RV Television Antenna Options

[SkiSmuggs]

Our 2012 fiver came with the standard Winegard crank up antenna. At some point I saw where folks were saying good things about the King Jack replacement head and got one. It did improve reception somewhat. Then, of course, Winegard came out with the Wingman add-on to make the Sensar III into a Sensar IV, and from what I have read, that is better than the King Jack which I still have.
Last October we camped in a few days of hard rain and our crank up antenna mast leaked. We cranked it down and the leaking stopped. I now plan to replace it all with the King Jack complete replacement for a no leak solution as rain is when we watch the most TV.
Before doing that, does anyone know where the crank ups leak and how to prevent leaks?
I do like the King Jack solution for preventing issues with accidentally leaving the antenna up.

[Lantley]

SoundGuy wrote:

SkiSmuggs wrote:
For those who haven't looked at the Winegard SensarPro, it defaults to 10db amplification, but can be pushed to 15db for distant stations. I suspect it would work for the King Jack as well and is much better than the signal meter that comes with the Jack.

As a SensarPro owner myself my understanding is that gain settings run from 0 to 20, with 10 being the default factory setting, which is 0 db gain, 0 db attenuation. Gain can be increased up to + 10 db or attenuated as much as - 10 db from the default setting of 10. If you have documentation stating otherwise I'd be interested in seeing it.

The Sensar IV and King Jack TV antennas are considerably different in that the Sensar IV is unquestionably more sensitive while the Jack offers a wider angle of acceptance. That wider acceptance angle for many people makes the Jack antenna easier to use and leads to the assumption that it's a "better" antenna because under some circumstances it may receive more stations. However, as SCVJeff documented in his tests some time ago using lab grade equipment that perception about the Jack antenna is just that, a perception not supported by actual test results. Regardless, I have no doubt the myth will continue that the Jack TV antenna is "better" than a Sensar IV - the fact this just isn't true notwithstanding. :W

Oh, and FWIW I have also owned a Jack TV antenna but returned to a Sensar IV that feeds a SensarPro ... which is about as good as it's gonna get with a roof mounted RV antenna. 😉

I have no real dog in this fight, The average camper is not using lab grade test equipment. If the average camper perceives it is easier to use and gets more channels that is all that matters to them. That perception goes along way. Your average camper is not going to take the comparison any further. Their initial perception is their reality.

[BFL13]

Rawben wrote:
Ken56 - when you mention you did the "Wingman add-on" is that the
Winegard SensarPro mentioned or somethig else?

We are replacing our entire roof on a 2000 Komfort and debating on putting the Winegard antenna back on. DH is leaning towards putting it back on.

ken56 wrote:
Just did the Wingman add-on and it improved my reception bigly...

Watch out for how far the Wingman sticks out. On ours the Wingman would have hit the vent cover for the Fantastic fan, so I chose the Jack to replace our busted Batwing.

[SoundGuy]

Rawben wrote:
Ken56 - when you mention you did the "Wingman add-on" is that the Winegard SensarPro mentioned or somethig else?

Winegard Wingman is a UHF array sold as an add-on to the Winegard Sensar III to make it a Sensar IV ... the Winegard SensarPro is an amplified wall plate that replaces a non-amplified wall plate.

Winegard OTA Antenna Accessories

[Rawben]

Ken56 - when you mention you did the "Wingman add-on" is that the
Winegard SensarPro mentioned or somethig else?

We are replacing our entire roof on a 2000 Komfort and debating on putting the Winegard antenna back on. DH is leaning towards putting it back on.

ken56 wrote:
Just did the Wingman add-on and it improved my reception bigly...

[SCVJeff]

The Sensor is +-10db with '10' being Unity. There is no +15

[KansasRV]

pdogg wrote:
Another vote for King antenna.. I bought the fixed version, so I never have to worry about forgetting to take it down.. Ask me how that went once.. 🙂

+1 for King!

[SoundGuy]

SkiSmuggs wrote:
For those who haven't looked at the Winegard SensarPro, it defaults to 10db amplification, but can be pushed to 15db for distant stations. I suspect it would work for the King Jack as well and is much better than the signal meter that comes with the Jack.

