Using Bollard provided signal

[Lost in the wilderness]

Hoping the collective knowledge can help.

After 20+ years of caravanning, we finally got a TV, although only used on one trip so far.

We are going away to the CMC Longleat site. We know that there are TV aerial points on the bollards, but have no experience using these. 

Our van is a 2018 Lunar clubman (No snickering please). Fitted in the battery box is a "F" type socket. There are two "F" types in the van, as well as 2x standard aerial sockets.

I know the standard aerial sockets are wired into the Status aerial on the roof (via amplifier).

What I don't know is how the "F" types are wired.

The handbook goes into good detail on using the on board aerial, but does not mention the "F" type sockets at all.

I have seen on other posts that you can get F-type to standard convertor plugs / sockets, but not clear if / when these maybe required

 

Now my questions are: -

When using the site bollard, what type of connection is required for the bollard end

Can I use the battery box "F" type as the inlet point to the van (Rather than dangling cable around the interior of the van) - if yes, I assume that an F to standard adaptor plug required inside the van - can somebody confirm this please.

Will I need to swap / alter the vans wiring.

 

Any input will be much appreciated

[Mr Plodd]

The sockets and plugs are wired identically, the cables are basically the same,  a solid core with shielding around it. it’s just that the “F” Type, being screws rather than push fit, is more secure.

 

The bollards are fitted with the “old” style push in connections not the “F” Type, but there are converters available to convert one to the other, they cost pence. See here

 

Andy

Edited November 3, 2019 by Mr Plodd

[Organman]

Sherwood Forest holiday park has this arrangement with TV on the Bollard.

It is Best to get a length of aerial cable with Ftype on both ends, around 15mtrs in lenght ,

and a cable for the inside of the caravan with Ftype and Male Aerial on the other

[Ern]

Mr Plodd and Organman pipped me. The CMC booster connections are the coaxial type, however many sites now have male F plug. Don't forget there are two diameters of those coaxial type so you need the right one  for your lead. I carry a selection of adaptors - male and female coaxial adaptors to male and female F type. I think I bought them from ebay. You can also get push fit F type which are less reliable but still very useful as some of the threaded F types have rotton threads and poor access.

[Paul1957]

When I was at the CMC Troutbeck site with one of these bollards, the site shop had suitable coax cable extensions for sale at a reasonable price. One end plugged in to the bollard, the other I plugged in to the aerial socket on the back of the tv, taking the cable through a side window nearest the tv. There is enough give in the window seal so it can be closed with the cable in place.

[Rodders53]

Try the Status aerial first.  I find I rarely need to use the bollard sockets even when they are available.

 

Longleat CMC is most likely Mendip, on a bearing of  282 degrees (due West is 270 so West-Northwest)...  Wolfbane predicts 58dBuV at 3m agl with a "clear" line of sight.  (Only the trees on/around the site are likely to present an issue and only then if you are unlucky).

 

NB Club site TV cables need to be 25 metres long - the same length as the mains hookup cable - to guarantee they'll reach your caravan on all pitches.

 

In my experience the Club bollards have F-sockets on them and the Club provide an adapter to TV plug type socket screwed into each.  Carry adapters to suit what you might find though! They are cheap enough to make or buy.  I also have also found that many such Club installations are not well maintained so can give variable results.

 

Troutbeck Head was the site where I needed to use the bollard cable when my Status amp box failed and I was reliant on the aerial alone.  So signals are quite low there  Wolfbane suggests 39dBuV and diffracted.

[Jiffy176]

I brought one of the CMC ones years ago and they are well made.

You can get F connectors that are push fit rather than screw on, they are a lot easier for tight spaces.

Have a look at the back of the F socket in the battery box, see if it is wired if so follow it through. If it is connected to the socket then I would make a lead up with F plug one end and a coax the other for the telly.

If your battery box socket isn't connected then I would make up a long f plug one and end coax the other to fit the TV. That saves you going through an open window.

I seem to think from memory the status worked ok at Longleat and my experience of bollard signals is that they are not always that good.

[Woodentop]

The socket in the battery box - if original fitment - is usually primarily intended to feed signal OUT to a TV in the awning.

 

Look at the labling on the cables connected to the aerial amp - see if one is marked Aux or Ext or similar. If it is use a F-type back-to-back adapter (assuming the amp has F-type connections) and connect it directly to the cable for the TV socket you want to use. The signal will come out of the ordinary TV plug. You should not need to run the incoming signal through the amp at the risk of signal overload.

As a satellite box has to feed d.c. power to the LNB (the block on the end of a satellite dish arm) a splitter cannot be used as the voltage varies with satellite receiver tuning and two together would fight. Ergo somewhere the two internal cables and the external must meet so that they can be connected as required. It may be near the aerial amp, it could be somewhere near where the external cable enters the caravan.

Failing that CS at Lunar is your best option, dealers generally don't have a clue.

 

[Ern]

23 minutes ago, Woodentop said:

The socket in the battery box - if original fitment - is usually primarily intended to feed signal OUT to a TV in the awning.

 

Look at the labling on the cables connected to the aerial amp - see if one is marked Aux or Ext or similar. If it is use a F-type back-to-back adapter (assuming the amp has F-type connections) and connect it directly to the cable for the TV socket you want to use. The signal will come out of the ordinary TV plug. You should not need to run the incoming signal through the amp at the risk of signal overload.

As a satellite box has to feed d.c. power to the LNB (the block on the end of a satellite dish arm) a splitter cannot be used as the voltage varies with satellite receiver tuning and two together would fight. Ergo somewhere the two internal cables and the external must meet so that they can be connected as required. It may be near the aerial amp, it could be somewhere near where the external cable enters the caravan.

Failing that CS at Lunar is your best option, dealers generally don't have a clue.

 

Swift 2016 F plug in battery box connects to F plug at TV point, and doesn't go to booster. Battery box on opposite side to awning. These F plugs were definitely put in the battery box for a dish connection.

[Woodentop]

2 hours ago, Ern said:

Swift 2016 F plug in battery box connects to F plug at TV point, and doesn't go to booster. Battery box on opposite side to awning. These F plugs were definitely put in the battery box for a dish connection.

 

Er, so how does one outside become two inside?

[Scorpio]

 

Ours goes through a splitter, then feeds 2 F sockets.

[Ern]

3 hours ago, Woodentop said:

 

Er, so how does one outside become two inside?

it doesn't.  The F connector in the battery box supplies the signal to the SAT connector at the TV point. The ANT connector at the TV point is supplied from the antenna booster. I have added a splitter and a second TV point which is quite common.

 

Edited November 3, 2019 by Ern