TV reception

[kdot]

While my wife and I enjoy getting out of town, we do miss receiving the news and weather on TV. The A122S does not come with an antenna. On a recent trip to Florida, a fellow camper put me on to the antenna he had installed on his camper that was pulling in a strong signal. When we returned home, I bought one from the Esky company on the internet and, this past weekend, tried it out while we were camped at Wisconsin's Bong Recreation area. The antenna worked beyond my expectations, pulling in over 30 stations. I mounted the antenna, an Esky HD antenna, model # HG981, on two PVC pipes, one of which slides inside the larger one, then slid the assembly through the roof lifting handle on the trailer, letting the bottom rest on the ground. I ran the antenna cord under the trailer and plugged it into the Cable outlet on the left side of the camper. Inside, we used a shorted piece of antenna wire to connect the television to the cable outlet on the front of the microwave cabinet. After a channel scan, we were in business! The antenna comes with a rotor, but it's easier to adjust the direction of the antenna by hand while my wife checks the reception inside the trailer. I will try to attach photos below to illustrate what we did.

Kent

[kdot]

Well, the photos didn't come through. If someone wants to tell me how to do that, I'll include them in another reply. Thanks.

Kent

[kdot]

Think I figured out how to attach photos to my thread above. Will try again below. Kent

[kdot]

Additional photos

[handbuilder]

That looks great! Will have to share with my spouse, he's on the search for a different antenna for his truck camper.

[kdot]

Good luck. Best part of it, the antenna only costs about $35, the PVC pipe next to nothing. BTW, the antenna can be had on Amazon.com also.

Kent

[Pooneil]

Nice setup. Thanks for the instructions, pics and links for your mod.

[handbuilder]

I am wondering if this is the antenna he has been talking about since he returned from Quartzsite last year...this year he left the tv at home. Thanks again for sharing this product!

[mzak]

Kdot,
What size pipe diameter are you using? I tried something similar to this about a week ago but could not get pipe through handles. I tried 1.5 inch and 1.25 inch schedule 40 pipe and neither would fit through and anything less would probably be to flimsy. My model year is 2012 and I wonder if handles are different on newer models. Also how do you store antenna without damaging it after taking it down for travel?

[kdot]

Mzak, basically, I just looked for two pipes that would nest, one sliding snugly inside the other. I used a ten foot long 1-1/4 OD for the larger, and a 12 inch long piece of 1 inch OD for the smaller. The only reason I used two different sized pipes is because the antenna bracket won't fit the 1-1/4 OD pipe, but it does fit the 1 inch nicely. I put the smaller piece of pipe in the top end of the larger pipe, then cut the larger pipe in the middle, putting a joint in the middle so that the two pieces will fit in the back of my F150 and make it easier to install on the trailer. Fully raised, it stands a little over 10 feet high. You could make it higher, if you wanted to, by installing a longer piece of the smaller pipe inside the end of the 10-footer, but I don't think it's really necessary.

As for transporting the antenna during travel, I'm still working on that! During our most recent trip, it rode on top of the dog kennel in the back seat, but I'll figure out a better way to transport it. I don't know if I explained this clearly; let me know if you need more info or pictures.

Kent

[mzak]

Thanks Kent!

[kdot]

Mzak, you're welcome. Just a thought, - I'm planning to move the antenna to another location because it interferes with the little shelf that hooks on the trailer next to the grill. Not sure yet where I'll put it, probably on the left side nearer to the cable plug-in. I may just mount a bracket on the side of the trailer, maybe somewhere on the edge of the roof up higher for stability, but not so high that I can't reach it. We'll see.

Kent

[61cubby]

Does this antenna fold in any way to make it easier to transport?

[kdot]

Yes, it does. At first, I didn't think it would fold, but turns out that two of the arms will pivot.

Kent