# Long external coaxial "hook up" aerial lead ???



## 116839 (Sep 22, 2008)

Hi Guys..... just got back from Kielder Water up in Northumberland... fantastic caravan park and facilities up there !

Unfortunately, dummy me... didnt think we would not be able to pick up a tv siganl usign my aerial on the roof (we were in the middle of no where so the signal was more or less non existant).

Anyway..... on our pitch along with a hook up power supply was a TV aerial point, which if i had the cable, i could plug into the input socket on the outside of my MH.

So..... 2 questions:

1) Where can i get a lead long enough ?
2) Should i get male to male... male to female.... female to female ???

Sorry, but havent coem across this before....

Thanks guys

Oz


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## b16duv (Feb 14, 2006)

Hi

you can buy coaxial cable and the connectors at maplins. Buy a length of cable to suit and some male and female connectors and make up various leads to give you the options reqd - male to male (most common?) male to female and female to female. The last two could be quite short to use as adaptors fr the main cable?


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

I'd bet very strongly that the warden of the site had them for sale. We found this was quite a lot cheaper to do than making up your own.

If not, try Woolworths or Homebase and buy the coax and fittings separately. The CC ones are usually about 20m.

G


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Grizzly said:


> I'd bet very strongly that the warden of the site had them for sale. We found this was quite a lot cheaper to do than making up your own.
> 
> If not, try Woolworths or Homebase and buy the coax and fittings separately. The CC ones are usually about 20m.
> 
> G


We purchased ours from a CC site for either £8 or £10 about 4 years ago.
I think that you will find that all CC sites that offer this facility also offer them for sale.
Not worth the bother of making one, however it is very easy.
They have a male coupling at one end and a female at the other


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## richardjames (Feb 1, 2006)

To save leaving a window open you can get an external fitting to plug into
They ome with either just UHF or UHF and Satellite
Richard


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

richardjames said:


> To save leaving a window open you can get an external fitting to plug into
> They ome with either just UHF or UHF and Satellite
> Richard


I fitted one of these to our van!
One of the best things that I have fitted as it saves you having to thread it through a window or door meaning cold drafts


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## EJB (Aug 25, 2007)

The one I purchased from a CC site seems to cover all the UK setups. However in Holland and Germany some of the connections were reversed. Luckily I have a box of bits with alternate ends which I simply adapted.


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## 116839 (Sep 22, 2008)

Thanks guys.....

one last question..... the coaxial cable...... should i get it as MALE to MALE, FEMALE TO MALE, or FEMALE TO MALE ?

Not sure which is the norm to get....

Thanks


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## Jagman (Feb 16, 2008)

Its like getting set up for all possible water supply eventualities - 'hose(s) plus range of fittings' - in TV case: longish male to male plus 'box of bits' as EJB says is probably the best approach. Made up cables of various lengths usually available from TV shops as well, we have a local 'independent' who is good at stocking that sort of thing, but Maplins is always worth a browse for 'bits' if there is one near you or you shop on-line.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

We bought one from a CC site for £8, it is 15 m long and male to male, that has worked on all CC sites where we have needed it. You can get adaptors to go from lmale to female for about £1.50 from Maplins but buying a ready made cable has the advantage that the ends are on tight and do not fall off so easily as home-made ones.

Maplins sell 3 "aerial flyleads", longest is;

Flylead 10m JW40T £9.99 
[marq=down]
External connection to avoid having window open is sensible, we still have ours through a corner of window but it means leaving the window on ventilation setting or distorting the seal.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Penquin said:


> External connection to avoid having window open is sensible, we still have ours through a corner of window but it means leaving the window on ventilation setting or distorting the seal.


If you don't want to start cutting holes then look for other entry points. Have you an external locker that opens under a seat or bed ? It could be fed in through there and up through the edge of the bed. If you can't close the locker with it in position then remove the cable at night.

G


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

I have found CC and C&CC sites hire them. Better than carrying another thing around that 'might' be useful.

but to answer your question

In my experience they have been all Male to Male.

The only different option normally required is if you were trying to join two cables.

Maplin and others sell gender changers which are only £1.29 this will join two cables together or turn a male into a female.

.>here<


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## ThursdaysChild (Aug 2, 2008)

Is there a recommended maximum cable length before the signal strength starts to drop ?


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## ThursdaysChild (Aug 2, 2008)

If I buy a £1.29 gender changer, and try being a woman, will it change me back again if I don't like it ?


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## Sagedog (Jun 28, 2005)

Thurs 8) :?  :roll: I like your thinking!!

But back to reality my hookup cable also came from a nice CC warden with too much spare time, I think it was a fiver and works a treat.

Right back to gender swapping :wink:


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

ThursdaysChild said:


> Is there a recommended maximum cable length before the signal strength starts to drop ?


No

This is because its like asking how long is a piece of string. It depends on what signal you start with the quality of the cable and the frequency of the signal. A poorly designed or fitted connector can easily loose as much as several metres of cable.

What I can tell you is typical low loss 75 ohm RF coax looses about 2.5dB per 10 metres at around UHF TV frequencies.

How much is that, well its a ratio, 6dB would loose half your signal in voltage terms.


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## Horace (Apr 18, 2007)

Bit late now but-they sell them on site! I had the same problem a few weeks ago whilst there. They have a 25metre cable for £12.50
Horace


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## Horace (Apr 18, 2007)

Bit late now but-they sell them on site! I had the same problem a few weeks ago whilst there. They have a 25metre cable for £12.50
Horace


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

ThursdaysChild said:


> If I buy a £1.29 gender changer, and try being a woman, will it change me back again if I don't like it ?


Don't worry about it. You'll like it.


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## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

Hi
Asda, wollies and the like sell a TV extension cable kit which is a male/male (the ine you will need for the UHF tv bollard on CC sites and also a genger changer. This plugs into one of the males and turns it into a famale. This allows you to connect 2 together.
The cable length is 10m which covers most needs but i have 2 just in case

Costs £4,95 and is the smaller dia cable so its easy to pack away in a copboard by roling it up.
You even get a wal socket which you could use in the van in some circumstances.

Phill


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