Recommend me an antenna

[Gab250]

Hey, I need a new antenna so that I can watch TV. I have my TV set up in a Caravan, and the reception is really crap. I don't have too much idea about antennas, so I'd like to at least know what things I should be considering? I'd also like to be able to split the signal so I can use it on the TV Card in my PC, and my FM Radio. Any advice would be appreciated.

Gab

[toyboy11]

Have you got a Digital TV

[Gab250]

I've got an HD Digital set top box, but I am gonna buy a digital TV down the track.

Gab

[mtv]

Need a city/town name where you are, as antenna type varies greatly depending on location.

Also, is the caravan in a fixed location or do you relocate it?

[Security-Guys]

dont know a great deal about antenna's but Matchmaster seems like a good brand...

[Gab250]

I'm located in the Dandenong ranges in vic.....the caravan stays put.

[mtv]

dont know a great deal about antenna's but Matchmaster seems like a good brand...

You could get a job at Bunnings selling antennas.... they have no product knowledge either.

[mtv]

I'm located in the Dandenong ranges in vic.....the caravan stays put.

The Dandenongs are big... you need to be specific.

You may or may not have a blocked signal path to the main transmitters and possibly have better reception from one of the translator sites.

[Gab250]

The Dandenongs are big... you need to be specific.

You may or may not have a blocked signal path to the main transmitters and possibly have better reception from one of the translator sites.

Gembrook

[mtv]

Gembrook can be a difficult area often due to a blocked signal path.

Some parts of Gembrook are much better than others for reception.

Recommending an antenna is not that simple, as you need a signal survey at your location to determine which antenna and which transmission site will provide the best result.

FM radio and digital TV use different frequency bands.

There are wideband combination antennas that will cover both bands, but I do not recommend them at all, as strong FM signals interfere with digital TV reception, so using one antenna to combine both is a bad choice.

For FM, a simple car radio antenna may be adequate. If not, an omni-directional FM antenna such as the Fracarro ANT1200A may be suitable.

Using an FM yagi at your location may cause tuner overload.

The digital TV antenna is a harder choice without field testing at your location.

If you have good signals at your location from the main Mt Dandenong transmitters, a Fracarro LP34F antenna is generally a good all-round performer.

If one of the translator sites provides better signals, a vertically polarised phased array, such as the Fracarro PU4AF, Alcad 369F or Hills Super Hunter for Monbulk, those antennas or a Hills TMX34 yagi horizontally polarised for Selby or Mt Victoria.

Some parts of Gembrook rely on reception from the main Gippsland transmitters on Mt Tassie, which are also horizontally polarised.

Apart from the antenna itself, mounting location can be critical.

What antenna are you currently using and how is it mounted on your caravan?

A mast clamped to the A frame is generally the best mounting option, but it may not necessarily provide the best reception, as just moving a few centimetres in any direction, including up/down can make a huge difference.

The antennas above are the ones I mostly use and recommend, but selecting which one depends on how signals perform at your location.

Eg: even if one particular antenna performs well on the house next door, doesn't necessarily mean the same antenna will work as well on your caravan.

Without accurate signal information, it's impossible to determine which one is the best choice for your particular location.

[Gab250]

Gembrook can be a difficult area often due to a blocked signal path.

Some parts of Gembrook are much better than others for reception.

Recommending an antenna is not that simple, as you need a signal survey at your location to determine which antenna and which transmission site will provide the best result.

FM radio and digital TV use different frequency bands.

There are wideband combination antennas that will cover both bands, but I do not recommend them at all, as strong FM signals interfere with digital TV reception, so using one antenna to combine both is a bad choice.

For FM, a simple car radio antenna may be adequate. If not, an omni-directional FM antenna such as the Fracarro ANT1200A may be suitable.

Using an FM yagi at your location may cause tuner overload.

The digital TV antenna is a harder choice without field testing at your location.

If you have good signals at your location from the main Mt Dandenong transmitters, a Fracarro LP34F antenna is generally a good all-round performer.

