Hmmmm - I had a look at that campsite earlier this year, it is only about 15 miles from me. Given the geography of the area, I would be very surprised if you got any sort of TV signal on a freeview system without a high gain aerial mounted at least as high as the trees anyway.
------------- Steve.
Aztec Galeria 4 - For weekend camping
Sunncamp Grange Cotton canvas frame tent - For the longer stays.
Yep I agree, this is a no electronic devices site. So although they may reel with shock and horror Be firm, stand your ground. Sounds a belting site and after the with-drawl systems have passed. They will settle in and find a whole new world out there. Get yourself a couple of books, Birds, wildlife, wild flowers. Edible mushrooms ...... O.K. I was kidding on the last one.
3 kids with four adults who will have time to talk, play, and have adventures with. Sounds like kiddie heaven
------------- Yesterday is already a dream and tomorrow is only a vision, but today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope.
I'd have to agree this looks like the wrong site for your purposes, not much point wild camping if your companions can't do without electronic entertainment. As someone said above 16 days is a long time on a basic site, I would be worried that they might struggle generally, not just with the lack of tv.
They might surprise you and maybe you've had these discussions with them but from what you've said it doesn't sound like a great match of people and site
the site looks fab and it's one I've had bookmarked for a while, I suspect they'd have forty fits at you running a tv and forty more at you running a car engine to power a tv!
On a practical front, we trialled our Maplins 12v tv with built in freeview on our old and decrepit 80 amp hour leisure battery and it ran for 13 hours before we got bored of the test and turned it off. I don't know whether a dvd player would use more power. We have a basic high gain aerial that we put on a pole and bolt to the trailer, it works in the few places we've tried it but as said above you need to consider local geography.
if you want to go and you want tv go for it. Though you may have problems receiving a signal if too far from a main antenna.
Best option for me would be a tv, decent aerial, a leisure battery and a solar drip charger. You can get them from maplins for around £80 at times of offer. Though, I have to agree, if they cannot cope without tv wash and toilet facilities might become a issue as many of the wild sites I have looked at (red squirrel for one) seem to have a lack of decent amenities.
Dunno how old your 'Velle is but many modern vehicles have a cut out on't cigar lighter after 15mins if being used engine off to avoid flat battery so you would only have 15mins of telly.
As I said, only practical solution is split charge relay/leisure battery with separate 12v socket. If you go out 20miles a day it should recharge enough. Another battery charging solution is a solar panel. Works well in sth. France but in't UK, I don't know.
I think you'd be better spending that kind of money on a few books and magazines and perhaps a portable dvd player that can be recharged when out and about and used sparingly - if they cant watch the soaps, hard cheese! thats what iplayer is for. Thing is though, I've a feeling if you start playing these things on that particular campsite you will be kicked off it before the end credits of coronation street.
------------- Always forgive,Never forget;Learn from mistakes,But Never regret;People change,Things go wrong;Just remember life goes on
Cool campers use Delta Pegs.
The happiest people aren't the ones who have everything they are the ones who make the most of everything they have
I have to agree - the website says no radios, so a TV won't be allowed anyway. It looks lovely, but I don't think it's the one for your group. I hope you find what you're looking for!
Thank you all for taking the time and trouble to respond to my request for help, your comments have been read and taken onboard.
It is clear that I did not go into sufficient detail in my original post, so here goes:-
1/ I am well aware that my plan is not strictly `wild` camping … that’s why I put the word like I did. Wild camping for me would be, for one instance, by digging a latrine which I do know how to achieve.
2/ Every day there will be an excursion off-site, such as the beach (there are many many different ones in the area), waterfalls, caving with wet-suits headlights etc, boat trips (via this company …
http://www.gowercoastadventures.co.uk/booking.php ), mountain biking, Dan yr Ogof Caves, coal mines, fishing … I could go on and on, but I hope you get the idea. I have spent nigh on 3yrs thinking and planning about this holiday.
3/ Yes, I have invested in books on British trees/wild flowers etc., because there are wonderful woods including a river on this site. Last year I spent many weeks of frustrating attempts trying to master the art of creating fire without matches using this method
http://www.bushcraft.ridgeonnet.com/bowdrill%20tutorial.htm . I succeeded at last after dozens of efforts. I shall begin teaching the kids (and anyone else in the locale) from day one. This will involve identifying different woods, trying out blah blah blah. You get the drift I hope. Kids will be off foraging in the woods for hours (under supervision from the mums of course) and I hope at the end of it all they too will be successful.
4/ Every evening the kids will be encouraged to diarise, in their own words, the day’s events. Also, I have lots of indoor and outdoor games/pursuits up my sleeve. I actually made using old canvas pup tents something similar to this …http://new.canvastentshop.co.uk/product_detail.aspx?pdid=1589 with sides as it rains here more horizontal than vertical, hand sewing with an old `palm and needle` which belonged to my late father.
5/ Also every evening, I will be telling a story, it maybe a factual account of daring episodes of life or a ghost story (not to scary.. hehehe).
6/ I have done 2 reconnoitres to this site and taken video footage so I do know how the land lays here, so to speak.
I do hope in view of the foregoing info, you will all understand that this telly/dvd business in merely an option.
Thank you all for your kind comments,
Eric.
Ps … My VW Caravelle is 25 yrs old and the noise (?) will be contained within it. The spirit of the site will be maintained. IE …radio/music blaring from dawn to dusk.
Have you actually taken on board the solution I gave you to the question you asked?
If you have no technical knowledge it is not a difficult job for an electrician to fit a split charge relay & battery. Large 110ah leisure battery is £80 upwards, split charge relay kit about £35 & 2hrs labour to fit.
You can have it wired to your cigar lighter socket or have a separate 12v socket installed. You will also need plastic battery container(£15)& a method of securing it. There is no room under passenger seat of T25 for a large leisure battery.
what you have planned sounds great, and I do believe that you know your stuff.
Though still think the ladies need to get a grip of the soap addiction and take part in all that you have planned whole heartedly.
Quote: Originally posted by Tentz on 18/5/2011
Have you actually taken on board the solution I gave you to the question you asked?
If you have no technical knowledge it is not a difficult job for an electrician to fit a split charge relay & battery. Large 110ah leisure battery is £80 upwards, split charge relay kit about £35 & 2hrs labour to fit.
You can have it wired to your cigar lighter socket or have a separate 12v socket installed. You will also need plastic battery container(£15)& a method of securing it. There is no room under passenger seat of T25 for a large leisure battery.
Dear Tenz,
Yes indeed, I did take on board your earlier comment as well as this one .... thank you.
Regarding the reception (in the top field for anyone who intimately knows the site) for Freeview, I forgot (kicked myself) to consider .... asking the owner!! Duh!
In the absence of being convinced one way or another by the owner, I intend to borrow a portable tv and physically try it out on site, because it is only 40 miles from where I live.
Sounds belting, Eric. Wouldn't mind being there myself. Afraid I would have to use a fire steel though, Once tried a fire drill and failed miserably
The kids are going to love it
------------- Yesterday is already a dream and tomorrow is only a vision, but today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Electrics for entertainment quandry.
Be firm, stand your ground. Sounds a belting site and after the with-drawl systems have passed. They will settle in and find a whole new world out there.
Get yourself a couple of books, Birds, wildlife, wild flowers. Edible mushrooms ...... O.K. I was kidding on the last one. 
