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Upgrading TV Antenna


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I am new to the forum. We are long time campers, but recently retired and purchased a Miramar 34.2 to begin doing extended trips. I do not want to add a satellite dish at this time. Any experience or advice on the aftermarket products to amplify the tv signals and capture more of the UHF would be appreciated.

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Winegard Sensar IV is a well proven antenna.

 

Ken

Amateur radio operator, 2023 Cougar 22MLS, 2022 F150 Lariat 4x4 Off Road, Sport trim <br />Travel with 1 miniature schnauzer, 1 standard schnauzer and one African Gray parrot

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First, welcome to the Escapee forums! We are very happy to have you join us here and we will do all we are able to be helpful. That said, I really think that you would get many more responses to your request for information if you were to post it in the General Forum as many of those who follow the forums do not bother to read this one.

 

Part of the answer to your question depends upon just what antenna your RV has now. Most RVs come with the bat-wing antenna from Winegard and it has a preamplifier and generally works well but you must turn that amplifier on for it to work. Most of them look like a wall plate that has a connection for the coaxial cable to the TV and also a small switch and light. If the amplifier is on the light will be lighted..... See the picture below:

41PXWkLJe4L._AA160_.jpg

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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The Sensar IV already has the Wingman attached.

 

Ken

Amateur radio operator, 2023 Cougar 22MLS, 2022 F150 Lariat 4x4 Off Road, Sport trim <br />Travel with 1 miniature schnauzer, 1 standard schnauzer and one African Gray parrot

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Kevin & Ros didn't say they had a Sensar IV. If they have a previous version, then the Wingman is a good option.

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Keep in mind that with the change to digital TV, the frequency of the signal is much higher than for the old analog signal and as such it does not travel nearly as far and it can be deflected by trees and buildings. Current TV signals are far more difficult to get at a distance from the transmitter towers than were the analog ones. As great as this change was for the customers in close proximity to the TV towers, it has been a big negative for those in rural areas who wish to use over air TV.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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The Wingman will make the antenna more directional, so aiming is much more sensitive. With the Sensar IV panel and amplifier, it makes for easier antenna aiming provided you cen easily see the panel .

 

Ken

Amateur radio operator, 2023 Cougar 22MLS, 2022 F150 Lariat 4x4 Off Road, Sport trim <br />Travel with 1 miniature schnauzer, 1 standard schnauzer and one African Gray parrot

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Anyone have any experience with the new Winegard Rayzar digital tv antenna? I like its compact size and no external moving parts. They are available now at CW, etc.. Just wonder about the functionality.

 

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/rayzar-automatic-amplified-hd-tv-antenna/82088

 

Roy

Fulltiming since 2015, with my beautiful bride, Lori.

2015 GMC 3500HD Denali DRW CC LB TrailerSaver TS3 Hitch

2016 DRV Mobile Suites 38RSB3, MorRyde IS, MorRyde Pin Box

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Highway Ranger, I am concerned that A/C units on the roof could block the TV signal from getting to any low mounted antenna like that one you linked. It seems it could be an issue on many RV's. If I knew that was not an issue, I might try one. There are not enough reviews to get a good idea how well they work.

 

Kevin and Ros, I am also looking for a replacement OTA antenna. When we bought our trailer last year, I replaced the the top section of the Winegard "batwing" with a King directional antenna. That worked quite well until I snagged it, in it's folded down position, on tree limbs. A lightweight aluminum bracket that connected the new antenna head to the original Winegard double mast ripped apart. Our trailer is 13 feet 4 inches tall and I scraped low hanging limbs in some campgrounds that I probably should not have been in. If I could keep the antenna where it was, without shading my new solar panels, I would repair that King or buy a new one.

 

I have some specific issues that may make my situation different than yours. I have been considering putting a remote control directional OTA TV antenna on a pole or a Flag Pole Buddy. I am not sure how well that would work and have not found anyone else that has tried it.

 

Jim

Volvo+and+Travel+Supreme+400+x+103.jpg

 

2001 Volvo 770, Detroit 60 Series, Gen 2 Autoshift

Passenger assist elevator to enter cab - for when we need it, or sell it?

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We started full timing on December 1st 2014

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This one works great. http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/rayzar-air-retrofit-hd-tv-antenna-white/78817

Jim they also make the entire crank up unit, not just the replacement head. I have the same junky one as you and thinking of getting the entire crank up unit to replace it.

Ron C.

2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3

2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime

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Thanks for all of the information and ideas. I was looking at the King replacement head that Jim mentions, but will investigate the Rayzor. Currently we are limited to some trips of shorter periods. We want to make some of these upgrades to making longer forays more comfortable.

 

Kevin

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Kevin,

 

If I were you, I think I would try the Rayzar that Ron linked to rather than a King. It may be better built and gets signals from two directions.

 

Jim

Volvo+and+Travel+Supreme+400+x+103.jpg

 

2001 Volvo 770, Detroit 60 Series, Gen 2 Autoshift

Passenger assist elevator to enter cab - for when we need it, or sell it?

'05 Travel Supreme Select 40 RLQSO 5th wheel

2016 smart car

 

We started full timing on December 1st 2014

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness - Mark Twain
Not all that wander are lost - J. R. R. Tolkien

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I have the one Ronbo references above and it works quite well, better HD picture than I get at home on cable. It's a 20 minute job to replace the batwing, you can use the existing boom or the shorter one that comes with new one. It seems to pull in signals better than the Jack I had before.

Retired Air Force

2003 Newmar Dutch Star Model # 4006

Sparton Chassis Cummins 350 ISC

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Guys,

I am just finishing up my research on the local channels OTA as we are both cutting the cable and doing some customizing of our new to us fiver. First we got a very nice Antenna and the DVR that requires no subscription and gives us all the features including a TV guide from Channel Master. We are soon to be in a new house and will discontinue our cable service at that point next month. We finally dried up enough to be able to move the trailer out of the way and had our 30 Amp plug installed on the side of our steel workshop where we will be parked.

 

I got a new 40" LED TV for the trailer and we use the 24" LED from our house spare bedroom in the RV bedroom. It has a shelf that is hard to get around but I have a Vesa wall mount for it that I used to have my 23" computer monitor on before I got the new all in one computer in 2013. I thought I would need the new add on UHF for my Winegard Sensar 2003 version. It pulls in 22 digital and HD channels here and no pixilation or artifacts on them. But as soon as my Channel Master and injector amplifier are installed on a mast for the new house I'll post with the results of what we are getting on the RV as they sit next to each other at the moment, and will later when we build the RV pad.

 

But we get all the PBS and local channels and their shred outs with the old Sensar now. Remember if the antenna collects the signal, but it is weak and noisy, all an amp does is amplify the noise along with the signal.

RV/Derek
http://www.rvroadie.com Email on the bottom of my website page.
Retired AF 1971-1998


When you see a worthy man, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy man, look inside yourself. - Confucius

 

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” ... Voltaire

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  • 2 weeks later...

We have had excellent experience with a Roku box. We ditched the cable over a year ago. Just kept the HS internet. Now we just have the Roku and a HD antenna. It works for me.

 

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