One of the EOC chaps said it was the trees (and we've pitched in worse) and be careful where we pitch. Aerials on the site were pointing every which way, so I tried all ways but it was very iffy and we gave up. We tried the horiz or vert placing, horiz is the right onw down there but nothing.
The same chap said get a booster, not expensive and they do help.
I noticed when packing away, the box for the aerial had a booster advertised so I might try that. Never had this failure on a site before and we weren't pitched in a forest,virtually at the top of the site.

I didn't know you had a problem Derek.
We have had very good reception at the EOC rally using our Avtex aerial.
I have recently replaced the aerial cable with a much better quality cable and remade all the coax connections. It seems to have improved the performance with far less pixelation than we were experiencing before.

Thanks buddy, didn't want to bother you with too may issues.

Gee thanks Peter!. Have just ordered a signal booster and exterior socket.

If you have an Android phone there is a free app called Freepoint UK.
It gives you all the available signals in your area, the compass direction and whether vertical or horizontal . Takes all the guesswork out of setting up the aerial. Don't forget that you might have to re-tune your freeview receiver if in a different area.
Never fails for me :)

JOSH? You Peter, such a joker!

Thanks again Ray, we don't have a smart phone or whatever. Just to make a call or text is enough for us mate.

On this subject. I also have an Avtex ariel and tried to use ion the TV for the first time recently, only to find I could not pick up BBC channels and the pictures on other channels were not great so I gave up. I also could not use the suction thingy bob to fix on the ariel up on the van. Has anyone else tried fisixing the Avtex with the suction fixing pad?
I also tried to use the 12 v booster on the ariel and tried to plug it in the 12v socket on the Eriba but that wouldn't fit. I gave up in the end and turned on the radio!!

This might be of use

TV. click link here

Taffy, is it the shaped Avtex aerial? If so it requires a 5 (?) volt feed which is provided by the Avtex telly but has to be activated from the set up menu.
As for the suction action we have used ours many many times. The surface needs to be clean and flat so if it's the roof I wipe a flat section away from the edge or I stick it on one of the windows.

We've been using a DM18 log periodic antenna from Aerialsandtv.com, it was part of their caravan kit which contains the antenna, pole, high quality cable and plugs with the brackets to attach to the jockey wheel. We pointed it at the Redruth Transmitter about 20km away, approx SSE from the site, horizontal polarisation, and the HD picture is brilliant. It's worth noting that almost all UK terrestrial TV transmitters use horizontal polarisation. A quick web search will tell you the nearest transmitter location and polarisation.

Thanks Chris, your ham knowledge shines through. Good to meet you and Laura, did she get my email?

Yes, she did, most impressed. Lovely to meet you, I will try and make the EOC Rally in September, can't do the summer EribaFolk one as we're in Spain, so hopefully see you in September.

Just a quick observation. Horizontal polarisation for main transmitters. vertical for repeating transmitters.

If you haven't got a smart phone app then there is a printable guide off the wonderweb somewhere, that's what I used to use. Didn't give the compass direction from a camp site, but with a map and compass, one could soon work it out. Smart phone much easier :)