New Palomino (Forest River) truck camper has a fixed round television antenna. Booster turned on. At home (twenty miles from local broadcast station), no reception over the air while parked in the exact same spot our 5er "Batwing" antenna picked up all of our local channels.Dealer checked connections and was able to pick up over the air channels. Broadcasting station was five miles away.Is there another type of antenna that I could purchase and install in place of the factory antenna on this TC that would be more likely to have better reception?Ideas / experience appreciated.Lakeside

Fixed-omni directional will NEVER equal a crank-up rotatable antennaJust need to slowly drive in circles while scanning for channels :BGot roof footprint room for an Winegard Crank-UP?

My fixed omni-directional antenna gets 40 channels in my drive. The huge rotating and boosted antenna on the roof of the house gets about 45.I have never had reason to complain about my omni-directional antenna.

My fixed omni was absolute junk. I added a crank-up Winegard and it's vastly better. The omni antenna now serves as my coax cable entry and nothing else.

Since I worked in electronics my whole life and was involved with hundreds of antennae:The gain of an omni-directional antenna is one(1). Any configuration with multiple elements will be very directional and have higher gain (sensitivity).The more gain an antenna has, the narrower the directivity will be and will take finer adjustment of azimuth for best signal strength.All of this is a trade-off.If you can be happy with a very few transmitters that are very close to you, an omni will suit.As you get farther from the antenna, you need directivity and gain.When I plan trips, I use Transmitter Locator for each destination and print the page.I invite you to try it, even at home.

Antenna not worth a "hill of beans" | Good Sam Community

14 Replies

Gonzo42
Explorer
Jun 29, 2016
Since I worked in electronics my whole life and was involved with hundreds of antennae:

The gain of an omni-directional antenna is one(1). Any configuration with multiple elements will be very directional and have higher gain (sensitivity).

The more gain an antenna has, the narrower the directivity will be and will take finer adjustment of azimuth for best signal strength.

All of this is a trade-off.

If you can be happy with a very few transmitters that are very close to you, an omni will suit.

As you get farther from the antenna, you need directivity and gain.

When I plan trips, I use Transmitter Locator for each destination and print the page.

I invite you to try it, even at home.
joebedford
Nomad III
Jun 29, 2016
My fixed omni was absolute junk. I added a crank-up Winegard and it's vastly better. The omni antenna now serves as my coax cable entry and nothing else.
beemerphile1
Explorer
Jun 29, 2016
My fixed omni-directional antenna gets 40 channels in my drive. The huge rotating and boosted antenna on the roof of the house gets about 45.

I have never had reason to complain about my omni-directional antenna.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Jun 29, 2016
Fixed-omni directional will NEVER equal a crank-up rotatable antenna

Just need to slowly drive in circles while scanning for channels :B

Got roof footprint room for an Winegard Crank-UP?

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Antenna not worth a "hill of beans"

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