Amplified antenna

Tim&Paula · 08-31-2010, 06:57 PM

I purchased an amplified Jack antenna. How do I know if the antenna I have now is amplfied if I can not find the amplifier? If I hook both amps up I will damage the system. Can I check voltage on the coax? Is it 12 volts? I am installing it in a 2000 Winnebago UA.

ccook129 · 08-31-2010, 08:40 PM

amp is built in the antenna,on the jack and the batwing sensar,both amps ? what amps do you have?If you are talking about the plug where the cables plug in.

AFChap · 09-01-2010, 07:47 AM

No idea what you bought, how it connects.... (amplified jack antenna)... but I believe your 2000 UA should be similar to mine with roof top lift-up Winegard Sensar batwing antenna. The switch box to select TV input (ant/catv/sat/vcr), probably in a front overhead cabinet, has a small push on/off switch at the left side labeled "TV Ant Power", with red light when it is "on". For digital signals, we found adding the Winegard Wingman attachment to the Sensar batwing helps some.

wa8yxm · 09-01-2010, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim&Paula

I purchased an amplified Jack antenna. How do I know if the antenna I have now is amplfied if I can not find the amplifier? If I hook both amps up I will damage the system. Can I check voltage on the coax? Is it 12 volts? I am installing it in a 2000 Winnebago UA.

The Amp is built into the antenna.. IF, that is you have one

IN your coach there should be one of two control panels

Mine is a box with many switches, they are grouped "Main TV" "VCR" "TV-2"
and in each group (Save VCR) is a number of buttons DVD, VCR, SAT, TV/ANT, AUX.

The button on the left is power.. It currently supplies power to the mast head (built into the antenna) amplifier on my Wingman.. IF I replaced the wingman with the JACK.. IT would provide that power too.

The other control is usually a wall plate, has a 12 volt outlet, antenna connector, switch and LED. Works the same way. and will power the Jack.

NOTE: There are two more.. One is a wall plate, says "Winegard" has just the switch and light.. The other is a toggle somewhere, labeled by the coach maker. These are rare.

But in all cases the amplifier is in the antenna, 12 volts is provided, same as it is for the Jack, via the coax. Just swap the heads.

Tim&Paula · 09-01-2010, 04:38 PM

Thanks for the help! This was very helpful.

Easyrider · 09-02-2010, 05:48 PM

I use the Jack antenna, I've found it works best with the amplifier that came with the Jack turned on and the amplifier that was already built into our motorhome turned off. The new antenna works great- I wouldn't want to go back to being without it. When I installed it at a campground while we were on vacation we went from getting 4 channels to getting 11 channels! Signal strength went from always in the 15-20%poor area of the meter to 95% good area. I'm thinking of installing one on our house because it works so good on the motorhome.

ccook129 · 09-02-2010, 06:02 PM

check with others in the campground and see how many channels they are getting.A good comparision would be someone close to you.

AFChap · 09-02-2010, 07:44 PM

Wondering exactly what we are talking about, I did some googling and found the following description:

CRYSTAL CLEAR HDTVWith crystal clear reception of all VHF and UHF digital HDTV signals, the JACK antenna offers a much broader reception range than traditional RV antennas. Additionally, the JACK antenna provides greatly enhanced UHF reception where over 80% of the new digital channels are now broadcast. You get completely uncompressed high-definition TV signals for the absolute best picture quality available today.SIMPLE INSTALLATIONEasily replace your existing Sensar antenna in just 5 minutes without any special tools. The JACK mounts to the existing antenna mast with 2 removable pins. The JACK is 70% smaller and requires no additional roof space for installation. The built-in signal amplifier works with your existing antenna power switch or can be used with the provided power supply if replacing a non-amplified antenna. An indicator light shows when the amplifier is powered.

Sounds pretty straight-forward, and I would be interested in some comparisons with another rig parked nearby!!

Easyrider · 09-08-2010, 05:34 PM

I was waiting to see if someone else would speak up about the Jack antenna. As I already stated in my original message I was at a campground and only getting 4 channels with the original Winegard antenna. Without moving our motorhome I purchased a Jack antenna at a nearby RV dealer and installed it myself, it only took about 15 minutes and the only tool needed was a pair of pliers. Before the install we could receive 4 channels, after the Jack was installed we got 11 channels and almost all of them were in the 95% to 100% reception range. I highly recommend the Jack antenna for over the air tv reception.

ccook129 · 09-08-2010, 09:22 PM

Is this what it looks like?

Tim&Paula · 09-09-2010, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccook129

Is this what it looks like?

