tv aerials

hi mate
we are 3 months into a trip similar to yours.
we have a small lcd tv with a digital tuner and use a "happy wanderer" antenna. its a t-piece that comes apart in 2. $100 from dick smith. we pick up most available channels when in towns, spoke to many caravanners who have huge masts with massive house antennas, general consensus is we get what they get.
its light, portable and does the job.

Any of the recognised antennas will work Ok for you. Make sure you get a really good quality signal booster. They will make a huge difference to your signal quality.

We use a 'TRAVELLERS MATE' by Saturn Antennas. Check it out.
Very compact and good reception- regional and city.
Has 34 db amplifier. Comes with heaps of cables & fittings.
We just set up ours on a tent pole.
(No affiliation etc etc)

Been caravanning form many years, lots in the regional/outback areas, where fringe reception is often the norm. Have tried many antenna and while the T bar Explorer or The Happy Wanderer Antenna ( T Bar type) maybe ok in good reception areas they are basically just a small set of plastic coated rabbit ears. A set of $12 rabbit ears mounted on a pole will be better in some instances espcially with ATV Band 2 that ABC works off. (Bands 1 & 2 have VHF channels up to Ch 5a.)

The Exlorer C3 or similar should give far better results for digital tv (DTV) or ATV band 3,4 & 5 (Ch 5a and above) but no good for poor or fringe area band 1 & 2 ch's.

Check out these two at either Dick Smiths or Jaycar amoung other stockist.
Jaycar CAT. NO. LT3172
DIGIMATCH VHF/UHF ECONOMY 7 ELEMENT RECEIVES BAND 3, 4, AND 5 (CHANNEL 6-12 AND 28-69) LT3172 - Digimatch VHF/UHF Economy 7 ElementReceives Band 3, 4, and 5 (ch 6-12 and 28-69)

or this one (we use earlier version of it and added a set of extenable rabbit ears to end element to get band 1&2 channels in fringe areas)
Jaycar CAT. NO. LT3175
Log-Periodic 32 Element VHF/UHF TV Antenna Specifically designed with digital TV in mind, this combination VHF/UHF log periodic antenna picks up all the frequencies where digital TV is transmitted. The VHF band 3 elements fold in for compact. Receiving only VHF band 3 (channels 6-12) and UHF bands 4 & 5 (channels 28-69) means doing away with those dastardly long elements which are only for picking up ABC analogue, the balun has an F-type output for connection to your coax down lead.

You don't say how long you will be away. If you are out of range, you won't get a signal, or in a lot of towns a crappy signal. A satellite setup wont cost you the earth, and gets a perfect picture wherever you are (weather dependent). You have a range of every ABC and SBS ch in Oz, plus GWN and Win (WA) or Seven Central and Imparja ($55 hookup fee - ripoff) east of the WA border. Plus NITV.

I even have my Foxtel box hooked up - need a dual LNB for that.

Cheers

any idea on what a setup like this might cost?
and a decent place to purchase?

thanks,

thankyou for all the info we have purchased an aerial now based on feed back we leave in mid august and i suppose ( though i dont think the tv will get much use ) if the style bought doesn't perform we will ugrade to something different

again thanks everyone