Better TV antenna?
2001 Damon intruder with the original antenna. I'd like to find a better antenna. Any suggestions?
Forum Discussion
All the assorted antennas have advantages and disadvantages
The BEST by my standards is the upgraded version of the antenna you have now (And I have as well)
The Winegard Sensar II and III are decent (Good in fact) VHF low/high antennas. They do not do as well at UHF however.
Adding the "Wingman" (30-40 bucks) is a very fast job If you need tools a pair of standard p pliers is all you need. (You remove 4 rubber feet from the Batwing, hold the Wingman up under it and push 4 push pins in, I did it with fingers only)
This brings the UHF performance up to the same level as the VHF..
Still, there is room for improvement.
If you have the standard wall plat with 12 volt outlet, light, switch, and antenna connection replace it with the SENSAR PRO.. (about 100 bucks)
If you have a box of many buttons this can be added IN FRONT of that box
(Antenna---Sensar Pro---BOMB---TVs)
The Jack brags about their "SureLock" device.. This helps you point the antenna to the strongest TV stationl. Compared to the Sensar pro it's junk
The Sensar pro if turned OFF, pases park cable same as the switch plate did
If turned on to the first ON position (Scan) it will scan and display the carrier channel of the strongest signal it also displays signal strength.
On the 2nd ON setting it will scroll through (manual scroll) the channels it has found, displaying strength so you can peak on the 2nd strongest or 3rd strongest if you wish (or whatever strongest)
In the next position you choose the channel to display the strength of using the scroll up/down button EVEN if the antenna did not see it.. I use this feature often in areas I frequent because I know the carrier channels.
Next position you can adjust the GAIN of the Sensar Pro's built in booster from zero (Which you would use if parked say.. In the TF Transmitter Parking lot) to 20 (Which I use 45 miles from the station I'm watching)
And the final ON position... Well if the Sensar Pro is poorly mounted where you can not see it as you turn the antenna directional knob.. This is the volume setting for the annoying signal strength beeper just like the sat folks use.
Advantage: Longest range (highest gain) of any antenna made for RV
Disadvantage: Narrowest "Window"
The Jack: They have teh Sur=Lock but unlike the Sensar Pro it does not have an adjustable gain amp nor can you pick the carrier..
Advantage: Wider field of vision (Window) Disadvantage Less gain (Can not see as far out. Does not do well on VHF epically VHF lo
Rayzar: Sorry I have no info but this too is not designed for the lower frequencies.
There are still some stations in the lowest band
In this post I use the phrase "Carrier Channel" What is that....
IN days of old when folks where bold if you tuned your TV to say Channel 7.. It listened to a specific frequency which was described as channel 7...
Today if you tune it to 7-1.. Well in Detroit I think that is carrier channel 41 or 46 (not sure which) Who is using Channel 7's old frequency? Channel 2 of course.
in some palces though it may still be using the original channel 7
YOU only need to know the carrier channel when using the Sensar Pro to aim
And once you have a signal,, you TV will gladly (in most cases) tell you what it is. Since It has to know (it figures it out when you do a channel scan)
Go to Add/Delete to figure it out or signal strength in most Models.
VIZO is not most models.
The BEST by my standards is the upgraded version of the antenna you have now (And I have as well)
The Winegard Sensar II and III are decent (Good in fact) VHF low/high antennas. They do not do as well at UHF however.
Adding the "Wingman" (30-40 bucks) is a very fast job If you need tools a pair of standard p pliers is all you need. (You remove 4 rubber feet from the Batwing, hold the Wingman up under it and push 4 push pins in, I did it with fingers only)
This brings the UHF performance up to the same level as the VHF..
Still, there is room for improvement.
If you have the standard wall plat with 12 volt outlet, light, switch, and antenna connection replace it with the SENSAR PRO.. (about 100 bucks)
If you have a box of many buttons this can be added IN FRONT of that box
(Antenna---Sensar Pro---BOMB---TVs)
The Jack brags about their "SureLock" device.. This helps you point the antenna to the strongest TV stationl. Compared to the Sensar pro it's junk
The Sensar pro if turned OFF, pases park cable same as the switch plate did
If turned on to the first ON position (Scan) it will scan and display the carrier channel of the strongest signal it also displays signal strength.
On the 2nd ON setting it will scroll through (manual scroll) the channels it has found, displaying strength so you can peak on the 2nd strongest or 3rd strongest if you wish (or whatever strongest)
In the next position you choose the channel to display the strength of using the scroll up/down button EVEN if the antenna did not see it.. I use this feature often in areas I frequent because I know the carrier channels.
Next position you can adjust the GAIN of the Sensar Pro's built in booster from zero (Which you would use if parked say.. In the TF Transmitter Parking lot) to 20 (Which I use 45 miles from the station I'm watching)
And the final ON position... Well if the Sensar Pro is poorly mounted where you can not see it as you turn the antenna directional knob.. This is the volume setting for the annoying signal strength beeper just like the sat folks use.
Advantage: Longest range (highest gain) of any antenna made for RV
Disadvantage: Narrowest "Window"
The Jack: They have teh Sur=Lock but unlike the Sensar Pro it does not have an adjustable gain amp nor can you pick the carrier..
Advantage: Wider field of vision (Window) Disadvantage Less gain (Can not see as far out. Does not do well on VHF epically VHF lo
Rayzar: Sorry I have no info but this too is not designed for the lower frequencies.
There are still some stations in the lowest band
In this post I use the phrase "Carrier Channel" What is that....
IN days of old when folks where bold if you tuned your TV to say Channel 7.. It listened to a specific frequency which was described as channel 7...
Today if you tune it to 7-1.. Well in Detroit I think that is carrier channel 41 or 46 (not sure which) Who is using Channel 7's old frequency? Channel 2 of course.
in some palces though it may still be using the original channel 7
YOU only need to know the carrier channel when using the Sensar Pro to aim
And once you have a signal,, you TV will gladly (in most cases) tell you what it is. Since It has to know (it figures it out when you do a channel scan)
Go to Add/Delete to figure it out or signal strength in most Models.
VIZO is not most models.
