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02-03-2014, 11:56 AM
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#1
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Community Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Between the Oceans
Posts: 8,034
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How to protect Jack antenna against tree branches?
Bought this Jack antenna and about doing the installation. Considering it's standing out in the air easily being slashed out by tree branches, I am inviting your comments/wisdom in hope of finding a way to protect it. Thanks.
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Steven & Polly
2000 Country Coach Intrigue 40' ISC 350
2018 Ford Explorer 4WD
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02-03-2014, 12:30 PM
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#2
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Community Moderator
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
Posts: 31,551
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I would just mount it next to something that is higher then the antenna, like an A/C or Dome antenna if so equipted.
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Tony & Ruth........... FMCA#F416727
2016 London Aire 4519, Freightliner chassis, Cummins ISX, 2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, Blue Ox Avail with AF1. TST 507 TPMS
No amount of money can buy you an extra second of time.
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02-03-2014, 12:31 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,031
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Trade it for a Bat Wing that hugs the roof when traveling.
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02-03-2014, 02:03 PM
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#4
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Community Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Between the Oceans
Posts: 8,034
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TonyDi
I would just mount it next to something that is higher then the antenna, like an A/C or Dome antenna if so equipted.
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Good idea but the place is far away from both - right above bed room roof where the batwing was used to be
from another angle, close to anything higher than the antenna could create a potential blocking to the signal in the direction to towers. Isn't it?
__________________
Steven & Polly
2000 Country Coach Intrigue 40' ISC 350
2018 Ford Explorer 4WD
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02-03-2014, 02:09 PM
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#5
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Community Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Between the Oceans
Posts: 8,034
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Triker56
Trade it for a Bat Wing that hugs the roof when traveling.
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actually I did a stupid thing - half a year ago when I redid roof, I thought the batwing was obsolete so I took it out and put it into trash bin. had I known a lot of people are happily using it, I would have taken a different route
__________________
Steven & Polly
2000 Country Coach Intrigue 40' ISC 350
2018 Ford Explorer 4WD
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02-03-2014, 02:11 PM
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#6
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Registered User
Damon Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: May 2008
Location: N. Palm Springs CA (in winter)
Posts: 2,420
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You avoid low bridges and tunnels. Avoid low hanging trees too. Besides damaging vents and antennas, tree branches can damage rubber roofs and paint finishes.
If there is damage from trees, file a claim with the responsible party, i.e. County Dept of Public Works, City, or Campground. If they refuse to pay, there is Small Claims Court.
I also cary a tree lopper and cordless sawsall for when I enter campgrounds to do trimming.
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02-03-2014, 02:19 PM
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#7
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Community Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Between the Oceans
Posts: 8,034
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Doggy Daddy
You avoid low bridges and tunnels. Avoid low hanging trees too. Besides damaging vents and antennas, tree branches can damage rubber roofs and paint finishes.
If there is damage from trees, file a claim with the responsible party, i.e. County Dept of Public Works, City, or Campground.
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Definitely I will avoid those hazard low stuffs (to RV). Not sure claiming will work
__________________
Steven & Polly
2000 Country Coach Intrigue 40' ISC 350
2018 Ford Explorer 4WD
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02-03-2014, 02:45 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Foley AL
Posts: 7,138
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CountryFit
Definitely I will avoid those hazard low stuffs (to RV). Not sure claiming will work
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Here's what I've done so far:
1) The Jack is in the same location as the old batwing. That location is on the rear driver's side between the gutter and the bedroom A/C. If your JACK is front mounted, you probably have a similar situation except for a sat. dome.
2) On my departure checklist I have a notion to rotate it so the "pointy end" is facing the gutter ... I have decided this is the best position to allow branches to be pushed aside when entering/exiting a campsite.
3) so far, so good !!. It's not optimal for wind resistance but ... really ...
4) if I ever discovered it was a real problem I'd probably mount an arc'ed deflector like they use when moving a house down the road (basically, a curved piece of PVC anchored on the ends to form an arc over the highest object on the roof).
5) of course, the "discovery" (above) would probably result in a new JACK purchase
BTW, in normal receiving mode, the pointy end is facing AWAY from the transmitter.
__________________
2005 Newmar Essex 4502, 2013 Caddy SRX
1997 HR Endeavor 37, CAT, 1996 Geo Tracker
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02-03-2014, 02:47 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Foley AL
Posts: 7,138
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Triker56
Trade it for a Bat Wing that hugs the roof when traveling.
