BroadAmbition

We have a set of at least four PMR's onboard 'B.A' - Handy for when cruising in company and a must on the Lads Week. A couple of years ago I had just watched a live streaming on FB of Robin onboard a cruiser coming down the Bure so I knew he was between Horning and the river Ant underway. He knew I was onboard 'B.A' but not where. I called him up on CH4 telling him I was just approaching Reedham and could he hear me? - He could! (I was nowhere near to Reedham of course) We had a five minute conversation where Robin proclaimed that he was well chuffed at the performance / clarity / range of the latest PMR's we were using (Robin had researched and ordered them as he does). The look on his dish however as he came round a bend in the river and met 'B.A' head on coming the other way was a picture and gave both of us a good laugh. That's what it's all about though, enjoying yersens on the rivers. For further range we have a vhf onboard, sometimes just turned on as a listening watch on the local channels. We can tx but there is rarely a need although we have used it to request Somerleyton bridge to open before now during high tide when it's been persisting it down and of course on the odd occasion when transiting through Mutford. Years n years ago when my now departed Dad used to organise the lads week, before mobile phones came into use, we had three hand held C.B's for use during the lads week. They weren't small and cost a fortune in non-rechargable batteries and from memory weren't that good either although they did work to a fashion Griff

Yes pmr is used. Normally CH4 but you can of course change channel to a less used one once you have established comms Griff

Proper enjoyed viewing this lot. Thanks for sharing Griff

Hi Woodwose, I'm missing something here, you kindly informed us as per below:- Omnidirectional aerials are often small and have no gain so they work best if mounted as high as possible. Yet the Ballade aerial I'm considering states 23:5db so what am I missing here or am I reading something wrong? Appreciate your expertise and advice in this topic btw, Griff

I’ve been dressing screws for years as instructed by my dear old now deserted Dad. I’m not that anal to do it where they can’t be seen though Griff

But a tree? - probably stretch to a child’s tree house ! Griff

Which is why I try to get hold of ‘old’ teak planks and store it for future needs Griff

Before I’m next onboard If I get a suitable amount of condensation in the GriffTile van, I will of course give it a go and see Griff

As of yet the two impulse buy fan demisters have not arrived so I can’t test them or therefore report back Griff

Harvey Arms pub last Sunday evening and the usual gathering of us miscreants let out for the evening by our wifies. We chat about all sorts, catch up with each others news, the conversation is usually far from politically correct, racist, chauvinistic, sexist, +18 jokes - the whole nine yards - This after all is a real Yorkshire pub in the real world, men only on a Sunday night (Unwritten rule of course). Anyroadup someone mentioned points accrued on driving licenses. Since the paper half of driving licenses has become defunct I had no idea if or how many points I had to my name. Well, one of the chaps got out his trusty iphone, went onto the relevant website, typed in a few details and there it was - I have just the three points (SP30) but the really pleasing news is that in just three days they will be over 3 x years old so no longer current. Now that means I will be entering a dangerous time for me as on past record I seem to get my licence cleaned but within a few months or even weeks - Bang - Points make prizes and I get awarded another three. So the challenge is to see how long I can keep the blessed thing clean. I have never had more than three at anyone time. What is really quite peculiar (And something I'm quite proud of) is that I have never since I have owned the mighty Tiger (2007) been awarded any points when astride it. Must be the same cloaking device switching itsen on with the never to be found 'On' switch that gives me so many issues with some other road users Griff

And the fourth one to enter the fray. This one recommended by our professional aerial / tv installer (Ret'd) 30dbi is impressive as is the price as is the 100% 5 star ratings from satisfied customers it has received. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OMNI-DIRECTIONAL-CARAVAN-MOTOR-HOME-BOAT-TV-DIGITAL-FREEVIEW-BOOSTER-AERIAL-KIT-/192090207476 Griff

I scored just the two points and that sits just fine with me. It would have been just the one point but on that one I normally don't have a choice Griff

