Community Forums

Chuck&Pam · 08-01-2014, 10:52 PM

Folks, i know this has been written several times in this forum but, based on an experience or two earlier today, i have to say this again:

There is no such thing as a DIGITAL or HD antenna. There is only an antenna. Period. This has been written many times on this forum by knowledgable folks like Txiceman, WA8YXM and many others that know their stuff, but I continue to see the same questions regarding so called digital or HD antennas. We must educate ourselves on the subject. Here is an article on the subject.

Reason i say we need to be sure we educate ourselves on this; I was at a local big box store electronics specialty store today looking for an antenna for the S&B. I was looking at the box doing my best to find the specs for the antenna showing the overall gain of the antenna. Gain is (or used to be) a standard spec for any directional antenna. Store mgr sees me and tells me he'll send over a sales person with "experience in antennas" to help. A young guy walks over and I tell him what I want to know. He replies that he didn't know what gain is and he had never heard that term before. But he would be glad to look up the price of the item for me.

So, I get home and use my friend google to try to find the gain specs for the antennas and the amps that some of them have. Not to be found, But, I did find many many hits from our friend google - sponsored by the antenna companies - indicating that you needed a Digital or HD antenna to get "Free over the air HD signals".

Ok, so this turned into a rant, but point is, do your homework, know what you are looking for and what you need, because no one you purchase from will know anything about the products except what the marketing folks have told them in order to sell product.

thanks for listening and i hope this helps someone. ( it sure helped me!)

cc8375 · 08-02-2014, 05:41 AM

thanks for the update..... Just a FYI, I have added in the past the "batwing" to my antenna and improved reception receiving more " digital channels" and / or better reception. Recently on my new coach, I added the new "Jack Antenna". My reception increased with this addition also.

docj · 08-02-2014, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cc8375

thanks for the update..... Just a FYI, I have added in the past the "batwing" to my antenna and improved reception receiving more " digital channels" and / or better reception. Recently on my new coach, I added the new "Jack Antenna". My reception increased with this addition also.

No offense, but to clarify for others, what you added to your old antenna was the Winegard "Wingman" which improves reception in what we used to call the UHF band. The old antenna, itself, is what is often referred to as the Bat Wing.

Tom N · 08-02-2014, 07:25 AM

Antenna are built for frequency, not for mode of transmission.

-Tom, W3TLN

bruceisla · 08-02-2014, 07:50 AM

I think a lot of people are referring to "receiving more channels" as "better reception". i believe what they are seeing is more channels in the UHF range. Not the same as a better picture than previously received in the VHF range using their original antenna.

But ... what do I know ...I don't really care about how many channels I receive ... only the quality of the picture on the few channels worth watching.

**CountryFit** · 08-02-2014, 09:46 AM

i installed a jack antenna. it improved both the number of channels and the quality of video/sound. it pulls programs from far far far away

FlyingDiver · 08-02-2014, 09:55 AM

Chuck - I recommend Solid Signal (http://solidsignal.com) for antennas and such.

I think I'll be using this one for the S&B we're building this winter:

http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp...u=700112818400

docj · 08-02-2014, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bruceisla

I think a lot of people are referring to "receiving more channels" as "better reception". i believe what they are seeing is more channels in the UHF range. Not the same as a better picture than previously received in the VHF range using their original antenna.

But ... what do I know ...I don't really care about how many channels I receive ... only the quality of the picture on the few channels worth watching.

That's the nice thing about digital TV; the picture is pretty much the same until the point where it isn't there any longer. It isn't at all like the picture degradation we were used to with analog transmission. Some antennas will receive weaker signals than others but for those you do receive the picture basically looks the same.

bruceisla · 08-02-2014, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by docj

That's the nice thing about digital TV; the picture is pretty much the same until the point where it isn't there any longer. It isn't at all like the picture degradation we were used to with analog transmission. Some antennas will receive weaker signals than others but for those you do receive the picture basically looks the same.

Yup ... but too bad about the "content".

wa8yxm · 08-02-2014, 11:14 AM

Well NCBOUNDER.. Thank you for the kind words.

Limiting to the two most popular RV type antennas:

Jack v/s Batwing with wingman

The Jack has a wider "Beam width" (Field of vision)

The Batwing with Wingman greater gain (Range)

or.

Batwing: Like looking at a distant object or group of objects

Jack: Same but using a set of Field Glasses (Binoaculars)

Wingman: Telescope

wildtoad · 08-02-2014, 11:22 AM

At my house I have cable so most of the time I don't need an antenna. However from time to time I will have a need as not all local channels are currently being broadcast over cable. Years ago I bought a Bose DVD/Radio/Surround system that came with an FM antenna which is basically two wires in a T shape that can plug into the coax connection in back of the TV. I stretch the two pieces of wire across a window and I pick up every channel in the area crystal clear.

For the MH I currently have a Jack and am mostly pleased with it but have ordered the new Winegard Rayzar for a trial.

SCVJeff · 08-04-2014, 12:17 AM

No matter how many times you say it, there are still those who preach the HD antennas because they might get a sale, and of corse the customer shows up here and just repeats what they heard because it must be true?

FYI- The Rayzar in no way competes with the Jack, and certainly not a Batman (Batwing+Wingman)

docj · 08-04-2014, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCVJeff

No matter how many times you say it, there are still those who preach the HD antennas because they might get a sale, and of corse the customer shows up here and just repeats what they heard because it must be true?

And after the customer gets his new antenna installed and it works he says "see it wasn't a scam, my new antenna works!" there's no way to explain that his old antenna would have worked also!

SCVJeff · 08-04-2014, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by docj

And after the customer gets his new antenna installed and it works he says "see it wasn't a scam, my new antenna works!" there's no way to explain that his old antenna would have worked also!

But at least they get new Oxygen free coax that everyone knows works better for digital...