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Not so much when you forget to retract it
__________________
2005 Newmar Essex 4502, 2013 Caddy SRX
1997 HR Endeavor 37, CAT, 1996 Geo Tracker
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02-03-2014, 02:50 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Foley AL
Posts: 7,138
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CountryFit
Good idea but the place is far away from both - right above bed room roof where the batwing was used to be
from another angle, close to anything higher than the antenna could create a potential blocking to the signal in the direction to towers. Isn't it?
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I found this to be a non-issue ... a slight relocation of the RV has always unblocked the antenna ... doesn't take much.
__________________
2005 Newmar Essex 4502, 2013 Caddy SRX
1997 HR Endeavor 37, CAT, 1996 Geo Tracker
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02-03-2014, 03:03 PM
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 8,777
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CountryFit
actually I did a stupid thing - half a year ago when I redid roof, I thought the batwing was obsolete so I took it out and put it into trash bin. had I known a lot of people are happily using it, I would have taken a different route
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CountryFit
To bad!
But, if you're anything like me, that isn't the first mistake you ever made, (nor will it be the last).
Many coach owners mount a Jack antenna head, (like this: King Controls JACK Antenna Off-Air Digital HDTV Replacement - $38.. ), onto the existing Winegard "crank up, rotating" hardware, (more height usually equals better reception).
They save $70, use the existing antenna amp and can rotate/aim the Jack antenna without moving the coach.
BTW, I added a Wingman: Winegard GS-WING Wingman Sensar TV Antenna Upgrade (GS-WING) from Solid Signal , to the batwing and replaced the amp with one of these: SensarPro TV Signal Strength Meter
Mel
'96 Safari
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02-03-2014, 05:31 PM
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#12
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Community Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Between the Oceans
Posts: 8,034
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bruceisla
Here's what I've done so far:
1) The Jack is in the same location as the old batwing. That location is on the rear driver's side between the gutter and the bedroom A/C. If your JACK is front mounted, you probably have a similar situation except for a sat. dome.
2) On my departure checklist I have a notion to rotate it so the "pointy end" is facing the gutter ... I have decided this is the best position to allow branches to be pushed aside when entering/exiting a campsite.
3) so far, so good !!. It's not optimal for wind resistance but ... really ...
4) if I ever discovered it was a real problem I'd probably mount an arc'ed deflector like they use when moving a house down the road (basically, a curved piece of PVC anchored on the ends to form an arc over the highest object on the roof).
5) of course, the "discovery" (above) would probably result in a new JACK purchase
BTW, in normal receiving mode, the pointy end is facing AWAY from the transmitter.
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All good points, Bruce. I appreciate it. Mine is at passenger side at 10 o'clock on a bird eye facing front, about 2 feet apart. Hopefully tree branches will not knock mine down
__________________
Steven & Polly
2000 Country Coach Intrigue 40' ISC 350
2018 Ford Explorer 4WD
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02-03-2014, 05:49 PM
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#13
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Community Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Between the Oceans
Posts: 8,034
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mel stuplich
CountryFit
To bad!
But, if you're anything like me, that isn't the first mistake you ever made, (nor will it be the last).
Many coach owners mount a Jack antenna head, (like this: King Controls JACK Antenna Off-Air Digital HDTV Replacement - $38.. ), onto the existing Winegard "crank up, rotating" hardware, (more height usually equals better reception).
They save $70, use the existing antenna amp and can rotate/aim the Jack antenna without moving the coach.
BTW, I added a Wingman: Winegard GS-WING Wingman Sensar TV Antenna Upgrade (GS-WING) from Solid Signal , to the batwing and replaced the amp with one of these: SensarPro TV Signal Strength Meter
Mel
'96 Safari
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I talked to winegard the other day. the tech explained to me the nice things about the sensar4. he confirmed the distance ratings for sensar and jack are the same, 65 miles. if I had the batwing, getting a sensar4 would have been a natural decision... unfortunately it's gone. btw, I grabbed this jack from an rv shop for $60, brand new. the white piece in the photo is the built-in signal finder... not too bad.
__________________
Steven & Polly
2000 Country Coach Intrigue 40' ISC 350
2018 Ford Explorer 4WD
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02-04-2014, 09:48 AM
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 8,777
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CountryFit
if I had the batwing, getting a sensar4 would have been a natural decision...
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CountryFit
I may be wrong, but IMO the Sensar IV is nothing more than an original batwing with a Wingman added.
I know that some have found the King Controls Jack antenna to be better than both the batwing and the Sensar IV.
BTW, I've added a Wingman to my 18 year old batwing, but I can't see any significant improvement of the already satisfactory TV reception.
Mel
'96 Safari
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