Aerials

While you’re out in your motorhome creating new memories, staying in-touch with the real world is rarely an option, it’s a necessity. And all you need is an excellent motorhome TV aerial specially designed to accompany and entertain you throughout your camping adventure. And if you’ve sadly come to the conclusion that enjoying all your favourite TV channels while camping away from the city is an impossible fit, now is the time to banish all that from your head. Getting the best motorhome TV aerial for your camping trip is the only surefire way to stop being frustrated due to poor and unreliable signals. With an excellent aerial, you can expect to enjoy some relaxing moments in front of your caravan television. And you’ll agree with me that fun outdoor activities coupled with your favourite TV shows equals a truly remarkable camping experience. Whether you’re looking to replace an old aerial or get one that actually works, check out our top 7 motorhome TV aerials. Best Motorhome TV Aerial - Reviews On Our Top Picks 1. Vision Plus Status 570 Directional TV and Radio Antenna If what you really want is a TV aerial that will completely transform your camping experience, then you just found it. Vision Plus 570 TV Aerial is a slim and compact directional antenna designed to intercept strong signals and transmit crisp clear images. Equipped with the Vision Plus VP5 Digital TV Amplifier and a unique integrated Signal Finder, it works to find and broadcast all your favourite channels. It has a polarisation indicator, LED power indicators with red, yellow and green to indicate signal strength and a Variable Gain Control for amplifying signal. Vision Plus 570 comes with 3 TV connections and 1 radio connection, meaning you can simultaneously connect up to 3 televisions, this is an exciting feature if you have more than one TV in your caravan. You can turn the aerial from within your caravan until you see the green light, once it is properly oriented to pick up the strongest signals, you can expect over 180 channels. Pros Great receptionIntegrated TV Signal Finder 3 TV connection and 1 radio connectionSignal strength indicator lights12/24V DC Power Input connection Cons ExpensiveThe pole isn’t very long, only 330mm Find out more 2. August DTA240 High Gain Freeview TV Aerial A camping adventure should be enjoyed, not endured and the August DTA240 High Gain Freeview TV Aerial gives a new meaning to fun-filled camping. This aerial is uniquely designed to ensure you receive the strongest and clearest signal for digital freeview and DAB broadcast. With a sleek and small design, this aerial defines compact and it’s much lighter than you’d expect, this makes it ideal for indoor and outdoor use. As an omnidirectional aerial suitable for outdoor use it’s durable and weather-proof with an IP68 rating. Using a magnetic base it firmly attaches to any metallic surface (ideal for attaching to caravans) and with a standard 4.9 ft coaxial cable, it can be easily connected and used with almost any TV set. Pros Good signal receptionStandard coaxial cableCompact and lightweightVery budget-friendly Cons Picture quality isn’t always excellentMay not receive signal in some locations Find out more 3. Vision Plus Status 355 Omni-Directional Digital TV Whether you camp within the city or in the middle of nowhere, the Vision Plus Status 355 Omni-Directional Digital TV has you covered. This aerial is built to receive both horizontally and vertically transmitted digital TV signals (including DAB and FM signals) across the UK and Europe, it intercepts strong signals through 360-degrees and transmits high-quality pictures. Vision Plus Status 355 Digital TV Aerial has two variants which present the option of choosing your preferred mode for attaching it to your caravan. One model has a suction pad while the other is permanently fitted. A standard (5 or 10 metres long, depending on the model) coaxial cable allows you to easily connect and use with almost any TV set and it’s long enough to reach every part of your motorhome. Pros Great signal reception through 360-degreesIntegrated signal amplifier and gain controlEasy to install and use5m integrated coaxial cableA-3 year warranty Cons The pole is not long enough Find out more 4. Avtex STH2000 Suction Mounted Caravan TV Aerial The Avtex STH2000 is another excellent caravan aerial that’ll keep you entertained and connected to the real world while you’re out in your motorhome. It’s built to firmly attach to your caravan using a suction mount, it can be used both outdoors and indoors as it is weather-proof and UV-resistant. You can set-up this aerial within minutes and start enjoying crisp clear broadcast of your favourite freeview channels and TV shows with no glitch in transmission, it picks up both digital and analogue broadcast. This Avtex