Aerial

[joec1985]

Hello. I was just wondering if anyone has any experience with this aerial for receiving freeview? Would prefer it over those big ugly things hanging from my chimney!

Thanks

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SLx-Direct...ocphy=1007282&hvtargid=pla-441259973446&psc=1

 

[big-all]

no way off telling why not try an indoor aerial ?? i use an aerial lead with a loop off bell wire taped to outside contact and the other end to central contact and it works fine with at 76% signal strength but i am 2 miles from Reigate transmitter

 

[joec1985]

Cheers. Nah I’m in an awkward position where I am. Had a guy out and he confirmed I would 100% need an outdoor aerial plus I will be using a HD home run so need a cable coming inside.

 

[ericmark]

There are methods of reducing aerial size, one it banding,

so the smaller band, the shorter the distance between elements, so more likely it will fit inside a loft, and also if outside it will have less wind resistance. The early aerials were developed by radio hams and were often named after them, Yagi for example.

The gain it the important figure so even in-door can get 14 db gain, although in the loft the slates/tiles will also attenuate the signal but must still be looking at 7 db gain so if a loft aerial will not work looking at over that gain.

The main thing noted is it does not give the gain, and any amplifier rubbish in and you get rubbish out, so for a caravan these aerials were popular. Not so much today as satellite we near enough work anywhere in UK, where the omnidirectional TV aerial often failed to work.

There is a big difference between the aerial which sits on top of TV and the aerial in the loft but both are indoor aerials.

 

[mattylad]

IMO that aerial will be garbage unless your very near to the transmitter mast.

How far are you from your TV transmitter?
Are you in a good signal area?

All indoor aerials will get a reduced signal level compared to one outside because it will be reduced coming through the house walls with plenty electronics to interfere with it.
One on the roof is the best option especially if your in a poor signal area, its about being practical not about aesthetics.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Hello. I was just wondering if anyone has any experience with this aerial for receiving freeview? Would prefer it over those big ugly things hanging from my chimney!

Thanks

The item linked to is mostly a smoke and mirrors item. Omni, means it receives from all directions, a directional antenna is much better - will pick up only the signal you need and a stronger signal too. Better would be a directional antenna, but mounted in the loft, had you a suitably strong signal. The item is not much different from an internal antenna, just designed to work outside - don't waste your money.

A further point, is that there is no such thing as a digital antenna, they are all just antennas. Nothing special is needed for digital reception.

 

[Sureitsoff?]

if you are close enough to a transmiter a small log periodic aerial will hardly be noticeable on the chimney and will give much much better results than the one you suggest.

my aerial is in the loft and I am 26 miles from the transmitter

 

[Lucid]

Cheers. Nah I’m in an awkward position where I am. Had a guy out and he confirmed I would 100% need an outdoor aerial plus I will be using a HD home run so need a cable coming inside.

Aerials don't have to be "big and ugly" unless there's a very good reason for it. One good reason is the "I'm in an awkward position". Another is "I have had an aerial guy out, and he confirmed I would need an outdoor aerial".

In situations like this a competent aerial installer with local knowledge of likely signal conditions and the gear to take some site readings for field strength should know which aerial type is required to get enough reception to deliver a 50-55dB low-noise signal to the set back aerial socket on the worst TV location in a home. If that's a dinky loft-mounted aerial then so be it.

On the other hand, if it has to be a large Group Yagi mounted on the chimney then that's what it has to be. There's very little point trying to cheat by selling a smaller- or less suitable aerial. All that would happen is that the signal is marginal for a few muxes and so the customer is unhappy with the job. No matter what the price, if the system doesn't work then very few customers will say "Never mind. I did go for the cheaper aerial. I'll just accept this as it is".

By all means try the DIY solution It's a small bit of metal with some huge amplification. That's the wrong way to go about it, but human nature being what it is, even if it doesn't work properly and was bought against good advice then stubborn pride will prevent the user from admitting it was a mistake.

 

[joec1985]

Crikey. I’m not cheaping out, chill lol. Fitter said he can fit it for £60 including cable so would be £100. Normal aerial is the same I was just wondering if anyone has had any experience with them that’s all. Jeez

 

[mattylad]

We would not have experience of that aerial because we know better, too many have come on forums like this asking why it's not working as well as the sales blurb said it will.

 

[Lucid]

Crikey. I’m not cheaping out, chill lol. Fitter said he can fit it for £60 including cable so would be £100. Normal aerial is the same I was just wondering if anyone has had any experience with them that’s all. Jeez

Not that exact model, but I have plenty of experience with the legions of similarly designed compact omnis from the caravan and narrowboating crowd.

In some place where anything including a bit of wet string would work then they're fine. But then again an opened out wire coathanger would work, so that's no real surprise. As soon as the aerial needs to do some proper work though then it's a different story.

With the narrowboat crowd the challenge is always when they moor up overnight. Lots I speak to have the same issue. They end up either relying on their mobile phone 4G/5G to pull in some streaming, or eventually bite the bullet and buy the big pole and a Log Periodic. It transforms the reception.

£100 to have an outdoor aerial fitted is a good price depending of course on the aerial itself.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Not that exact model, but I have plenty of experience with the legions of similarly designed compact omnis from the caravan and narrowboating crowd. In an area whether anything including a bit of wet string would work then they're fine. Button again an opened out wire coathanger would work, so that's no real surprise.

My caravan came fitted with the usual omni, with an amp in the cupboard below. They are quite expensive for what they are, but acceptable if they actually worked. I had already become used to a work anywhere satellite kit, before I got this one, due to the problems receiving terrestrial. On each site I have visited, I made a point of just testing the omni just out of curiosity and never once found a site where it worked at all. It half worked at home, parked on my drive, where we have a good string signal from a main transmitter.