Jack antenna?
Anyone use the new Jack antenna and how is the performance?
Forum Discussion
You'll find several threads concerning the Jack antenna and a couple have folks have done some "research" with signal meters and wave analysis that have some strong points for the Sensar IV or the Sensar III with the Wingman (the IV version comes with the Wingman) and some strong points for the Jack, but, IMHO, no clear or obvious winner.
In my own personal "trials" when I had a bumper pull, my real world experience gave an edge in signal reception to the Jack and the mechanical advantages; smaller footprint, less air resistance (not as much blowing around in a stiff breeze) and the LED indicator on the antenna itself to show the antenna actually was powered, pushed it "over the edge" for me. When I bought my 5er, I put the Jack on it first thing. I find it just as "powerful" an amplifier, and far less "directional" than the Sensar. I believe that the less directionality is what leads most people to believe that it inherently "receives" more signal. In a way it does, but, not because of the mechanics, it just is more tolerant of an "off-axis" signal; it will give you a picture from that off-axis signal where the Sensar with Wingman maybe won't; in essence providing more stations in locations where the stations aren't grouped or clustered in the same geographical area. If all of the stations are coming from the same general area, you probably won't notice any difference between the three, and IMHO, you would probably do fine 85% of the time with either the Sensar III and Wingman, the Sensar IV or the Jack. It is that other 15% that makes me a Jack owner.
In my own personal "trials" when I had a bumper pull, my real world experience gave an edge in signal reception to the Jack and the mechanical advantages; smaller footprint, less air resistance (not as much blowing around in a stiff breeze) and the LED indicator on the antenna itself to show the antenna actually was powered, pushed it "over the edge" for me. When I bought my 5er, I put the Jack on it first thing. I find it just as "powerful" an amplifier, and far less "directional" than the Sensar. I believe that the less directionality is what leads most people to believe that it inherently "receives" more signal. In a way it does, but, not because of the mechanics, it just is more tolerant of an "off-axis" signal; it will give you a picture from that off-axis signal where the Sensar with Wingman maybe won't; in essence providing more stations in locations where the stations aren't grouped or clustered in the same geographical area. If all of the stations are coming from the same general area, you probably won't notice any difference between the three, and IMHO, you would probably do fine 85% of the time with either the Sensar III and Wingman, the Sensar IV or the Jack. It is that other 15% that makes me a Jack owner.
