Best performing HDTV Antennae

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Best performing HDTV Antennae

April 25, 2018, 08:50:32 pm

Our coach came with an HDTV antennae that doesn't work. We have Direct TV and it works fine but we want the local channels where ever we go. looking for an Omni-directional unit for roof mount. We are told that the newer generation of HDTV antennae work very well. Any recommendations?

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #1 – April 25, 2018, 09:17:13 pm

Quote from: Don Hays – April 25, 2018, 08:50:32 pm

Our coach came with an HDTV antennae that doesn't work. We have Direct TV and it works fine but we want the local channels where ever we go. looking for an Omni-directional unit for roof mount. We are told that the newer generation of HDTV antennae work very well. Any recommendations?

RV Antenna - VHF UHF Winegard Sensar Antennas
Have tried several omni directional antennas and never found a decent one. This one is directional but automatic and gets fair reviews.
Believe the best for reception in the manual directional ones, with the crank up ones a little better because of the added height.

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #2 – April 25, 2018, 09:26:15 pm

We use the King Jack but it's directional. Pretty easy though with four LEDs indicating signal strength and just turn the knob for the best reception.
jor

KING Jack™ Directional Over-the-Air Antenna with Mount & Built-In Signal...

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #3 – April 25, 2018, 09:40:26 pm

I installed the Rayzar automatic antenna referenced by JCus. It works pretty good, although it does not always pick up weak signals very well.

Also, mine failed just less than a year old. Apparently there was a design problem causing the units to fail to turn on the base. They claim to have fixed the problem, but I haven't installed the replacement yet.

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #4 – April 25, 2018, 10:11:12 pm

Quote from: Don Hays – April 25, 2018, 08:50:32 pm

Our coach came with an HDTV antennae that doesn't work. We have Direct TV and it works fine but we want the local channels where ever we go. looking for an Omni-directional unit for roof mount. We are told that the newer generation of HDTV antennae work very well. Any recommendations?

is the boost switch turned on for the antenna? If that switch is not on my antenna wont work even in a large metro area.

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #5 – April 25, 2018, 11:33:07 pm

We also use the King Jack. It is directional but I go to TV Station Locator Tool - Over The Air Digital TV to find the location of the nearest towers and then turn it in that direction. It also gives you the station numbers and affiliates.

Just thought of something. Some smart TVs do not have OTA capabilities. In other words,a tuner to receive over the air stations. Some times I also forget to change the tv settings from cable to TV. Good luck.

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #6 – April 26, 2018, 07:58:34 am

Winegard has an app which shows distance and in which direction the locals are in relation to your position. Haven't tried it yet but looks like a neat tool to position your antenna.

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #7 – April 26, 2018, 10:23:05 am

We also use the King Jack with excellent results. If your OTA antenna does not work well, run a new cable off the roof to a TV either inside or on the ground to make sure it's not a wiring/cable problem. Some coax has insulation that may soak up water and change the impedance. Check copper center conductor at the ends. Not a bad idea to replace the coax with RG-6 instead of RG-59. Never use RG58 as the impedance is wrong and it's only used for communication radios. Don't add another inline amplifier as the coach already has one.

Good tip on the lack of tuner on some new smart HDTVs.

Pierce

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #8 – April 26, 2018, 11:09:19 am

If you do some research I think that you may find the old bat wing antenna works best...call Winegard, I did and that is what technical support told me a few years ago....it works better the the omni directional did that I had installed when I first bought the coach. I removed it and installed the bat wing, much better reception.

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #9 – April 26, 2018, 11:25:22 am

(RV) Buyer Beware. . .

Vizio - Eliminate TV Tuners (Aug 2017)

Although moving forward with cutting-edge product innovation, such as SmartCast, there is one move that Vizio is making that is not only causing a stir in the TV industry but has the potential to cause confusion for consumers. That move is the elimination of built-in TV tuners on many of its "TV" products. They have already been removed from all of their P and M-Series sets, and some of their E-series sets. On the other hand, Vizio D-Series sets continue to offer built-in tuners - at least as of 2017.

The reason that this move is significant is that not having a built-in tuner prevents a TV from being able to receive programming over-the-air via an antenna, and even more significantly, according to FCC regulations adopted in 2007, a TV without a built-in tuner, specifically an ATSC (aka digital tuner or DTV tuner), cannot be legally called a TV (Television).

Vizio's reasons for eliminating tuners from its sets rests upon the observation that only about 10% of consumers now rely on over-the-air broadcasting for receiving TV programs and that 90% enjoy other options, such as cable, satellite, DVD, Blu-ray, and, of course, the continued trend toward internet streaming. All those can be accessed via HDMI or other connection options provided on today's TVs.

