Almost gave up with TV signals.

Well in the two years we've had the Nuevo, I could count on one hand how many times we've had a good signal on our TV. We are away at the moment and having problems again. UK Aerial app on my phone (and tablet) shows we have a choice of 5 transmitters with similar strengths and despite pointing the directional aerial at each in turn we can get a good BBC signal from any of them but ITV signals always break up. I checked connection into the booster and seems OK. I couldn't check the plugs on the fly lead as both are moulded plugs but on touching the plug going into the TV the signal was breaking on and off. So I decided to buy a new fly lead whilst in Worcester today. Couldn't find a Maplins and Curry's was probably out of town. Nipped into Poundland and they had a five metre aerial extension lead with moulded plug on one end, three loose plugs and a joining plug. All that for £1. Back at the van cut a short length, trimmed cable, attached a plug and hey presto, perfect picture, no breaking up at all. Can't believe we've struggled for so long all for the sake of a £1 lead.

You should have tried a 99p store - it's cheaper!

Steve, There's no such thing as a 99p shop. Poundland took the company over last year ! leading to instant rampant inflation in the British economy.

Your judgement when it comes to motorhome ownership however is second to none.

Paul, I did the same last year. Went into Maplins first, 1m cable with moulded plugs, £5.25  I hid my gasp well and left.


 Poundland was a few doors along and I went in, more in hope than expectation, and got the same thing, 5m with the extras 

Years ago, for our syndicate boat, we bought a brand new LED TV, telescopic mast and also a brand new Vision Plus Aerial (I'd normally prefer a normal aluminium yagi, but having a choice of local or main transmitter, plus resistance to corrosion meant I was overruled).

We could never get a decent picture, despite other nearby boats getting good pictures, in fact the picture from a coat hanger was sometimes much better.

Eventually, having had enough, I broke open the Vision Plus aerial casing, and found that the cable conductors had never been connected to the aluminium aerial. They were (supposed to be) attached with some kind of hot glue through a punched hole (incredible as it sounds) but had both been missed and were just dangling free in the plastic housing.

A couple of tiny self tappers later and we had a good picture for the first time in two years of struggling.

Ironically, we've just had exactly the same issue as Paulmold described above while away this weekend, , similarly with a moulded plug cable. I'll be making sure that we have a new amp -> TV cable for next time.

I replaced the coax cable in the Nuevo and have done the same in the Sigma when i uppgraded the Status aerial, made a big difference to the reception.
 I'm sure Roger mentioned changing coax cable some time ago Paul, I replaced the old brown stuff.
Boaby

Yes its down to the coax.  You are looking for a nice tight weave in the braiding. If you can use the 75 ohm cable which also has a copper wrap as screening all the better.

I can only speak for vans I have seen or worked on, ie: Windsor, Executive, Talisman, Nuevo but on these vans the coax fitted into the conversions aerial systems from new was terrible.

Its not as if decent coax was expensive for example a no loss over 100m 50 ohm coax I use on the amateur radios was only 1.20/metre last time I bought some.
There is not a great deal in a motorhome

Fully agree with you about the variable quality of co-ax, I should know better than to use a thin moulded lead that came from the oddments box in the garage.
In fact, we almost never use a TV in the van but, if we did, I'd blank off the Status "aerial"   and use a telescopic pole with a wideband yagi, and with the least possible number of connectors.

NORGIL wrote:Steve, There's no such thing as a 99p shop. Poundland took the company over last year ! leading to instant rampant inflation in the British economy.

Your judgement when it comes to motorhome ownership however is second to none.

Agree about the motorhome choice - wonderful!  I'd just like a washroom twice the size and a fixed double bed (as well as the lounge area).  All in the same sized van of course!

There's still a 99p store trading in Haywards Heath by the way.  Not for long though; I believe it's selling all its stock off in preparation for re-branding and price hike.

Yagi antennas are out for Freeview now, much better option these days is the Log Periodic and they do small ones which make an ideal touring aerial for caravans and motor homes 

Yes, specifically a log periodic would be my choice for bandspread and size if using for mobile TV.