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10-27-2018, 09:29 AM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Yonkers NY
Posts: 62
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TV Antenna Question
HI, Being totally new to RVing, Can someone explain the use and potential performance I can expect of the antenna on the roof and what is needed to make it work (besides the tv 
Ken
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10-27-2018, 09:34 AM
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#2
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Kanadian Kamper
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Southern Ontario
Posts: 8,170
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It would help if you can provide some pictures or tell us what type of TV antennae you have. Some need to be raised....some are directional....some are fixed height and omni directional.
Also......whenever you’re using the antennae, you need to go through the setup of the TV itself every time you change location, AND.....the “booster” button needs to be pushed so it’s “on” usually indicated by a small light.
__________________
Ken and Terry
2018 Sunseeker 2430S-CD, nicely modified and carried by a 2017 Ford E450 Sport
Former Georgetown 330TS owner for 10 years with more mods than I can count, pushed by our 2017 GMC Terrain
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10-27-2018, 09:38 AM
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#3
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 4
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What antenna do you have? Also you have the built in booster with the green l.e.d? I have mixed success with mine depending on terrain and proximity to metropolitan areas but it always does better than I expected, up to 40 or more over-the-air stations and several are good ones. I use an app on my phone to determine where to point it before I search for channels, in my case the app is TV Towers and it is either free or a few bucks.
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10-27-2018, 09:38 AM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Yonkers NY
Posts: 62
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The antenna is a fixed round disc mounted just above the drivers seat area, about 8" off the roof and about 16" dia.
Ken
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10-27-2018, 09:40 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 527
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Hello Hetken1 and welcome to the RV adventure! I know everyone will ask, so I'll be the first, what RV do you have and what antenna do you have on it? Definitely need to have the booster turned on to get any over the air stations and depending on the antenna, you will need to turn it towards the local stations towers. If you are lucky, there will be several stations that you can receive where you are camping. Happy camping!
__________________
Tony & Brenda
2017 Ford F-250SD 6.7 Power Stroke
2018 Flagstaff 29KSWS
Happy Camping!
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10-27-2018, 09:47 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Richmond VA
Posts: 4,552
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Roof top, folding, TV antennas seem to be a near useless hold-over from 20 years ago when there was on-air broadcasting. Everything seems to be on cable or the Internet now. I recall testing my TV antenna mechanically years ago but have never used it. New campers seem festooned with televisions these days though. Something about televisions and external speakers on a camper I don't understand.
-- Chuck
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10-27-2018, 09:57 AM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Yonkers NY
Posts: 62
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Chuck, I agree re: outdoor speakers--
I watch internet tv (cnn,msnbc,prime,netflix) at bed time hehe
I have a feeling, just from the look of the antenna, it is from yesterday year and I would remove it from the roof if it is not cutting edge !
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10-27-2018, 01:07 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Hills of Northwestern PA
Posts: 2,319
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The antenna booster makes a huge difference. I have to scan for over the air stations at each new location. If near a large city with TV stations, you will get many channels. Each digital station has from 4 to 8 "sub-stations", listed with a -1,-2, etc.
I use a few phone apps to help determine where the station transmitters are and even what the show listings are. I've camped in some locations that should have gotten a few channels decently but did not and vice versa, much better than expected reception.
No Cable is the app for show listings.
Antenna Point gives you direction, distance, channel name and number of nearby stations.
If you have internet access, TV Fool is an website that also gives the same data as Antenna Point but in greater detail included signal strength at your location plus allows for elevation and antenna height.
I don't go camping to watch television but I like it with my first cup of coffee and at late night at bedtime, especially if the grandkids are with us.
__________________
2019 Cherokee Wolf Pup 16BHS flipped axle, 5K springs, 400AH LiFePO4, 3K inverter, 400 watts CIGS solar
2019 Ford F-150 S-Crew 5.5 bed V8 w/tow package, ITBC, Tow Mirrors, 3.55, SumoSprings, 7000# GVWR, 1990#CC
Husky Centerline TS WDH 400-600# spring bars
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10-27-2018, 01:33 PM
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#9
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Denver To Yuma In 90 Days
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Yuma, Arizona
Posts: 3,882
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Actually, many of today's RV OTA antennas are very good.
