I've never had an RV with the crank up antenna. My new to me 5er has one. How can I tell if it is able to get the digital OTA signal? Will I need anything else to make it work with my tv?

firemedic08 wrote:I've never had an RV with the crank up antenna. My new to me 5er has one. How can I tell if it is able to get the digital OTA signal? Will I need anything else to make it work with my tv?there is no such animal as a 'digital' antenna. any antenna engineered for TV reception can receive digital signals. if you have a digital TV you'll get the digital programming. if you have an old analog set you'll need a digital-to-analog converter. when the FCC mandated the broadcasters make the switch from analog to digital they permitted them to also seek a change in their tranmit frequency. many stations in the lower part of the VHF portion of the band changed to UHF frequencies. your batwing receives both VHF and UHF signals...VHF on the 'wings' and UHF in the center head of the antenna. you can add a low-cost add-on called the 'Wingman' that will improve UHF reception of those stations who made that change. you should also have an amplifier in your 5'er. be sure to use that when using the batwing. have you found that?many broadcasters have lowered their transmit power. that, coupled with digital tv's characteristic of the signal being there or not, makes reception more problematic than in the old analog days. with analog the farther away you were from the transmitter or if there was something between you and the transmitter such as higher terrain, buildings, etc. or if you were in a wooded area the result would be 'snow' or hash. the hash would get progressively worse until the picture just faded away. with digital the picture is either there or not. instead of hash you're likely to see what many call 'pixelization'...large colored squares instead of a picture. that's an indication of interference. your batwing is also directional so twisting it one way or the other will help draw in a better picture. hope this helps.

Lucky you with a real RV TV antenna. You might need to add the Wingman accessory if it does not already have it to maximize UHF reception. You can replace most of the key components if any are damaged or worn out.

Thanks for the good info. It does have a booster. I have a newer ( 4 year old lcd) tv. So I think I may give it a try tomorrow.

How to tell bat wing type | Good Sam Community

Chuck_thehammer
Explorer
Sep 24, 2016
Bill.Satellite wrote:
There is a slight technology improvement between the Sensar II and III. If it were me (and it's not!) I would buy a replacement Sensar IV head which is the Sensar III with a Wingman.

that is exactly what I did 3 weeks ago... II to a IV. just the head.
plus my II is eleven years old. Yes, I spelled out 11 ...:) (II is 11)
RJsfishin
Explorer
Sep 24, 2016
If going w/ a new one. throw in a "sensor Pro" w/ it, you won't find a better addition to the batwing.

But give it some thought before replacing. The housing that is chalked to the roof can be a real pita to remove, and seldom needs replacing. All you need is a couple easily replaceable parts, and they are relatively easy to work on.
firemedic08
Explorer
Sep 19, 2016
After playing with it this weekend, And realizing the rotation is not working, Guy informed me he stripped it, I'm going with a new one. Most likely a Sensar IV. Thank you all for the Help and recommendations.
Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Sep 18, 2016
There is a slight technology improvement between the Sensar II and III. If it were me (and it's not!) I would buy a replacement Sensar IV head which is the Sensar III with a Wingman.
Dutch_12078
Explorer II
Sep 18, 2016
The photo appears to be of a Sensar II batwing. I don't know what the differences are between the II and III other than the more aerodynamic shape of the III. The Wingman add-on will fit either one though.
Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Sep 17, 2016
firemedic08 wrote:
I've never had an RV with the crank up antenna. My new to me 5er has one. How can I tell if it is able to get the digital OTA signal? Will I need anything else to make it work with my tv?

It can!!!! No matter the age or type, all antennas can receive the digitl signal. It's still just UHF and VHF as it has been since the beginning of time. The original Sensar is optimized for the VHF frequencies and many of the digital channels were moved to the UHF frequencies. Adding the Wingman to your Sensar will fix that problem.
firemedic08
Explorer
Sep 17, 2016
1492
Moderator
Sep 17, 2016
Moved from Forum Technical Support
j-d
Explorer II
Sep 17, 2016
I think it's been moved in error...
firemedic08
Explorer
Sep 16, 2016
Not to be smart, but how does this classify as Forum Tech Support?

Forum Discussion

How to tell bat wing type

About RV Must Haves

Related Content

Wing repair project

Lance 1161 Wing Repair

Alaska - Just wing it?

Pin Box wing set issue...

Why EXTRA HOT chicken wings ?