Original aerials ?? (1 Viewer)

WinnietheBrave

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Jun 28, 2010
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Q. The aerials fitted to our American RV's, are they any good over here?

I was talking to a chap on a camp site, who said he used to have one and it worked really well for our digital TV.

Mine requires a bit of repair, I am reluctant to fix it as I don't use it, but i sure would if it will pick up digital TV here in the UK

I have a small flat screen fitted which has built in free view, I bought a portable aerial which was totally useless :Angry: I then went and bought a satellite kit, which is great for the beeb and two or three other channels, the shop assistant assured me my free view would use the dish as an aerial and I would receive those channels as well........not a chance :Doh:

You folks must have been through this before, please help.:helpsos:
 
Oct 15, 2007
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Our works really well frankley, we sometimes find it wont pick up in the up position but does when stowed, bit bizar, this usually being in a low signal strength area.

One word of advise, make sure the booster is switched on, above dash, in the center (little red light on).

Previous owner of ours announced the aerial was rubbish, turns out he didn't know about it:Doh: We got instant and perfect pic out of his TV setup, then bined it and fitted flat screen but hey, toys:thumb:
 

madbluemad

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Jan 26, 2008
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I was told the same but took my Winegard Arial (Think thats what their called) and chucked it in the skip.

Invested in a Camos Flat Sat Dish and a Camos Black Box decoder. I dont think that I really needed the Black Box decoder, I could have bought something a lot cheaper.

Anyhow, you get what you pay for and touch wood, mines spot on.

I'm no techy but a free view box should be ok but somebody who really knows about decoders/boxes will be along to confirm/refute it.

Good Luck
Jim
:Smile:

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scotjimland

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Jul 25, 2007
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Yes they do work with UK digital signals but personnaly I wouldn't spend (waste) money on it..

Digital Terestrial TV is at best patchy when your touring, I would do as Jim suggested, invest in a sat crank up dish and mount in the same hole.. or as one enterprising Fun member did, (Zazkar) mount a sat dish on the Winegard mast ... :winky:
 

Geo

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Jul 29, 2007
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Hi Winnie
The American Winguard arial is well suited to our digital Tv system:thumb:
provided as stated the power button is on and the mast head actually works:Doh:
Many have an inoperative mast head without knowing it, and deem the Windguard arial crap:RollEyes:
The yanks do sell a digital upgrade for the Windguard but it is not reqd in the UK
There is as far as I know no test procedure other than checking for power at the headmast, if you still have a poor picture the head is Knacked
Geo
 
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WinnietheBrave

WinnietheBrave

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Thanks for all the replies, It sounds as though I should try and fix it.
The bit that is inside, the handle has snapped off, and up on the roof, the base part has a rachet type thingy? this is also broken, so it won't lift up. I did once try it out, with and without the power on, but got nothing.
Are there repair kits available?

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slobadoberbob

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Jun 1, 2009
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mine works ok and I can get freeview on it

Hi Winnie
The American Winguard arial is well suited to our digital Tv system:thumb:
provided as stated the power button is on and the mast head actually works:Doh:
Many have an inoperative mast head without knowing it, and deem the Windguard arial crap:RollEyes:
The yanks do sell a digital upgrade for the Windguard but it is not reqd in the UK
There is as far as I know no test procedure other than checking for power at the headmast, if you still have a poor picture the head is Knacked
Geo


I have used mine and it works OK - have picked up freeview via my 26" Toshbia OK. But I do also have a NETA saterlite dome with free to air saterlite and that picks up everything I need. Has to be a bad location for it not to work and have used it in the South of France. If all else fails I just play a DVD if I need entertainment.. but motorhoming is entertainment in it's self.

Bob
 

pappajohn

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the shop assistant assured me my free view would use the dish as an aerial and I would receive those channels as well........not a chance :Doh:

this shop !!!!!! it didnt sell coat hangers, shoes, torchs etc did it 'cos it sounds like the assistant didnt know what hwe was talking about.

you will no more get a terrestrial signal on a sat dish than you get value for money from your local council. :ROFLMAO:

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WinnietheBrave

WinnietheBrave

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this shop !!!!!! it didnt sell coat hangers, shoes, torchs etc did it 'cos it sounds like the assistant didnt know what hwe was talking about.

you will no more get a terrestrial signal on a sat dish than you get value for money from your local council. :ROFLMAO:

Sort of, it was Maplins!:RollEyes:
 

Paulh

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In France for July and got brilliant digital from the winguard, but no terrestrial, have they switched it off I wonder? Keep trying it Winnie, regards PaulH.:Smile:
 
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WinnietheBrave

WinnietheBrave

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I am going to fix the aerial, although one question just sprung to mind. Do I need a certain type of coaxial cable i.e. digi/analogue, or are they all the same?

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WinnietheBrave

WinnietheBrave

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Well i went to Dudleys today in Whitney, Oxford, I wanted to have a look at their RV's but the main reason was to buy the bits to repair my aerial.
Wow is all I can say, my old Winnie looked like the poor relation compared to some of the new rigs, I just need to win the lotto.
We had a giggle though, while the wife and I were having a nose, an Aussie couple were looking at a Brave like ours, so when they seen mine parked they though it was for sale, so they opened the door to have a look inside, they didn't expect to find my white staffy and a 7 year old inside :Eeek: we had a laugh with them, and I even passed on a bit of knowledge some of which was learned from here.
I stayed at a site next to the river Thames at Lechade, it was just a field with hook ups, the amenities were ok i suppose, but the location was lovely. Walked along the river and had lunch in a pub right on the river bank. Happy days::bigsmile:
 
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WinnietheBrave

WinnietheBrave

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I have fixed my aerial ::bigsmile: whopee! I still have a problem though.:Doh: I can get around 13 to 20 channels, the local welsh channels are fine but everything else the transmission is patchy, I can't get E4, Dave, sky news at all, and when I shut off the power none of the channels have saved.
Any ideas?
 
Oct 15, 2007
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We were somewhere that sort of neck of the woods I think, and same thing, limited channels, mostly Welsh, it's just luck of the draw how good a signal you can get. As to not saving channels, in the TV or a separate box, but which ever chances are the unit needs power for it's memory. I must admit ours doesn't need power which is usefull but then you'll probably find you have to retune everywhere you go anyway?

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WinnietheBrave

WinnietheBrave

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Ah that is true, i would have to retune every place i go, didn't think of that, its no issue really, only takes a couple of minutes.
 

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