As a SensarPro owner myself my understanding is that gain settings run from 0 to 20, with 10 being the default factory setting, which is 0 db gain, 0 db attenuation. Gain can be increased up to + 10 db or attenuated as much as - 10 db from the default setting of 10. If you have documentation stating otherwise I'd be interested in seeing it.

The Sensar IV and King Jack TV antennas are considerably different in that the Sensar IV is unquestionably more sensitive while the Jack offers a wider angle of acceptance. That wider acceptance angle for many people makes the Jack antenna easier to use and leads to the assumption that it's a "better" antenna because under some circumstances it may receive more stations. However, as SCVJeff documented in his tests some time ago using lab grade equipment that perception about the Jack antenna is just that, a perception not supported by actual test results. Regardless, I have no doubt the myth will continue that the Jack TV antenna is "better" than a Sensar IV - the fact this just isn't true notwithstanding. :W

Oh, and FWIW I have also owned a Jack TV antenna but returned to a Sensar IV that feeds a SensarPro ... which is about as good as it's gonna get with a roof mounted RV antenna. 😉

[SkiSmuggs]

For those who haven't looked at the Winegard SensarPro, it defaults to 10db amplification, but can be pushed to 15db for distant stations. I suspect it would work for the King Jack as well and is much better than the signal meter that comes with the Jack.

[ken56]

Just did the Wingman add-on and it improved my reception bigly. Well, it wasn't just the add-on that did it, I had 2 loose connections on the roof cable at the antenna itself and where it goes into the roof also. Before I got 6 channels, now its 30 channels.....that's sitting in my yard and 40 miles outside of Knoxville and I can pull K'ville channels in. I like that SensarPro thingy too. Gotta get one. Guess I got to tend to the lube thing too.....its been a while.

[SCVJeff]

FOR MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE ONLY, you cannot beat a Batwing with the Wingman, or the new all-in-one. The Jack or any other antenna simply does not compare. This is especially true on VHF where the Jack just plain sucks (technical term). The TV repack is now complete and stations that participated are now getting their new assignments, and there is an excellent possibility that VHF will again be filled as it was 30 years ago, so VHF performance is again important for an antenna.

Do you have to crank it? YEP... Theres no substitute for height when it comes to RF. If you don't want to crank an antenna, or don't have the room on the roof, buy a Jack. But anyone that tells you their new Jack outperforms their old Batwing, had a broken antenna cuz it just ain't true.

[SkiSmuggs]

SoundGuy wrote:

SkiSmuggs wrote:
Now that I know how to properly maintain it and prevent leaks, my plan has changed to put the Winegard back on and get the wingman addition that makes it into a Sensar IV.

For improved reception for your "new" Sensar IV you could also add a Winegard SensarPro as well but of course that's even more $$$. 😉

Yeah, but there is that cool tech factor!

[j-d]

Just replaced a complete Sensar system with the complete Jack system. So far we like it. We weren't just losing reception - our base/elevating unit kept wobbling and was hard to rotate even though clean and lubed. Never leaked, though.

It's nice that Jack doesn't have to be raised and lowered, BUT... it stands much higher than a folded Sensar, and I don't think it's very branch-resistant.

[Johno02]

Actually, in several comparisons that have been done, the Jack is very close to the Sensar in performance. So either one should be OK. Like you, I could not use the wingman on our first rig, because it would hit the AC. So, we traded for another Motor home. Now, with the Sensar IV and the Sensar Pro installed, I have no problems receiving over 60 miles (FLAT Country).

[SoundGuy]

SkiSmuggs wrote:
Now that I know how to properly maintain it and prevent leaks, my plan has changed to put the Winegard back on and get the wingman addition that makes it into a Sensar IV.

For improved reception for your "new" Sensar IV you could also add a Winegard SensarPro as well but of course that's even more $$$. 😉

[BFL13]

That's what happens. Boot goes up the coax leaving hole open, water comes down inside by the handle.

Another way to hold the boot down might be some tape or a clip on the coax at the top of the boot.