antenna broke, recommend replacement?

[solismaris]

My tv antenna broke and it's time to replace it. It was the old-style rotating kind with a crank to raise and lower i, with the long horizontal bar elements (Winegard?) Looked like this (before it broke):

http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=rv3095&d=winegard-rv3095-sensar-iii-amplified-directional-rv-tv-antenna-manually-operated-%28rv3095%29&utm_campaign=base&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=google_base

My question is, what do I replace it with? Recommendations? I'm thinking that now with the switch to digital (and all on the UHF band now) there are no longer any VHF signals to receive, so the large size isn't needed. Is there a new style that is designed specifically for the new digital UHF signals?

(Yes there is - I found lots on my web search, but was overwhelmed. I do want rotating, not omnidirectional. I found some but they seemed to be a fixed height above the roof and don't lower. I'd worry about snagging a tree branch if it can't be lowered.)

[Jim_Cindy]

Made popcorn, hoping someone asks which tow vehicle is required to pull a RV equipped with either of these antennas! :W

[n7bsn]

rk911 wrote:


you have me mixed up with someone else, sir. I said no such thing. quite the opposite. someone else claimed that all of the broadcasters had been re-assigned out of the VHF portion of the band into UHF assignments. I pointed out that there are indeed a few stations still in the VHF portion of the band (RF frequencies previously associated with channels 2-13). CBS 2 in Chicago is one. your list simply confirms what I pointed out earlier.

No, MNtundraRet posted that, check the quotes. You know what you are talking about

[rk911]

n7bsn wrote:

MNtundraRet wrote:
rk911:

You may be correct that some low power analog stations are still allowed in the channel 2 to 6 band. I was referring to the digital channels being transmitted since we never scan analog unless we find no digital stations.

We were traveling the last few weeks up in the U.P. area of Michigan along the shores of Lake Superior. In the Painted Rocks National Seashore campgrounds and two Michigan State Parks east of there, we picked up CBC channel 2 (analog) out of Canada, using our double-amplified Winegard system. They are still using both analog and digital signals since they are still in the conversion process.

Judging from our government's latest paralysis in getting anything done some analog low power stations may still be there for a while.

Eh, did you bother to look at the data-base I pointed out in my previous post?

List TV stations that broadcast digital signals on RF channel two
KNOP
KJWP
WLBZ

Just as three examples of stations broadcasting digital signals on RF channel two, which you claimed had been "reassigned" to some other service.

you have me mixed up with someone else, sir. I said no such thing. quite the opposite. someone else claimed that all of the broadcasters had been re-assigned out of the VHF portion of the band into UHF assignments. I pointed out that there are indeed a few stations still in the VHF portion of the band (RF frequencies previously associated with channels 2-13). CBS 2 in Chicago is one. your list simply confirms what I pointed out earlier.

[rk911]

MNtundraRet wrote:
rk911:

You may be correct that some low power analog stations are still allowed in the channel 2 to 6 band. I was referring to the digital channels being transmitted since we never scan analog unless we find no digital stations.

We were traveling the last few weeks up in the U.P. area of Michigan along the shores of Lake Superior. In the Painted Rocks National Seashore campgrounds and two Michigan State Parks east of there, we picked up CBC channel 2 (analog) out of Canada, using our double-amplified Winegard system. They are still using both analog and digital signals since they are still in the conversion process.

Judging from our government's latest paralysis in getting anything done some analog low power stations may still be there for a while.

CBS 2 in Chicago (WBBM) is still broadcasting in digital on a frequency assigned to the VHF portion of the band...the old channel 12 freq I believe. analog and digtal modes have nothing to do with frequency. a frequency is a frequency and can be used for many different modes of transmission.

[rk911]

Tom_M wrote:

rk911 wrote:
ATSC signal 3 MHz above lower edge

VHF low-band (band I)
(frequencies in MHz)


Channel

Lower edge

Video carrier

ATSC pilot

Audio carrier

Upper edge

2 54 55.25 54.31 59.75 60
3 60 61.25 60.31 65.75 66
4 66 67.25 66.31 71.75 72

5 76 77.25 76.31 81.75 82
6 82 83.25 82.31 87.75 88

VHF high-band (band III)
(frequencies in MHz)


Channel

Lower edge

Video carrier

ATSC pilot

Audio carrier

Upper edge

7 174 175.25 174.31 179.75 180
8 180 181.25 180.31 185.75 186
9 186 187.25 186.31 191.75 192
10 192 193.25 192.31 197.75 198
11 198 199.25 198.31 203.75 204
12 204 205.25 204.31 209.75 210
13 210 211.25 210.31 215.75 216

This appears to be a frequency allocation table but have no idea how it pertains to the topic.

someone asked me to provide docs on the VHF portion of the TV band. this is it. VHF covers channels 2-13...no longer channels per se as the channel number is no longer attached to the assigned frequency. the UHF portion of the band covers the frequencies that used to be assigned to channels 14-83. while most TV broadcasters that had assignments in the VHF band have indeed been moved to UHF frequencies there still are a few remaining in the VHF portion of the band.

[MNtundraRet]

n7bsn:

To get back on original topic, anyone in these arias would be much better off with the Winegard antenna than the Jack. A few exceptions right now doesn't stop the rest of the conversion from happening.

[n7bsn]

MNtundraRet wrote:
rk911:

You may be correct that some low power analog stations are still allowed in the channel 2 to 6 band. I was referring to the digital channels being transmitted since we never scan analog unless we find no digital stations.

