Avtex Tv Reception & Aerial - Again!

[Bernard in Tring]

Sorry to post again on this subject, but this is aimed specifially at those who have although early in the 2015 caravan season taken delivery and used on site across their whole range of models any new Coachman 2015 van.

 

Trying to establish if the change in wiring and the incorporation of a Svenson amplifier by Coachman has improved the reception in terms of problems many have experienced with pixalisation.

 

I appreciate that there will not be many in this position at this time of year but if you can would appreciate any information, including whether or not connection has been through a site TV Bollard or you have just utilised the Avtex aerial and internal connections.

 

Many thanks

 

Bernard in Tring

 

 

[Les Medes]

Bernard, our van is 2014 and we have only experienced bad reception on one site where we had to pay for the sites hook up, other people who had the directional Status aerial had no problems whatsoever. On sites that are familiar to us and have poor reception the Avtex aerial performed brilliantly, far better than the Status on our previous van which incidentally was another Coachman

[Bernard in Tring]

Thanks for that. The issue I have been experiencing is the screen pixelating when watching TV using the Avtex wand aerial. Have had a test fly lead from Atvex to test internal wiring of van. Also had a newer version of a wand aerial from Coachman. Still an intermittent problem.

 

My van was out on the road in November 2013 although a 2014 model. We have NO tv booster that I can identify in the upper locker where radio is located. Have noticed when at various dealers and when speaking to other 2014 owners that Svenson boosters have been fitted.

 

Les, is your VIP Fitted with a booster or do you have the chrome Teleco connection down in the bed locker where the fuse box is located, having to screw and unscrew the two tv leads depending on site TV bollard or Avtex aerial?

 

I think as Coachman have now amended the installation they recognise a problem exists with the early 2014 models.

 

Many thanks.

 

Bernard in Tring

[Chris308]

Ours is a 2014 Vision. We have a booster (not sure what make) in the locker under the aerial and the reception has been good. As I have said before, we are on a site with TV hook-up but started to use the caravan aerial as reception was better with this than the hook up during bad weather.

[Seaman]

We had a 2013 Elddis Avante and now have a 2014 Vision. With both caravan's we have had no reception problems whatsoever with the Avtex aerial. We were able to get a perfect performance at the Salisbury CC site, which is reported as a poor reception site. Maybe we have been lucky and have had 2 perfectly installed aerials and cabling?

 

David

Edited November 15, 2014 by Seaman

[Markt1891]

We had a 2013 Elddis Avante and now have a 2014 Vision. With both caravan's we have had no reception problems whatsoever with the Avtex aerial. We were able to get a perfect performance at the Salisbury CC site, which is reported as a poor reception site. Maybe we have been lucky and have had 2 perfectly installed aerials and cabling?

David

Hi David,

 

I have just checked and the Salisbury CC site is in a very good signal area, 3 transmitters within 30m and the UK digital TV site reports that you could receive 92 standard def channels + HD.

 

The Avtex antenna does "work", the question is whether it performs adequately for an antenna on a touring caravan. My antenna has been reinstalled by Elddis using the latest version of the whip and separate Svenson booster. They have fully tested the installation inc. wiring and the TV to ensure that there are no actual faults.

 

Our last trip away was to Hillhead CC site. This site is not in a strong signal area and the Avtex would only tune in 10 channels with constant pixellation on all of them. Now, you might consider that this is acceptable because of the TV reception in the area. However my wife's parents were away with us on the next pitch and had 78 channels with their directional status antenna. Furthermore I fitted a Avtex STH3000 portable suction antenna (£40) on my roof next to the Avtex whip and managed to tune in 72 channels with a perfect picture on all of them. If it wasn't for either the CC TV hookup or the Avtex STH3000 I would not have had any TV that weekend, whereas my wife's parents were enjoying perfect reception next door. To me, it indicates that the Avtex whip does not perform adequately for a touring caravan.

 

I know there are many people like yourself that have not had any issues but I think you are lucky with the sites you are visiting :-). I have no doubt that some issues are due to faulty antenna's or installations but I know that this is not the case for me. We don't tend to use our van that much in the winter and I will be working abroad quite a bit for the next few months. However I will do some more testing next spring.

 

Mark.

[Seaman]

Hi Mark,

 

It is a real puzzle to be honest. We did have poor reception at Lady Margarets CC last year, the CC data reports it as a problem site and had to endure a week of talking to my OH and couldn't even set up the satellite due to trees getting in the way.