Vizio also touts that consumers can still receive over-the-air TV broadcasts, with the addition of an external DTV tuner/antenna combo - but that requires an optional purchase from a third-party, and results in another box that needs to be plugged into the TV.

Potential Retail and Customer Confusion
For the retailer and consumer, this is definitely going to cause some confusion (at least until the tunerless concept is adopted by more TV makers), as even though the products look like TVs, they can't legally be called TVs (FCC lawyers could troll retailers for advertising or store display violations - and, of course, any untrained sales associates will muck things up, just as they did when "LED TVs" were first introduced).

So, what do you call a TV, when it can't be called a TV? In the professional realm, a TV without a built-in tuner is usually referred to as a monitor or a video display, but in Vizio's case, for the consumer market, their solution is to refer to their new sets as "Home Theater Displays".

So, next time you go shopping for a TV, you may end up buying what looks like a TV, but really isn't one after all - at least by strict definition.

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #10 – April 26, 2018, 02:54:30 pm

I'm not sure if this product exists for Direct TV but you can get a USB local channel tuner attachment that plugs into your Dish Network box. Direct TV might have something similar?

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #11 – April 26, 2018, 05:28:25 pm

I took the old batwing antenna off and installed a king jack. I was in camping area in boondocks and could not get any stations. Neighbor had batwing and was getting reception several stations. Switched back to winegard batwing could not be more more satisfied. I enjoy staying in remote areas and like getting local news and weather.

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #12 – April 26, 2018, 07:49:57 pm

I have had very good luck with my Razor. It's about 2 years old.

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #13 – April 26, 2018, 08:33:55 pm

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Antop-UFO-Smartpass-Amplified-Outdoor-Indoor-HDTV-Antenna-with-Built-In-4G-LTE-Filter-AT-414B/300490960

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #14 – April 26, 2018, 08:42:45 pm

We replaced old Wingard Bat Wing with the King Jack OA8300 White Replacement RV Antenna Head on the old crank up mass. We also added the King Sure Loc to help us find the signal fast.

Replace your RV's Winegard Sensar TV Antenna with a Jack OA-8000. - YouTube

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #15 – April 26, 2018, 09:01:38 pm

OP has a 09 Nimbus, would be nice to know what antenna he has now. If he has an omni directional now, might not want to drill new hole for a manual directional one.

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #16 – April 26, 2018, 10:31:51 pm

Thanks for all of the replies. After further inspection, I have the Sensar by Winegard,or at least the controller. On top, It looks like a motorized antennae (no ID) that was unsuccessfully modified with a batwing via homemade mount. Operating the raise & lower functions and the rotate function, I can hear the motor. After further inspection, the boom that raises the batwing has been replaced with a couple of pieces of angle mounted to the top of the hub cowling. I don't even know if the batwing is a factory part or not. I didn't see anything on the Winegard site that looks like what I've got. As Pierce suggested I'll run a cable from the top to a remote TV and test the head. I will check out the other suggestions also. This is looking like a whole redo...
Thanks again for all the replies.

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #17 – April 26, 2018, 10:44:59 pm

Quote from: Don Hays – April 26, 2018, 10:31:51 pm

Thanks for all of the replies. After further inspection, I have the Sensar by Winegard,or at least the controller. On top, It looks like a motorized antennae (no ID) that was unsuccessfully modified with a batwing via homemade mount. Operating the raise & lower functions and the rotate function, I can hear the motor. After further inspection, the boom that raises the batwing has been replaced with a couple of pieces of angle mounted to the top of the hub cowling. I don't even know if the batwing is a factory part or not. I didn't see anything on the Winegard site that looks like what I've got. As Pierce suggested I'll run a cable from the top to a remote TV and test the head. I will check out the other suggestions also. This is looking like a whole redo...
Thanks again for all the replies.

This what Foretravel used on my coach, yours may very well be the same. Do not think many parts available.
Braund Series 90 Concord Electric Antennas... Braund ... - Barker Mfg

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #18 – April 27, 2018, 11:48:42 am

Forgot his name but a call to Foretravel can find him but his job at Foretravel is to research and test new electronic products,we
had a class a couple of years ago while at the ladies driving school,talked about new antennas and wifi products.

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #19 – April 27, 2018, 09:53:23 pm

The Braund antennas that I worked on on some of the Country Coaches caused a lot of problems. The head on them was not amplified. They sent the signal into the coach and there was an amplifier there. They did not do as well as the Wingard. Sounds like someone tried to modify to be able to get a tv signal. I would take the Braund off the roof and install a Wingard system. They have some new ones now that I am not familiar with.

