Delfin Driver Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 I suspect that this subject has been discussed at length in the past but it is new to me so here goes. After some 20 years of caravanning and using a motorhome we have finally decided to opt for a "telly". Actually, we got it with our new van in July and have been trying to get it sorted since then. The TV is a German Make (17 inch Alphatronics 12volt) which we use through transformed mains electricity. On the advice of our dealer we opted for a directional Status 530 aerial which he believed was the best on the market. The first couple of times we used it was through a site booster and the picture was excellent . However, on about 4 other occasions we have used the Status aerial and the picture has been very poor (snowy and with diagonal lines). One of the sites (Crystal Palace) was described as having excellent reception and the others were "reasonable". On all the sites all around us seemed to have good TV pictures (sorry but I'm naturally nosy!). We discussed the problem with a technician at our dealer and he advised that "the picture seemed to be as good as any he had seen". Surely the rest of the motorhome fraternity do not watch Celebrity Come Dancing in the snow!!! The technician suggested we get a Freeview Box which would resolve the problem. I was a bit sceptical because I always understood that a Freeview Box also needed a strong signal. Nevertheless, my cheapy Asda box worked well for 2 hours before dying on me completely. We swopped it for a more expensive Philips version but at a site at Laycock in Wilts over the weekend it failed to pick up a single channel. I thought at first that there might be a problem with the fact that there are 2 TV points in our van but tried a direct coax lead from the aerial with no improvement. We are now in the position of having a quality aerial and TV but a louzy picture. Has anyone out there experienced the problem or got any ideas for a way ahead to tackle the dealer? Grateful for any help (not too technical please!!)l Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tezza Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 Delfin The aerial you have comes with it's own booster box, make sure this is turned on (12v), (little red light on the box) and also there is a slide switch for high and low signal, try playing with this when the booster is turned on, you will be amazed at the difference it makes. I had one of these aerials on my last van and will shortly be having one fitted to my new van, I found it brilliant, your picture sounds a lot like the booster box was turned off. Stupid question, did you elevate the aerial and turn it around to find a better reception? Tezza Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delfin Driver Posted October 10, 2006 Author Share Posted October 10, 2006 Tezza, Thanks for the response - much appreciated. However, I have checked all the switches on the booster box in line with the instructions and juggled the aerial many times. As a result of all the juggling I have extended and sore arms but no picture!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Hi Delfin, The Status 530 is certainly better than the older omni directional "spaceship" type but it still isn't as good as a proper 10 element wideband directional aerial. I have fitted a couple of these aerials but I have to say that out of about six I've fitted two were DOA! If you are using a freeview box the booster will be of little use as it's the data rate of the digital signal that is cut by a low signal. Amplifying what is there just gives you a bigger signal with a low data rate which leads to picture freezing and interruptions in the sound. It's worth checking that there are no strands of wire shorting out the plug on the end of the lead from the aerial itself, they're very fine strands and can easily be missed. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david lloyd Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Hi delfin Just one other point about the Status 530 - it can also be turned into a sidways plane which, for some TV reception areas is required to get a good picture. There is a small hanlde on the end of the pole that you use to 'wind' the flat (external) part of the aerial into the sideways plane. Sorry if you are already aware of and have tried this but I used to have one and a chap on one site who had just collected his new motorhome didn't have a picture as you describe but saw we had with the same aerial. The dealer had not shown him how to turn the aerial!! Good luck Regards, david Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mansell Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 We nearly always have poor reception at whatever site we have been at. Mostly we re-tune the tele but never get good reception on all channels and we have the 530 being discussed!! We either get Beeb 1 + Channel 4 and invariably we can't get BBC2. We have tried everything recommended on this thread and we too will be grateful for any ideas that will give us good reception too!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mangothemadmonk Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 We never had great reception in our caravan. Just before we got the m'home I was chatting to a fellow tugger and he told me to change the booster as these can go 'dickie' without you knowing. I replaced the said item and hey presto, a perfect picture. Just 'cos the red lights on doesn't mean its working properly and it only cost £16. Johnny F Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donastill Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Get a dish and Digibox!! (You may occasionally require an axe as well) then you can watch QVC where you may pick up a really good aerial for a few quid. Sorry - I'm a bit bored waiting for the match to start!! Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjphillips Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Excuse me if I'm wrong but are you re-tuning the TV in at each location that you stop at or simply just switching it on (?