Outdoor HD Tv Antenna
Has anyone added an outdoor HD TV antenna to the antenna that is on the roof from the factory? If so what did you use?
Forum Discussion
I first tried the Hide-away Dual Dipole antenna, then the KING antenna, The WINEGARD Batwing antenna with UHF dipoles, the LOWES $90 yagi long beam antenna, and the Eight BOWTIE flat array antenna.
The dual dipole was a neat idea but it did not have much gain. It did pickup in all directions however.
When aircraft flew over head I would get phasing signals however - would blank out digital TV modes...
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The KING is apparently more NARROW BEAMED meaning you really have to point the antenna right at the transmitting station where the BATWING has a larger BEAM WIDTH. Both antennas did the same great reception for me here in Northern Neck Virginia some 50 miles away from the DC area. The BATWING was able to pick up both groups of the WASHINGTON DC transmitters with a single pointing angle. I could not do this with the JACK. Had to move the antenna everytime to pick up all of the NATL BROADCAST CBS-NBC-ABC-FOX-PBS HDTV signals... My test antenna setup was on 15-foot PVC pole in clear view towards Washington DC.
The JACK antenna probably is a tad better gain wise but with all the simple tests I ran here at my location looking at WASHINGTON DC digital Natl Broadcast TV Transmitter Stations that are situated on both sides of DC I finally decided the BATWING was still the best for me.
++++
I really had fun with this YAGI antenna from LOWES. It really pulled in the VHF and UHF digital HDTV signals. Made several trips to the OFF-ROAD camping with this. The big problem I had was rotating this around without hitting trees on both sides of my trailer. Lots of folks would stop by and look at this monster on the roof of my POPUP haha... This lasted for a good 6 months and finally I destroyed the antenna by taking it down so many times before we headed back for the house. I finally broke some of the folding metal sections getting it ready for transport.
++++
This antenna panel is probably the best antenna I have ever owned. It picks up the most digital stations here at home and has great front to back rejection. Where we live Washinton DC is 50 miles North and Richmond is 50 miles to the South. This panel antenna just doesn't travel good with my POPUP setup. IT worked great but was difficult setting it up for each camping site. I was afraid I was going to damage it like I did on the Lowes YAGI so I stopped trying to use this out in the woods... It is on my house now as my primary OTA antenna...
I never played with any of the newr ROUND antennas they have now. I suspect these omni-directional antennas don't do very well unless you are right in the neigborhood of the transmitting antennas.
Just make sure your BATWING antenna looks simialr to this photo. Note the DIPOLES added to the front of it... The older BATWINGS didn't have this. You can purchase the WINGMAN ADD-ON from AMAZON... These make the BATWING a much better UHF Antenna to pickup the HDTV signals with.
Roy Ken
The dual dipole was a neat idea but it did not have much gain. It did pickup in all directions however.
When aircraft flew over head I would get phasing signals however - would blank out digital TV modes...
++++
The KING is apparently more NARROW BEAMED meaning you really have to point the antenna right at the transmitting station where the BATWING has a larger BEAM WIDTH. Both antennas did the same great reception for me here in Northern Neck Virginia some 50 miles away from the DC area. The BATWING was able to pick up both groups of the WASHINGTON DC transmitters with a single pointing angle. I could not do this with the JACK. Had to move the antenna everytime to pick up all of the NATL BROADCAST CBS-NBC-ABC-FOX-PBS HDTV signals... My test antenna setup was on 15-foot PVC pole in clear view towards Washington DC.
The JACK antenna probably is a tad better gain wise but with all the simple tests I ran here at my location looking at WASHINGTON DC digital Natl Broadcast TV Transmitter Stations that are situated on both sides of DC I finally decided the BATWING was still the best for me.
++++
I really had fun with this YAGI antenna from LOWES. It really pulled in the VHF and UHF digital HDTV signals. Made several trips to the OFF-ROAD camping with this. The big problem I had was rotating this around without hitting trees on both sides of my trailer. Lots of folks would stop by and look at this monster on the roof of my POPUP haha... This lasted for a good 6 months and finally I destroyed the antenna by taking it down so many times before we headed back for the house. I finally broke some of the folding metal sections getting it ready for transport.
++++
This antenna panel is probably the best antenna I have ever owned. It picks up the most digital stations here at home and has great front to back rejection. Where we live Washinton DC is 50 miles North and Richmond is 50 miles to the South. This panel antenna just doesn't travel good with my POPUP setup. IT worked great but was difficult setting it up for each camping site. I was afraid I was going to damage it like I did on the Lowes YAGI so I stopped trying to use this out in the woods... It is on my house now as my primary OTA antenna...
I never played with any of the newr ROUND antennas they have now. I suspect these omni-directional antennas don't do very well unless you are right in the neigborhood of the transmitting antennas.
Just make sure your BATWING antenna looks simialr to this photo. Note the DIPOLES added to the front of it... The older BATWINGS didn't have this. You can purchase the WINGMAN ADD-ON from AMAZON... These make the BATWING a much better UHF Antenna to pickup the HDTV signals with.
Roy Ken
