Avtex aerial (1 Viewer)

cbrown1360

Free Member
Aug 24, 2015
99
29
Lymington
Funster No
37,869
MH
A class
Exp
Since 2014
My 2 year old Elddis van is fitted with an Avtex Omnidirectional TV/Radio aerial which appears to be next to useless. I've just spent 3 weeks touring the Lake District and Scotland and I've only managed to get a TV signal on a couple of occasions. I know there are hills around but surely the locals don't go without TV. There is an amplifier so I would a expect better result or am I missing a trick?
 

Gorse Hill

Free Member
Feb 2, 2013
2,364
1,944
Stretford
Funster No
24,533
MH
Burnster Ixeo IT 734
Exp
2000
My 2 year old Elddis van is fitted with an Avtex Omnidirectional TV/Radio aerial which appears to be next to useless. I've just spent 3 weeks touring the Lake District and Scotland and I've only managed to get a TV signal on a couple of occasions. I know there are hills around but surely the locals don't go without TV. There is an amplifier so I would a expect better result or am I missing a trick?
The avtex aerial normal has a built in amp, if you have a avtex tv this had a powered output for the aerial look in settings to activate

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
D

Deleted member 29692

Deleted User
Also you will need to retune your TV pretty much every time you use it.

Are you doing this?
 

mjltigger

Free Member
Nov 12, 2014
1,619
2,672
Trowbridge
Funster No
34,213
MH
Autotrail Dakota Max
Exp
2012
Our van has this fitted and we struggled. We got a new amplifier made by a third party with gain control and signal strength indicator and it is much better. I can't remember where I for it from though I'm sorry..
 

mjltigger

Free Member
Nov 12, 2014
1,619
2,672
Trowbridge
Funster No
34,213
MH
Autotrail Dakota Max
Exp
2012
Have you tried a signal meter, something like this

http://www.screwfix.com/p/slx-digital-signal-finder/58244

Just plug it into one of the outputs on your amplifier and then when you adjust the aerial you should see the signal strength.

If you get nothing registering it could be a dodgy amplifier.
The omnidirectional doesn't need adjusting but does have to be fitted exactly level.. I only found that out the other day and mine isn't so after Jersey I will have a fiddle and get it done.. I wonder how many others have the same issue.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Aug 6, 2013
11,941
16,527
Kendal, Cumbria
Funster No
27,352
MH
Le-Voyageur RX958 Pl
Exp
since 1999
Unfortunately the Lake District has hills as well as Lakes. Most places have their own transmitters which are of necessity low power. Anywhere out of the immediate vicinity of a transmitter will need a directional aerial. Omnis are very low gain and pre-amps only help if there is at least a small signal at the aerial. Some of the local transmitters are horizontally polarised but some are vertical which won't help much if your aerial can't be adjusted.
 
D

Deleted member 29692

Deleted User
The omnidirectional doesn't need adjusting but does have to be fitted exactly level.. I only found that out the other day and mine isn't so after Jersey I will have a fiddle and get it done.. I wonder how many others have the same issue.

Yes, sorry, I missed the Omni bit. It still applies though - he needs to prove the aerial and the amplifier first and a signal finder is a cheap easy way of doing that. Just ignore the bit about adjusting the aerial (y)

Connect the cable directly from the aerial to it first, then if you get something on the finder move it to one of the outputs on the amplifier.
 
Jun 18, 2008
1,588
2,280
Lancaster
Funster No
2,925
MH
None
Exp
Since June 2008
We found the aerial on our Elddis was next to useless (it was just a short bee-sting type. We never managed to pick up a signal no matter what we tried.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Jul 21, 2011
193
178
Up’t North West
Funster No
17,452
MH
coach built
Exp
1999
Yes that type of Avtex aerial is as much use as a damp piece of string. I have found the Avtex STH3000 very good in the Lake District even just hanging from the skylight inside the MH. Can be used for vertical (repeater transmitter) or horizontal (main transmitter) polarisation.
I have a Sat system but always carry the said aerial in case of trees.
Colin
 

Peter JohnsCross MH

Funster
Deceased RIP
Jan 5, 2008
9,617
6,194
East Sussex
Funster No
1,134
MH
Autotrail
Exp
1995
Avtex STH3000 Caravan & Motorhome Digital Freeview TV Aerial

Included in the Avtex STH3000 Portable Digital Freeview TV Aerial

  • Antenna
  • Pole or Wall Mount
  • Flexible Suction Mount
  • 3m Coaxial Aerial Cable
  • 12v Aerial Power Adapter
  • 12v Cigar Lighter Plug
  • Pole Mounting Kit
  • Wall Mounting Kit
From personal use I have found this to be an excellent aerial in a poor signal area but it is essential that the power amplifier/booster as supplied is powered and on and, some TV receivers may not have a 12v supply at the aerial input socket like Avtex so use the cigarette socket power source as supplied.
=================================================


I use one in my office in garage block as there is no aerial supply out there, mounted on a pole about 9 foot high it is brilliant, I use a 12v laptop charger for supply

Peter
 

Muddibootz

Free Member
Jan 4, 2016
166
114
North Shropshire
Funster No
41,008
MH
Elddis Autoquest
Exp
since 1994
I'm not sure what the make of aerial in our 2012 Elddis but ours was great to start with, then stopped working in much the same way you describe. When I looked into it, the power lead which is presumably feeding an amplifier had become disconnected which was strange because it's inside some capping so couldn't be easily disturbed. I reconnected it using some choc block and it's been fine since. Could be a common issue with the Elddis connections?

