Best Caravan Aerial 2021
To watch some TV whilst away you are going to need a dedicated caravan aerial.
They come in various shapes and sizes and depending on your budget they are a sound investment for your caravan or motorhome.
Most caravan aerials are fitted to the roof as a permanent fixture and come complete with a signal booster which helps receive a signal if you are in a poor reception area. Being permanently fitted means its one less thing to setup (especially if its raining) and less to store in the van when packing away!
This articles aim is to help you choose the best caravan aerial for your caravan or motohome.
Caravan aerials
Below is a list the most popular aerials, many of which are fitted from factory by caravan and motorhome manufacturers. Each have their “pro’s and con’s” and operate in different ways.
Our pick for the best caravan aerial is the Vision Plus 580, but due to its size it may not suit everyone’s needs.
Check out our full list caravan aerials below.
| Aerial | Fits Caravan & Motorhome | Height Adjustable | Booster Gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status 355 | ✓ | X | 15db |
| Status 570 | ✓ | ✓ | 15db |
| Status 580 | ✓ | ✓ | 15db |
| Unispectra Aerial | ✓ | X | 20db |
| Maxview Gazelle Pro | ✓ | X | 19db |
- The Status 355 is probably the most popular aerial fitted to caravans and motorhomes.
- Omni-directional 360 degree reception with a 12v signal booster.
- Digital HDTV plus DAB and FM.
- Permanent roof fitted.
- Excellent Amazon reviews
- 3 year warranty.
- The Status 570 is the most popular of the directional style aerials. It can be raised through the roof by about 30cm and turned 360 degrees to get the optimum reception.
- The aerial mast is small enough to fit through the roof and into a cupboard locker so its hidden away.
- Digital HDTV plus DAB and FM.
- 15db 12v signal booster.
- Excellent Amazon reviews.
- 3 year warranty.
- The Status 580 is the best caravan aerial. It can be raised through the roof by 90cm allowing an uninterrupted signal and turned 360 degrees to get the optimum reception.
- The aerial must be fitted on the roof and in a wardrobe to accommodate the large adjustable mast. The extra height enables it to raise above any reception obstacles and interference from other 12v items.
- Digital HDTV plus DAB and FM.
- 15db 12v signal booster with signal strength led.
- Excellent Amazon reviews.
- It is also the best motorhome aerial too.
- 3 year warranty.
This is a great video explaining the basics of a Status 570/580 operation from Tamar Caravan Centre.
Unispectra Digital Caravan Motorhome Aerial
- Omni-directional aerial that can be roof mounted with or without the height adjustment pole (optional).
- Comes with a 240v or 12v signal booster (20db).
- Receives HDTV, DAB and FM.
- More at the budget end of the aerials but still gets good reviews on Amazon.
- The Maxview Gazelle is a 360 degree roof mounted aerial.
- It has a slim footprint on the roof which “panel van” motorhome conversions like as it is easier to mount on the castellated roof.
- Digital HDTV plus DAB and FM.
- 12v signal booster with 19db gain
Caravan Aerial Jargon
Omni-directional v Directional Aerial. Omni- directional are the fit and forget of the aerial world. They receive their signals as the name suggests from all directions meaning if you are in a good reception area you will receive a good reception with ease.
However if you are in a poorer reception area a directional aerial will be more favourable as its receiving angle is more focused at 45 – 90 degrees. This focused area means that the “gain” is concentrated in one direction rather than spread over a weaker 360 degree area.
The downside is that aerial will need to be rotated manually to find the best direction where the TV signal is coming from.
Signal Boosters. All the Aerials mentioned here come with signal boosters. Their aim is to increase the strength of the TV signal to allow for a better reception.
Most boosters come with an adjuster on to vary the signal gain but most will just keep it on max without issue. They will require a 12volt power supply to work.
Fitting A Caravan Aerial
Fitting a caravan aerial is fairly straight forward even if you have basic DIY skills.
A hole will need to be drilled through the roof of your van to allow the aerial cable to pass through to the inside and the aerial then screwed down over the top. A sealant is advised to be used to help keep the van water tight, something like Sika 522 in white is ideal.
If a directional style aerial is being fitted a larger size hole will be needed in the roof, about 50mm or so, normally cut with a hole cutter. This is to allow the pole to move up and down.
Once the aerial is in place the aerial cable needs to be connected to the signal booster.
The booster requires a 12v supply to work so “piggy backing” the wires off a nearby 12v socket is the most common way of powering it. Make sure the power turns off when the main caravan control panel turns off and that the fuse rating is around 5amp.
Once that is done you then need to run a “coax” cable from the booster to your TV point or just run direct to your TV. Its worth looking round behind trims as most manufactures pre-run the coax and sometimes a 12v supply to connect to, making installation quicker.
Extras you may need: “F plug” style aerial connectors , most aerials use this style now.
Coax cable to run to TV point sockets.
Tools required: Drill with bits, wire cutters, utilty knife, hole cutter, screwdrivers, sealant gun and sealant, white rags and a ladder.
Links to caravan aerial manufacturers :Vision Plus, Maxview, Unispectra.
I hope this article has given you the insight to choose the best caravan aerial for your caravan or motorhome. Please check out some of our other articles that you may find relevant.
Check out some of our other articles...
Disclaimer
Please note these are the words and opinion of the author only. Neither the author nor the website can be held responsible for any errors or omissions. You should seek professional assistance if in doubt.