Omnidirectional aerial success Forums

BarryandSue

Like a lot of you, we've suffered with that dreadful Status 315 Omnidirectional aerial.

BUT... I had a thought. Mine is connected to a small 'booster' box (as I imagine most of yours will be - wasn't it part of the kit?), and boosters are normally adjustable, but mine didn't appear to be. Sure, there is an indentation in the cover, but no adjuster.

So, emboldened by having to endure yet another evening with a crap TV picture, I prised off the lower cover of the booster box (fitted in our wardrobe), and there it was! An adjuster!!!

A couple of twiddles of the adjuster and, lo! and behold... a [u:ac20505940]good[/u:ac20505940] picture (OK, not excellent, but a thousand times better than it had been).

The Status 530/10 has just slipped a bit lower down my shopping list.

Barry

MandyandDave

I'm sure mine has that 'dent' in it Baz, will have a look and a play tomorrow, is the cover easy to get off?

Dave

eurajohn

If you want a decent picture wherever you go throw the aerials away and get a satellite system.

John

BarryandSue

Yes, Dave - it just requires a bit of "boldness be my friend" and it unclips. Just be careful when inserting a sharp knife blade (you'll need all your fingers to do the adjusting!)

I'm considering boring a hole in the bottom of that indentation, and pushing a short piece of tubing over the control. The cover could then be replaced and the device adjusted for best picture without having to remove the cover again.

Good luck. Let me know if it works for you too.

Barry

spykal · Moderator

Hi Barry

At a show last year I was berating the advisor on the Status stand about how my aerial was almost useless. This was before I had realised via this forum that everyone had problems with them. I asked if it was likely that the booster box was kaputt. His reply was that the booster was only a power supply and the signal amp was in the aerial, the power for which travels up the coax. So I wonder what you have adjusted? if he was right, it could be the voltage....mind you maybe the last person to take any note of is the one on the manufacturers stand at a show Laughing

I will be taking mine apart tomorrow Wink

Mike

BarryandSue

Thanks for that, Mike.

If it's a voltage adjuster, that explains a lot! If the device is very voltage-sensitive, then the picture, at various times depending upon battery discharge, will be poor. But it also means that the user must constantly adjust the thing as the battery voltage alters! Sad

Mmmm! Maybe the Status 530/10 has resumed its' place at the head of the Christmas-list queue! We'll see. Smile

Let me know how you get on.

Barry

BarryandSue

And yes, John, I DREAM of having a satellite system - but it's bad enough that Sue watches that Coronation-Enders rubbish without me spending a fortune on receiving it! Laughing

Barry

peedee

[quote:6f79d160c4="BarryandSue"]And yes, John, I DREAM of having a satellite system - but it's bad enough that Sue watches that Coronation-Enders rubbish without me spending a fortune on receiving it! Laughing

Barry[/quote:6f79d160c4]

Entirely agree and I think the way to go if you already have the 315 both for cost effectiveness and no clat is to buy a Freeview box. The more I use mine the more convinced of this I become.

I agree with Mike, I too think the amplifier is within the saucer and the little box inside the van is a filter/splitter and power supply. I don't recognise your discription of the adjustments Barry. My 315 interior box has an on/off power and a low/Hi gain switches on it. Does anyone know where to find some technical information on the 315 especially its booster ?

peedee

peedee

[quote="peedee Does anyone know where to find some technical information on the 315 especially its booster ?

peedee[/quote]

Just answered my own question with a more sophisticated search of the net and come up with