DAB Digital Radio Aerial from Caravan

[JohnI.Stephen]

Unlike many of you; we only listen to the radio when in our caravan; and we particularly like DAB (Planet Rock and Capital Gold !) However, I wonder if any of you have experience of making / erecting a suitable aerial in / outside the caravan? I have made a simple dipole aerial for the home and could fix this on the roof of the caravan, but it's less than a neat solution.

A TV aerial will not work unfortunately. So, only DAB enthusiasts need reply !

Thanks

John

 

[rob_jax]

Hi John,

We've recently fitted a JVC UN-X1 micro hifi in our Eriba - this has a CD player, analogue radio and line input for our Sony hard disk Walkman and / or our Pure DAB.

www.eriba-amiga.co.uk/project_microhifi.html

So I need to sort out an aerial for analogue FM and DAB, first of all I'm going to try the supplied aerials - but our Eriba is metal framed and aluminium clad - so I'm pretty sure an external aerial is needed.

Maplin sell an amplified FM / DAB rubber aerial for under

 

[JohnI.Stephen]

Robert; already been there with the 'neat' Maplin solution. Even the packaging stated SAB digital readio. Got it home; replaced the telescopic antenna with the amplified one from maplins and ... ZERO. Eventually I took teh advice of a DAB enthusiast who gave me the instructions on how to construct a simple dipole aerail from 2 coathangers; each end being 33cm long (I believe). From

 

[rob_jax]

Hi John,

Aerial: Thank you for the feedback on the Maplin rubber aerial- saved me a few beer tokens.

Homebuilt: That was another possibility - cut my own 1/2 wave dipole from some aluminium rod and a small plastic box - or buy a cheap external FM dipole aerial and reduce the "arms" by half. DAB is broadcast on 200 MHz, FM on 100 MHz - so the aerial needs to be half the length. This is approximate, I'll check the actual lengths.

Aerial mount: If you look at http://groups.msn.com/EribaOwnersPhotoBoard/touringantenna.msnw?albumlist=2

you'll see how one Eriba owner fitted an aerial using the awning rail.

Audio Quality: On the whole I've been disappointed with DAB - the audio quality is poor. DAB MP2 coding / decoding is way behind what can be achieved - most people can play MP3 files on their computer. It's time they upgraded the bandwidth, bit rate and MP encoding.

Radio 3: We do. Our home music system is embossed with the magic word LINN - our LINN Kremlin FM tuner on a live Radio 3 broadcast is at least as good as SACD, and way better than CD - and the Jazz broadcasts are stunning.

Robert

 

[JohnI.Stephen]

Hello Robert; apologies to your Radio 3 enjoyment. I confess I love Classic FM and I find R3 rather 'heavy'. You mention the name 'LINN' amd Sondek LP12 springs to mind. However their speakers are to die for and clearly you are a real enthusiast.

The antenna constructed by teh Eriba owner looks superb and I only wish I had the general "DIYability" to do that. Ideally I would liek to relace the (redundant) circular flying saucer antenna atop our Bailey Senator, witha decent aerail for DAB; that would be us sorted! However I am not aware of such a beast as all the focus appears to be on TV / freeview / satellite.

John

 

[rob_jax]

Hi,

We love music and the radio in general, but I know what you mean about some of the "cutting edge" Radio 3 programmes - but at this moment I'm often in Radio Prom heaven.

Remember back about 5 or more years to the very special Prom Jazz performance by the Marsarlis Septet of "In this house, on this morning" - just stunning - particularly the double bass solo that rocks the whole house (LINN Keilidh Active speakers) which on most stereos just seems to be a totally blank two minutes.

But back to aerials:

A vertical 1/2 wave dipole (two bits of wire with a central connection) works really well receiving radio stations from all around.

Replacing the Status mushroom / flying saucer, you could either go for a home made horizontal dipole in an empty Status mushroom - and rotate it to pick up the station, or make a car radio type aerial - these are 1/4 wave (just one bit of metal wire) but need a ground plane (metal car body) to work, so that might be difficult to do on a GRP roofed caravan).

I'll have a look for a good aerial idea.

Rbert

 

[JohnI.Stephen]

Wow I would love to listen to your system ! Bt back to aerials. Yes, a single antenna with ground plain would be tricky. I am tempted to use a simple horizontal dipole as this will pickup all that I want (Classic FM, Radio 4, Planet Rock and Capital Gold). Not sure how I would go about removing / replacing the Status aerial though. I really don't want a large hole in my roof !!

If you do come across an idea I'd like to hear it. Meanwhile if that Eriba owner would sell me one like he has made, I'd be very happy !

John

 

[VIP2006]

I having bought a van with built in Fm/Mw/CD/MP3 and DVD player have received good reception at all locations visited this season. my son gave me a Roberts Portable DAB and I find this grand whilst sitting outside of the van. I understand that the wavelengths of all stations are the same nationwide and it automatically seeks the strongest signal for the station selected. I use a hearing aid to hear sound and find I get clear and good reception from the DAB radio. much better than normal radio etc.

 

[JohnI.Stephen]

Hello Shiraz; thanks for your thoughts. Howevever I am keen to be able to receive DAB from inside the caravan. I too can take my radio outside and extend its telescopic aerial, but this will usually not provide adequate signal stregnth or quality; hence the likely need to erect a dipole aerial !

Happy listening

John

 

[rob_jax]

John,

Just bought some 300 ohm balanced aerial wire (twin wires in a transparent plastic sheath - where the wires are held 1/2 cm apart) and will make a "T" aerial this weekend and try it in the Eriba.

Robert

 

[JohnI.Stephen]

John,

Just bought some 300 ohm balanced aerial wire (twin wires in a transparent plastic sheath - where the wires are held 1/2 cm apart) and will make a "T" aerial this weekend and try it in the Eriba.

Robert

Hello Robert; just had a dipole fixed to the roof of the house; can now get 46 DAB stations ! Yes, am keep to read your success in making a DAB aerial for your Eriba. Read from you soon no doubt.

John

 

[rob_jax]

John,

Went it no B&Q for some machine screws and saw that they sell an external DAB dipole aerial for around

 

[JohnI.Stephen]

John,

Went it no B&Q for some machine screws and saw that they sell an external DAB dipole aerial for around

 

[Woodentop]

Unlike many of you; we only listen to the radio when in our caravan; and we particularly like DAB (Planet Rock and Capital Gold !) However, I wonder if any of you have experience of making / erecting a suitable aerial in / outside the caravan? I have made a simple dipole aerial for the home and could fix this on the roof of the caravan, but it's less than a neat solution.

A TV aerial will not work unfortunately. So, only DAB enthusiasts need reply !

Thanks

John

Not quite sure what you mean about a TV aerial. If your caravan has a TV aerial fitted it work on the DAB band. The only catch is that if it is a Status 500 series you will need to move it into the vertical position (direction is immaterial) as all DAB transmissions are vertically polarised.

The alternative is an on-glass aerial stuck down one side of the nearest window that you don't open.
Something like this will do.
On-glass antenna

To avoid confusion, all DAB car radios provide the necessary power for the in-line aerial amp via the connector on the radio.

 

[DrZhivago]

Wow, 11 years and a week for a reply :lol: Is this a record? Those posters look like a previous generation of forum users, I don't recognise any names.

 

[Parksy]

Wow, 11 years and a week for a reply :lol: Is this a record? Those posters look like a previous generation of forum users, I don't recognise any names.

This thread is a blast from the past.
Rob Jax sadly passed away several years ago, he was a fount of authoritative knowledge about all things Eriba