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 The thought occurred to me - are you switching the booster on and putting the aerial up in the same direction as others around you PRIOR to tuning in the TV? Sorry if I'm being daft but it's not clear from the postings so far. :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delfin Driver Posted October 11, 2006 Author Share Posted October 11, 2006 Thanks for all the responses so far - please keep them coming as every little helps . Yes I am tuning in the TV every time we pitch and yes I make a specific point of going around the site to check the angle of dangle and orientation of others on the site. In fact it is by doing this that I have been able to observe all the other lucky people enjoying a good picture with their glass of vino. Indeed, I end up having too many glasses in the hope it will improve the picture!! Joking aside, I have done everything in the instruction manuals and more but it looks as though I am not on my own. Mangothemadmonk - thanks for the note about the booster. Should be worth a try. Guess I assumed it would be more expensive than that. DD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david lloyd Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 [QUOTE]Delfin Driver - 2006-10-11 8:05 PM Thanks for all the responses so far - please keep them coming as every little helps . Yes I am tuning in the TV every time we pitch and yes I make a specific point of going around the site to check the angle of dangle and orientation of others on the site. In fact it is by doing this that I have been able to observe all the other lucky people enjoying a good picture with their glass of vino. Indeed, I end up having too many glasses in the hope it will improve the picture!! Joking aside, I have done everything in the instruction manuals and more but it looks as though I am not on my own. Mangothemadmonk - thanks for the note about the booster. Should be worth a try. Guess I assumed it would be more expensive than that. DD[/QUOTE] Another thought that came to mind Delfin was that there have been cases where the installation was not done as well as it could have been - it is worth checking the plugs on the co-axial cables to ensure that the inner wire is still insulated from the finer, mesh wire outside. The slightest contact between the two will prevent you from receiving a good picture. Good luck, david Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 After many years of appaling tv reception on caravans and motorhomes I have refused to have an aerial fitted to the new 'van. Shot myself in the foot, though, as I am now forking out an incredible amount of hard earned on a dish and receiver so that SWMBO can watch Stricly Come Dancing whilst we are away in Nov. >:-( The most reliable terrestrial aerail was a traditional element type on a pole, but what a pain to rig every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 When I installed our pole mounted Status 530, on the instruction sheet it said that sometimes they are badly affected by electric cables etc that run nearby. Is your installation near a light etc that might cause interferrence? Also, if you can borrow another portable aerial, not necessarily a camper one, try plugging this through the booster and seeing what the picture is like, they try plugging the aerial directly into the TV, if it's the same it sounds like the booster is at fault. When we don't have the booster on in our van it has a picture similar to the one you are experiencing. (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twooks Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 we've had mixed reception over the years from the Status aerial, and now - on the few occasions that we have the tv - just use the tv aerial itself. [Got brilliant reception during the Ashes last year.] Do find that the super satellite dishes that are now appearing on everything on wheels plays havoc with LW reception. We dread being on site watching a great hulking behemoth arrive with Jodrell bank on its roof; usually just before Humphrey Littleton is due on Radio 4. B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicwo Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 I bought a Multimo dish at £120 and it was a waste of space so returned it. I already had a camping kit in a suitcase from Maplins for £80 that I use in UK. The cheap plastic tiny camping dish got perfect Astra 2 right down in Tournon France. :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 Twooks, other peoples satellite dishes shouldn't interfere with your reception of anything, they don't transmit anything, they're just a receiver. A more likely cause of your interference is signal reflections or blanking from the vehicles themselves, especially the "hulking behemoths". D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donastill Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 Twooks - if you had a "super satelite dish" you could get Humphrey Littleton perfectly on it - and another 100 or so radio stations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donastill Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 Vicwo - I have a multimo that is fine, but when I get to Narbonne and all points south all I can get is Sky News + the odd radio station and loads of c**p. The blurb says something about a "southern beam" for such latitudes but it hasn't done it for me so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Copperknob Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 Hi We have found that a "Magic Wand", which can be bought for a tenner at most caravan accessory shops, is much better than our fixed aerial. It plugs directly into the aerial socket on the back of the telly & uses 2 AA batteries to power it. The batteries last for about 2 years. We also find there are times when the picture is best with no aerial plugged in at all!! Hope this helps. Copperknob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankkia Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 [QUOTE]donastill - 2006-10-13 5:10 PM Vicwo - I have a multimo that is fine, but when I get to Narbonne and all points south all I can get is Sky News + the odd radio station and loads of c**p. The blurb says something about a "southern beam" for such latitudes but it hasn't done it for me so far.[/QUOTE] Sorry but the multimo is a bit small to get much furthur than Narbonne. Changing the default transponder to the Southern beam will only get the signal meter to react to that beam instead of tne northern one. To get the Beeb and ITV channels you need a progressively larger dish the further south you go. Go to www.motorhometoday.co.uk and see "Top Tips" - "Satellite reception in Spain" where I have put some tips for getting the most from a digi box in southern latitudes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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