TECHNICAL : Q&A Ask your Club The Club’s technical How do I watch TV in Ireland? team answers your burning questions Now that the digital Qswitchover is coming to an end Please address your questions in the UK, can you tell me what the to: Technical Information, situation is in Ireland as I’m planning The Caravan Club, to travel there next year? East Grinstead House, East Grinstead, We contacted RTÉ, the public West Sussex RH19 1UA Aservice broadcaster in Ireland, who replied: “On 24 October 2012, ...and quote your membership the analogue TV service in Ireland will number switch off permanently. Analogue TV in Ireland is broadcast on a combination of both VHF and UHF frequencies. A new free-to-air digital Pin problems television service, named Saorview, replaces the analogue service. Saorview launched in May 2011, and follow up is broadcast on UHF only. To receive Saorview, you will need In the July issue you asked for a UHF aerial and a Saorview set top You can access UK TV channels in Ireland via the Astra satellite Qmembers’ suggestions for box, or a UHF aerial and a Saorview curing the problem of misaligned approved TV set. Viewers in the up Saorview. If you have the earlier subscription cable or satellite connections in 13-pin plugs and UK bringing their caravans or Freeview set top box or TV, it most services, or the free-to-air satellite sockets. Could you please tell me if motorhomes to Ireland may already likely will not receive Saorview. services carried on Astra satellite. anyone came up with a solution? have the necessary receiver. If you To receive the UK channels in To receive free-to-air satellite, currently have a Freeview HD set top Ireland (BBC, ITV, Channel 4 etc), you will need a satellite dish and As we suspected, the ever- box or TV, it will more than likely pick most viewers rely on either set top box.” Aresourceful Club membership has suggested a range of solutions. Here is a selection: ➜ Several caravan dealers and online parts stockists are now selling the DAB on the move ‘green parking plug’ device mentioned in July’s ‘Ask Your Club’ as a separate part. Suppliers include We particularly enjoyed the increasing number of new cars trailing wires and generally less Lodge Farm Leisure, Drayton Q Olympic Games coverage on which have a DAB radio fitted as functionality (from £50 upwards) Caravans, Lowdhams, Flintshire the dedicated BBC digital radio standard. As yet, motorhome base Caravans, Pennine Leisure and service. We could pick this up in vehicle manufacturers haven’t taken All these systems include a facility Sargent’s Electrical, but more are the motorhome via our digital the leap, though, so your main to revert back to normal analogue bound to follow as demand seems TV but, while travelling, the choices are to: FM if you are not in a digital quite high. ➜ ➜ Insert a coin between the pins and limitations of the standard cab Replace the existing cab radio reception area (the BBC currently twist. If you try this, do make sure analogue radio were clear – poor with a digital one (digital head claims 93% coverage of the UK first that there’s no short-circuit risk sound on AM and relatively little units cost from £80 to over population). All other than the most by turning all power off – and don’t Games coverage on FM. Is it £200 for more sophisticated basic models will work in European blame us if you damage the pins in practical to have a DAB cab radio products, plus fitting) countries where digital the plug! retrofitted? ➜ Have an ‘integrated adapter’ transmissions are broadcast, ➜ Make a suitable tool from a length fitted – this fits behind the although international standards of 28mm drain pipe with a slot cut in Digital radio hasn’t caught on in dashboard and allows your are still being developed, and it to engage with the lug in the plug. Avehicles in the same way it has existing radio to receive digital coverage on the Continent is patchy. at home, but improvements in signals (around £150, plus fitting) For much more on this topic, the broadcast coverage, station choice ➜ Use an external adapter which website getdigitalradio.com has and receiver options make it a viable plugs in to your existing radio – buying advice, stockist links and choice now – this is reflected in the the simplest option, but means many FAQs. PRACTICAL HELP: DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION WE HAVEN’T ANSWERED ON THIS PAGE? THE PRACTICAL ADVICE SECTION OF THE CARAVAN CLUB WEBSITE CONTAINS A WEALTH OF INFORMATION. SEE CARAVANCLUB.CO.UK/PRACTICAL-ADVICE 84 www.caravanclub.co.uk.