That is the same one I purchased. I am getting more channels and some of them from a long distance away. The unusual thing is I can not get a station that is local. My son told me a lot of people say that about the local channel. Was not a problem before they cut over to digital. I am going to install the old antenna to see what I get.

Easyrider · 09-09-2010, 05:44 PM

Can't say why you wouldn't get the local channels. We get the local channels with ours- it's the same one as the one pictured. Is your local channel broadcasting with the new digital signal? Some channels did not have to switch over to digital if their area of coverage was small enough. For instance, the small city we live in has it's own tv channel but it's small and didn't have to switch over to digital format and if you have a digital box hooked up to your tv it will probably not let the non-digital signal through to your set, our's won't, and to get one that would was going to cost about $20.00 more than what we paid for our box and since we only use the box for our motorhome and only when camping away it didn't make sense to pay for the upgraded box. When you say you can't get the local channels I'm assuming you do receive the major networks-CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX without any difficulty? I think your digital box is the problem with the local channels and not your antenna.

ImagineIF · 09-09-2010, 06:07 PM

Not all channels moved to digital, although most did. If your local channel is still analog, that may explain why it doesn't come in as well with the JACK antenna. I assume the Jack antenna is not that great at receiving the VHF channels that have been, for the most part, vacated.

I'd be curious as to how the Jack antenna performs against the Sensar antenna with the Wingman® RV-WING UHF Add-On. I have the add on and just haven't installed it yet as every campground I've been at lately has free cable.

Gil

Easyrider · 09-09-2010, 06:32 PM

I had the Wingman add-on on our antenna before I installed the Jack antenna. While the Wingman allowed us to get a couple channels where we couldn't get any before, the Jack is way better- like night and day, I've got a slightly used Wingman for sale cheap, but I've told everybody that's asked me about it the the Jack would be a much better investment!

SCVJeff · 09-10-2010, 12:09 AM

Me thinks had a broken batwing.

wa8yxm · 09-10-2010, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Easyrider

I was waiting to see if someone else would speak up about the Jack antenna. As I already stated in my original message I was at a campground and only getting 4 channels with the original Winegard antenna. Without moving our motorhome I purchased a Jack antenna at a nearby RV dealer and installed it myself, it only took about 15 minutes and the only tool needed was a pair of pliers. Before the install we could receive 4 channels, after the Jack was installed we got 11 channels and almost all of them were in the 95% to 100% reception range. I highly recommend the Jack antenna for over the air tv reception.

I too have been waiting for a good user report on the Jack Antenna

Thank you.... Looks like I might just buy one.

Tim&Paula · 09-10-2010, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Easyrider

Can't say why you wouldn't get the local channels. We get the local channels with ours- it's the same one as the one pictured. Is your local channel broadcasting with the new digital signal? Some channels did not have to switch over to digital if their area of coverage was small enough. For instance, the small city we live in has it's own tv channel but it's small and didn't have to switch over to digital format and if you have a digital box hooked up to your tv it will probably not let the non-digital signal through to your set, our's won't, and to get one that would was going to cost about $20.00 more than what we paid for our box and since we only use the box for our motorhome and only when camping away it didn't make sense to pay for the upgraded box. When you say you can't get the local channels I'm assuming you do receive the major networks-CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX without any difficulty? I think your digital box is the problem with the local channels and not your antenna.

The local channel is digital. Thats the weird part. People that have dish in this area said that after the cut over to digital they have trouble. Go figure. Either way the Jack antenna gets a lot more channels.

Easyrider · 09-10-2010, 05:52 PM

One thing I have read about the digital signal is that if you are too close to the transmission tower you will not get the signal. Seems like it actually broadcasts over you and the signal doesn't drop down fast enough for your antenna to pick it up. You might try moving a couple miles away from your location where you don't get the signal and see if you can then pick it up.

ImagineIF · 09-10-2010, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Easyrider

One thing I have read about the digital signal is that if you are too close to the transmission tower you will not get the signal. Seems like it actually broadcasts over you and the signal doesn't drop down fast enough for your antenna to pick it up. You might try moving a couple miles away from your location where you don't get the signal and see if you can then pick it up.

This is certainly not the case. It's possible, but unlikely, you could be so close that you overdrive the digital receiver.

Rick Long · 09-10-2010, 06:36 PM

Tim and Paula... the amplified JACK antenna was designed to replace the Winegard antenna but use the same antenna mast and power source... Simply remove the Winegard and replace with the JACK...
If you don't know about the amplifier switch in an over head compartment.. perhaps your bad reception is because it's not turned on. It looks like a regular switch cover plate but has the coaxial connector, small switch and a small LED (usually red)... if the LED is not on then you are not putting power to your antenna.