TV reception

You’d probably have more trouble with trees in getting a signal if you had a satellite system as you need an unobstructed 'line of sight' to the satellite. 

Have you got a signal booster in your system and, if so, is it turned on? Sorry if that sounds obvious but I’ve met people who don’t know to turn the booster on or that they need to retune the set when moving to a different site. Vision Plus uni-directional aerials are usually good but not so the omni-directional, in my experience.

Many people now are turning to streaming TV as mobile network data packages can be bought very reasonably.

The user and all related content has been Deleted User

Your probably right I'm usually up the top end of Scotland into the bargain.

As Tinny says, the vision-plus directional and polarity switching aerial is far far superior to their omni version. However, even with the former it is sometimes better to turn down the ‘gain’ dial on the booster unit as too much can often be unhelpful when tuning in. Also worth checking the connections just to be sure. 

Finding a good signal can be problematic what ever method you use! I have had stand alone satellite dishes, a roof mounted dish and various add on or built in TV aerials. Where ever possible I will use a bollard booster if available and I take the co-ax lead in via a window directly into the TV to avoid signal loss going through the system. I now have a Vision Plus aerial on the roof and generally its OK. I did upgrade to the newer booster module which changes colour as the signal gets stronger but even that won't really work in poor signal areas. When the signal is weak we find the non HD channels tend to give a more consistent signal. But even then we do experience the odd glitch in the signal for some unexplained reason.

David

We have an Avtex TV and the bent wire hanger cheap looking Avtex STH4000? sucker mount aerial. When you use them as a combo the TV powers a built in amplifier in the aerial. In the 5 years we have owned it we have not failed to get TV reception.

Before we go away I look up which transmitter I need to aim for. When we arrive I get a compass out, sucker mount the aerial to the side of the van or a window and press the auto search facility on the TV.

 

Colin

 

Reception in the Highlands can be problematic because of the terrain. In such areas reception is reliant on repeater stations to cover local areas. Unlike the main stations they will most likely be transmitting a vertical polarised signal and for best reception you will need to orientate your aerial similarly.

peedee

I have had a Vision Plus amplifier unit fail, that I replaced with a Fringe Easy Tune alternative.

This has proved to have been a good buy, but that was a long time back and then the cost was way lower than asked today.

I my case it brought the signal strength LED array which our Vision Plus amplifier did not feature, along with this unit working properly, the addition of the LED display is very useful.

https://www.fringeelectronics.co.uk/12vleisure.html

For trips to what I know are weak terrestrial TV signal areas I take a portable satellite dish, one squat to the ground, and this I find highly reliable and if set up systematically a minimum hassle task.

Here the technique one uses is IMO "all", start knowing the elevation needed for that location, and realise "our" cluster is the first one encountered turning the dish from the East.

Close up trees are a no no, but in much of the country the beam is coming down at a one in two angle, so as long as you site twice as far from a high object as that is high, then the beam passes unaffected over it.

My experience with this model is that it’s fine in strong and average signal areas, certainly much better than an omni. In areas other than strong it’s less successful. As for boosters, either integral to the aerial or otherwise, some are better than others but let’s not forget the term booster is a misnomer, they do not boost the incoming signal, that can only be done at a transmitter. However they can improve things by ‘cleaning’ that signal received but the aerial itself is key to improving usability in weaker signal areas.
Just look at aerials on houses in poorer signal areas, these are larger and of a more complex design than those in strong areas, this is for reason. Doing this also helps with aligning your own mobile aerial.

My experience with this model is that it’s fine in strong and average signal areas, certainly much better than an omni. In areas other than strong it’s less successful.

Our experience as well with the Whip aerial on the roof of our Hymer MH. It is also powered by the Avtex tv. In poorer signal areas, although the stations often tune in, the majority are not watchable. How strong the signal has to be, also varies significantly with the atmospheric pressure. A high pressure whilst good news for a dry stay often means poor reception. Having said that I don’t find it any better or worse than the directional / tiltable status we had on our caravan, particularly in vertically polarised areas where it works well.