OTA Antenna

[Cmprman]

Anybody have the Winegard AIR 360+ Amplified Omnidirectional VHF/UHF, FM & WiFi Antenna on their RV? I don't know what the range is supposed to be on these but I can never seem to be able to find any TV stations. Right now I'm about 60 miles from a major city and I can't find a single station. These antennas must have a really puny range. My old RV I used to have had the old style crank up antenna that you could spin around and point in any direction you wanted and I could almost always get at least a few stations.

 

[old RV guy]

The Winegard 360 promotional literature says "up to 55 miles", which means if you're on top of a mountain above the tree line.

 

[DonTom]

Anybody have the Winegard AIR 360+ Amplified Omnidirectional VHF/UHF, FM & WiFi Antenna on their RV?

I gave up on OTA TV. Even at my houses!

I now use my Verizon portable hotspot to stream TV when RVing. Works almost perfectly. It's very rare for me to not have coverage, but there are a few places that have no cell service, such as the Big Bend of Texas. But also, no OTA in such places.

At home, I quit the cable TV but still use the same cable for TV as for the internet.

If I can get online for an email, I can also watch TV.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[John From Detroit]

Omni directional antennas work equally poor in all directions. Go with a Sensar IV and Sensar Pro indoor plate.

Also. though TV studios are generally in the city. The station may be miles away. (OR not)
Channel 2 in "Detroit" Is really in southfield (Just one mile north of Detroit) Been there.

But take Channel 41 in Battle Creek or Channel 3 in Kalamazoo (Transmitters for both are out at Gun Lake) Lansing and Jackson stations also broadcast from Onanganda if I spelled it right.

Often if there is "High ground" within an hour's drive. that's where they stick the tower.

On the other hand.. A week or two ago I was taking a friend to a meeting we both attended. In Mundy Twp (Grand Blanc MI area just south of flint) and Punched up WMRP Radio Commented it comes in real good around here.. (WMRP-LP Mundy Twp) he ask were they are located "About a mile down the road" .

 

[SpencerPJ]

Yup. I love my crank up.

 

[old_toys]

my toy hauler came with one of those. after about 7 years it quit transmitting to the tv so I bought a new amplifier and it still didn't work. I took it off and pulled the cover off and it was corroded big time over the entire board surface. it worked so well for me so I bought a new one and it seems to be sealed better.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Right now I'm about 60 miles from a major city and I can't find a single station.

That's not surprising. Due to the curvature of the earth, the max range for any tv broadcast signal is about 70 miles. That would be in flat desert, i.e. nothing at all intervening. 35 miles is the much more common usable range and even less in hilly terrain.

 

[DonTom]

I just don't see any advantage with OTA TV compared to using the same TV for streaming TV when you have an internet connection.

OTA has MUCH more advertising and a lot more hassles. And streaming you do not have to watch repeats, can stop and continue at the next location, etc.

What is the advantage of OTA TV? If there is any, I cannot find it.

From my RV, I simply use my portable Verizon Hotspot with the TVs. Works perfectly. Any place this does not work (very few locations) there will be no OTA either.

I gave up with cable TV as well as OTA. Even at each of my houses.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[gwinger]

The OTA antennas receive a high frequency digital signal from the transmitter. These are normally low power signals and are basically line of sight. Any objects between you and the transmitter will block the signal.
The old roof top antennas of years ago, received lower frequency high powered analog signals. These would penetrate obstructions and bounce off obstacles, and weren't affected much by weather conditions.. I have a King Omni on my TT and get close to 60 channels at home. 30-35 miles from the stations. Most of the digital channels are sub-channels of the main network broadcast channels.
Hills, trees, buildings, etc will all degrade the low power digital signals.
Most campgrounds are miles and miles away from cities and have trees and hills all around them.
We stayed at a campground in Jacksonville FL, and I got more channels on the OTA than the old garbage cable they had.

 

[John From Detroit]

The OTA antennas receive a high frequency digital signal from the transmitter. These are normally low power signals and are basically line of sight. Any objects between you and the transmitter will block the signal.
The old roof top antennas of years ago, received lower frequency high powered analog signals. These would penetrate obstructions and bounce off obstacles, and weren't affected much by weather conditions..

Mostly but not entirely true. Last I checked there were still TV stations down to the old Channel 3. only Channel 2 (56 Mhz) seems to have been abandoned. (and I'd not wish to bet on that) WJBK (Channel 2 Detroit, Last I checked was using Channel 7 as their carrier (Channel 7 WXYZ moved their frequency up to I think 41) Yes you need a play card to keep track of the players

The power of the signal. Analog needs higher power to overcome noise and other forms of interference which is way as you move out from the Tower the signal ques 5-4-3-2-1- where did it go. Digital overcomes noise and interference by other means which is why a radio next to me shows interference dang near FULL SCALE but no sound at all (In Digital mode) (Lots in analog mode) but when a digital signal (about 10miliwatts or .01 watt) comes in from the transmitter in the next room. It's like I was sitting next to the person talking.

Penetration of Trees. Buildings and such.. Another radio near me talks to one two receivers located about 10-15 miles west of me.. On VHF Low. I push 50 watts into the antenna to make the trip. on UHF 5 will do it The antenna here is a "Dual band" (One antenna both bands) at the Hospital there are 3 or 4 antennas. The repeaters use one each. (VHF and UHF) but many folks find UHF penetrates better.. Logical. NO. but that's how it is.

