TV Airiel

Our 55 plate Rienza has the usual TV booster in the wardrobe and the base of the airiel in the top of the wardrobe. Our last van had one of the flat dish with a spike types.
I think this one is a Status type, don't know the model. After a bit of fiddling I found I can raise and lower the airiel and turn it, presumably towards the nearest mast. Also by turning the crank handle it tilts the aireal.
Whilst on site this weekend I noticed the same airel on another van turned on its side. A stupid question  but which is the right way.
Just to add to my confusion I re-tuned my TV on the Friday when we arrived but on Saturday all the channels were messed up. I only got channels with three figures, nothing below 100.
We gave up and watched DVD,s for the rest of the weekend.

Hi  

It could be either, it depends where you are. You need to align the aerial with the local transmitting aerial and that can be vertical or horizontal (or both in which case either way up will work).

You'll find the info on Uk transmitters here:

https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/locations/Freeview

but the chances are you won't know which one is strongest in the area anyway.

The easiest way round it  is probably to use something like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fringe-UHF-TV-Signal-Finder/dp/B00Z06R8V8/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1476298680&sr=1-3&keywords=tv+signal+strength+meter

It doesn't need tuning so you can swing the aerial through 360 degrees with the it aligned horizontally and vertically until you find the strongest signal, then re-tune the TV.

In many places there will be little or no signal but at least you'll know that before you waste time trying to re-tune the TV.

Brod

If you use the UK Aerial Alignment app it tells you whether the aerial should be horizontal (H) or vertical (V).

Look around to see if there are other campers or houses,  and see which way their aerial is facing.

brodco wrote:In many places there will be little or no signal but at least you'll know that before you waste time trying to re-tune the TV.

Yep - and we seem drawn to them like a flea to a dog!!     

We were told before we went digital that it would be far easier to get a good signal, but it isn't true. I remember people saying (not entirely in jest) you would only need half a wire coat hanger as an aerial!!

Much like in the analogue days I still consider myself lucky if I manage to get a decent signal, and regard it as a bonus if I do.  We now have a 64 GB memory stick full of films permanently plugged into the telly. I often don't even bother to faff at all with the aerial. 

From a previous posting about status aerials. It's important to park where you can get a strong signal

If I carn't get a decent signal from my Status 580 aerial/signal booster, I hitch up my Avtex 3000 , that rarely fails .
Boaby

I have an aerial as described by Dave there is a light on the booster box which is supposed to change colour red to amber to green when you find a signal - - its useless!

if I turned the TV off every time I didnt get a green or amber light I would never watch TV and conversely it wouldnt be the first time that I have had a solid green light and yet no picture - so its always worth a look to see where other aerials are pointing and copy them, as for whether to have it vertical or horizontal its usually horizontal but take a look around you and copy what you see

Thanks folks. As suggested extend the airiel and point the same way as other users. On the last site there were airiels pointing in diferent  directions.I must check the LED on the booster box. I thought it was red because it was powered up.
All I have to sort out is the tuning bit. Some of the channels I found were a bit too grown up for me with management in company. Normally I just put it on auto tune and the channels start at button one for BBC 1 etc. DVD watching is so in technical.