Many campsites these days provide visitors with a television aerial point on their mains-connection pillars, just beside each pitch.

This is particularly useful in areas where the TV signal is weak, or the number of channels that can be received via the motorhome roof aerial is limited.

Ideally, 25m of coaxial cable is required, and this should be enough to reach any aerial point. More flexible versions of coaxial cable are available than the type normally used for the TV at home, and this might be worth researching, because the cable will be easier to manage in regular use and storage.

Coaxial cable does not take kindly to being twisted and bent, which means that providing a storage drum will help you to keep it in the best possible condition and save a lot of time and effort when you are laying it out or storing it away.

Select your drum

First, choose an extension reel that is similar to the one illustrated and remove the cable and sockets, which will not be needed.

If you purchase a trailing socket or multisocket, your mains cable can be converted into a drumless extension lead for domestic use.

Fix an off-cut of aluminium or a strong plastic strip over the end recess, where the sockets were removed. This forms a storage space for the cable that connects to the external aerial point.

Feed a metre or so of the 25m length of cable through the drum and out into this recess, then wind the rest onto the drum.

Now your cable is ready to connect up. When using it, you can simply unwind the length you need, unlike your mains cable, which must be fully unwound before you use it.

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