TV Antenna and Amplifiers
Submitted: Friday, Oct 27, 2006 at 21:20
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Member - Steven H (ACT)
I am looking to buy a
TV antenna and amplifier for the camper and I am leaning toward a Yagi design antenna from Dick Smiths. Is anyone aware of an amplifier that can be successfully run on both 12 and 240V? I am also open to any suggestions re TV antennas although I don’t wont to spend too much on one as the TV will only be an amusement device for the kids and news for us only when the great outdoors is shut up for the night or its wet.
Reply By: Derek from Affordable Batteries & Radiators - Friday, Oct 27, 2006 at 21:29
Friday, Oct 27, 2006 at 21:29
Hi Steven
I have 4 new antennas coming in from the latest Electronics show in HK complete with remote control and boosters.
I will be testing them and then allow EO members to try them out.
I too wish to have a reliable TV signal anywhere in Oz.
I will keep you posted.
Regards Derek.
AnswerID:
201330
Follow Up By: japmel - Friday, Oct 27, 2006 at 21:47
Friday, Oct 27, 2006 at 21:47
Derek,
If you want somewhere to
test them go out to Advancetown Caravan
Park on the Goldcoast.
Or give me one and I'll
test it out for you..............lol
At the moment I'm using a Digimatch Explorer Caravan Aerial from Dick Smith with a Kingray MHW34FS mast head amplifier powerd though an inverter and although it's not perfect all the time it seems to work where others fail.
Regards
John
FollowupID:
460616
Follow Up By: Derek from Affordable Batteries & Radiators - Friday, Oct 27, 2006 at 21:50
Friday, Oct 27, 2006 at 21:50
We have found Noosa North shores to be a challenge. Send me your email and I will let you know when they get here.
Regards Derek.
FollowupID:
460620
Follow Up By: Recyled Teenagers - Friday, Oct 27, 2006 at 22:54
Friday, Oct 27, 2006 at 22:54
Good aye Dereck,
I be interested to hear from you when you done the road tests on the antennas.
How many dvds can you watch, Give us Futurama and The Simpsons, Boston Legal, and Boarder Security yehhh!!! real TV he he
Regards George
FollowupID:
460636
Follow Up By: CLC50 - Friday, Oct 27, 2006 at 23:10
Friday, Oct 27, 2006 at 23:10
Hi Derek
I run Tv on My lap top with area about 1800 above the roof , get great reception on Noosa to fresh
water, my local tec advise me on my requirements,I will post to morrow on brands. Have 1000 watt inverter installed, but run lap top on 12 volt, booster 240 using the inverter, &
solar power .
FollowupID:
460640
Follow Up By: markcas - Saturday, Oct 28, 2006 at 06:47
Saturday, Oct 28, 2006 at 06:47
Hi Derek
We
camp up at Cooloola beach freshwater end and have a hard time getting reception let's now how these aerials go as iam about ready to go to satellite if i cant get a aerial that works.
Mark
FollowupID:
460653
Follow Up By: CLC50 - Saturday, Oct 28, 2006 at 08:01
Saturday, Oct 28, 2006 at 08:01
If I am on
the beach always about 28-32 K's from the second cutting,get great reception , but satellite is the way to go,also pay TV is also by satellite now.
check my
camp @ freshwater.my Rig.
Regards
FollowupID:
460660
Follow Up By: wazzaaaa - Saturday, Oct 28, 2006 at 08:08
Saturday, Oct 28, 2006 at 08:08
Derek, we go to cooloola beach
camping and get up to 10 crystal clear stations with our dick smith uhf phased array aereal and a kingray 32db masthead amplifier, only trouble is the amplifier needs 240v.
Wazza
FollowupID:
460663
Follow Up By: wazzaaaa - Saturday, Oct 28, 2006 at 08:12
Saturday, Oct 28, 2006 at 08:12
Hi clc50, You must be my neighbour sometimes that is axactly where we always head for.
Wazza
FollowupID:
460664
Reply By: V8 Troopie - Saturday, Oct 28, 2006 at 00:28
Saturday, Oct 28, 2006 at 00:28
Keep in mind that a
TV antenna amplifier can only amplify the signal that actually arrives at the antenna. It cannot give you a better reception if the antenna is in a poor location or is of a poor design.
So, for a
TV antenna that's perched 1 metre above the camper, I doubt that an amplifier will do anything at all to the signal unless you have an unusually long or poor quality lead from the antenna to the TV set.
If you had a tall TV mast then it would make sense to amplify the signal right at the antenna (mast head amplifier) and not down at the set. This would rule out 240V amplifiers as you sure don't want to run 240V up to the antenna.
Mast head amplifiers are powered via the Coaxial antenna cable itself, there is no need to run power wires up to it.
Where does the amplifier get its power from? Usually a little box at the set end where the antenna cable, cable to
TV antenna input and power lead is plugged into. Wether the power is actually 12V depends on your amplifier, if it is, you could get it either from the Mains via a suitable 12VDC power pack or from the camper battery.
Klaus
AnswerID:
201374
Reply By: wazzaaaa - Saturday, Oct 28, 2006 at 08:29
Saturday, Oct 28, 2006 at 08:29
Steven H, The yagi was for (Ideal for prime and good signal areas.) where as the phased array was for (Ideal for all country areas and poor signal areas.) that is why I have the phased array, almost same price.
Wazza
AnswerID:
201388
Follow Up By: Member - Steven H (ACT) - Monday, Oct 30, 2006 at 20:52
Monday, Oct 30, 2006 at 20:52
Where did you get the phased array?
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461290
Follow Up By: wazzaaaa - Tuesday, Oct 31, 2006 at 07:08
Tuesday, Oct 31, 2006 at 07:08
Dick Smith, the same place you were looking
Site Link
Wazza
FollowupID:
461436
Reply By: TerraFirma - Saturday, Oct 28, 2006 at 14:17
Saturday, Oct 28, 2006 at 14:17
Will a Setop help you at all..? Probably only in some areas. Do you really want to have TV everywhere you go..? I'd like to get away from it sometimes.. LOL Keep us posted..
AnswerID:
201422
Reply By: Eric Experience. - Saturday, Oct 28, 2006 at 21:53
Saturday, Oct 28, 2006 at 21:53
Steven.
A TV picture is scaned at 50Htz, an inverter pumps out a lot of electrical interferance at 50Htz, because the 2 50Htz are not exactly the same you will get rolling lines down the picture. It is much better to run a tv of 12volts and with a short leed to the antenna you wil not require an amp. Eric.
AnswerID:
201503
Reply By: Rocky_QLD - Monday, Oct 30, 2006 at 11:56
Monday, Oct 30, 2006 at 11:56
Steve
We use an antenna from Arlec one of the boat and caravan antenna comes with its own 12v amplifier that _Affordable_Storage_Drawers.aspx less than half an amp works a treat
AnswerID:
201784