# Television Reception - Omni (uni?) directional aerial



## Citysafe (Feb 5, 2006)

I finally managed to get all the leads to fit the TV in the Van for a trip last weekend. Now - I realise the objective of MHing is not to watch television but my 3 daughter needed (yes needed) to watch a dancing competition on Saturday evening. 

My aerial is roof mounted and (now) connects directly to the TV via coaxial cable. The TV aerial is a wind up type permanently on the roof. It lies on its side while driving and stands up after winding up the handle inside.

My problem is poor reception. I think the aerial is supposed to raise but doesn't although I have a high van and I dont think that should be a problem. I am wondering about a small cheap aerial - but it seems a shame as this thing on the van clearly cost someone a fortune.

I noticed a number of omni - directional units on the site but they didn't wind up or push up to a higher point.

Simply - what should I do?

I managed to get a signal from the service point - so they did get to see it - it was cr**!!


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

Hi Citysafe,

Can we have a piccie of the aerial to distinguish what make/type it is, or is it, that big yellow one sticking out the side of the MH.

You should be getting a great reception with one that size. :lol: :lol: :lol: 

Jock


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## Citysafe (Feb 5, 2006)

Thanks Jock and Rita I have now posted the photo.


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## Snelly (Aug 20, 2005)

Are you sure thats a tv aerial...? looks odd.


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

Looks like a " Ray Gun" .. anti gas attack ? 8O 8O


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

I've never seen one like that; I'm curious as to its make/ provenance.

I would never recommend an omni-directional antenna from scratch, but given you have this beast, you need to come to that conclusion yourself once you've got it working properly. Which it might already be doing, in which case my judgement is validated 

Dave


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

Hi folks,

There is definately something wrong here, as we can't see any photo posted on 05/04/2005 @ 19.39:59 by citysafe.

J & R.


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

No, he edited his original post in this thread.

Dave


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## Raine (May 10, 2005)

i liked the look of the big yellow aerial too, lol lol 
and i agree i haven't seen one like that i think the aliens have nicked it and replaced it with a homing device, so watch out or phone home et brutus!


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

Thanks Dave,

Is it not possible for the post to show that it has been edited by the author?

J & R.


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Yes, that's why it says:

"Last edited by Citysafe on 2006-04-05, 19:39:02; edited 2 times in total"

You trying to wind me up? 

Dave


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

Not on our screen it doesn't pal. Seriously!!!

We don't tend to wind folks up as you tend to "reep what you sow/sew" :wink: :wink: 

J & R


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## RobinHood (May 19, 2005)

Two suggestions - 

Most omnidirectionals rely on a booster of some kind, and this may be switchable - can you find one and is it turned on (and does it have varying boost settings)?

Second thought is that if there was provision to hook up at the service point, reception was probably poor anyway. This could be exacerbated by the polarity of the transmitter. The status omnidirectionals I've had have coped reasonably well with vertical polarity (repeater stations), the last van I had had a foreign omnidirectional which wasn't particularly good a vertical polarity. I recall reading somewhere that the 'spike' on the status was there to cope with vertical polarity.

Try it somewhere with reasonable (horizontally polarised) signal, and see if it improves.


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Jock,

This is curious. 

Do you see any text above PIRATE which is in the signature area of Raine's post?

Dave


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

Problem solved,

The post that Citysafe edited 2 times in total was the original post.

However, our e-mail took us straight in to Citysafes next post, ie,

*Thanks Jock and Rita I have now posted the photo.*,

but there was none!!!

So, we have gone back to the original post, and lo and behold there is the image of a reeeaaally strange looking piece of terrestial apparatus.

So, honestly Dave , no we weren't winding you up. We are just not as technically adapt as yourself and others.

The words, bear, us and with, spring to mind. :lol: :lol: :lol:

J & R


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## Raine (May 10, 2005)

ok ok so whose nicked something above my pirate, cos i have looked now dab after your post or was it just a ruse, cos you couldn't do the quiz, and i have noweatenmylastmaltesersodon'taskforit,sorreeeeeeeeee


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

If you are looking at multiple emails rather than a thread as a webpage, that is understandable


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## Citysafe (Feb 5, 2006)

Sorry for the confusion with the photo location - assumed it would be easier for people to see it next to my script.

The aerial winds up from inside the van - I think its Italian.

The picture was excellent from the service point - so not another equipment problem its def a rubbish aerial.

I can try a booster - there is no booster on the vehicle currently.


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## Citysafe (Feb 5, 2006)

Taken the advice and bought a booster - still no use.

Found that when i tried to plug in booster it made no difference if the aerial was plugged in. 

My father in Law (a TV engineer and caravanner) has now seen it and says I am in a weak signal area and the aerial should be powered.

I think I might get a clamp and a pole and use the advice in another thread to bay a large house hold aeriel and climb up laddre and bolt it on -I can turn it from inside the Van.

The thing I still dont really understand is how the printed circuit board inside the aerial is powered - I think their is a bit missing.


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## 88726 (May 9, 2005)

it's powered thru the coaxial cable ,your father in law should be able to explain , you need a power supply box like the status ariels use then just plug in the ariel and hopefully it wont go bang . :wink:


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## Citysafe (Feb 5, 2006)

Thanks - you were right!!!

The aerial is meant to be powered - I have a missing power box - which is different from oridinary booster.

I plugged in the booster - no luck - I asked my father in law to by pass the in built amplifier inside the aerial and make it passive and then plugged in the booster downstream and AMEN it works.

The Omni Directional Aerials are not passive and without power will not collect a signal.

Bypass the amp and fit down stream booster and all ok


thanks for the sound advice that led to finding this solution


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