We were traveling the last few weeks up in the U.P. area of Michigan along the shores of Lake Superior. In the Painted Rocks National Seashore campgrounds and two Michigan State Parks east of there, we picked up CBC channel 2 (analog) out of Canada, using our double-amplified Winegard system. They are still using both analog and digital signals since they are still in the conversion process.

Judging from our government's latest paralysis in getting anything done some analog low power stations may still be there for a while.

Eh, did you bother to look at the data-base I pointed out in my previous post?

List TV stations that broadcast digital signals on RF channel two
KNOP
KJWP
WLBZ

Just as three examples of stations broadcasting digital signals on RF channel two, which you claimed had been "reassigned" to some other service.

[MNtundraRet]

rk911:

You may be correct that some low power analog stations are still allowed in the channel 2 to 6 band. I was referring to the digital channels being transmitted since we never scan analog unless we find no digital stations.

We were traveling the last few weeks up in the U.P. area of Michigan along the shores of Lake Superior. In the Painted Rocks National Seashore campgrounds and two Michigan State Parks east of there, we picked up CBC channel 2 (analog) out of Canada, using our double-amplified Winegard system. They are still using both analog and digital signals since they are still in the conversion process.

Judging from our government's latest paralysis in getting anything done some analog low power stations may still be there for a while.

[Tom_M1]

rk911 wrote:
ATSC signal 3 MHz above lower edge

VHF low-band (band I)
(frequencies in MHz)


Channel

Lower edge

Video carrier

ATSC pilot

Audio carrier

Upper edge

2 54 55.25 54.31 59.75 60
3 60 61.25 60.31 65.75 66
4 66 67.25 66.31 71.75 72

5 76 77.25 76.31 81.75 82
6 82 83.25 82.31 87.75 88

VHF high-band (band III)
(frequencies in MHz)


Channel

Lower edge

Video carrier

ATSC pilot

Audio carrier

Upper edge

7 174 175.25 174.31 179.75 180
8 180 181.25 180.31 185.75 186
9 186 187.25 186.31 191.75 192
10 192 193.25 192.31 197.75 198
11 198 199.25 198.31 203.75 204
12 204 205.25 204.31 209.75 210
13 210 211.25 210.31 215.75 216

This appears to be a frequency allocation table but have no idea how it pertains to the topic.

[rk911]

n7bsn wrote:

MNtundraRet wrote:

rk911 wrote:
there is no such thing as a digital TV antenna (or an high def antenna for that matter) and while many of the stations have migrated to UHF there are still some on VHF frequencies (CBS 2 in Chicago for example). the new Winegard Sensar IV antenna is getting good reviews (despite it's somewhat misleading marketing as receiving all "HD" channels).

BS ALERT!

Channel 2 is actually RF channel 12. As I stated channels 2 to 6 were in the RF spectrum released for other use.

Could you quote the FCC order to back that up.... (hint, you can't)

FCC guide on tv antennas (note it includes 2-6)

Select current channel assigments (note the number broadcasting on 2-6)

ATSC signal 3 MHz above lower edge

VHF low-band (band I)
(frequencies in MHz)


Channel

Lower edge

Video carrier

ATSC pilot

Audio carrier

Upper edge

2 54 55.25 54.31 59.75 60
3 60 61.25 60.31 65.75 66
4 66 67.25 66.31 71.75 72

5 76 77.25 76.31 81.75 82
6 82 83.25 82.31 87.75 88

VHF high-band (band III)
(frequencies in MHz)


Channel

Lower edge

Video carrier

ATSC pilot

Audio carrier

Upper edge

7 174 175.25 174.31 179.75 180
8 180 181.25 180.31 185.75 186
9 186 187.25 186.31 191.75 192
10 192 193.25 192.31 197.75 198
11 198 199.25 198.31 203.75 204
12 204 205.25 204.31 209.75 210
13 210 211.25 210.31 215.75 216

[n7bsn]

RoyB wrote:
If you want to keep the BATWING antenna then all you need to do is purchase a new BATWING with UHF add-on assy, It will mount to your existing crank-up assy with two pins. Takes all of five minutes to mount....

Actual testing shows this is probably the best RV TV antenna on the market, outperforming both the King and Jensen antennas

test results as posted to this forum

[n7bsn]

MNtundraRet wrote:

rk911 wrote:
there is no such thing as a digital TV antenna (or an high def antenna for that matter) and while many of the stations have migrated to UHF there are still some on VHF frequencies (CBS 2 in Chicago for example). the new Winegard Sensar IV antenna is getting good reviews (despite it's somewhat misleading marketing as receiving all "HD" channels).

BS ALERT!

Channel 2 is actually RF channel 12. As I stated channels 2 to 6 were in the RF spectrum released for other use.

Could you quote the FCC order to back that up.... (hint, you can't)

FCC guide on tv antennas (note it includes 2-6)

Select current channel assigments (note the number broadcasting on 2-6)

[n7bsn]

MNtundraRet wrote:
Your assumptions are wrong about ALL stations being in UHF. The information found on some advertised antennas is just BS. Only the channels below 7 disappeared...

Sorry, even that statement is not entirely true. There are a handful of VHF stations still broadcasting between 2 and 6. I looked and don't remember the exact numbers, but it was like two or three on channel 2 (in the entire continent), and similar numbers for the others.

[Tom_M1]

The Sensar IV includes the Wingman.
Sensar IV at Amazon