Another grandchild for Marg and Peter!

Margaret was delighted to welcome her newest grandchild, Tanner James Mclachlan – a son for Katy and Tristan. Born at 8.20am on October 20 in Perth. Margaret says Mum and Bub are doing well. Before flying off to WA for the birth, Marg told us of her latest travels….

Saturn in Lockyer Valley

Over the years, we have driven through the Lockyer Valley many times on our way to Toowoomba (as most people do). But we have never stopped to take in the beauty and history of this region. This year I stopped on my way to the Toowoomba Caravan Show.

I was amazed at the cheap prices of the fruit and vegies for sale. I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised because I always knew it was known as the Salad Bowl of South-East Qld.  But on calling at the Visitor’s Information Centre, I found out that this area is in the top 10 most fertile farming areas in the world. I love my carrots and I vote they have the sweetest carrots I have tasted – fresh off the farm.

The Lockyer Valley is more than just farming. It has other attractions as well. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to take any of the driving trails, but I certainly earmarked this region for further exploration.

My only challenge is whether I return in February for the Lights On The Hill Memorial Convoy or in June for the Power Boat Festival or in October for the Celtic Festival or…..and the list goes on. Do yourself a favour and do your own exploration of the Lockyer Valley Region.

Amplifiers

Now let’s talk technical for a while. Many caravan antennas have an amplifier. The purpose of the amplifier (sometimes called a booster) is to make the signal stronger. Some antennas have an amplifier built in, while other antennas can add an amplifier just before the TV. Which is the best?

To help you understand how an amplifier works, imagine the ‘amplifier’ as a microphone. If you hold the microphone up close to your mouth when you speak, it amplifies the sound that others hear. Now, imagine the microphone being held at arm’s-length from your mouth. Which will give the best result?

The microphone held close to the mouth ‘boosts’ the sound more effectively than the microphone held away from the mouth. With the microphone held away, the sound has been allowed to disperse before it is amplified and the result is not as good.

And so it is with an amplifier for TV reception. The best place for an amplifier for a caravan antenna is either inside the antenna or as close as possible to the aerial.

But, do you need an amplifier for a caravan antenna? Let me put it this way. Think back to the last caravan park you visited. Was it in a beautiful position – beside a creek? Dam? The beach? Beautiful scenery, yes?

Now consider what the challenges are for TV reception – hills, buildings, trees. Were any of these present in this magical setting? In the majority of cases, you will say yes to “trees”, right?

And therein lies the answer to ‘Do you need an amplifier for a caravan antenna?’ Absolutely. Yes. And of course, the easiest antenna to set up is the antenna that has the amplifier built in. The Saturn Antenna has a booster built into it. If you need more info about this antenna, go to the website www.saturnantennas.com.au.