DAB aerial

[ES Cumbrian]

I am going to fit a DAB cab radio aerial onto the roof of the van and as its not onto metal will use a ground plane. What is the minimum size required for this , I know the stock answer will be as large as possible but I have to be realistic.

 

[Lenny HB]

300mm sq should do it.

 

[daveandsan]

I’m afraid bigger isn’t better when it comes to radio antenna.
They are cut to a specific length depending on what frequency they have got to receive.

 

[Techno]

I am fitting one just now and intend to take an earth to my battery negatives that are connected to the chassis.
I’m using a combined dab fm
Aluminium angle will be earthed to chassis

 

[ES Cumbrian]

Doing roughly the same except my aerial will be mounted on a 300mm by 300mm 3mm thick aluminium plate with spacers like round door stops to lift it clear of the roof by an inch or so this will be earthed same as yours. Cables will go through the roof using a single cable entry gland like you use for solar cables. This is because the cable entry will be away from the aerial by a couple of feet.

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[Techno]

Tested my aerial today. Besides an earth to my battery negative I also took one off the alloy angle to a BIG self tapping screw through the bottom of the adaptable box. The Rapido has an alloy roof skin under the GRP anti hail cover. So now the whole roof is in play. Radio works a treat but I've yet to route the wires to it concealed. I will go down through the floor and up into the cab battery box, from there its a short run under cab carpet.

 

[ES Cumbrian]

You are a bit ahead of me, got the aerial plate made up and have started converting radio bay to double din but radio will not arrive until Tuesday. Cable run for me looks easy, through the roof in wardrobe then round the cab door seal down the pillar and across to radio should be straight forward. Earth will bond to chassis under wardrobe. Will put photos on as I go along.

 

[Techno]

Perfect reception

 

[ES Cumbrian]

Perfect reception
View attachment 299897

Why is it mine is always smaller!

 

[Techno]

Your TV aerial is pointing the wrong way for storage/travel.
You and 99 out of every 100 do the same

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[ES Cumbrian]

Your TV aerial is pointing the wrong way for storage/travel.
You and 99 out of every 100 do the same

Had the motor home 3 years never moved the tv aerial first job I did was fit the satellite, but I will rectify the situation.

 

[Techno]

Had the motor home 3 years never moved the tv aerial first job I did was fit the satellite, but I will rectify the situation.

It’s simply a matter of its less likely to trap a branch with the sort end facing forwards which could rip the head off or worse

 

[Ivory55]

Your TV aerial is pointing the wrong way for storage/travel.
You and 99 out of every 100 do the same

Out of interest why ? Cheers
You answer to quickly. Haha

 

[Techno]

Out of interest why ? Cheers

As above
Also it’s in the status instructions in red

 

[Silver-Fox]

I would have thought the tv aerial would point thin edge forward?

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[Techno]

I would have thought the tv aerial would point thin edge forward?

Exactly why people who don’t read the instructions do it wrong

 

[Ivory55]

I think that there is so many instructions that are different on motorhomes you forget half of them by the time you go away next time. Nobody is interested in homework it’s meant to be enjoyable not a chore.

 

[Techno]

Maybe but a status aerial is the same on every Motorhome and caravan and you either know or you don’t
Simples

 

[Ivory55]

If there is loads of instructions to read and learn perhaps people switch off , like I said nobody likes homework.

 

[Techno]

If there is loads of instructions to read and learn perhaps people switch off , like I said nobody likes homework.

But you need to read the instructions to know how to use it tune it etc and it is in red just cannot educate some folk

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[Ivory55]

But you need to read the instructions to know how to use it tune it etc and it is in red just cannot educate some folk

I gave up tuning tv when they stopped having a dial to turn . If it doesn’t work now I just listen to the radio, and no I never change station on the radio.

 

[Techno]

 

[Landy Andy]

Wow. Now I’m confused. I read instructions for my status aerial and as such have the red dot facing the front of my motorhome. But that makes it the same as the one in the pic, so thinnest part of it faces forward.

Maybe need to reread.

 

[Techno]

The red dot is the front of the aerial that should be pointed to the rear for travelling

 

[Landy Andy]

Ahhh. Got it.

So for 98% of the aerials life I should face the front of it to the rear. Obvious now.

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[Silver-Fox]

Exactly why people who don’t read the instructions do it wrong

I don’t have any instructions for mine.
I’ll take your info though and implement it.
If it will go the other way.

Cheers my man

Just read a later post of yours.

To use it I just stuck it up in the air and rotated it till I got a picture.
Just like on the old comedy films

 

[Techno]

So many years with a shite aerial. I should have got my arse in gear much sooner
I like my Kenny on a morning. Zoe I’m not havin a ball ! A bad choice for radio 2 unless you can grow out of the silly sniggering at everything

 

[andynkim]

I fitted one of these
Kinetic DEGA-T4002 telescopic DAB car aerial
windscreen mounted seems to work great.

 

[Techno]

Looks vulnerable to vandals
I think the combined FM DAB roof mount is the way to go as DAB can drop out often and fm kicks in to cover the gaps
I think I paid about £27 delivered
It only has 5 metres of wiring so I needed 2x2m extensions for the aerial cables
The power supply wires were plenty long enough

 

[Techno]

I bought this
Amazon product ASIN B0739XWBN7

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