However, the OP said he had a stationary disk antenna...which are OK sometimes, but bad other times as they are too close to the roof and the signals are often blocked by the AC unit or vent covers.
That being said, in my side yard at my old house in Denver I could receive over 80 channels...FREE!
I prefer the antennas that can be raised, and replace the batwing that comes from the manufacturers (because they are cheap) and put a King/Jack replacement head on it!
Where I live now (Yuma, AZ) the broadcast signals come from 70 miles away, and my RV pulls in the same number of channels just as good as the antenna I have for my residence mounted on a high mast from the roof of my shed.
This is mine:
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10-27-2018, 02:46 PM
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#10
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
Posts: 33,780
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hetken1
The antenna is a fixed round disc mounted just above the drivers seat area, about 8" off the roof and about 16" dia.
Ken
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Well, from what ive seen, most fixed disc antennaes have poor performance, compared to movable ones.
Also, digital signals don't travel as far as the old analog signals.
The OP appears to have a Lexington MH, since they posted this thread in the Lexington sub-forum. Just scroll to the top of the page and you'll see that.
__________________
Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.) 
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
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10-27-2018, 02:55 PM
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#11
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Kanadian Kamper
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Southern Ontario
Posts: 8,170
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Hetken1.....
Did you run the scan program from the TV menu?
Is your booster button on?
Geographically.....where are you located.....name of a city we might recognize?
If you’re in the middle of nowhere......
Good luck.
__________________
Ken and Terry
2018 Sunseeker 2430S-CD, nicely modified and carried by a 2017 Ford E450 Sport
Former Georgetown 330TS owner for 10 years with more mods than I can count, pushed by our 2017 GMC Terrain
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10-31-2018, 11:30 AM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 14
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I believe we have the same antenna unit on our rigs. I have a 2004 Lexington 270. The antenna is a Winegard Roadstar. It is mounted to an aluminum tripod probably less than a foot above the roof over driver side. It is omni-directional (no pointing). In my rig to pick up “over the air” signals, I need to make sure the amplifier switch (a small button) is “on” (a small light will “light up” when engaged). I am not sure where this is located in your rig, but normally near the TV. This amplifier panel is the same size as a electric wall plug. Honestly, when I first saw it ... I said to myself...”this is an amplifier?”...but it is indeed. When I am connected to “cable”, I need to turn off the unit. Push the button again until the small lights goes off. Whichever way I am receiving my signal ( air or cable) I need to made sure the amplifier is set correctly (to either on or off), then I need to go into my TV menu and choose my signal “air” or “cable” and then scan for channels. I have been pleased with its performance. I am reluctant to change it out because it works pretty darn well
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10-31-2018, 12:14 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,651
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AlwaysTinkering: It is indeed not an amplifier. The amplifier is located within the antenna. The switch panel does turn on the 12 volts for the antenna amplifier and most times acts as a coax cable splitter.
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10-31-2018, 12:31 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 5,712
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My opinion ? the new "Omnidirectional".....suck. Sold our 2007 Jayco with the good ole..."Batwing" on the roof in 2017. Used it one weekend at a local CG before selling. 3 weeks later, we had our new 2018 Cherokee and went to same CG...same spot. The old Batwing gave us 12 channels, the Omnidirectional.... "2" that's all we could get...2 !!!
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10-31-2018, 02:08 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Longueuil QC Canada
Posts: 224
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From an other post you've made, I found that your RV is a 2005 Lexi.
Your present antenna is a fix omnidirectional type wich is good if your close to the emitting broadcaster tower.
What I've made, I replaced the one I had on my 2012 Lexi (fix omni ant) by a King Jack rotating; what a change!
Not that big job but need delicacy; when removing to protect wiring, when installing to do il right and watertight.
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