RV antennas

[LoLadTraveling]

We've been full-timing for 18 years and I'm fed up with trying to obtain tv channels over the air. Is there a good antenna product on the market that I could replace my crank up Winegard with?

[High5er]

We've been happy with the Winegard Air 360. It's omnidirectional, so no need to reposition the antenna and no need to crank it up. We've gotten channels from as far as 25-30 miles with it. Granted at that distance it wasn't perfect, but it wasn't bad either. At 10-15 miles away, we've had nothing but perfect results.

[Foldbak]

Agree Air 360

[Bourbon County]

Both King and Winegard each make a low profile (no crank) omnidirectional and a directional model. The directional models will have to be turned to best signal strength. The omnidirectional models are convenient but don't have the range of a directional model. Don't believe any manufacturer that claims to have a range of over 70-75 miles, at that distance the curvature of the earth becomes your enemy.

Since you do have the OEM Winegard which is directional, do you have it turned correctly? There are websites and phone apps that can assist in this, like antennaweb.org. Just type in your location and it will show you the available channels, compass direction, and distance to the transmitter. If you're near a town that has multiple TV stations, the actual transmitters are commonly located on the same tower.

Another option is amplification; I haven't installed it yet but Winegard makes a Sensar Pro Signal Meter. It has a visual and audible assist for aiming a directional antenna and a built in variable gain video amplifier up to 10 db. I also bought another variable gain video amplifier that can give up to another 20 db. Amplification will help with a weak signal but the more you amplify the more picture quality you lose.

Here are the devices I mentioned:

https://www.amazon.com/Winegard-RFL-...14&sr=8-3&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/CIMPLE-CO-Dis...zcF9tdGY&psc=1

[DutchmenSport]

Really .... the best antenna you'll ever have is your original Batwing antenna. Everything else, including the Wingard 360 cannot improve what the old Batwing can do, except maybe, making it more convenient so you don't have to crank the thing around.

99% depends on your television itself. If you are using an older television, there is probably your problem. Get a newer Smart TV, with internet connectivity and you'll be amazed how much better it will pull stations in you did not know even existed.

But the other 1% is the distance and what ever is blocking television signals (like mountains, building, and .... as stated above... even the curvature of the earth itself.

[Mikendebbie]

James with YouTube channel AZ RV Expert agrees with Dutch.
He says the old batwing is good even laying flat on the roof.

[duane909]

When we bought our Monty it had the Winegard Sensor III (crank up), that is probably what you have.
I left it up leaving a campground once, and you can guess what happened.
I replaced it with the Sensor IV version and on average get twice as many channels as before. But what every one else has said about cranking it up and pointing still apply.

~D

[twindman]

I don't think the old tv problem is lack of internet capability. I think it is old analog signals..
I think it is the fact old tv's can't handle the digital signals now used. Although I may be wrong on this, as I don't think the old tv's could get any modern transmitters. Oh well.
I do know i have the new omnidirectional antennae and it has a shorter range, but in Phoenix I get something like 50-70 channels. I think the bat wing got a few more out in the boonies with only a few channels tho.

[TennTom]

IP TV. I ditched the antennas a long time ago. My IP box is the Superbox S3 Pro. The 5's are out now. I travel with a T-Moble 5G modem which usually works better than the WiFi at the campsites.

[LoLadTraveling]

Thanks for the reply, but I'm not able to access antennaweb.org. Keep getting an error message. Is there something missing in the address?

[twindman]

I just cut the link you noted and it worked fine when I used it.

[Bourbon County]

All over the air TV broadcasts were required to be digital beginning in June, 2009. If that was the problem, I believe you would have noticed it long before now. If your TV tuner is analog, it would have to be over 15 years old. It still doesn't mean it's not a problem with your TV tuner, but don't believe digital is the problem.

I got antennaweb to open on my phone and laptop with no issues. There are several other websites for this purpose: otadtv.com tvfool.com gomohu.com, channelmaster.com fcc.gov. Might try one of those.

[LoLadTraveling]

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll check those sites out soon as we're stationary for awhile.