aerial comes with a 12/24V DC power input connection, you may have to get a mains adaptor to enable you take advantage of any available 240 AC mains hook-up. Next time you’re planning for a long camping trip to the middle of nowhere, make sure you go with one of these. It’s worth every dime you spend on it. Pros Excellent signal reception and qualityBuilt-in volume amplifierThree power sources (12V, 24V and TV antenna)Attaches to all flat surfacesVery budget-friendly Cons The suction cup mount can come off if the surface isn’t very smooth and clean. Find out more 5. Status 540 Directional TV Aerial This Status 540 directional aerial is designed to intercept and broadcast digital and analogue video transmissions, and it transmits exceptional quality in all VHF, UHF/FM signals. Since this is a directional aerial, the major step towards getting it to perform excellently is properly aligning it to the accurate direction of the broadcast tower. The best part is that you can lift and lower the dome antenna and adjust its alignment from the comfort of your motorhome. Once it is properly oriented to pick up the strongest signals, then it’s time to sit back, relax and be entertained. Pros Excellent signal receptionIntegrated electronic boosterAngle adjustable up to fifteen degreesEasy to install and use Cons Expensive Find out more 6. Unispectra Korona TS Lite Caravan Digital Omni-Directional TV/FM Amplified Aerial Another great option for keeping yourself entertained while on a camping holiday is the Unispectra omnidirectional TV aerial. This aerial is compact (only 30cm high and 25cm wide) and specially designed for caravans, boats, motorhomes, trucks etc. As an omnidirectional aerial, it intercepts both digital and analogue signals from all directions. It also receives radio FM and DAB frequencies. With a built-in amplifier it ensures good reception of stations transmitting from different directions. Getting this antenna to work is easy, the whole unit takes only seconds to assemble. It comes with 4 metres cable for connecting to your devices and a 12/24V supply plug for connecting to a power source. The Korona TS Lite is specially constructed to work well in any weather condition, it’s resistant to gusty wind and extreme weather conditions. Pros Built-in amplifier it ensures good receptionInstallation takes a few minutesAir-tight construction allows aerial to operate in any weather conditions.4m Cable with connectors included. Cons May not receive signal in some locations Find out more 7. 1byone Indoor/Outdoor TV Antenna The 1byone indoor/outdoor TV antenna is designed to receive both freeview and analogue signals and broadcast high-quality pictures. To set-up and use it, simply connect to a HDTV with a built-in DVB-T tuner/receiver using coaxial cable and start enjoying your favourite TV channels on-the-go. An integrated 4G LTE filter blocks all interference and transmissions from mobile devices to ensure noise-free digital TV reception. If you always camp in places that are very far from the broadcast tower and receive extremely poor signal, you may have to get a TV aerial booster or antenna amplifier. For the 1byone indoor/outdoor TV antenna, there are no questions about durability because it’s built to last with anti-UV coating and a weather-proof design to withstand the toughest weather conditions. Pros Suitable for both Freeview and Analog TV SignalsAnti-UV coating and weather-proof designBuilt-in 4G LTE Filter Very affordable Cons Needs a signal boosterLess-than-excellent picture quality Find out more Buyer Guide & FAQs What to look for in good motorhome TV aerial Before making a purchase, it’s important to know what features to look for in an aerial and how each will contribute towards improving your camping experience. Now the tricky part is that, no one antenna has it all and that’s why there are different models, types and designs. Your ideal aerial should fit your camping style and to find this aerial you’ll have to do some analysis. First, consider where you’ll be travelling to, what TV channels you’ll like to watch, and how much you’re willing to spend -- yes, the price of the aerial is also important. Although features like durability and ease of set-up cannot be compromised, what actually defines a good aerial is excellent signal reception and good picture quality. So you want to make sure the aerial can intercept strong signals, transmit high-quality pictures, and be reliable with a good reception range. Key points for consideration before buying? Omnidirectional or directional An omnidirectional aerial receives signal from all directions at once, this design makes it easy to install since you won’t have to worry about focusing it towards the right direction. While directional aerials receive signals from only one direction and that is the