Jack antenna?

[colliehauler]

Anyone use the new Jack antenna and how is the performance?

[Playtime_II]

Easiest mod I've done yet-5 mins. It takes longer to get on the roof.

Ensure you get the JACK that has the wingard adapter included. Raise the batwing. Add the adapter to the jack with the 4 philips screws (included). Remove the coax cable from the old wingard (a 7/16 open ended wrench helps). Remove the two "c" clips on the wingard pins (a small flat blade screwdriver helps). Remove the two pins and dispose of the wingard batwing. Use the two pins to install the JACK and new "c" clips (included). Add some dielectric goop (included) to the coax connector and attach to JACK. There is a LED on the bottom to confirm there is power (from Antennna Amp inside via the multi-switch box or wall receptacle). They even include an Amp if you wanted to use the JACK in a non-RV situation.

I have an AC right next to the JACK (in the lowered position) with a little room to spare. I would not have been able to add on to the old batwing.

They only drawback is the batwing had rubber bumpers that rested on the roof when lowered. Since the JACK sits on top of the parallel bars it does not have them. I'm thinking of adding some type of bumper to the bar.

[ktmrfs]

webslave wrote:
You'll find several threads concerning the Jack antenna and a couple have folks have done some "research" with signal meters and wave analysis that have some strong points for the Sensar IV or the Sensar III with the Wingman (the IV version comes with the Wingman) and some strong points for the Jack, but, IMHO, no clear or obvious winner.

In my own personal "trials" when I had a bumper pull, my real world experience gave an edge in signal reception to the Jack and the mechanical advantages; smaller footprint, less air resistance (not as much blowing around in a stiff breeze) and the LED indicator on the antenna itself to show the antenna actually was powered, pushed it "over the edge" for me. When I bought my 5er, I put the Jack on it first thing. I find it just as "powerful" an amplifier, and far less "directional" than the Sensar. I believe that the less directionality is what leads most people to believe that it inherently "receives" more signal. In a way it does, but, not because of the mechanics, it just is more tolerant of an "off-axis" signal; it will give you a picture from that off-axis signal where the Sensar with Wingman maybe won't; in essence providing more stations in locations where the stations aren't grouped or clustered in the same geographical area. If all of the stations are coming from the same general area, you probably won't notice any difference between the three, and IMHO, you would probably do fine 85% of the time with either the Sensar III and Wingman, the Sensar IV or the Jack. It is that other 15% that makes me a Jack owner.

I'll agree with all the above, very good summary. What I will add is that if you have a wingman/etc. and have marginal signals, installing the sensar pro amp from wiengard will give you more of a reception improvement than the jack for about the same price. The ultimate combo is a Jack and sensar pro amp. If you can't attach a wingman to the sensar, then go for a jack. the sensar needs the wingman for many of the channels frequencies for improved reception.

[colliehauler]

I was looking at doing away with the mast and going with the Jack antenna that had a short mast that you did not crank down.

[wildtoad]

IAMICHABOD wrote:
I installed the Jack some time ago,I had a clearance problem so I couldn't install the Wing man when I tried. With the wing man on I found that It didn't improve my reception. All connections were good.

I found that the Jack is smaller and lighter and dosnt bang around on the roof,as the Batwing did.

Very similar experience. Tried to attach Wingman to Batwing but would not fit due to roof AC, so swapped it out for the Jack. Much better reception than the 12 year old Batwing. Can't say how it compares to a newer Batwing though.

[IAMICHABOD]

I installed the Jack some time ago,I had a clearance problem so I couldn't install the Wing man when I tried. With the wing man on I found that It didn't improve my reception. All connections were good.

I found that the Jack is smaller and lighter and dosnt bang around on the roof,as the Batwing did.

I just got a new TV for christmas and hooked it up and got 57 channels sitting in my driveway, that is 3 times the channels that I got with the Batwing/Wingman



Smaller Lighter Better

[webslave]

You'll find several threads concerning the Jack antenna and a couple have folks have done some "research" with signal meters and wave analysis that have some strong points for the Sensar IV or the Sensar III with the Wingman (the IV version comes with the Wingman) and some strong points for the Jack, but, IMHO, no clear or obvious winner.

In my own personal "trials" when I had a bumper pull, my real world experience gave an edge in signal reception to the Jack and the mechanical advantages; smaller footprint, less air resistance (not as much blowing around in a stiff breeze) and the LED indicator on the antenna itself to show the antenna actually was powered, pushed it "over the edge" for me. When I bought my 5er, I put the Jack on it first thing. I find it just as "powerful" an amplifier, and far less "directional" than the Sensar. I believe that the less directionality is what leads most people to believe that it inherently "receives" more signal. In a way it does, but, not because of the mechanics, it just is more tolerant of an "off-axis" signal; it will give you a picture from that off-axis signal where the Sensar with Wingman maybe won't; in essence providing more stations in locations where the stations aren't grouped or clustered in the same geographical area. If all of the stations are coming from the same general area, you probably won't notice any difference between the three, and IMHO, you would probably do fine 85% of the time with either the Sensar III and Wingman, the Sensar IV or the Jack. It is that other 15% that makes me a Jack owner.

[REWahoo]

Here is a recent thread on the subject with some good info: Jack Antenna

[JC2]

C.B. wrote:
Replaced my batwing last spring with the Jack with strength meter.

Very satisfied,better rception with more channels.


C.B.

X2 :B

[C_B_]

Replaced my batwing last spring with the Jack with strength meter.

Very satisfied,better rception with more channels.


C.B.