Community Forums

jettyjock · 12-06-2012, 06:48 AM

I can only get 3 channels from my antenna. Has anyone upgraded there's and did you get more channels?

John Hilley · 12-06-2012, 07:40 AM

Have you tried pointing your antenna in different directions? The digital signals are very directional. Try 90 degrees from where it's at and then another 90 degrees. Use the automatic scan for channels. Make sure the TV menu is set to Off Air and not cable.

mikf · 12-06-2012, 08:01 AM

have you checked to make sure your amplifier is working and on? did you used to get more stations? have you checked all connections inside the rv? I upgraded my winegard to a Jack antennae because I was getting poor reception. when I removed the winegard base from the roof there is a coaxial connection there that was corroded. I could see no sign of water leakage, so do not know why the corrosion. I am almost sure had I cleaned that up and put it back together it would have worked fine, but I already had the Jack so I went ahaed and put ir on. works fine, and I do not have to put it up and down, plus it has a signal strength meter to get the best picture. you can buy just the head and put it on your winegard mast and crank it up and down and turn it, but you do not get the signal meter. PLUS you do not get to inspect the connection under the base plate unless you take it off just to inspect and if you do that you may as well get the complete system. but if you want to keep your existing antennae I think it would be worth your time to inspect that conection.

daveshan · 12-06-2012, 08:20 AM

I didn't have room on the truck camper to add the Wingman to my Winegard bat wing antenna so I changed it out for a Jack Antenna. We're way out of town and I went from 2 to 4 channels so I upgraded the coach's antenna also. Very happy with them.

wa8yxm · 12-06-2012, 08:31 AM

My history.

Factory install Winegard Sensar II (Batwing, amplified)

At one park when the world went digital reception went...away

Upgrade 1: Wingman now I got a couple stations there fairly well

Upgrade 2: Sensar PRO. And reception was much improved.

It is important to aim, epically if you are a long way out, Aiming critical

TXiceman · 12-06-2012, 07:06 PM

happy with the Sensar IV

Ken

wildtoad · 12-06-2012, 08:14 PM

Upgraded from 12 year old batwing to a new Jack and reception was much improved. I would have gone with a new Batwing with the Wingman but would not fit where it is positioned on the roof.

If you are amongst a lot of trees, reception will be reduced.

wa8yxm · 12-07-2012, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TXiceman

happy with the Sensar IV

Ken

Ice.. that is basically my position too, I added both wingman and Sensar Pro to my Batwing II, if I read the spec sheets properly that makes it a Batwing IV.

I made a few other changes too internally.. Where as the original batwing ran through the box of many buttons, I bypassed it and feed the converters direct off the Sensar Pro device, Stronger signal = more stations.

KSCRUDE · 12-07-2012, 09:08 AM

I also added the wingman and it seems to help. At almost any of Wally's CGs I can get 15 to 40 channels. Out at remote lakes I still get 10 to 20 channels. You can only watch one. I may never use that in motion sat junk on the roof. Who wants to pay for trash TV anyway. Antenna is free and great. My amp is in the button box and feeds three TVs in the coach now, with another hookup in the basement which I don't use.

TXiceman · 12-07-2012, 09:15 AM

John, a while back we were parked next to a fellow with a Jack antenna and we could pick up several more station than he could off air. From every thing I see, the Sensar IV out performs the Jack.

Ken

okmunky · 12-09-2012, 08:59 AM

If you want to know which way to point your antenna go here

AntennaWeb - Home

then input the zip code.

wardy · 12-09-2012, 09:10 AM

One of our members pointed out an Android App: TV Antenna Helper. I loaded it on my phone and it's really helpful. Wherever you are parked just start the app and using your phones GPS and compass it will show you where the transmitters are. Saves time hunting down the the strongest signals. Just turn the batwing at about 90' and fine tune. I believe there is an Apple app of this as well.

wa8yxm · 12-09-2012, 02:28 PM

Thanks for the confirmation ICEman, I have read the papers. and from what I can see the Jack is SLIGHTLY better than the Sensar III (Batwing with wingman)

The Sensar IV (Sensar III with Sensar Pro) is better still..

For others, The Sensar Pro replaces the ever popular Wall Plate, if you have one, if not you will need to mount the thing (it preceeds to box of many buttons) It is a multi fucntion device.

1: Power to the mast head amplifier

2: Signal seeker Seeks out the strongest channel

3: Signal strength meter

4: Adjustable gain secondary pre-amp (This is a very good feature)

5: Source switch (Cable/ota antenna)

6: Splitter (Two outputs).

Since I run a pair of DVR's and only last month got my first ATST capable television (The DVR's are NTSC only) I run digital converters.. Two of them.

When I did the upgrade I bypassed the box of many buttons. Fed each converter directly.. The front converter goes to the BOMB (AUX in) and then to the DVR (on the VCR out) back to the BOMB (VCR IN) and out to the TVs (1 and 3)

The other goes to a splitter and from there to DVR-2 (Bedroom) and TV 2 via a switch, the switch lets the ATSC/NTSC New tv choose to be TV-3 or "OTA" (TV-3 is the output of the DVR up front)

Rear DVR can choose to be TV-2 (Via the switch up front) or... Well the Converter feeeds LINE-1 input. Harder to describe than to operate I can tell you.. Was fun setting it all up,, Wish I still had DVR-3 some days.. but the New TV has a PAUSE feature,