TV reception rubbish

[amarch]

I've just got a new 2nd hand 2010 camper with an omnidirectional aerial on the roof and a signal booster inside. I live in South London and TV reception is no problem on the camper TV when testing on the driveway. Its a different story when camping. Every campsite I have been to since collection, even those close to major towns in the south, I get no channels at all. WHY? My previous camper had a directional aerial with booster that you could rotate and that too was useless at getting channels. Is the only answer to change to satellite and do you need special kit for that?

 

[AndyPK]

How old is the kit you’ve got, and what make?
I always found a directional aerial better, and used a small log p like this one:-

 

[Stealaway]

It is usual not to get any channels in this country.
A good aerial and amplifier has been all I've needed in 90% of sites.
If you can't see any houses with aerials try the 'DTVantennas' app

 

[Devon Sue]

You need to retune your set when you visit a different area, have you tried that?

 

[Kups]

I've just got a new 2nd hand 2010 camper with an omnidirectional aerial on the roof and a signal booster inside. I live in South London and TV reception is no problem on the camper TV when testing on the driveway. Its a different story when camping. Every campsite I have been to since collection, even those close to major towns in the south, I get no channels at all. WHY? My previous camper had a directional aerial with booster that you could rotate and that too was useless at getting channels. Is the only answer to change to satellite and do you need special kit for that?

Personally I would not spend serious money bolting a dish to the roof.
The cheap and cheerful method adopted by many is to buy a Fire stick or similar and connect to your TV, it will need to have an HDMI socket and USB for these types of devices. Then pair it with a smartphone (in the UK) and use your regular phone account to watch. Reception will be better than terrestrial TV but obviously depends on mobile phone coverage from your phone company. You'll also need a decent data package as well but these are much cheaper nowadays. Watching TV outside the UK is another ballgame but can be done with the right SIM card. Plenty of discussion on here about that topic. Good luck.

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[Richard n Ann]

I bought an August DTA240 aerial, a few funsters use them, they are unbelievably good for a tiny mag mount thing, about £12 on amazon.
I got 40 odd channels in a 'no reception' area in Cornwall

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

You need to retune your set when you visit a different area, have you tried that?

Yes I have also found that

 

[Captain Yoghurtpot]

I bought an August DTA240 aerial, a few funsters use them, they are unbelievably good for a tiny mag mount thing, about £12 on amazon.
I got 40 odd channels in a 'no reception' area in Cornwall

Can also vouch for this type of aerial and its performance, but you do need to retune the tv when in different areas.

One thing I did find is that the aerial plug into the TV had a fairly long casing on it, and as our cello TV has a vertical aerial socket with another TV casing moulding just below this, the fitting was nigh on impossible as the aerial plug was too long.
BUT, I purchased a 90 degree aerial adapter plug which pushes onto the aerial plug and into the TV socket , thus turning the TV socket from vertical to horizontal.
And it works brilliantly, with no loose fitting on the aerial end plug or dropping out of the TV socket.

 

[headlight]

I had a PVC for 6 years with an omnidirectional aerial and signal booster and also found it useless even though I retuned the TV every place I went to.
I got a directional aerial and put it on a pole attached to the tow hitch and that worked fine.
2 years ago I bought a coach built motorhome with exactly the same omnidirectional aerial and signal booster as I had had in the PVC.
I expected reception to be non existent the same as the PVC and that I would have to fit a directional aerial but 2 years later and I have never had a problem getting TV' stations using the omnidirectional aerial.
It's strange as both set ups were the same, same make and model of both aerial and booster.

 

[Kannon Fodda]

I've found, contrary to expectations, that reducing the amount of boost on the amplifier can improve the reception in some locations. It's as if too strong and the TV can't handle it.

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[starquake]

I've found, contrary to expectations, that reducing the amount of boost on the amplifier can improve the reception in some locations. It's as if too strong and the TV can't handle it.

Or ditto turning the amplifier off entirely. We've had to do that in some cases.

 

[Trevor Wbm]

I've found, contrary to expectations, that reducing the amount of boost on the amplifier can improve the reception in some locations. It's as if too strong and the TV can't handle it.

Or ditto turning the amplifier off entirely. We've had to do that in some cases.

Cheaper amplifiers amplify everything, including any interference that might be about. Look for one that focuses on 470 to 860 Mhz.

To answer the OP ... in South London you are probably using the transmitter at Crystal Palace that is very dominant and can be 'seen' for miles. Domestic TV aerials are usually high up on the roof or side of the house so they can get line of sight to the local serving antenna site - something you can't do with a motorhome set up. Also, omni directional aerials are typically less sensitive than directional ones.
Once you pitch up somewhere, you'll need to see where the transmitters are - with an omni aerial it's still pot luck if you can get anything, with a directional one you'll need to point it, and 99% of the time you'll have to retune as well, sites use different frequencies so they don't interfere with each other.

The Ofcom maps are here.