dedicated aerial - a bit much?

i am currently running a T/T and tuner only. i enjoy both but the tuner probably gets more use. is an outdoor aerial worth the outlay. i find my signal is ok and wish to know if it really is worth the bother. i don't record off air btw.

 

What are you using now?

It's easy to fit an aerial in the roof. Just combine the signal with the TV aerial lead and split it again in your living room. Combiners/splitters and plugs and sockets can be got for a few quid from the likes of B&Q.

A 3 pole aerial is good in strong signal areas. You may want to squeeze in a 5 pole aerial if you're in a fringe area.

I've got a circular omni-directional in my roof. It's OK for strong local signals.

 

i appreciate your view on the matter but you have not said if it is worth doing, and if so, why?

 

The better the signal, the less hiss and distortion. If you are not suffering from hiss or distortion then it probably isn't worth doing.

 

thats probably the situation. i have no complaints really. i was just wondering if there was a considerable upgrade available in an RA stylie

 

Yes is the simple answer

It is worth the bother (which isn't much bother jsut pay someone £150 to put a 7 pole on the roof)

 

Are you getting good stereo?

 

Just going through this process at the moment.
I don't get a decent stereo signal with an indoor di-pole so listen in mono. The first option suggested by the aerial man (who lives less than half a mile away so should know the reception issues locally) is an outdoor circular omni with an amplifier attached. A directional (multi element) aerial may not be a good bet (he says) as we are between three transmitters (two big ones, one little) none of which is optimal for our particular location and it may be a case of whichever one gives best reception on any given day.
My feeling is that a signal amplifier will also amplify the bits I don't want and one of the things I like about radio is the 'passive' nature of the source (ie a crystal set with no power at all still produces sound).
Still, he seems quite amenable to trying a few things so I guess we'll see how we get on.

 

Mmm, amplifiers, it depends on how much of a nerd you are and how modern your tuner is (take it its FM not DAB?) but my tuner has a signal meter on it. What I found when using amplifiers is of course the signal is always metered as "strong" despite the fact what you're listening to might sound terrible.

Other than that they seem OK for the job and an omni is what I use to good effect.

 

how modern your tuner is - 70's Pioneer

nerd - enough to be here but no more than that

 

Cool, well if it has a signal strength meter on it and you want it to be accurate (I did ) then be wary of using an amp, it will screw the reading up big time. If your not a nerd and/or it doesn't have one go for an amp.

 

Had the aerial man round last night and tried an outdoor TV type aerial with an amplifier attached and it was much worse than the indoor dipole. He now seems to have gone off the idea of an omni as well and recommends a proper directional. His parting gift was a length of co-ax out of the back of the van and suggestions to attach the dipole to a bamboo cane and wander about the house to see where it works best.