Hey Jocave, I ain't saying boats shouldn't have em, that's up to the owners, it's just not for me as I've said we couldn't fit one without a whole lot of bother even if we wanted one. Down the road we will no doubt consider fitting a power winch for the mudweight as and when I/we get to the dotage stage of our live but as of yet we manage ok without. The pu55y button name as it's called is generally well known. I can't claim fame and fortune for thinking that one up, it's been out there for as long as I can remember. I will freely admit the pu55y buttons on Indy (She had fwd and aft thrusters) are a real bonus / aid, and yes I have used them. As well as the horrible noise they generally make, something else that grates with me is seeing hire boats trundling along on the river and the helm is using the fwd pu55y button whilst they are underway for course corrections - That surely can't be right let alone hardly efficient As for the Tiger - No it doesn't have ABS, it was about the only optional extra I didn't specify when I ordered the bike. I had considered it but had formed the opinion at the time that it led some bikers to put to much confidence in the system to get them out of trouble, I like to think of not getting into trouble in the first place, although I will freely admit I have got that one wrong too on the odd occasion. Maybe I should have gone for the ABS in hindsight, but it's a complicated system that can't go wrong or need servicing Griff

JM, Tks for your suggestion. We have got one. Yes it worked fine but yet again it's a proper load of faffing around setting it up. A long cable to shore, the dish must be put on the ground, no good onboard as the tiniest movement loses the satellite. You then have the concern of someone tripping over the cable in the dark, plus it won't work on many wild moorings due to the vegetation being too high etc. We don't want to view underway and couldn't even if we wanted to due to the location of the TV when set up so a tracking system would be wasted on us. Then there is the storage issue of the dish & gear when inboard once again. We've been there - Not for us Griff

Not to mention the cost of all that lot Griff

John / Vanessan Tks again - another good recommend. I just so appreciate this kind of feedback / recommends - You can't buy this kind a help. That Ballade looks good. Not to big and easily stowed when not in use. I will need to fashion a aluminium pole for it that will slot into the top of 'B.A's mast. Plus B.W's is on Robins doorstep and we can get the NBN 10% discount too Griff

We used to do the extended aluminium pole system ourselves, still got them. It worked too. But it was a right pain / time consuming affair erecting and then stowing the ensemble, plus having room onboard for the poles and too large aerial. Clambering onto the aft coach house roof to then plug the coax in. I'm trying to clean up the whole affair going minimalistic while improving performance. There is already a coax under the aft coach house roof, this will eventually go up inside the mast to a flush not to be seen socket. Then a short coax into the removable aerial that will slot in the top of the mast with a pole so the aerial will have plenty of height, I'm guessing it will be about 15ft above the river Griff

Fair enough if that works for you, I'm kinda wary of naked flames onboard (We do use various candles if bbqing on a bank) plus naked flames tend to produce moisture / condensation adding to the issue. Electric fan heaters produce no condensation that I'm aware of Griff

Great feedback, TVM. We have in stock a 12v powered booster box so I am thinking the cheap n cheerful screwfix jobby as a trial first using it with and without the booster box and see how we get on. The idea is that I'm gonna fit a small mounting bracket to somewhere unobtrusive on the top of the mast then simply slot the aerial into it and plug in the coax (This will be run inside the mast to a flush fitting socket) the aerial when not in use can be removed and stowed inboard hence it being quite small is a bonus. Watching tv whilst underway? It hasn't happened, never felt the need, besides it would make helming kinda awkward! Griff

Ah, OK, that's before my time. So in the background is that the corner by the Swan with Horning Sailing Club just off camera to the right? Spot on Griff

Well that was lucky eh? Griff

Yes I know this is an old thread last posted on over five years ago now. However since then we have moved over to all digital and the analogue is consigned to the history bin. So, we are wishing to invest in a new small-ish (Hopefully) tv aerial to be mounted on top of 'B.A's mast, one that can be removed and stowed away below deck when not in use. Having spoken with a mate up here in Donny (One of our Lads Week crew) who used to install TV's, aerials, boosters and the like, he recommended an omni directional along with a power booster. He is going to do a bit of on-line research and get back to me with his recommend. We have the power booster ready to be installed, we have the co-ax run between under the aft coach house roof and the saloon (Needs a bit of tidying up and re-sighting etc) My question is what omni direction aerial make / model do the collective forumites in here recommend? All opinions gratefully received. Griff

Ooooh a pu55y stick. What ever will they think of next? MM - That is proper naughty, or maybe it's just my warped military humour kicking in? Griff

I was musing over the same question - My guess its the corner at Horning by the Mucky Duck Griff

See? This is what happens with impulse buys. Well they are 150w with a fan so how come they didn't work? Griff