Adding Wingman to my antenna

[mark0224]

Originally Posted by dcogs15

I also had interference with the Wingman in the down position. I posted the solution I used on our RV in April, 2013 under "Reverse Wingman installation".

Still wouldn't work would hang over the side then could catch on something. Anyway already ordered the other.

[Freds342]

Originally Posted by raoulwv

That's kinda what I'm thinking too. Have you tested both? Since the Jack replacement head is under $40 right now, I'm thinking of buying it just to do an A-B comparison. If nothing else, I'll have a backup antenna.

SCVJeff is a Broadcast Engineer, and has access to a 75-Ohm Spectrum Analyzer.

He tested both, and the Winegard won hands down in all catagories, but it really shined in the VHF arena.

You can search for his comparison at RV.net in the Technology Corner threads.

It has been hashed and re-hashed over there.

[Kuba]

Wingman and "the bat" has bigger driving elements. They are the same design concept, a yagi type. Jack would also have less gain because its encased in plastic.
Wingman can be made of coat hangers for seasonal campers, just add more elements to make it more sensitive to fringe signals, but would make it more directional. More "ribs" added to the design, more distant stations could be received. 20$ ebay "HD yagi antenna" will outperform the wingman 10 times. Again, for seasonal campers.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by mark0224

Ordered the Jack antenna will be here tomorrow hope its as good as you all say. I know it can't be any worse than the batwing i have on this trailer.

If you put your jack on you will get atleast 3x's the stations. Also the range is further. You will need to point the flat end to the tower for reception. I use to get 3 stations with my old wingman in my driveway, now I get like 12 or 15. The distance to the tower is about 112 miles away in Roanoke Va. and I live in Clarksville Va. I get NBC,ABC,CBS and Fox and also a bunch of garbage to. I will not go back to my old batman winegard. I was told by the Rockwood Rep. at the plant that they are looking into installing all jacks on new units. Where ever I camp people always ask how many stations am I pulling in and it is always double of there's and they get sold on it immediately. I had a wingman on my old trailer but could not use 1 on the rockwood due to it hung over the side. I have a big empty roof and they choose to place it on the edge 6" in. So I had to go with the jack, and now I'm very happy with it.

[mark0224]

My old trailers wingman worked great but when I looked at this newer one it didn't look as well built or nearly as heavy. With the old one I could get 25 to 30 channels out of our driveway getting channels as far away as 70 miles but this one 10 miles is a struggle. Will see this weekend when I get to install the Jack. I may be just wasting time and money but some learn from mistakes if it doesn't work will be looking a new amplifier. As is everything appears to be ok on that.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by mark0224

My old trailers wingman worked great but when I looked at this newer one it didn't look as well built or nearly as heavy. With the old one I could get 25 to 30 channels out of our driveway getting channels as far away as 70 miles but this one 10 miles is a struggle. Will see this weekend when I get to install the Jack. I may be just wasting time and money but some learn from mistakes if it doesn't work will be looking a new amplifier. As is everything appears to be ok on that.

I think you will be very happy, shoot me a pm when you get it installed, should take about 10 mins....

[mark0224]

Got the Jack antenna delivered today will have to wait till tomorrow to see how it works as it is raining today. It came with an amplifier so if the one in the trailer is bad I'm covered there to check if it still doesn't work.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by mark0224

Got the Jack antenna delivered today will have to wait till tomorrow to see how it works as it is raining today. It came with an amplifier so if the one in the trailer is bad I'm covered there to check if it still doesn't work.

That's great, got 5" of rain here yesterday. Let me know how it works as I said I'm pushing FR to install them.....

[Freds342]

IF one lives in an area where the preponderance of stations are broadcast on UHF Channels, the Jack will work fairly well. The Jack is totally inferior to the "REAL" Winegard with the Wingman. It's simple physics.

You need more antenna to receive the VHF channels than the Jack can handle.

I'm very happy for the people who get more channels than they did before, but did they really troubleshoot, or did they 'Easter Egg" the problem, and replace a perfectly good antenna due to a bad, or loose, connection?

I spent 30 years of my life trying to make small, stealthy, antennae with gain.

It doesn't happen without major losses in signal that cannot be made up for with amplifiers. You can't take a poor signal and make it better with an amplifier that also adds noise to the signal.

I'm signing out of this discussion with disgust.

But: Forest River is right if they stay with the crank-up vs. the omni radome. The Jack is fine if you live in an all UHF area.

I don't!

But I had many successes in my career, including many of the systems used on satellites, stealth aircraft, and military drones.

[mark0224]

Took my Batwing off today and installed the Jack antenna, before couldn't get even get local channels , now picking up channels 75 miles away. I don't think it was the antenna alone because when I took it off it was full of water, can't see where it's broke anywhere but water got in it some how. Going to replace roof top cable also just because it's covering looks like it's going to crack soon, i usually replace them about every 5 yrs just because they have no protection from weather.

[Weezer]

Originally Posted by Weezer

Are ya sure yours is on the way? I just got an email that mine's on backorder until June 10th. ppppfffffftttttt

Oh well, we still have satellite.

Good grief Charlie Brown.....in spite of the email informing me my antenna was backordered to June 10th, it...correction... THEY arrived today.

CW duplicated my order. So I have TWO of the Jack King antennas.

I may have a buy locally for the 2nd one, but if not I may just offer it for sale here for less than I paid for it, just to keep from having to take it over to FedEx (MILES away) to ship it back. I can ship it USPS and it's only 10 minutes away.

[Kuba]

Weezer, i got my wingman last week on Thr. Put it up same day in the evening. Made a difference. My channels are not weather dependant now. Same day i found out i have a cable on site, so i took out my drill and installed one of those "park cable" connections.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by Freds342

IF one lives in an area where the preponderance of stations are broadcast on UHF Channels, the Jack will work fairly well. The Jack is totally inferior to the "REAL" Winegard with the Wingman. It's simple physics.

You need more antenna to receive the VHF channels than the Jack can handle.

I'm very happy for the people who get more channels than they did before, but did they really troubleshoot, or did they 'Easter Egg" the problem, and replace a perfectly good antenna due to a bad, or loose, connection?

I spent 30 years of my life trying to make small, stealthy, antennae with gain.

It doesn't happen without major losses in signal that cannot be made up for with amplifiers. You can't take a poor signal and make it better with an amplifier that also adds noise to the signal.

I'm signing out of this discussion with disgust.

But: Forest River is right if they stay with the crank-up vs. the omni radome. The Jack is fine if you live in an all UHF area.

I don't!

But I had many successes in my career, including many of the systems used on satellites, stealth aircraft, and military drones.

Fred I did not Easter Egg Hunt. I had sensar ant, with other trailers. I always got pour reception. When Winegard came out with the wingman attachment it really helped same concept I'm also a lic. Ham operator. I understand antennas. I could not use a wingman because it hung over the side of my unit. So I went with Jack and was very surprised at the reception that it will pull in. To me it is much better quality of reception without lost signals or weak signals showing all the time. What works for some will not work for everyone...