TV Antenna Question-Update

Since most digital TV stations have been moved to the UHF spectrum, and assuming you are not too distant from stations, that antenna should work well.

Depends on where the wires are attached, and which parts are actually active elements. I am not an antenna man, but many times the short dipoles and not electrically active, and are only directors.

Ed_Gee wrote:
Since most digital TV stations have been moved to the UHF spectrum, and assuming you are not too distant from stations, that antenna should work well.

Yes, but can I do without the "net"?

BTW this antenna has a neat feature, which is why I got it. It rotates with the power for that also coming up the coax along with the usual amplification power.

Johno02 wrote:
Depends on where the wires are attached, and which parts are actually active elements. I am not an antenna man, but many times the short dipoles and not electrically active, and are only directors.

There is the long dipole for VHF and a shorter dipole for UHF close to the mast, and then farther out from the UHF dipole there are five shorter "directing bars"

The antenna in question will work without the net (reflector) but not as well as with it. I'd say assemble it with the net as they are very light and don't have much wind resistance. I have two similar OAT antennas with reflectors. One for use with my camper and one on top of the garage on a 10' pole. Been up there for past 3 years without wind problems.

At least you got it on sale.

"Some assembly required" to say the least. So there are wires to the big V dipole and other set of flat metal ribbon sort of "wires" to the U dipole. I guess that makes them active, as stated above. Seems like I can do without the V dipole if I want to, with the U one having its own "wires".

The net is porous, so might be ok in the wind--we'll see!

Have to try it out for the next episode in this saga.

BFL13 wrote:

Ed_Gee wrote:
Since most digital TV stations have been moved to the UHF spectrum, and assuming you are not too distant from stations, that antenna should work well.

Yes, but can I do without the "net"?

BTW this antenna has a neat feature, which is why I got it. It rotates with the power for that also coming up the coax along with the usual amplification power.

Pardon my misunderstanding....I have been in the industry many decades and did not know to what you were referring when you said "net". That is apparently a reflector for mainly the UHF part of the antenna.....and yes, removing it will degrade the gain of the antenna. The long element is for VHF.....and likely not needed for almost everywhere. I would not drive an RV with any of this antenna up, so don't understand why you want to remove part of it.

Good luck w/ any part of that antenna. They are very fragile very cheaply made, mine won't even rotate when any wind is blowing. And in most cases, a batwing will out perform it.

It works! :)

Gets as good if not better than my Jack aimed the same direction. (Swap comparison) EG, gets KVOS in Bellingham perfectly ( mostly for "Laugh-In" re-runs)--about 55 miles.

I have not figured out how to use this with my RV exactly so it does not blow away going down the road at 60 mph. That was one reason to ask about the "net" windage. It looks like there are a couple of ways--worry about that later.

I stole the Jack antenna off the RV for the stick house roof when I "cut the cable", so this one is for the RV.

Two things to warn about:
1. The long coax down from the antenna that goes into the amplifier/ rotation controller has a funny end on it that fits in the controller. A regular coax with its thin pos wire does not connect with the end of the OEM coax with its fatter pos prong.

EDIT--I have not done this, so I am assuming (!) that the OEM coax has the thin pos wire inside it like regular TV coax does.

So if you want a longer run between antenna and controller you must snip the OEM coax, add a connector to each snipped end, then insert regular coax as long as you want. That leaves the funny OEM connector end still going into the amplifier/controller.

2. The controller rotates the antenna all the way around then stops and comes back the other way around. If you want to fine- tune a direction, it seems you can't go back and forth trying to find the best spot. You have to keep going all the way and then come back --if you can remember where that was. Anyway, it takes longer to get it just so. I can't find a reverse on the thing anyway.

You get a remote controller that rotates the antenna too, but of course you have to be able to see the antenna to aim it. Hard to be in two places at once for seeing the TV set inside for best picture, while being outside looking at the antenna. Have to get DW to help with that I guess.

So thanks everyone for the good tips on how this thing should work. So far so good! :)