Antenna Upgrade

[BcBorn]

Hello, thank you for allowing me to be a part of this forum.

I have a 2012 Dutchman Kodiak Travel trailer with Discontinued Jensen ANHD20 Omni-directional antenna.

My research thus far has the Winegard Sensar IV and the King Jack OA8500 as my top picks. I like the fact the Sensar can rise above the roof and I like the fact the Jack is a little more Omni-directional.

I have read of many upgrading their Sensar head for the King Jack head. I don't have this option as my current antenna is low profile. King does not make a unit that rises.

I have read rave reviews from both side, I would like to hear from everyone that has swapped out an omni-directional in the last 2 years for one of these two or switched from one of these to the other.

I cannot find a current shootout between these two units.

Thanks for your help.

 

[ChasA]

Hi Bc, welcome. You will receive more stations and from farther away with the Winegard. I have had both and the Winegard is the best of the 2

 

[BcBorn]

My research says Winegard added the Wingman to the standard Batwing to be a better UHF Signal (a fix shall we call it).

King does not make an elevated antenna and lower is not as good as higher. I have read that if one installed the new King Jack atop the Winegard arms, they out perform the Winegard with Wingman attached.

 

[Tom_M]

Here's a link to a comparison done by a broadcast TV tech using a lab quality spectrum analyzer:
RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Batwing vs.BatMan vs. Jack: The Results.. finally (LONG)

I have both a Sensar IV and a Jack and my results are similar. I camp mainly in the boonies quite often in fringe areas for TV reception. The Jack is pretty much useless for stations that are broadcasting on the VHF band. About 25% of TV stations are now broadcasting on the VHF band.

 

[BcBorn]

From my home in British Columbia we get 1% (2 channels) in VHF. I'm most interested in getting the FTA from major networks to see the news. Here its about 38 miles away. My original Jensen Omni-directional won't pick them up.

 

[mel s]

My research says Winegard added the Wingman to the standard Batwing to be a better UHF Signal (a fix shall we call it).

King does not make an elevated antenna and lower is not as good as higher. I have read that if one installed the new King Jack atop the Winegard arms, they out perform the Winegard with Wingman attached.

NOTHING out performs the Winegard with Wingman attached.

 

[BcBorn]

Yes, that is the consensus.

Can anyone provide advice in doing a fresh install of the Winegard Batwing to replace an omni-directional Jensen?

Can't mount the new Winegard in the old Jensen location as the mounting needs to be in a location that will accommodate the hole for the elevator mechanism and handle clearance. Have to mount Winegard 6" away from the old Coax hole, yet still use the old coax hole to access the power inverter. My concern is can I find a location that's supported enough to hold the Winegard and free of obstructions between the exterior roof and the interior ceiling.

Currently the Coax enters the cabin in the corner of the cabinets

Thanks to all for the feedback

 

[jymbee]

Interesting discussion re antennas. Of course everyone has their own individual preferences, but speaking for myself only, even if I could pull in tons of stations wherever we go, there's not a single "live" OTA show I would care to watch. For us, it's a DVR or nothing.

 

[BcBorn]

Maybe catch the news feed. But then again were on holidays right.

 

[NY_Dutch]

Maybe catch the news feed. But then again were on holidays right.

Not all of us...

 

[TheBar]

Maybe catch the news feed. But then again were on holidays right.

If I'm in a small box on wheels I watch the local weather. Across the entire US, Canada, Mexico, maybe the world everyone says "if you don't like the weather here just wait a minute". An old saying attributed to Mark Twain. And it is true, everywhere.

 

[SCVJeff]

Here's a link to a comparison done by a broadcast TV tech using a lab quality spectrum analyzer:
RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Batwing vs.BatMan vs. Jack: The Results.. finally (LONG)

I have both a Sensar IV and a Jack and my results are similar. I camp mainly in the boonies quite often in fringe areas for TV reception. The Jack is pretty much useless for stations that are broadcasting on the VHF band. About 25% of TV stations are now broadcasting on the VHF band.

That was me
I'm glad its still wandering around out there