T.V. ANTENNA ?

[Oasisbob]

I remember something about television channels going to a new format and some kind of box needing to be added? We never watch TV aside from video's so I am ignorant. My question is toes the old crank up antenna have any value now with the new signal format? Should I leave it for resale or take it off and plug the hole? Thanks guys & gals

[Lwiddis]

Look here, jplante, we TEXICAN wantabees don’t appreciate at all you saying our state is flat.

[wa8yxm]

Oh, in addition. The "Box" is called an Digital to Analog converter. I have a few of 'em lying about (in use) Some even RECORD (I have one that does that)

Got that one on E-Bay. Though the sales page said "Best" the brand is really koramzi and documentation as you can imagine.. SUCKS.

Works great though once I figured it out.

[wa8yxm]

Oasisbob wrote:
I remember something about television channels going to a new format and some kind of box needing to be added? We never watch TV aside from video's so I am ignorant. My question is toes the old crank up antenna have any value now with the new signal format? Should I leave it for resale or take it off and plug the hole? Thanks guys & gals

Radio (And television) 101.
The signal consists of two parts: Carrier and Modulation (information)

IN the old days we had a bunch of "Carriers" defined by channel numbers, 2,3,4,5..... 67,68,69.... 82.83

Well the higher ones (70 up) went away long ago and I'm not sure about 63-39 today but the same antenna that worked for 2-62 in 2000 works for 7-62 today (you won't find much in the carriers below 7),

What has changed is the Modulation. From Analog to digital
And where as in the Analog days the "Channel" was THe Channelm IE Channel 2 was 56 Mhz.. today they may or may not be the same (Channel 2 In Detroit, for example, now broadcasts on channel 7,, 7 uses forty something)

So the old VHF/VHF/UHF antenna still works.. But you can IMPROVE the performance.

For a Winegard Sensar II or III adding the Wingman brings up the UHF performance (Range) to roughly match the VHF range.

And switching the box inside from teh standard wall plate to a SENSAR pro adds more gain (Range) and several other useful features.

But you still have the same antenna. None better for RV use unless you are long term parked and can use an antenna NOT designed to go down the road.

[SoundGuy]

Oasisbob wrote:
I remember something about television channels going to a new format and some kind of box needing to be added?

Yeah, 10 years ago ... where ya been? :@ :W

If your 2001 RVision even has a TV it's unlikely to have an ATSC (digital) tuner in it, just an NTSC (analogue) tuner, so if you want to use it to receive digital signals being broadcast you'd need a converter box that would convert those digital signals received by the antenna and convert them to an analogue signal the television can accept. Your other alternative is to replace that old analogue television with a new flat screen model that will have a digital tuner in it and will receive current digital signals. Your antenna doesn't know or care what type of signals are being transmitted but if yours is an older Winegard Sensar II or III then you can improve chances of receiving signals by adding a Winegard Wingman to it as more stations are now transmitting in the UHF band rather than the VHF band.

[jplante4]

I put a Wingman on my Winegrard and added the Sensar Pro amplifier. We were able to pick up OTA signal just about everywhere we went on the winter trip around the southeast. I even picked up Houston stations from Galveston (ok, it's pretty flat down there).

[SoundGuy]

GaryS1953 wrote:
I added the Wingman to mine for about $25 per recommendations on this forum. So far it doesn't seem to have made a difference.

Exactly what happens when expectations exceed reality. Winegard's Wingman isn't some magical panacea that will suddenly make stations appear on your television but is limited by the same aspects of digital transmission that all antennas are limited by. If you want better reception you have to go much higher with a much larger array, neither of which is practical for most RVrs, thus the reason a Sensar IV or Sensar III equipped with an optional Wingman is about as good as it gets in a reasonably sized RV antenna. You could add a Winegard SensarPro signal amplifier / signal finder, as I have, but it too has it's limitations.

[GaryS1953]

I added the Wingman to mine for about $25 per recommendations on this forum. So far it doesn't seem to have made a difference.

[Dave_H_M]

I also did RoyB's change on the bat wing. nice improvement.

[RoyB]

If your older crank-up BATWING antenna looks like this...



It can really be improved for the higher frequencies the new DIGITAL National TV bands use by changing it out for one of the same type BATWING antennas with the added DIPOLEs like shown here...



Google images

Roy Ken

[Lwiddis]

“We never watch TV aside from video's...” Then you do not need an antenna of any type. Leave it for resale however.

[Oasisbob]

You guys are so smart. Thanks much. The antenna stays. Always easier to not do something anyway. LOL

[BB_TX]

Most of the digital OTA TV channels are broadcast in UHF. But the old antenna receives both VHF and UHF so the antenna is fine. TV must be able to receive digital.

[IAMICHABOD]

Oasisbob wrote:
My question is toes the old crank up antenna have any value now with the new signal format? Should I leave it for resale or take it off and plug the hole? Thanks guys & gals

Yes it does have value and I would leave it,not having a OTA antenna will affect the resale value.I for one would not buy a RV without one.:E

[lap527]

All antennas will work, just needs newer digital tv. So keep the antenna and the next person will be grateful.