Please can you look at this TV aerial and tell me...

[Zayna]

I was wondering why the tv in a boat I viewed couldn't get a signal, this is the thing on the roof, it needs one of those antenna things in it, doesn't it?

 

Or if I get the boat, shall I whip the whole thing off and start again with something else?

 

[Guest]

I was wondering why the tv in a boat I viewed couldn't get a signal, this is the thing on the roof, it needs one of those antenna things in it, doesn't it?

 

Or if I get the boat, shall I whip the whole thing off and start again with something else?

 

 

The missing bit is for your radio (FM) it should work for TV with out it - that said they are normally pretty rubbish (our boat has one) so we use a good quality Log period aerial or sat tv.

 

 

 

edit - FM not VHF stoopid....

Edited June 19, 2012 by MJG

[Zayna]

Thank you very much for your quick reply!

[Guest]

Thank you very much for your quick reply!

 

If you decide to remove it you will of course be left with a hole in the roof - I have however seen this used to successfully fit a waterproof co-ax cable connector so that you can connect a proper external Aerial to it...

[Zayna]

If you decide to remove it you will of course be left with a hole in the roof - I have however seen this used to successfully fit a waterproof co-ax cable connector so that you can connect a proper external Aerial to it...

 

So where that little screw thing is on the top, do you mean attach the co-ax to that and then connect the other end to a better aerial?

 

There are other issues to rectify before we go ahead on this boat, but me being me, I have to get the TV sorted first...

[Guest]

So where that little screw thing is on the top, do you mean attach the co-ax to that and then connect the other end to a better aerial?

 

There are other issues to rectify before we go ahead on this boat, but me being me, I have to get the TV sorted first...

 

No you would remove the whole unit and fit one of these -

 

[Harmony]

I have this type and to be honest it is excellent. Where are you? I am at Mercia (Willington) I get all the freeviews. Have you got the amp? does the co-ax need replacing. I don't think the "rod aerial makes any difference to TV reception. To summarise I have one and it is A1. Hope this helps Ivor.

[Zayna]

I have this type and to be honest it is excellent. Where are you? I am at Mercia (Willington) I get all the freeviews. Have you got the amp? does the co-ax need replacing. I don't think the "rod aerial makes any difference to TV reception. To summarise I have one and it is A1. Hope this helps Ivor.

 

Thank you, we're not anywhere at the moment, strictly speaking, it has had a survey and we're waiting on the report.

 

Do you mean a booster thing for the aerial? To be honest, we haven't had a really good look at it or much of a test, the reception at the place we viewed it is supposed to be not very good anyway, so we really should wait awhile before we write it off I guess..

[Guest]

I have this type and to be honest it is excellent. Where are you? I am at Mercia (Willington) I get all the freeviews.

 

Quite possibly - however Mercia is in the middle of a wide open space (unless you are tucked in in one of the sides) so great if your boat never moves but as soon as you encounter the many obstructions that inevitably will be encountered on the cut these Omni directional aerials are as about much use as a chocolate tea-pot....as can be normal ones BTW, hence we have a cheap sat system as well to cover as many options as poss.

 

Thank you, we're not anywhere at the moment, strictly speaking, it has had a survey and we're waiting on the report.

 

Do you mean a booster thing for the aerial? To be honest, we haven't had a really good look at it or much of a test, the reception at the place we viewed it is supposed to be not very good anyway, so we really should wait awhile before we write it off I guess..

 

Definitely try it before you rip it off - you may be lucky.

 

We caravanned for years before we had a boat and never found a good omni directional area and ended up with proper ones then too - they are a compromise and rarely effective in a weak signal area.

[Harmony]

Quite possibly - however Mercia is in the middle of a wide open space (unless you are tucked in in one of the sides) so great if your boat never moves but as soon as you encounter the many obstructions that inevitably will be encountered on the cut these Omni directional aerials are as about much use as a chocolate tea-pot....as can be normal ones BTW, hence we have a cheap sat system as well to cover as many options as poss.

 

 

I can only say what I have found 2 years ago did the Leicester Ring = no problems (all terrestrial, but not digital this part of the country) last year up to Peak forest = no problems ( not too good in Bugsworth) This year Did the Coventry = no problems

[Grebe]

As Harmony says, the system also has an amplifier (booster) which needs to be switched on before you check the signal. As the unit is fitted low to the roof you may encounter 'line of sight' problems if moored in trees or near to houses or bridges.

[Gibbo]

If one of those works in a particular area, a piece of damp string hanging down the side will also work.

[Harmony]

Coming out of this discussion now

[Zayna]

As Harmony says, the system also has an amplifier (booster) which needs to be switched on before you check the signal. As the unit is fitted low to the roof you may encounter 'line of sight' problems if moored in trees or near to houses or bridges.

 

Sorry to be dense, but where would the amplifier be?

[Nickhlx]

Sorry to be dense, but where would the amplifier be?

 

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

There are good omnis and not so good omnis

 

Then there are good installations and not so good ones

 

and (as expected)

 

there are good TV sets and even better ones...

 

We have an omni as well as a log periodic, and have never yet had to connect the log periodic ..

 

Yes, we have had a few channels that have been a bit patchy ( we use freeview) but I made sure that the installation was as good as it should be, there was an expensive amplifier to help out where needed, and the set we use is also a very good one... the overall result is very pleasing...

 

Of course an omni can not be as high gain as a directional aerial, but I would definitely see how it is before chucking it out

 

Nick

[Zayna]

So would the amplifier go between the aerial socket inside behind the tv, and the aerial connection on the tv?

[Nickhlx]

So would the amplifier go between the aerial socket inside behind the tv, and the aerial connection on the tv?

 

Yes - in the feeder ( cable between the aerial and the TV).

 

Some TV's have an option to apply power to the aerial socket, expressly to power an in-line amplifier, but it is switchable on and off and needs to be set correctly. This doesn't preclude the use of any other in-line amp though as that can be powered externally from the boat supply.

 

There is a bit more to it than this though as there is a possibility that in a fault condition, the aerial connection could be trying to earth the electrical system on the boat and I urge you to have someone confirm that it has been installed correctly, else it could become a hazard - the remedy is cheap and simple, but depends on what is there currently.

 

Nick

Edited June 18, 2012 by Nickhlx

[Flyboy]

I was wondering why the tv in a boat I viewed couldn't get a signal, this is the thing on the roof, it needs one of those antenna things in it, doesn't it?

 

Or if I get the boat, shall I whip the whole thing off and start again with something else?

 

I've got one of these, it's a Maxview Gazelle and it performs very well. The aerial unit has to be powered via the booster unit which should be somewhere near the TV. The roof mounted aerial usually has a red LED at the rear to show when it's powered up, some units may not have this LED. Have a look for this LED, if it's there but not lit, the aerial won't work.

 

Ian

[Zayna]

Thank you all very much for your help, very kind of you all to take the time.

[Nickhlx]

Thank you all very much for your help, very kind of you all to take the time.

 

Its a pleasure - welcome to the community

 

Nick

[pquinn]

Sorry to be dense, but where would the amplifier be?

 

 

check the cupboards.theres a switch on it and when its turned on a red light comes on .

they are called a gazelle.

[nb Innisfree]

If one of those works in a particular area, a piece of damp string hanging down the side will also work.

 

How long exactly?

[Nickhlx]

How long exactly?

 

 

Nick

 

( a quarter wave - naturally!)