Where to put a TV Aerial Mount/Bracket

[Thepipdoc]

I've just taken possession of my first boat - yipee! (Sea Ray Sundancer 270)
My question is, I want to install a TV and would like to know where I should mount the TV aerial? I'm probably going to but the Glomex "flying saucer" type antenna and if my boat had an over head thingy in the cockpit I could mount it there but this particular model (1998) precedes the introduction of the over head thingy and as such I don’t have an obvious place to put it. I could try the foredeck but I suspect it will just get in the way and get kicked etc. Alternatively I was thinking I could try and attach it to the steel stanchion but again I think that will inevitably get knocked about.
I also assume that the best place for the aerial is as high as possible and mounting it in either of the two places mentioned will almost certainly not help the functionality of the it.
Does anyone have any suggestions? ( I expect I'll get the odd " I don't know how you can admit to fitting a TV on your boat" replies but Hey I'm thick skinned so I can take it!)
Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Mymobo]

Enjoy the new boat, Sea Rays are good on the water. I am sure there will be someone along in a minute with some advice.

 

[Thepipdoc]

Mymobo - Thanks for the welcome.

I've just re-read my original post and have realised that I haven't really made it clear what the problem is.
With the full cockpit canvas in place there isn't anywhere to place a mounting bracket without penetrating the canvas. There isn't a ready-made hole in the canvas so it would mean making a hole specifically for this purpose and I guess that may not be the wisest thing I've done since taking ownership!

 

[hlb]

In my experience most ariels hardly work anyway, clamp it on for a while and try a few different locations, before fitting it. I mean move the boat some where else. We just have a little powered thingy, that we keep on a shelf, it's not good, but at least as good as anything else we've tried.

 

[paultallett]

Hi pipdoc and welcome along.

Hlb is sooooooooo right!! (not that he's ever wrong... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif) We have a Glomax fitted on our radar arch and in some places it works, and others it's total rubbish!!! We bought a real cheap caravan aerial for the times we couldn't get TV with the Glomax. But we have found that by putting a rubber mat on the coach roof to stop any marks, then laying the aerial flat on that. SWMBO then shouts left bit, bit more, back abit, stop........no back a bit more.....etc till the pictures good!!! It always gives a better picture than the Glomax!!!

So if I was you I wouldn't bother mounting the aerial, just sling it up the top when you want TV and stow away when you don't save cutting up your canvas!!!

Regards Paul.

 

[Thepipdoc]

Thanks to for the good advice - it makes sense to me to do exactly what’s been suggested so far.
For obvious reasons i didn't want to go cutting holes in the canvas unless absolutely necessary and the suggestions so far have led me to the conclusion that even if I did it would guarantee a decent picture anyway.
And ..... I've learned something new - the overhead thingy I referred to earlier is called the Radar Arch ( Thanks PTT)

 

[TrueBlue]

Some more alternatives:-

Just to confuse you further,
MAXview do an omni directional aerial thingy with a magnetic base - so if your radar arch is really steel, you can just pop it up there when you want to watch the telly. Probably as successful as the Glomex; because omnis get confused.

Forget the whole thing and get a small satellite Freesat kit from Maplin / Aldi / B&Q etc. The advantage of a dish is that it doesn't have to be up high, just needs to have a clear view of 28deg S of E. Mount it on a rail, cabin roof, whatever. Stow away when finished.