Travel Direction of Status 530 Antenna

[WoodlandsCamper]

Being at a loose end at the weekend I started reading all the literature we received with our van. The aerial leaflet has the statement:
"To reduce the possibility of damage when travelling, point the antenna backwards"
I, like most people I've seen, travel with the antenna pointing forward as it's more aerodynamic. The van was even delivered with the antenna pointing forward!!
The leaflet also says "DO NOT TRAVEL with the antenna raised or set for vertical signals."
Perhaps the owner of the van I followed on the motorway coming home from work tonight also needs to read the leaflet as his was both raised and vertical.
Am I being too much of a Woosie by following instructions??? (Answers on the back of a £10 note please)

 

[Gagakev]

Got to admit as it was on the roof and worked when I got the van havent read the leaflet.
It does however have a orange dot on the pole on the inside and when facing forward (the dot) so the arieal is facing forward and rightly or wrongly I assumed this was the way to travel.

But thanks for giving me something else to worry about

Ps I dont have a £10.00 note

 

[Sproket]

Yes i did that as well when i fitted my status 530 on the roof, i do remember something about the direction of them when towing a few years ago.
http://www.practicalcaravan.com/forum/equipment-accessories/status-530-aerial
So when mine is fully down & pointing backwards, i put a mark on the mast with a marker pen so that it lines up with the vertical joint on the clamp.

Sorry no ten pound notes left, i put them in the diesel tank for tomorrow.

 

[SteveW77]

If left pointing forwards, it makes a Delta wing, just like Concorde.
The faster you go the more lift it generates. I don't think that it will lift the van of the road, unless you tow at supersonic speed, but it can't be good for the fixing.

Steve W

 

[mcghee]

That's exactly it Steve. Its not so much about the 'van taking off, but the forces generated will break the waterproof joint where the the antenna enters the roof.

 

[Clubman1]

If left pointing forwards, it makes a Delta wing, just like Concorde.
The faster you go the more lift it generates. I don't think that it will lift the van of the road, unless you tow at supersonic speed, but it can't be good for the fixing.
Steve W

You can learn something new everyday from these forums - off to turn the ariel around now before we hit the road tomorrow.

 

[AbbeyOwner]

I've got to say i keep mine facing forward but reading the op i will face it backwards

 

[Martin24]

Hmmmmmmm, Very very woosie reading a what did you call it??? destruction manual??? We were told red dot to front when towing but no idea which way it's pointing as never bothered to look or take it in so I'll just keep the red dot forward. Or did they say red dot back???? now if they said that then mine's pointing the wrong way?? Oh I don't know??? As far as your £10 note goes, 3x school uniform, 3 x trainers for indoor, 3x trainers for outdoor, 3 x PE kit and the new van on order from Lawns yesterday means not a hope of anyone getting a penny out of me at the moment.

 

[Dave111]

This issue raises it's head quite often. If you read the manual it explains that the red or orange dot denotes the front of the aerial but then goes on to explain, not very clearly, that the aerial should face rearwards when travelling. The problem is also compounded by dealers misinforming people when they pick up a caravan that the dot faces forwards. This happened to me when I changed caravans. My previous caravan had a status directional aerial and I had always travelled with it facing rearwards. The dealer at induction for the new van tried to tell me the dot faced forwards. We ended up getting the manual out and I am relieved to say I was correct and he was somewhat embarrassed as he had always given out the wrong advice. That maybe why you see so many on the road facing the wrong way!
Dave

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

I notice in the Nov edition of PCv Magazine that Niall Hampton (page 15) is telling in 'basics for beginners' to "Retract the aerial and move it to the transport position, ie with the red dot to the front".

Another reason why people stow the aerial in the incorrect position. Perhaps Mr Editor could correct this glaring mistake in the next edition.

 

[Raywood]

I have never read the arial leaflet if it came with the caravan but the handbook says tow with it forward. I can see the aeroynamic point though and I suppose it is as easy to have the dot at the back as the front.

 

[Dave111]

I have managed to find the instructions in pdf. Here is the bit that explains that it should point rearwards. Dave.

DO NOT TRAVEL:-

With the Antenna raised

With the Antenna set for vertical signals
With the Telescopics extended

When travelling adjust the antenna so that it points
to the rear of the vehicle to reduce the possibility of
damage when travelling.

The RED SPOT on the bottom of the mast
indicates the front of the Antenna.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

I always have the red dot so that the aerial is pointing backwards
I must have read the above instructions years ago and always do it that way
The things you forget outnumber those you remember as time goes by !

 

[Dustydog]

For the first time last year I changed how we stowed the 530 leaving the red dot facing forwards when travelling. Stev W hit the dot on the head. Delta wing.
Just turned the 530 back with red dot facing rearwards for travel to Woosie meet.

Why can't the label inside the caravan say " Travel with red dot facing rear"

 

[mealsonwheels]

Just taken our caravan to storage for the winter and it's surprising how many of the caravans there have the 'arrow-head' wrongly facing forward.

 

[TheCoachman]

I've just owned my caravan for a month now and when I uplifted it from the previous experienced caravan owner he stated it must be pointing forward and even had a Dynatape label stating "travelling" so it would face you when locked down.

Me being me I studied all the books I received along with the caravan and found this to be incorrect information.

The makers name is placed so that it will be prominent most of the time and and facing towards the front. Thus their name is placed opposite the pointy end so that it will show.

Also if you study the shape and in particular where the mast is in relation to the body, the centre of gravity should always be towards the front otherwise the antenna could start to twist round when travelling.

I may add that I am a newbie with one trip using such an aerial, my last caravan some 16 years ago having something rather old fashioned and clumsy bolted onto the towbar.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

There is a Mayday advert on the back cover of the Caravan Club magazine for December depicting a sleigh with reindeer using vans and a pickup lorry. On the back of the lorry is a caravan and if you look very closely it appears the aerial is pointing backwards. Hooray.

 

[Richam]

On the subject off aerodynamics, contrary to what you would think the "thicker end" is the leading edge. Think of a drop of water. Being fluid, water will form the shape that offers the least air resistance as it falls through the air. People automatically think that a thin or small leading edge will "cut through the air but the biggest issue is as all Formula 1 teams will contest to in fact drag. A small trailing edge means a smooth transition of the air. Hope I've explained that well enough.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hmm, You have been brewing that answer for a long time Six yeasr at least since this thread was active!

 

[Richam]

Lol I'm a neebie & was just poking around. I have a nose weight issue & got side tracked. Didn't even even notice the age of the thread.

 

[Dustydog]

No problem Richam,
Plenty on here about Nose Load. Please ask away under technical ortowing and I am sure you will meet a flood of great posts.

 

[Hutch]

Richam, welcome to the Forum, no silly questions, the Narrow end of the anntennas, should face towards the rear of the caravan when travelling at high speeds, ie, towing. And also lowered as much as possible.
Meet some one recently with a new van and we had to apply some serious "Grip" to relax the Antennas pole to get it to move around. .

 

[Craigyoung]

I'm glad I've got the fixed one on the top now I used to be sick as a chip having to walk around pull antennas out then push it up then it turning it to find a signal .