direction of the nearest TV mast. Signal reception range and picture quality Reception coverage and picture quality are the two major factors that define a good TV aerial. An excellent antenna will intercept high-quality signals and transmit crisp clear images on your TV screen. An antenna with a reception range of 25 miles is good but the best units have up to 55 miles. How it attaches to the motorhome There are different ways of attaching aerials to motorhomes and it’s important to consider your preferred method. Some are designed to attach using a suction force, some use magnets, while others will need you to bore holes on your caravan. With the first two options you can always change the position of your antenna. While the last option is more permanent and you won’t have to worry about it being blown off by gusty winds. Size and weight For a camper, the smaller the antenna the better because you wouldn’t want something that will occupy so much space. The ideal should neither be too small or too big, besides nobody wants to drive a camper with a tree on the rooftop. A camper antenna should also be reasonably lightweight to enable easy handling and installation. But not too light that it can be thrown off the roof by wind. Durability You’ll most likely mount your antenna on the rooftop of your caravan, there it will be exposed to the element at all times. Therefore the antenna should be sturdily built to withstand all weather conditions, no matter how extreme. The most durable and weather-resistant outdoor/indoor antennas are made from aluminum or very sturdy plastic. Ease of installation This is very important because you don’t want to spend hours trying to understand how best to place your TV aerial and how to set it up. Now you want a simple unit with all the necessary parts for installation and a user’s guide with easy-to-follow instructions. FAQs How do I improve signal reception in my caravan? Here are a few ways to improve signal reception in your caravan. First, make sure your aerial is properly positioned to face the TV broadcast tower, that is if you’re using a directional aerial. Next, ensure there are no obstructions that could block the signal because your antenna needs a good line of sight to the TV tower for the best signal. For better signal reception and quality, you may also need to purchase an antenna amplifier to boost poor signals and make them stronger. How do I know which way to point my antenna? If you aren’t sure of the direction of the TV broadcast tower closest to you, you can visit websites like antennaweb or antennalab to find out which direction these signals are coming from. You’ll need to enter your current address or post code and they’ll tell you the direction to point your antenna and how good the signal will be. How long should an antenna be to get the best signal? An antenna doesn’t have to be too long to get a good signal, provided there are no obstructions like tall buildings or trees. But if there are obstructions, then you’ll need to place your aerial on the highest point possible for the best signal. You may have to keep raising and turning your aerial until you find the perfect height with the best reception. It’s always better to park your camper in an area with very little or no obstructions. Which is better, omnidirectional or directional aerial? For a directional aerial to receive signal it has to be properly positioned to point towards the nearest TV mast. When properly positioned, a directional aerial will intercept one strong signal and transmit clear HD pictures. Since omnidirectional aerial receives signal simultaneously from every direction, it becomes better when you have no idea which direction the signal is coming from. Both aerials work well but they do have drawbacks, if a directional aerial is pointing towards the wrong direction it won’t pick up signal. And while the omnidirectional aerial intercepts signals from every direction, this makes it prone to more interference and poor signal quality, but this can be improved with an amplifier. A directional aerial will serve you better if you can find the accurate direction of the TV mast. Final thoughts on the best motorhome TV aerial Choosing the best motorhome TV aerial to spice up your camping adventure shouldn’t be a daunting task. And when looking to get a new one, always remember that your ideal TV aerial should be an antenna you can rely on to intercept strong signals and transmit high-quality pictures no matter where you decide to travel to. While these may seem like the most important features, durability, ease of use and price also contribute in making a product much desirable. The Vision Plus 570 TV Aerial is our top recommendation for very good reasons but if that comes around as a bit expensive, you can go for any of the other great choices.