 

David

[peapod]

We have a 2014 Elddis Avante and initially the older stick aerial with no booster worked fine with lots of channels and a great picture but things gradually got worse until we had no reception at all whatever site we were on.

 

After complaining to the dealer Elddis agreed to fit the new aerial and booster under warranty but the technician said he had tested the system and he had fitted the booster for nothing because the fault was with our cable

 

We have not had a chance yet to test the new set up in anger but I have no confidence in it being an improvement.

[Markt1891]

All I can say is that from the testing I have done so far the Avtex whip does not perform as well as a directional status or in fact another relatively basic portable directional made by the same company. My test data has shown this to be down to the inability of the Avtex whip to receive a strong enough signal from the appropriate local transmitter.

 

Whether the Avtex whip performs adequately for anyone really depends on the sites that they visit, it may work perfectly well for many and barely at all for others. The comments posted in this thread and all of the previous ones confirm this. The fact that there are two versions of the antenna, some with faults and others which are not installed correctly just compounds the issue further. This is why in the other threads I have suggested that anyone suffering with issues gets the antenna replaced with the later version as a first course of action. Connecting the output of the booster directly to the TV with a high quality cable can then be used to ensure that there are no issues with the internal wiring, but the dealer should check this when they replace the antenna. It could well be that after doing this that they will not get any further issues in the locations that they happen to visit.

 

I am hoping that I will see some improvement with the new version of the antenna but I won't know for sure until I can return to the sites where I have had issues in the past, most of them are now closed for the winter. Ultimately the question of whether the antenna is really fit for purpose will come down to what is acceptable in terms of it's performance. This is the reason why I am doing comparitve testing with two other antennas, one which is fitted to many other modern touring caravans and another which is made by Avtex. In my view if those antennas consistently outperform the Avtex whip, irrespective of the projected tv reception at the site, then the performance is insufficient and the product is not fit for it's intended purpose.

 

I'm not going to make much progress with this until next year but will keep you all updated.

 

Mark.

[Seaman]

Mark,

 

It has just occurred to me!! It is obvious that Avtex have no faith in their aerial. Is this why it is not available to buy in the shops or on the Avtex website? In fact there is no information about it on their website.

 

David

[penman]

The Avtex aerial is not fit for purpose being very hit and miss when other Vans nearby with Status aerials work as they should.

 

In this age of technology Avtex have failed to fix this aerial which has been installed on Elddis caravans for 2 years. I have ordered a new Swift for delivery in Feb 2015. So its goodbye to Elddis and Avtex.

 

I look forward to better TV reception but would bet many Elddis and Coachman owners will still be complaining for many years to come.

[MalH]

This is the primary reason that we decided not to order a 2015 Coachman Vision 450 (the other reason is the piddling little sink drainer, but that's another story). I even spoke to the Coachman MD at the NEC and whilst he was very plausible, he did nothing to convince me that the aerial issue is solved. Let's hope it is for the 2016 models, or else they go back to Status. ........................

[Les Medes]

Thanks for that. The issue I have been experiencing is the screen pixelating when watching TV using the Avtex wand aerial. Have had a test fly lead from Atvex to test internal wiring of van. Also had a newer version of a wand aerial from Coachman. Still an intermittent problem.

 

My van was out on the road in November 2013 although a 2014 model. We have NO tv booster that I can identify in the upper locker where radio is located. Have noticed when at various dealers and when speaking to other 2014 owners that Svenson boosters have been fitted.

 

Les, is your VIP Fitted with a booster or do you have the chrome Teleco connection down in the bed locker where the fuse box is located, having to screw and unscrew the two tv leads depending on site TV bollard or Avtex aerial?

 

I think as Coachman have now amended the installation they recognise a problem exists with the early 2014 models.

 

Many thanks.

 

Bernard in Tring

Bernard, yes we do have a booster and have to switch over when using the sites aerial, mind you do seem to have a posh aerial as you call it a Wand !! ours is a Stick aerial, maybe that is your problem

[Bernard in Tring]

Les,

 

Thanks for that, I assume your 2014 van was taken delivery of after February/March 2014 and that the booster is of the Svenson manufacture!

 

Regarding the 'name' thought it befitting to the 'quality' of Coachman!!!!!!!

 

Hope I'm now on course to get a replacement aerial. Fingers crossed.

 

Bernard in Tring.

[SuperJock]

I was reading this month's Caravan Club magazine.

I note that Avtex are advertising their new TV and to persuade you to buy one, you receive a free aerial.

Needless to say it is a totally different aerial when compared to the junk that they have fitted on the Coachman caravans.

