Roof TV Ariel

[Beehpee]

Hi again all, here's my next question, as it's so early I've not had chance to take a picture yet but I'm confident people on here will understand what I'm referring to, the Ariel mounted on roof of caravan was upgraded from the original round dome (useless) type to one that I would describe as a tear drop shape and that comes inside the caravan to give you the ability to turn it to get the best reception, I'm not too fussed as to how good or otherwise its reception is as I've never yet taken a TV away with me, my simple query is when towing what position would I want the bit on the roof to be in, my common sense tells me the pointy end(technical term) should be facing forward as this would give the least wind resistance but I would just like confirmation.

BP

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

No, the manufacturer states to point the aerial backwards when towing, else it acts like an aerofoil and tries to take off. If you observe most vans that are towing then the owners haven't read the instructions.

 

[Beehpee]

Thanks WC, I never thought of that happening so I'm glad I asked, there's a red sticker on the pole inside the caravan so I can see where that is now so I'll always know if it's pointing the right way, which is probabably what the sticker is for, I'm not a perfectionist but I prefer to at least know the correct way so always better to ask if in doubt, thanks again.

BP

 

[Craigyoung]

Hi beehpee , and WC , weve the same tv dish on ours and was told that when towing to make sure the red dot faced forward not that im saying im right or wrong but i thought pointing forward was the correct way . :huh:
Its never come of yet !

Craig .

 

[Hutch]

Page 83 of my caravan users hand book states have the Anttena pointing towards the rear of the caravan when travelling. If you look at the thing the mounting point is near to the wide end.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

Hi beehpee , and WC , weve the same tv dish on ours and was told that when towing to make sure the red dot faced forward not that im saying im right or wrong but i thought pointing forward was the correct way . :huh:
Its never come of yet !

Craig .

Told by whom - dealer or manufacturer?

 

[Craigyoung]

Wc .

Apologies , was told by the dealer . :huh:

 

[Woodentop]

No, WC is right - point it backwards to reduce loading.

In the case of the Status 515 on my Bailey Peg 462 the red dot has to be facing me as I look at the internal shaft in the cupboard to confirm that the aerial (please readers, note the spelling) is pointing to the rear. However do note also that the narrow/pointy end is the end that points towards the TV transmitter when in use.

 

[Hutch]

But having the red dot faceing forward does not mean the aerial is facing forward.
Also the aerial is not an aerofoil, shape as it's dimensions are the same above and below its chord line. Therefore not giving lift.

 

[Dustydog]

Sir WC spelt it out very accurately and by the text book.
When travelling the broadest section of the aerial faces forward in your direction of travel .That's the manufacturer's instruction.
How can any other way be correct??

 

[Woodentop]

But having the red dot faceing forward does not mean the aerial is facing forward.
Also the aerial is not an aerofoil, shape as it's dimensions are the same above and below its chord line. Therefore not giving lift.

I can only say that you must have a strange aerial. My 515 is undoubtedly more bulbous underneath for the gear housing to turn it vertical and thus marginally longer that the top surface. The aerial being pointed towards the back when towing was confirmed in a phone call to Grade technical some time ago before they became Vision Plus.

I'm not quite sure if your red dot comment is aimed at me or someone else. In my case (and most that I have seen) the aerial shaft is in a side cupboard so the red dot is on the side of the shaft, not front or back. Anyway it takes seconds to put the dot where you think it should be and then go look outside.

 

[Hutch]

WoodenTop, my reply was not aimed at anyone, my last two caravans both Coachman, have had the Aerials on opposite sides of the van, the 545 front left, at the back of overhead locker, so you see the dot fwd. present one 560. right hand side in then wardrobe. So you look forward at it. With then dot at the back.
All you need is to have the dealer get it wrong.
If the lower surface has a longer surface then it will give negative lift and pull it towards the caravan when travelling.
No offence meant.

 

[Beehpee]

Who'd have thought when I asked what I thought would be a question with a straightforward simple answer it would develop the way it has, I'm quite happy to go with the first answer of pointy bit facing to the rear of the caravan, and I've made a mental note of where the red dot needs to be to achieve this, I've tightened up the collar nice and tight and as I don't take a TV it shouldn't get moved anyway, which is probably just as well because the shaft of the hairyal will no doubt get hidden by whatever clutter her indoors decides to use the cupboard for, so the next time I ever get a glimpse of the red dot will be when I decide we are double our permitted payload and I start chucking stuff out, a great discussion tho people.

BP

 

[Hutch]

BP, oh yes the simplist question can get very heated, " How do you measure your nose weight". :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :evil:
If you have one of those amplifiers in the system , remember to turn it off when you store the caravan, another battery drain.
Enjoy the summer.
Hutch.

 

[Beehpee]

I have this wonderful gadget for checking the nose weight, it's this red and yellow thing I stick on the towball and then hitch on top, or should I say I vaguely recall using it once or twice, it's now probably going to end up in the tv cupboard with all the other gadgets I bought when I first started caravaning, now I rely solely on common sense which has worked pretty good for me up to now, spose I'd better get in the kitchen and start eating the can of worms eh.

BP

 

[Craigyoung]

Noseweight ???

Any question asked can lead to a lengthy replys and threads !

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

Any question asked can lead to a lengthy replys and threads !

How long's a piece of string?

 

[Hutch]

Another one for the step.

 

[Beehpee]

WC this is a real tricky question, can you please give accurate measurements of the said piece of string and by what method the measure was taken, at this point we shall first have to take advice as to the point when a piece of string becomes a piece of rope, only when all of these points have been rigorously debated can we then finally give any views on how long said item is.

BP

 

[Hutch]

When does Sisal become string, or rope, is it when it looses its hair.?.

 

[Beehpee]

mmmmm let me see....

 

[Hutch]

BP have you ever been to o Peep at Adderbury, south of you, maybe meet up some time. ?

 

[Beehpee]

Not yet but hope to get away plenty this year so who knows what the future holds.

BP

 

[Woodentop]

WoodenTop, my reply was not aimed at anyone, my last two caravans both Coachman, have had the Aerials on opposite sides of the van, the 545 front left, at the back of overhead locker, so you see the dot fwd. present one 560. right hand side in then wardrobe. So you look forward at it. With then dot at the back.
All you need is to have the dealer get it wrong.
If the lower surface has a longer surface then it will give negative lift and pull it towards the caravan when travelling.
No offence meant.

The point being that whichever way the forces push - up or down - it is placing stress on the aerial itself and on the caravan roof - definitely not a good thing but something with which we have no live.

No offence taken.

 

[Raywood]

The official line is if the point is forward it acts like an aircraft wing and tries to move up. The stress of this could break the seal at the roof.