would recommend trying one mounted lower down with a shorter,easier cable run to see how it performs.

 

[ctva]

Many thanks for the info.

Having looked further into it, it would be good if the ariel could double as a FM radio ariel to remove the splitter on the VHF I have at the moment (reception is poor through it). Of all the ones I've looked at, only the AVIOR - VT300 actually specifies this and looks really good. Does anyone know if the Banten 250 or 335 or the Glomex Omnidirectional TV Antenna double as an FM ariel?

As to the Avoir VT300, I can not find a UK supplier and the distributer's (Marathon Leisure) web site is pants. Any ideas?

 

[ianj99]

Many thanks for the info.

Having looked further into it, it would be good if the ariel could double as a FM radio ariel to remove the splitter on the VHF I have at the moment (reception is poor through it). Of all the ones I've looked at, only the AVIOR - VT300 actually specifies this and looks really good. Does anyone know if the Banten 250 or 335 or the Glomex Omnidirectional TV Antenna double as an FM ariel?

As to the Avoir VT300, I can not find a UK supplier and the distributer's (Marathon Leisure) web site is pants. Any ideas?

The Bantens don't operate in the fm or vhf range and you'd still need a splitter if they did so you'd probably be no better off than at present.

 

[pete]

This is an interesting website regarding boat and caravan TV aerials (but may-be not what you want to hear.

http://www.aerialsandtv.com/touringaerials.html#ProblemsOfTouringAerials

pete

 

[KAM]

I have a glomex flying saucer type ariel mounted just below the top of the mast so as not to obstruct the nav light. The problem is I sometimes loose the signal when the boat swings or tacks. Nearly ran aground tacking up the sound of Mull with my wife watching Andy Murray at Wimbledon. I am trying to work out how to get it on the top of the mast without obstructing the light. The only thing I can think of is to screw the light to the top of the glomex or build a wire frame above the light. Any ideas.

 

[Langrick1]

Well it could be that the aerial is so bad, but I would suggest that its because the aerial is unidirectional and therefor cannot provide the "gain" that a directional aerial does.

The down side of a directional aerial is that it IS directional - if you don't point it at the transmitter you don't get much of a signal.

An omnidirectional aerial gets over this problem but does not give the gain - hence the need for an amplifier.

Its all about signal/noise ratio

A directional aerial will give a better signal to noise ratio provided its pointing at the transmitter.

Considering the practicalities of a boat mounted aerial its easier to have an omidirectional antenna with inbuilt antenna than having to find the bearing of the transmitter you want and mooring the boat pointing that way.

 

[KAM]

The ariel is omnidirectional. I was just looking for any tips, from someone who has done it, to get the ariel right to the top of the mast without interfering with the nav light.

 

[Langrick1]

The ariel is omnidirectional. I was just looking for any tips, from someone who has done it, to get the ariel right to the top of the mast without interfering with the nav light.

Sorry about that - I have a thing about aerials.

Not much room at the top of most masts - how about sticking it on a spreader?

Not quite as good but there's not much room at the mast head unles you length of ali and make up a little bracket