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #20 – April 27, 2018, 10:21:44 pm

Quote from: red tractor – April 27, 2018, 09:53:23 pm

The Braund antennas that I worked on on some of the Country Coaches caused a lot of problems. The head on them was not amplified. They sent the signal into the coach and there was an amplifier there. They did not do as well as the Wingard. Sounds like someone tried to modify to be able to get a tv signal. I would take the Braund off the roof and install a Wingard system. They have some new ones now that I am not familiar with.

Beg to differ, had the Braund on the Newell and now on the Fortravel. Replaced the Braund amplifier with a Sensar Pro and have a great signal. Have a "batwing" and a Jack from previous coaches, and have tried them in place of the Braund antenna and they did not do as well. The beauty of the Braund is it is all electric raise, lower and turn. With the Sensar Pro, Winegard SensarPro TV Signal Strength Meter easy to find signal strength and aim antenna just by pushing buttons. Have had to replace many worm gears in various Winegard antennas over the years.
Added bonus, only two wires going to antenna, no through the roof shaft necessary.
Downside, believe company out of business, now grease motor components regularly to keep them working.

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #21 – April 28, 2018, 11:55:14 am

After further review, the previous owner retrofit a King Jack antennae on the Winegard motorized hub. On Pierce's suggestion, I connected the antennae direct to a remote TV and picked up 31 channels w/ great pic and sound. None were mainstream channels, Hmmm. I never received any channel in the coach as well as this excersize. I'm concluding that there is a cable disorder somewhere in the coach and I have to solve that before moving on to a different antennae if actually needed.

Does any one know of an inexpensive pinger for coax cable? there are 3 unaccounted for coax behind the TV and I have no way of getting an ID on them. Suggestions?

Thanks Very Much

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #22 – April 28, 2018, 12:52:04 pm

Don, you might try this one Amazon.com: Coax Cable Continuity Tester: Office Products

"July 18, 2016
Verified Purchase
When we had our house built in the early 1990s we had the electricians "home-run" a TV cable from a common location to each jack in each room where they terminated each in a wall box where ever we could envision having a TV sometime in the future. "The future is now". Over the years the electricians numbered labels fell off the un-terminnated ends, plus my list of his numbers telling the locations of the teminated ends conveniently disappeared. After multiple attempts with an ohm meter and a traveler wire, I gave up. Saw this gaget and ordered it. Using it I was able to establish the identity of each of the cables. To do the 14 cables took some leg work, but only around 1 - 2 hours. I then used my computer to print labels for the loose ends with the destination. I was able to wrap the label about 2 turns around each cable.
To use this tool, put the battery into the compartment, attach the unscrewed end to the unterminated cable end (this in the end with the tiny speaker built into the case end) . Take the ell end with the coax fitting and try it in each room outlet. When the red light lights, you have the cable with the speaker attached to the other end. At the speaker end you will hear it squeal when you hit the terminated end. It is a lot of walking up and down stairs, etc. but it is easy, though, repetitious. It is a positive test and can't be beat for the price. NOTE: Remove the battery when you are not using it / storing it."

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

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #23 – April 28, 2018, 01:11:49 pm

Don, I just short the center wire to the connector base and use an ohm meter at the other end.

Re: Best performing HDTV Antennae

Reply #24 – April 28, 2018, 01:18:57 pm

Don,

You have found the root of most folks problems. So, buy an inexpensive signal injector from Amazon or Home Depot and start with the rooftop antenna. The signal/tone generator/injector is great for also finding the extra wires all of our coaches have from the engine compartment to the front by the steering wheel. Yes, a digital meter will also work. Set it on tone. You should also have a label maker so you can put one on each of the coaxes you find. Different years/models will have the switches/amplifier/controls in different locations. Getting a large number of channels depends on how successful you are decoding this complex maze of wires and switches. The coach should have a built in amplifier. As I remember, ours was under the floor in the back closet with a selector switch up front. You can remove it and install another in a better spot if you like.

So, make a schematic/map of all the wires, label them and away you go. At another member's house in Oklahoma, we were able to get 42 stations on our King Jack.

I went under the coach and installed both an RG6 as well as an HDMI cable to the big wall TV.

Like you did, running a coax from the roof top to a TV on the ground with an amplifier (they have a power supply plus a fitting to inject the juice) shows you the potential the antenna has if all duck are in a row. Nice to check to see if the coach amplifier still works. Amp are cheap at HD, Amazon or eBay. Don't use two power supplies or amplifiers. tv antenna booster | eBay

A map and compass is good for aiming the antenna. Or, if in a RV campground, it's fast to just look to see what direction most others have found that works well.

Pierce

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