New OTA TV Antenna

[Chris_Bryant]

I just read in this months issue of RV-Pro (not sure if that link will work to the online version- if it does, it's on page 23) about a new Winegard Rayzar Automatic antenna- it's in a raydome, and needs only a single coax cable. Other than that, I know nothing about it, and cannot find anything on the Winegard site yet.
It must have some intelligence, but I don't know how it deals with signals from more than one direction.

[n7bsn]

I agree with Bill, Height rules all.

Part of why an antenna above the roof works best is it is above all the clutter from the A/C, vent-covers, etc.

[wa8yxm]

Reading the write up it looks like the antenna looks for digital signals, picks the strongest one and points to it.. NOT GOOD.

If towers are not all that tight (Where my sticks and bricks was I had towers to the west of me, (Well N.W.) and towers to the N.E. of me and towers to the E.N.E. of me and one to the south and one to the s.s.e and,, Well you get the idea)

There is a truly smart antenna out there,, With a very few TV's or digital converters you connect a modular phone cable or a crossover cable (the cables differ in the way the ends are attached) (do not know which) between receiver and antenna and they "Chat" Receiver says "give me the best signal on channel 41" and the antenna does it. You change channels, it says "Give me your best Chan 26" and the antenna electronically re-points.

Alas.. Dang thing only works with a very few Receivers, and it's a Short Range antenna, no where near powerful enough for most RVers.

That is the "Smart Antenna" I suspect linked to above.

[Bill_Satellite]

Used to work for Winegard is the key. I hope Winegard has not lost their mind on this one! Height is might and this antenna has no height!
I really like my Rayzar Air which sits about 15" above my roof. This does not and will likely suffer from the same issue the Tiffin folks encounter with their directional circular antenna.

[rvten]

Just bring back anolog OTA.

[rk911]

as long as well all realize that there is no such thing as an HD antenna. resolving a picture into high def is a function of the TV receiver, not the antenna.

[Ramblin_Recks]

Rayzar AIR Amplified HD Antenna is working for me. Increased amount of OTA channels from 6 to 14 in the last place we camped. Mainly due to its bidirectional capability.

[Sifter]

A better picture can be found of it here.

[Ron3rd]

Bill.Satellite will probably chime in. He used to work for Winegard.

[Chris_Bryant]

Yeah- I wondered about height as well. I wish someone would build a real "smart" antenna for RVS, along with a TV with attention payed to receiver RF sensitivity, and the smart antenna output.
Unfortunately, it looks like that technology doesn't have a big enough market (I think it does), or wasn't marketed right.

BTW- the article is actually on 23 in the paper mag- the online version ads 10 pages for the fold out cover in this months issue 🙂

[rk911]

page 33, not 23. from the description I ass-ume that it rotates looking for b'cast signals. but given the low profile I would be concerned about it pulling in signals in secondary or tertiary service areas.