• Look at other caravan, campervan, or motorhome aerials and point your TV antenna in the same approximate direction.
• Connect a TV signal finder to the TV aerial socket in your campervan. This device receives signals, and the lights/meter will indicate how strong the TV reception is. The cost is approximately £15.
• Locate the base of the aerial. It’s usually in an overhead locker.
• Ensure the signal booster (fitted to the campervan and often called the signal amplifier) is plugged in and turned on. There’s usually a red light to the front. As the name suggests, it boosts signal quality.
• The TV aerial will be in travelling mode, stowed as low as possible, with the ‘pointy end’ facing the rear of the motorhome.
• Undo the knurled white securing collar and slowly turn the aerial until a signal is found. The aerial will rotate 360 degrees and can be raised if necessary. My signal finder has a series of green lights; the more lights lit, the stronger the television signal.
• Most TV signals are horizontally polarised – keeping the aerial flat – but should you need to receive vertically polarised signals, rotate the winder to tilt the antenna through 90º. However, I’ve yet to use this feature.
• Once you are happy with the antenna position, secure it by tightening the securing collar.
• Plug your TV into the coax cable outlet and search for channels.
• Before heading home, return the aerial to travel mode by undoing the collar and lowering the aerial. Ensure it points towards the rear of the campervan and retighten the securing collar.

What should I do if I can’t find any signal, even after following the steps?

Some campsites have minimal TV signal, which is often exacerbated by a remote or low-lying position. Many club sites have a TV point on the EHU bollard, but you will need a long (10m or 25m) coaxial cable to use it.

Can weather conditions affect the TV signal in my campervan?

Weather conditions tend to affect satellite signals more than TV signals, but severe weather may have an effect.

How high should I raise the aerial for the best signal reception?

Aerial height is essentially trial and error, although neighbouring campervans will give an indication. As a rule of thumb, the lower the pitch and the more greenery surrounding the site, the higher the aerial needs to be.

What is the best way to determine the correct direction for the TV antenna if there are no other nearby aerials to reference?

You can use the help section on www.freeview.co.uk to get coordinates for your nearest transmitter and then turn the aerial in the correct direction. However, turning the aerial slowly with a signal meter attached to it is an almost foolproof way to find the nearest signal.

Is there a specific type of TV that works best with the campervan’s TV aerial and signal booster?

Bailey offer Avtex 12v TVs through PRIMA Leisure. These are the industry’s leading brand of electrical media for the mobile leisure industry. Visit PRIMA Leisure to choose from the range of leisure vehicle TVs on offer.

Jump to:

• Beginners Guide to Campervanning – Homepage 
• How to use your Ford campervan
• How to load your campervan
• Arriving on site: Campervan Electrics – 230v Hook-Up or Leisure Battery?
• Arriving on site: Campervan gas system
• Arriving on site: Campervan water system
• Arriving on Site: How to use the Truma Combi Diesel heating system
• Arriving on site: Campervan compressor fridge
• Arriving on site: Campervan oven and hob
• Arriving on site: Campervan toilet cassette
• Arriving on site: How to adjust your campervan’s TV aerial
• Arriving on site: Campervan wind out awning
• How to set up the pop up travelling seats in your campervan
• Glossary