[Markt1891]

I was reading this month's Caravan Club magazine.

I note that Avtex are advertising their new TV and to persuade you to buy one, you receive a free aerial.

Needless to say it is a totally different aerial when compared to the junk that they have fitted on the Coachman caravans.

 

See my post #9 above. ..

 

"All I can say is that from the testing I have done so far the Avtex whip does not perform as well as a directional status or in fact another relatively basic portable directional made by the same company"

 

The free antenna (STH3000) is the one I am testing alongside the Avtex whip.

 

Mark.

[MalH]

Connecting the output of the booster directly to the TV with a high quality cable can then be used to ensure that there are no issues with the internal wiring

 

Absolutely crucial according to Coachman's MD, he told me that in most cases complainants have been using the cheapo connectors that you buy at Poundland, whereas they should make up a suitable length of satellite quality coaxial. He added that this had resolved the issue in the majority of cases. Until such time as I'm convinced the problem has been resolved I remain hesitant to make the commitment to a 2015 Vision 450, though!

[penman]

If you are expecting Coachman, Elddis and Avtex to sort the aerial out I believe you will be waiting a long time.

 

The only sorting out is to replace it with a aerial that works but this cannot be done with Elddis unless the roof is strengthened.

 

Manufactures note you are loosing sales because of the performance of the Avtex aerial, our new Van due next Feb has a Status aerial fitted, Elddis and Coachman were not considered.

[SuperJock]

Why does the Elddis roof need strengthening/

I thought all roofs would take a satellite dish.

[penman]

Hello Super Jock

 

 

There is no wooden support put in where the aerial is fixed, Elddis advised this to myself and others on the forum. This means a Status cannot be fitted.

 

I don't know if a Sat dish could be fitted at a different position.

 

Penman

[Markt1891]

Penman is correct, the status 530 install instructions also make it clear that the installer needs to ensure there is sufficient support in the roof for the antenna.

 

It's possible something could be done to add the required support internally and retro fit one but without the approval from Elddis/Coachman you are likely to invalidate your warranty.

 

Mark.

[SuperJock]

Penman is correct, the status 530 install instructions also make it clear that the installer needs to ensure there is sufficient support in the roof for the antenna.

 

It's possible something could be done to add the required support internally and retro fit one but without the approval from Elddis/Coachman you are likely to invalidate your warranty.

 

Mark.

There is a thread, in the Coachman section, where Owners Club members go to the Coachman factory.

It was confirmed that you can walk on the Coachman roof.

Don't know about Elddis roofs but if you can walk on a Coachman's roof surely it would take a status aerial.

[Les Medes]

Les,

 

Thanks for that, I assume your 2014 van was taken delivery of after February/March 2014 and that the booster is of the Svenson manufacture!

 

Regarding the 'name' thought it befitting to the 'quality' of Coachman!!!!!!!

 

Hope I'm now on course to get a replacement aerial. Fingers crossed.

 

Bernard in Tring.

Bernard, yes, ours was delivered in march 2014, I understand that there was a problem with vans made at the end of 2013 for delivery after Christmas, ours was made in the third week of February

There is a thread, in the Coachman section, where Owners Club members go to the Coachman factory.

It was confirmed that you can walk on the Coachman roof.

Don't know about Elddis roofs but if you can walk on a Coachman's roof surely it would take a status aerial.

Why would anyone want to walk on the roof, beats me, I can't stand hights anyhow !!

[Bernard in Tring]

Many thanks for that. It is as I suspected.

 

Good news, well one has to be optimistic in these things, two developments arising from service.

 

Paul Stubbs supplied a new aerial which included the direct fixing to the roof plus the 'wand'. During the course of the investigation, it transpired that a 'spade connection' in the top locker leading from the roof aerial wiring was not properly constructed and therefore loose. Re-crimped.

 

Still no obvious Booster as in later models but told this new aerial should fix the problem! Oh yea of little faith.

 

Will now live on tender hooks until our first outing, scheduled for mid March.

 

Thanks to all those contributed

[Tomlig]

Hi, we took delivery of a 2015 model Coachman VIP 575 just before Christmas, we used it on a New Rally and our first impression of the Avtex aerial is not good.

We were on a site neat Kings Lynn with quite a few transmitters within 25 miles, however the Avtex TV kept tuning in to East Yorkshire region and the picture was unwatchable. This was our first time to use the Avtex aerial and will wait until we have tried it at other locations before deciding if we should fit a directional aerial.