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Bill Adams · 05-11-2010, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob WB6ODR

So, I parked my RV in front of the house, out of the metal barn where we keep it. I put the Batwing up and I put the Jack on the ladder rack. There pulled in the the same signals. I then put the Jack up on the poles I had so it would be as high as the Batwing and away from the metal of the ladder. I got 2 new digital and 2 new analog signals. I am convinced that I have an improvement in received signals. It was a lot easier to install the Jack than it was to remove the Batwing antenna. I'll keep mine.

73, Bob

How did the "Jack" compare to simply adding the Winegard Wingman? Based upon posts elsewhere it sounds like you would have gotten similar results.

LrSmith1302 · 05-12-2010, 07:17 AM

Dear dog_soldier, I believe the Jack will work for you. Just check to see if you have 12DC on the cable that is left or use the power supply that comes with the Jack. Bob WB6ODR

dog_soldier · 05-12-2010, 11:29 AM

thanks bob

ill get up on top of the M/H when it warms up a bit and see what i can come up with.

Bob (WA0MQE) · 05-13-2010, 06:56 AM

You can theoretically mount it anywhere. Just keep in mind you must attach your cable to the amplifier in your motorhome.

hogrider80 · 06-05-2010, 02:38 PM

First off, someone mentioned another eval on a different forum (nuwaowners.org). They didn't say there wasn't a difference, if you read it thoroughly. What they said was there was little difference, until you rotated the two antennas in comparison. In their case, there was a slight improvement in the number of channels received. They said the signal quality was better with Jack, and could be improved by rotation (which they said didn't occur with the Winegard Sensar).

I just installed a Jack on my coach, and there was a marked improvement in signal quality. I also was pulling in stations that formerly weren't coming in with the Winegard. Consequently, my experience seemed better than the other reviewer. I like it, and what I really like is that it points forward when retracted, so theoretically you could use it with it stowed if the coach is pointing to a signal source. Takes up a lot less space on the roof. (BTW, I upgraded my TVs to HD flat panel digitals a while ago, so no conversion box was necessary.)

Installation notes: save your Batwing mounting pins. King supplies new circlips, but not the pins, so you have to reuse the existing pins. They don't explicitly say which surface faces front, but it is the pointy end (although they say either way works, but I didn't try that). Finally, if you use the two bottom holes on their bracket, the antenna will point skyward (assuming your two support posts are slightly offset when fully deployed). You have to use the bottom hole on the back, and the top hole on the front to keep the antenna level at any angle of deployment. My existing antenna power worked fine, so it literally was plug and play.

Overall, is it worth it? If you have a Batwing without the Sensar, then yes. If you already have a Sensar, then it's not a necessity (although it's a cool new toy).

danes-on-tour · 09-08-2010, 03:51 AM

It's been a few month since this thread was ongoing. I take it that some of you have been trying out some of this new add-on's.

Any new observations in the "batwing versus Jack" contest?

Any verdict on whether the Winegaard with the Wingman attached is better, as good as or worse than replacing the old system with the Jack OA-8000?

LrSmith1302 · 09-09-2010, 02:26 PM

In My Humble Opinion, the Jack Antenna system is a bit better than the Bat Wing I had up. It would take some very expensive equipment to really tell the difference. I am very satisfied with my Jack Antenna and its small foot print. You mileage may vary.

Bob Smith, Prescott, AZ

Twinsberry · 10-13-2010, 09:57 AM

I became a true believer in the Jack this weekend. While camping in Mohnton PA this weekend, my wingman with the digital upgrade picked up nothing. Five spaces down a camper had a Jack and picked up some channels. Jack on order now, not a big issue unless you want to catch some football on Sunday. I have the old satellite with no local channels. Not ready to spend the big bucks for the three lense model.

Chuck B, Hampton VA

cequent · 11-01-2010, 12:26 PM

Does anyone else think the name Jack Off-Air sounds funny and should be changed.

Yakflyer · 02-01-2011, 02:31 PM

It's been more than an year now and I am considering upgrading my 1980s vintage antenna. I would love to hear some new comments on the subject from anyone.
I will be buying a new flat screen for my viewing pleasure.
Love reading this forum!

wa8yxm · 02-01-2011, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dog_soldier

the antenna that was on my M/H has been removed and the cable cut. will the jack still work if i put it on a pole and attach it to the ladder or do i need to find a regular antenna for the roof of the M/H?

The short answer is yes.. However if you can I'd mount it the way it was designed to be mounted.. On a lift arm kit.. More on the logic in a bit here.

As for the cut cable.. odds are that just under the original mount is a double female connector (Splice) where you can hook on brand new cable.

Now... Logic time:

The antenna needs to be "Aimed" toward the transmitters.. The original Sensar mount or the one you can get with the Jack is designed to do just this. Your ladder mount will need to have some way to Aim the antenna.. This is fairly easy (just twist the mast) but...... Holding it in position may be an issue (you need some kind of vice like clamp)

ON the other hand.... We in Ham Radio have a saying at VHF/UHF and above frequencies... HEIGHT IS MIGHT.

That is,, The higher the antenna, (up to a point) the farther you can talk or hear... I have, in fact, proven the theory. (I'll skip the story)

With a ladder mount you can go 10, 15 perhaps even 20 feet ABOVE the coach, instead of the relative few feet of the Sensar or Jack mounts.

This may well make a big difference in what you can see.

Oh, the point: (I said up to a point) the point is the point at which the additional signal LOSS in the coax to get back down equals (or exceeds) the additional GAIN from the added height.... That's going to be over 100' high.. Well over I suspect.

My parent's last house... I hung an antenna over 100' up,, coax to the basement, there we had a distribution system... According to a local CATV engineer our location was in a "NO TELEVISION POSSIBLE" zone... We could watch stations over 100 miles away (Detroit, MI, South Bend, IN, Grand Rapids (Gun Lake), MI, Lansing/Jackson, MI.. The detroit stations were over 100 miles away.

There is a photo of me installing a pre-amp in that antenna... Atop a 100' tower.. I'm acrophobic.

azloafer · 02-10-2011, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donald field

I would like to have local stations when we get into an area. I don't have room in my overhead compartments for a converter box so I haven't purchased one yet.

If you buy a converter box make sure it is a pass-thru type of box. Just Google TV digital pass-thru converter box and you will find many and the reason for the pass-thru feature. Happy viewing, Joe

MONGO MAN · 03-16-2011, 11:20 AM

Most new Dish Network sat. boxes have a built in digital tuner which will convert over the air local broadcasters digital signal to analog (or digital HDMI)and combine the listing in one program guide along with the sat programing-----Direct tv i believe does not.

MegaRoadie · 04-15-2011, 09:25 AM

Bought a "Jack" after upgrading converter box for older (05) TV... amazed at the number and clarity of digital channels it picks up versus the olde "Batwing/Sensar".

There is a lot of hispanic and also religious programming that it detects that the olde batwing may have missed... after almost 2 months we are amazed at the abilities to pickup local channels, especially WEATHER STATIONS so we can watch out for storms and local troubles.

Count me in as a Happy Customer !