Hi... Just a quick Question for you Guys... Just in the Process of Buying A Bailey Ranger 550/6 2007 off My Brother ( Engineers Check due a week today fingers crossed )Hes telling me the TV signal isnt the Best...
I thought about changing the Staus Ariel... Are they Standard Fittings?? Not to keen on Using a Satelite Dish To Be Honest.. Also thinking of getting a Small Portable Ariel... Looked On Amazon.. There is one for £40 which get Mega Reviews..
You can't simply change from the flying saucer shaped to the much better directional Status aerial; they don't use the same fittings and the latter requires a large hole in the roof and its location requires clearance for it underneath.
Having said that changing is not too difficult for a competent DIYer brave enough to cut that larger hole, I have done it.
Also the flying saucer type have reportedly been working somewhat better now the TV is all digital than they did during the turned down analogue days.
If unwilling to consider the directional Status then from the same company the Vision Plus together with its clip- on mounting post, is a very practical and well functioning alternative.
There is a lot of "junk" out there not suitable for caravanning needs, and an aerial that is outside up into the air is a sound starting feature.
Might be worth checking the connections and cables first.
Also worth a look at the aerial distribution amplifier (ADA) which is likely to be in a cupboard under where the aerial is mounted, to ensure that there is power to it and all the connections to it are sound.
Do not be hoodwinked into buying a DIGITAL aerial as there is no such thing! Any standard house aerial should suffice and they cost around £20.
This page has a selection - the second or third items down should work fine.
An App for smartphone like Antenna Aligner is what I use when I'm not using the satellite.
You just choose the transmitter from the list serving the area you are in and then point the aerial in the direction the compass display shows. It has always worked very well for me.
There are UHF signal detectors available cheaply which I can't vouch for but if they are anything like the cheapy satellite finders my guess would be that they are a waste of money.
an A frame mounted aerial probably works the best.. look around see which direction other aerials are pointing and points yours the same way.. not very high tec space age but a lot cheaper..
leave the old flying saucer where it is and fit another aerial.. or just get rid of it and fit a blanking plate to cover the hole up..
flying saucers look high tec but as TV aerials they dont work that well.. :)
The status is triangular in shape - the pointed end points toward the transmitter with the aerial flat horizontally to the caravan roof in about 90% of cases. All main transmitters are Horizontally polarised and you need the aerial flat to the roof horizontally for these.
However if you are in an area serviced by a Relay Transmitter then its are transmissions 'Vertically Polarised' so as to minimise interfence where its coverage borders with a Main Transmitter which are always horizontally polarised.
All you do to cope with the Vertical polarisation is to put the mast of the status fully up and rotate the little hinged handle on the bottom until the aerial is edge down to the roof and then just point it the same way as before with the apex of the triangle facing the direction of the transmitter.
The aerial aligner app tells you whether its a Horizontal or Vertically polarised transmitter when you select it off the list. Otherwise you can find out which transmitter serves the area you are visiting using the TV coverage link on UKcampsite site details pages and using a compass and map find out which way to point your aerial.
One other point - the telescopic rods which come out of the back of the Status aerial serve no purpose in the UK as we have no Band 3 VHF TV Transmitters. Contrary to popular belief these have nothing to do with receiving VHF FM Radio.
Quote: Originally posted by Ribbed Tickler on 03/10/2014
What is the best way to tune in a digital tv using the directional status aerial?
The analogue was easier - but trying to find a position, then waiting 5 minutes for a scan to run is a pain...
My Status flying saucer used to be worse than a chocolate fireguard. However, once the analogue signal was turned off it has only been on very rare occasions that I have had to resort to the directional one. if the signal is poor tune the tv in using the status, it will find anything remotely usable from whatever direction. Look for which program has the best picture leave the TV on that station, put up your directional aerial and connect it to the TV now turn it slowly until you get the best picture and sound. Go back inside and retune the TV on the directional aerial and you have solved your problems.
------------- Bill
For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013
That will depend which status distribution amplifier is fitted. You can take the RF feed (if present) from the back of your satellite receiver and connect it to the RF in socket (if present) on your status distribution amplifier.
This will result in satellite TV being available at all TV points in your caravan BUT they'll all be watching the same channel.
Care needs to be taken that you don't connect the wrong socket to the wrong socket because there is a live 12v feed on the feed to the dish to power the LNB.
Obviously you need to get a feed from the dish to the DISH IN socket on your satellite receiver. You cannot connect the dish DIRECTLY to the distribution amplifier as this will not work.
Thanks for the info. Might give it a try this weekend. Only problem may be getting the lead to the distribution point, as its at the top of a bedroom cupboard.
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: Changing A Status Ariel
