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Topic: King Jack Antenna (Read 1802 times) previous topic - next topic

King Jack Antenna

While at Old Town Motorcoach today I met and had a long visit with Saddlesore.  While getting the tour of his coach I noticed the antenna on the roof...a King Jack antenna....please don't flame me but I had never seen nor heard of the King Jack prior to today ( all my attentions have been focused from the roof down for the past 12 months). SO, long story short...when I drive my coach the banging on the roof from the bat wing drives my nuts, I have wrapped the bat wing in foam (floaties cut to fit) which has helped but it is still an annoyance.  Seeing the King Jack my first thought was...this would eliminate the noise.
I read posts on this forum as far as 5 years back, some from just a few months ago.  Question: many have just done the head replacement...did you notice a significant reduction in the noise on the roof once bat wings were removed?
I like the aiming feature of the fixed Jack, but the price of just replacing the head has got to be one of the cheapest upgrades I've come across in my 12 months of ownership.
Lastly, where does the power come from for the fixed mount? I know for the head replacement the power is in the coax which carries 12v via the OEM antenna booster switch correct?
Thanks for any and all replies.
See ya
dave
Dave
2002 295 36'
Build 6006
Motorcade Member 17931
Toad 2003 Jeep Wrangler
2008 BMW R1200 GSA

Re: King Jack Antenna

Reply #1 –
Think the power supply is the same.
96 U270 BUILD 4810
85 380SL
Drummonds TN.

Re: King Jack Antenna

Reply #2 –
I hate my Jack antenna.  Arguably the worst modification I have done to my RV.  It makes at least as much noise up top as my original TV antenna made.....and then you have to dick around with spinning it around so it points at the broadcast tower each time you move. 
Robert
Build # 5304
1998 34' U270 Cummins 6CTA8.3

Re: King Jack Antenna

Reply #3 –
Well I actually enjoy ours a great deal.  If the jack wing lead is pointed forward at departure, we haven't had any noise.  If it is not, you will have noise.  It sits close to the Winegard G2 satellite dome.  DWMYH.

I removed our roll up and use the space for a 160w solar panel.  If you go this route, be prepared to repair gel coat that comes up when the mounting panel is removed.  Nothing fancy as it goes right back under as the footprint is the same.
George and Steph
1997 U270 36 Build 5081 "Honu"
1180w Solar 400A lithium all Victron house system
Motorcade 17670, SKP 128300, FMCA F459019
73 VW Camper, 79 VW Camper, 2363 Sunline, and an Arctic Fox 25P

Re: King Jack Antenna

Reply #4 –
Apparently  the problem is raising/lowering the antenna, noise, and parts not available.
I did a 2002 Newmar Mountainair gas coach where the owner was too cheap to buy parts so I altered the two aluminum tubes so they stayed upright (cut off just enough that the Jack antenna cleared their AC), then bolted them together.
The assembly could still be rotated but not raised & lowered. NO noise from the Jack antenna while traveling.
I saw a couple new coaches where the Jack antenna mount is fixed but the Jack antenna itself could be rotated.
As a matter of fact, one can buy the entire setup at your RV dealer.

Nitehawk,  Demolition Lady, & our NEW master, Zippy the speeding BB cat.
1989 Grand Villa 36' ORED
Oshkosh chassis, 8.2 DD V8
2006 Saturn Vue AWD

Re: King Jack Antenna

Reply #5 –
All I did was remove the batwing and the King w/ adapter fit exactly on the poles. Took 15 minutes.  In most cases I don't even have to raise it. The power comes from the co-ax. I like it.
1994 U280, Build 4490
Deming, NM.

Re: King Jack Antenna

Reply #6 –

Removed ours.  It took up valuable solar panel space!

You can buy a Winegard Flatwave (or Flatwave Amped if you can run 12V to it and need a little more range) for less money, throw it up against an interior cabinet wall inside right where the existing cable line runs (Or elsewhere if it makes for an easier cable run or splice).  It's paper thin and takes up no space.  It's not on the roof so it makes no noise.  And only wire to either splice or run (two for the Amped version).  The range of the reception is comparable, and it requires no spinning.

Amazon.com: Winegard FlatWave Amped FL5500A Amplified Digital Indoor HD TV...

Win-win in my book.

As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.
James
w/ DW Erin, sons Gideon and Tobias, cats Oscar & Oliver
Fulltime 1999 U270 34' #5508

Re: King Jack Antenna

Reply #7 –
Dave,

We replaced our bat with a King and are very happy with it. R&R only takes five minutes once you have a ladder up. When visiting another forum member in OK, we were able to get over 40 stations. With the small flat panel antenna described above, we could only get 6 or so.