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

ambulancekidd

Funster
Sep 23, 2014
10,298
28,339
Ayrshire Scotland
Funster No
33,478
MH
Swift Kon-Tiki 640
Exp
Since 1964 Gosh that makes me feel old.
Digital TV rarely works with omnidirectional aerials. The Lake district is a case in point, I've only every received a signal with a unidirectional (can be pointed) aerial in Cumbria or anywhere in Scotland, furthermore you can receive extra channels in the same area by turning your aerial through from horizontal to vertical. This is especially true in Dumfries & Galloway where some signals are received from the Caldbeck (Cumbria) transmitters. The TV needs to be retuned between the two variations.
 

mjltigger

Free Member
Nov 12, 2014
1,619
2,672
Trowbridge
Funster No
34,213
MH
Autotrail Dakota Max
Exp
2012
Digital TV rarely works with omnidirectional aerials. The Lake district is a case in point, I've only every received a signal with a unidirectional (can be pointed) aerial in Cumbria or anywhere in Scotland, furthermore you can receive extra channels in the same area by turning your aerial through from horizontal to vertical. This is especially true in Dumfries & Galloway where some signals are received from the Caldbeck (Cumbria) transmitters. The TV needs to be retuned between the two variations.
After I changed the amplifier on ours I get a pretty good signal most places I would expect to. It is susceptible to van movement though which I discovered recently is due to it not being fitted level. It has adjustment to avoid that.

I would say if you are suddenly getting no picture where you previously had a picture it is either a failed booster or a wiring issue.
 

teensvan99

Free Member
May 17, 2015
231
250
Margate
Funster No
36,402
MH
coachbuilt
Exp
2005
Get a maxview crank up sat system and bin in the avtex. We R sitting at Piesport Germany watching Emerdale should say Ann is watching it

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

ambulancekidd

Funster
Sep 23, 2014
10,298
28,339
Ayrshire Scotland
Funster No
33,478
MH
Swift Kon-Tiki 640
Exp
Since 1964 Gosh that makes me feel old.
Get a maxview crank up sat system and bin in the avtex. We R sitting at Piesport Germany watching Emerdale should say Ann is watching it

Programmes like "Emmerdale" can cause serious damage to your......sanity, tune it out immediately lol, but yes your absolutely correct a decent satellite system is by far & away superior.
 
Oct 19, 2013
449
734
East Yorkshire
Funster No
28,639
MH
Elddis Autoquest 115
Exp
Few years
Just had a weekend away and had no TV - we have a 2013 Elddis with the Avtex black thin whip aerial and also have a new Avtex TV connected to it. I've got a signal strength meter and it shows full strength (80)...When I tune the TV in it says that its found 90 TV channels and 30 or so radio stations..

All looks good until you try to view a channel - the pictures comes on, breaks up, goes away, and then does this continually or in some cases goes black and then eventually the TV says No signal and retune.

Do anyone have any idea what I can try to do to fix it other than replacing it!
 
Aug 18, 2011
12,090
17,892
derbys
Funster No
17,808
MH
AUTOSLEEPER SYMBOL
Exp
since 2007.Tugger before since 1970
Wasn't it much better when we had annologue tv,,same with plastic records. Never a problem. Think the old saying IF IT AINT BROKE DONT TRY TO MEND IT is so true,,,BUSBY:):):)

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Gorse Hill

Free Member
Feb 2, 2013
2,364
1,944
Stretford
Funster No
24,533
MH
Burnster Ixeo IT 734
Exp
2000
Just had a weekend away and had no TV - we have a 2013 Elddis with the Avtex black thin whip aerial and also have a new Avtex TV connected to it. I've got a signal strength meter and it shows full strength (80)...When I tune the TV in it says that its found 90 TV channels and 30 or so radio stations..

All looks good until you try to view a channel - the pictures comes on, breaks up, goes away, and then does this continually or in some cases goes black and then eventually the TV says No signal and retune.

Do anyone have any idea what I can try to do to fix it other than replacing it!
Just adjust the aerial slightly either to the left or right and you will find the picture either improves or get worse, have you got the antenna output set to on in the TV settings and are you on EHU or off grid as the aerial comes with a 12v amplifier
 

Muddibootz

Free Member
Jan 4, 2016
166
114
North Shropshire
Funster No
41,008
MH
Elddis Autoquest
Exp
since 1994
Just had a weekend away and had no TV - we have a 2013 Elddis with the Avtex black thin whip aerial and also have a new Avtex TV connected to it. I've got a signal strength meter and it shows full strength (80)...When I tune the TV in it says that its found 90 TV channels and 30 or so radio stations..

All looks good until you try to view a channel - the pictures comes on, breaks up, goes away, and then does this continually or in some cases goes black and then eventually the TV says No signal and retune.

Do anyone have any idea what I can try to do to fix it other than replacing it!
Is it possible to test it with a different TV to see if that could be the problem. When we bought our Elddis, I didn't believe we'd be able to pick up anything from such a small aerial. The salesman said how good these aerials were and I though "Oh Yeah!!". But I've been amazed at how many sites we can pick up pretty good TV. As mentioned in an earlier post, I did find that the power feed to the aerial's amplifier had come lose but reconnecting it resolved that issue.
 
Oct 19, 2013
449
734
East Yorkshire
Funster No
28,639
MH
Elddis Autoquest 115
Exp
Few years
Hi all.

Ive tried everything I can think of and the only option left is to replace it completely so have decided to get a Snipe sat dish installed - need to move stuff around on the roof but it should fit and fix the no TV issue!

For info, i've tried 2 different TV's - both get well over 100 channels from the aerial in the house, both find 90+ channels on the van aerial but neither allow you to watch anything. I've checked that their is power to the aerial and have had a go at moving the aerial and also repositioning the van at three different locations around the area....I tried the Avtex TV on an small portable aerial and it got 40+ channels that I could watch so its definitely an aerial issue....so it might as well come off and give me room for the snipe!

Richard

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top