Ralph Posted October 6, 2007 Share Posted October 6, 2007 Until now I've resisted having a TV in the van but I've succumbed after buying a neat little 8" Roadstar http://tinyurl.com/28x4pq which only uses 10 watts and tucks away in a bookshelf when not in use. But I don't have an aerial on the van! And I don't really want to fit one as the TV will, hopefully, only be used occasionally. OK, I'll tell the truth, it was because I wanted to watch the Rugby World Cup last weekend :-D So I have 2 alternatives: 1 Fit a temporary external aerial, caravan style. I could fix a directional such as http://tinyurl.com/3clveg on a clamp to the bike rack. 2 Use an internal. http://tinyurl.com/2k4e9g Obviously, for occasional use, I would prefer option 2 but would it really work? Not interested in Freeview as I have a portable sattelite (good old Lidl!) for those occasions when I need it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted October 6, 2007 Share Posted October 6, 2007 for years we used a small domestic booster aerial (battery powered + extension lead) put it in a plastic bag and stuck it through Heki roof window and left it on roof. it worked fine most of the time...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breakaleg Posted October 6, 2007 Share Posted October 6, 2007 same here judge, maxview, folds flat uses battries. again worked ok most of the time pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordThornber Posted October 6, 2007 Share Posted October 6, 2007 Can't believe I've never thought of sticking an aerial through the Heki. Doh! *-) Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted October 6, 2007 Share Posted October 6, 2007 Generally I find indoor aerials a waste of time but if you get a good 'un and fix it inside the Heki but as high as you can get it it might just work better than through a window or side panel. The good old fashioned 5 element aerial (like we use at home in the loft but shorter) is as good a many and better than a lot for analogue but I don't know about digital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Posted October 7, 2007 Author Share Posted October 7, 2007 Thanks all. I've gone out and bought one so I'll give it a try. Seemed OK outside on the drive (through the Heki) but I am in a lousy signal area (at sea level and about 30 miles to the Croydon transmitter) so I hope it may be OK for some of the time at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted October 7, 2007 Share Posted October 7, 2007 About 3 years ago, I tried 4 different indoor aerials from Maplins. Their effectiveness varies with price - the most expensive were the worst. We returned to using our 'Magic Circle' aerial which we too often put on the roof. BUT: while it is fine with analogue TV, it is far less effective with digital terrestrial signals, where reception is much less tolerant of poor signals - the analogue signal just gets 'snowy' but the digital one simply 'switches off'. So unless you want to camp only in direct line of sight of a transmitting aerial and not too far away, you'll need a decent aerial. Remember, there are 10 types of people - those who understand binary digital and those who don't . . . Mel E ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Posted October 7, 2007 Author Share Posted October 7, 2007 Mel E - 2007-10-07 6:06 PM We returned to using our 'Magic Circle' aerial which we too often put on the roof. Thanks for this Mel. Cheers me up as it's the magic Circle that I bought. As I said, digital doesn't bother me as I have a portable sattellite. I just want a quick and dirty way to get analogue while it's still with us. I wonder whether we will eventually get lots of digital transmitters, a bit like cell phone coverage, or if the situation is et to continue indefinitely. I think the analogue switch off is ill advised but I don't expect the government to listen to me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadian Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Ralph - 2007-10-06 9:55 AM Until now I've resisted having a TV in the van but I've succumbed after buying a neat little 8" Roadstar http://tinyurl.com/28x4pq which only uses 10 watts and tucks away in a bookshelf when not in use. But I don't have an aerial on the van! And I don't really want to fit one as the TV will, hopefully, only be used occasionally. OK, I'll tell the truth, it was because I wanted to watch the Rugby World Cup last weekend :-D So I have 2 alternatives: 1 Fit a temporary external aerial, caravan style. I could fix a directional such as http://tinyurl.com/3clveg on a clamp to the bike rack. 2 Use an internal. http://tinyurl.com/2k4e9g Obviously, for occasional use, I would prefer option 2 but would it really work? Not interested in Freeview as I have a portable sattelite (good old Lidl!) for those occasions when I need it. Ralph it all depends where you are. Glad to see you are another free-to-air viewer! Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Posted October 17, 2007 Author Share Posted October 17, 2007 First try out was a complete success, but since I was inside the M25 that's not really surprising. Watched the rugby last weekend without having to put the aerial outside. Only downside is that it's a nuisance having to remember to switch it off afterwards. I forgot :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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