(Of course the fun radio .. well the radio is OFF only use the digital parts it talks around the world on 0.00 watts of power.. (VoIP)

 

[gwinger]

Mostly but not entirely true. Last I checked there were still TV stations down to the old Channel 3. only Channel 2 (56 Mhz) seems to have been abandoned. (and I'd not wish to bet on that) WJBK (Channel 2 Detroit, Last I checked was using Channel 7 as their carrier (Channel 7 WXYZ moved their frequency up to I think 41) Yes you need a play card to keep track of the players

The power of the signal. Analog needs higher power to overcome noise and other forms of interference which is way as you move out from the Tower the signal ques 5-4-3-2-1- where did it go. Digital overcomes noise and interference by other means which is why a radio next to me shows interference dang near FULL SCALE but no sound at all (In Digital mode) (Lots in analog mode) but when a digital signal (about 10miliwatts or .01 watt) comes in from the transmitter in the next room. It's like I was sitting next to the person talking.

Penetration of Trees. Buildings and such.. Another radio near me talks to one two receivers located about 10-15 miles west of me.. On VHF Low. I push 50 watts into the antenna to make the trip. on UHF 5 will do it The antenna here is a "Dual band" (One antenna both bands) at the Hospital there are 3 or 4 antennas. The repeaters use one each. (VHF and UHF) but many folks find UHF penetrates better.. Logical. NO. but that's how it is.

(Of course the fun radio .. well the radio is OFF only use the digital parts it talks around the world on 0.00 watts of power.. (VoIP)

John, our local PBS channel moved to a low channel digital signal, ch4, 66 mhz. About the only one in my area that will not come in. They also moved the transmitter to the heart of the city.
But you can subscribe to the app.

 

[jymbee]

What is the advantage of OTA TV? If there is any, I cannot find it.

I just tossed the OTA antenna that was on our coach into the recycle bin.

 

[TXMOOSE]

Alot of antenna things went to crap after Obama signed that what ever they called it bill shutting all down. I use to like listening to the news during lunch at work I didn't think this bill was about that stuff but everybody said it was. I forget how long it was , not long if I remember, but that was the end of my entertainment on any new home job sites. Even my mother , with her no AC and no cable stuff had no choice and I put a big antenna on her house and she got nothing but pretty much fuzz.

 

[rjshiflet]

We are about 45 miles from the antenna farm for D/FW TV stations (Cedar Hill, TX) and have a new Cruiser Aire with the Winegard 360+. I've scanned repeatedly here in our driveway and it always gets only three or four Spanish-speaking TV stations...none of the network stations. Pretty useless. On the road we will be using our T-Mobile 5G internet with Amazon Fire TV stick.

If we happen to camp in an area where there's no cell/internet service - we won't watch TV, but we are generally close enough to civilization that this works fine for us.

 

[Tom_M1]

Alot of antenna things went to crap after Obama signed that what ever they called it bill shutting all down. I use to like listening to the news during lunch at work I didn't think this bill was about that stuff but everybody said it was. I forget how long it was , not long if I remember, but that was the end of my entertainment on any new home job sites. Even my mother , with her no AC and no cable stuff had no choice and I put a big antenna on her house and she got nothing but pretty much fuzz.

This makes no sense at all. I don't know what you're trying to say. If the antenna and coax you installed is good you will not see "fuzz". Sounds like your TV settings are wrong.

 

[Larry N.]

This makes no sense at all. I don't know what you're trying to say. If the antenna and coax you installed is good you will not see "fuzz". Sounds like your TV settings are wrong.

If he was still talking about analog TV, the "fuzz" was more commonly called "snow" and was certainly common on weaker to no signals. On digital, of course, it may have some pixelation or it'll be a perfect picture.

 

[RedForeman]

I just don't see any advantage with OTA TV compared to using the same TV for streaming TV when you have an internet connection.

Because it's free to receive when you use bandwidth capped (less expensive) mobile internet. I enjoy local news when it's on, and leave a tv on for coverup noise when I leave my dog alone for short excursions where she can't go along.

My experience with the Winegard 360+ is about the same as I get with my semi truck, that uses the right side "CB antenna" for OTA tv - roughly 25 mile useful range depending on terrain.

With the average OTA lineup I tend to stream shows that I really want to watch versus "just what's on" viewing. About 50/50 usually, and not much at that. I have a Plex server at home with a tuner and 30' mast antenna at home. So I can stream OTA content if I am somewhere there isn't any, but have internet.

 

[old RV guy]

This makes no sense at all. I don't know what you're trying to say. If the antenna and coax you installed is good you will not see "fuzz". Sounds like your TV settings are wrong.

Doesn't have to make sense, it's alternative facts.

 

[Mr Lars]

With our 1995 Bounder, we have the original tv antenna. Currently at the Lampasses RV Ranch(about 50+/- miles west of Austin Tx),we get about 30 or so channels OTA.

 

[gwinger]

Alot of antenna things went to crap after Obama signed that what ever they called it bill shutting all down. I use to like listening to the news during lunch at work I didn't think this bill was about that stuff but everybody said it was. I forget how long it was , not long if I remember, but that was the end of my entertainment on any new home job sites. Even my mother , with her no AC and no cable stuff had no choice and I put a big antenna on her house and she got nothing but pretty much fuzz.

The bill was to ban all ANALOG TV transmissions and force the TV stations to go full digital OTA to open up more airwaves frequencies for other entities. Opponents claimed banning analog transmissions would limit the number of people able to receive OTA signals.
Loss of digital signal does not give a fuzzy picture. The screen either pixelates or goes blank. Sounds like her TV could not receive digital transmission, or the TV settings were wrong.
The transition was made in June of 2009.
There were set top converters available for years that converted the digital signal to analog.