Hi all, is it possible that the saucer shaped aerials on lots of caravans can pick up a digital signal?
If not, how difficult do you think it would be to replace it with a status 530 type? I know people will point me in the direction of a mast aerial but am just curious as i would like to keep it all as hassle free as possible.
Before we changed our van we had the old 315 (?) aerial and we got good digital pictures in France and parts of Italy. Had not tried it recently in the UK as I generally use satellite.
David (Agde, South of France)
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digital signals are only at one third strength i have been informed,i can see no reason why you will not get digital signals after it is all switched on.
Thing is, i went to tewkesbury at the weekend where digital is switched on but couldnt recieve any digital channels through the saucer type aerial into my freeview ready tv. I could get 3 standard channels though. The status box was switched to on and HI. Not sure what the difference is between hi and low.
buddy the flying saucer picks up a digital signal just as badly as an analouge one, unless the transmitter is in the next field it is pantys. that is what i have found in scotland
buddy the flying saucer picks up a digital signal just as badly as an analouge one, unless the transmitter is in the next field it is pantys. that is what i have found in scotland
nice to see another fleetwood owner on here
Haha, i am the guy with the damaged front locker which is now fixed. (thanks for the manual, both times i asked for it lol). Took your advice on how to fill it and it has worked a treat. javascript:AddSmileyIcon('')
I have had no problem with the "flying saucer" in areas where the analogue signal has been turned off. In other areas, there is a bit of intereference from the much stronger neighbouring analogue signals bleeding over the digital ones.
The problem is that many sites are hidden in valleys along way from transmitters, so signal strength is going to be poor.
Try this to predict your reception: http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe?
Quote: Originally posted by David Klyne on 14/9/2009
Before we changed our van we had the old 315 (?) aerial and we got good digital pictures in France and parts of Italy. Had not tried it recently in the UK as I generally use satellite.
I had the old 315 and changed it for a 530, signal was fine beforehand in Skegness so it's made little or no difference there, testing it on the drive where the signal is very weak, the 530 did really well while the 315 was useless.
So it depends on signal strength, decent signal and you'll get no benefit, fitting though is dead simple. Either fit it in original position, by fitting a blanking plate and drilling a hole through the plate and roof, or use the blanking plate over the original position and fit the 530 somewhere else.
I was tight for space and took a long time getting the position for the 44mm mast hole dead right before drilling, bit scary that? 44mm is a big hole! but once the holes in, it's perhaps 20 minutes to finish off.
Got a good digital signal in Goonhavern near Perrannporth last June/July but that's the only place its worked.
I think a lot of sites are near relay transmitters with vertical polarisation, which the 315 is absolutely useless at picking up, even though they claim it does. A seperate aerial mounted on its edge will pick them up.
Most relay trasnsmitters don't transmit digital and many won't even after swicthover so I dread to think what coverage will be like on remote sites.
the digital signal is turned up to full power after the analogue has gone, it only hasnt yet because it would interfere with analogue TV.
the relay transmitters will be redundant after switch over, as the extra digital power is supposed to comensage by being able to transmitt over larger distances wthout breakup than its old analogue counterpart.
how this will affect remote sites, I dont know, and TBH I dont take a TV. however digital does need a good signal, so most of the time omis wont cut it, even on a good signal, the relections of large buildings etc will cause picture problems, which unlike a bit of ghosting or snow on an analogue picture, renders DVB usless.
When the north west switched over we got a great picture and loads of channels from our flying saucer on most sites in that area.
Once switched, digital is easier to pick up than analogue was regardless of aerial.
At home we can now get digital from the north west on a set top aerial in the window of north facing rooms - didn't get the old analogue signal good enough to watch anywhere in the house. I just wish the Central would switch sooner so we can have digital in the rest of the house.
------------- Caz
If you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, just keep going till you go round the bend.
Well i think i might wait then and see when we get a proper changeover. If it is still rubbish i will take it somewhere to have a 530 aerial fitted. Dont fancy risking any leaks myself :-)