If one of the translator sites provides better signals, a vertically polarised phased array, such as the Fracarro PU4AF, Alcad 369F or Hills Super Hunter for Monbulk, those antennas or a Hills TMX34 yagi horizontally polarised for Selby or Mt Victoria.

Some parts of Gembrook rely on reception from the main Gippsland transmitters on Mt Tassie, which are also horizontally polarised.

Apart from the antenna itself, mounting location can be critical.

What antenna are you currently using and how is it mounted on your caravan?

A mast clamped to the A frame is generally the best mounting option, but it may not necessarily provide the best reception, as just moving a few centimetres in any direction, including up/down can make a huge difference.

The antennas above are the ones I mostly use and recommend, but selecting which one depends on how signals perform at your location.

Eg: even if one particular antenna performs well on the house next door, doesn't necessarily mean the same antenna will work as well on your caravan.

Without accurate signal information, it's impossible to determine which one is the best choice for your particular location.

Alright, so that still leaves me at a point where I'm not sure what I should do. I don't have accurate signal information, however, what I do know is we had a piece of shit antenna from the hard garbage attatched to the house for ages, and it worked fine.

Gab

[porkop]

Hey, why not have a look at what other in your area have, the newer looking the antenna the chance that its set up for digital. knock on the door and ask.

Some areas in the Dandenongs are vertical polarisation and others will be horizontal. Just look around.

[mtv]

Alright, so that still leaves me at a point where I'm not sure what I should do. I don't have accurate signal information, however, what I do know is we had a piece of shit antenna from the hard garbage attatched to the house for ages, and it worked fine.

Was that on digital channels?

If that's the case, then a Fracarro LP34F antenna may work fine (or other combination Band 3-4 antennas).

The LP (Log Periodic) generally has good BER figures by comparison, but once again, I can't make a definite recommendation without accurate signal readings.

I would however highly recommend you use a separate antenna for FM.

As porkop suggested, see what others near you are using, but be aware that many may still be using antennas that were installed primarily for analogue reception.

[gordon_s1942]

On analog signals you can have an acceptable picture, ie Colour and no rolling on a coat hanger at a 100 miles, on Digital its all or NOTHING !!!.
I had a look at your general area on the 'Digitalready' site and it shows a bit of a mixed bag to say the least and as MTV covers that area, his advise is the one to take notice of.
Porkop's idea of asking your neighbours is often the best place to start from as you still have some 140 days to go before it all disappears...................

[porkop]

The dandenong translators are Band 5 I think?

[mtv]

The dandenong translators are Band 5 I think?

Currently the Dandenongs translators are all band 5 but post re-stack next year, some (eg Selby) will be a mix of Bands 4 & 5.

The main transmitters on Mt Dandenong are all Band 3 VHF, with the community station on band 4 UHF.

There is no firm indication of whether or not the community station will stay on UHF post-restack, as there is an unallocated VHF channel available in the post-restack plan, which is the current channel 10 analogue frequency.

Assuming the OP was referring to the main TX channels that previously worked fine, then the appropriate antenna for that TX location would be a Band 3 & 4, which covers available signals now and also post-restack.

If it's a translator site, the OP would require an appropriate antenna for the frequencies in use currently, but keeping in mind some may change post-restack.
This is where a Band4/5 (wideband) UHF antenna would still be suitable both currently and post-restack.

There is no current plan for the community channel to be carried on the translators, other than the Como South Yarra site.

This is subject to change, but should the community channel be added on other translators, it would fall into the post re-stack block of channels, so the same post-restack antenna would still be suitable.

[beeblebrox]

Alright, so that still leaves me at a point where I'm not sure what I should do. I don't have accurate signal information, however, what I do know is we had a piece of shit antenna from the hard garbage attatched to the house for ages, and it worked fine.

Gab

Have you had a look at and put your address in, it's not the be all and end all but will give you an idea of what you might expect and what kind of antenna you might need.