If you look at a map, you can see which direction the major metropolitan areas are and then aim the King. If we are staying in a campground, we just look at the other antennas when we pull in.

Does not seem to make much noise but because the solar panel is mounted where the antenna previously rested, we have to turn it ninety degrees.

Not a bad idea to replace all the old cable that you can easily get to with RG6 for a little less loss. Our main salon 46" TV is on the back wall so I ran a HDMI and RG6 through the belly and up. I installed a HDMI switcher to go between the different DVD, laptop, etc without any fuss.

Since there is already power in the coax, DON'T use the included power supply.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: King Jack Antenna

Reply #8 –

I got one of these, cut about 16" of the mounting arms off (so when raised it clears the rooftop AC units) and have been living happily ever since.  The RZ-5000 eliminated the thumping on the roof, and the reception is great!

Amazon.com: Winegard Rayzar z1 RZ-5000 Retrofit Kit (VHF/UHF HD Amplified RV...

As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.

Re: King Jack Antenna

Reply #9 –
I like the Jack. I've replaced the batwing on two coaches with the jack. On this coach the batwing was banging around up there and beating up the fiberglass. Anyhow, it works as well as the batwing. The photos show:
1- Batwing removed
2-Jack amplifier deal. This is where you run the 12v to and plug in the coax for the Jack (TVs and cable TV). When you want to use the antenna you push a little button on this plate. If you want only cable you don't do anything.
 3-The white plastic deal mounts where your batwing raise-lower handle was. You turn the Jack here and note the strongest signal on an led display
4-What it looks like on the roof

Someone mentioned in another post that you might have to repair the fiberglass under your original batwing. On my last coach, the fiberglass pulled up but on this one it remained intact. You can purchase the plastic mounting plate which covers the entire area so it is not a problem.
jor
93 225
95 300
97 270
99 320

Re: King Jack Antenna

Reply #10 –
Here's my experience with the antenna.

OTA TV antenna mast modification (split from What did you do to your coach...

It was much quieter and you do need to use nylon bushings when you do the install.  the original aluminum arms will wear out if you don't.

Rich
Rich and Peggy Bowman
2002 U270 3610 WTFS, build #5939--"Freedom"
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit 4xe
SMI AirForceOne brake system
PakCanoe 15

Re: King Jack Antenna

Reply #11 –
I have to agree with #3, just as much rattle as the old batwing. Wish FT had mounted the TV antenna outta the bow wave.
Dave W. (AKA Toyman )
'03, 270, 36', Build 6095, Pulling whatever I hook it to.

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."
Dr Seuss

Re: King Jack Antenna

Reply #12 –
Have not driven with it, has to be better. Signal quality was as close, if not better to bat wing at my house.
Chris and Tammy White  CDA Idaho
Previous owners 1997 U295 36' 3126 Cat 300 HP Build # 4998
Former Foretravel tech & RVIA certified tech
Former owner Custom Satellite home/RV satellites 
Former owner Vans LTD  van conversions
Unemployed, panhandler, drag racer NHRA #6348

Re: King Jack Antenna

Reply #13 –
Foretravel has been installing alot of the Razar antennas,bet if you asked the shop they would save the old crankup parts.
96 U270 BUILD 4810
85 380SL
Drummonds TN.

Re: King Jack Antenna

Reply #14 –
Just beware that some "bat wing" conversions do not have the LED signal indicator lights.
'02 40' U320t  4010WTFS Build 6036 1 slide
Motorcade # 17841
SKP 151920
Retired truck driver
 5 million miler
Still have itchy feet for travel

Re: King Jack Antenna

Reply #15 –
   It would seam that we have the only WG circular ariel left in captivity ? Same one that was on the coach when we bought it, works really well as we had 25 or more channels at Pueblo SP on the way home, all digital.
In the driveway at the house 50+ channels is not unusual.  ^.^d
88 Grand Villa 36' ORED 3208 (throwaway)Cat.
 Build # 3150
Happiness is the maximum agreement of reality and desire.
 

Re: King Jack Antenna

Reply #16 –
Could you use the antennae boost switch located in the front overhead cabinet as a power switch for a winegard  t 4in motion dome??  Is it not just a 12 v power source?
Peter    Alberta Canada
'98 U320 40'  Build 5359 M11 450 HP, Aqua hot, Blu Ox