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10-11-2018, 05:40 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 10
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King Jack Antenna problems
I have a 2017 FR3 28DS with the King Jack roof mount Antenna. I have a lot of problems receiving local TV stations over the air. I have the cheep TV Free Way antenna and I can receive more TV channels on the TV Free Way antenna than the high in $$ Roof mount King Jack Antenna. Any suggestion?
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10-11-2018, 05:45 PM
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#2
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Kanadian Kamper
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Southern Ontario
Posts: 8,164
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I don’t understand your question.
Is the Free Way antennae a separately connected unit to the television?
If it gets better reception that the King Jack, I guess you know which one works best. Did you have the amplifier turned on for the King Jack?
__________________
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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10-11-2018, 06:54 PM
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#3
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 10
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King Jack Antenna problems
The Free Way antenna. Is a portable antenna I attached to the TV after I disconnected the King Jack antenna to check the TV signal. I can receive more channels on the Free Way antenna. I should receive the same amount or more channels on the roof mount King Jack antenna. And yes I have the amplifier turned on.
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10-11-2018, 07:48 PM
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#4
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 19
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This may be a redundant question, but just to be sure, you had both the king jack antenna turned on, as well as the small amplifier button pressed behind the tv, that turns the green light on?
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10-11-2018, 08:08 PM
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#5
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Just as confused as you
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: south central Wisconsin
Posts: 5,108
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GABulldawg
This may be a redundant question, but just to be sure, you had both the king jack antenna turned on, as well as the small amplifier button pressed behind the tv, that turns the green light on?
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The King Jack antenna works the same as a Winegard antenna. The amplifier is built into the antenna head on the roof. The button you are talking about is the power injector and OTA/cable selector.
The complete King Jack antenna that FR installs has the power injector built into the ceiling mounted controls.
The King Jack antenna head you can buy to replace a Winegard antenna will use the original Winegard power injector.
__________________
Richard & Jill
2014 Flagstaff 832IKBS Classic Super Lite
2018 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab Z71 4WD All Star Edition
Camping since 1989, Seasonal since 2000.
Car Shredder Op/Tech, Scrap Metal Recycling - retired
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10-13-2018, 09:40 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: SouthWest Michigan
Posts: 5,977
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Nothing works better that an old style antenna !!!
People have been trying to invent some type of super style antenna for years !!!
Haven't seen one yet that is worth a damm !!!
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10-13-2018, 01:57 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,363
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If I had my choice I would go with an omnidirectional antenna. I have found they typically do better than directional antennas. Just the nature of the beast.
__________________
2016 Forester GTS 2801QSF 
2011 Jeep JK Toad
Habitual RV Modifier
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10-13-2018, 03:06 PM
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#8
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Just as confused as you
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: south central Wisconsin
Posts: 5,108
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wolverine 1945
Nothing works better that an old style antenna !!!
People have been trying to invent some type of super style antenna for years !!!
Haven't seen one yet that is worth a damm !!!
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Even in some areas the large old style antennas needed a signal amplifier. Also, the antennas wouldn't fair well traveling around on top of a RV.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sgtlm17
If I had my choice I would go with an omnidirectional antenna. I have found they typically do better than directional antennas. Just the nature of the beast.
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It's funny you say that when the people who have RV's with omnidirectional antennas say they have very poor reception and they even have an amplifier.
Even the old style antennas were directional. That's why many people put rotors on them so they could be pointed towards the stations transmitter towers.
The problem with the tv reception now is that being digital the signals are prone to blockage from trees, hills, mountains and buildings whereas the old analog signals would penetrate trees and many buildings. Another option would be to get the antenna as high as possible.
__________________
Richard & Jill
2014 Flagstaff 832IKBS Classic Super Lite
2018 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab Z71 4WD All Star Edition
Camping since 1989, Seasonal since 2000.
Car Shredder Op/Tech, Scrap Metal Recycling - retired
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10-13-2018, 03:52 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: ALASKA (World's Biggest Campground)
Posts: 6,706
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I have heard this complaint before, from two of my neighbors. One has a 5er, the other has a TT, both equipped with the King Jack. Their OTA reception is abysmal. Both have tried a test coax going straight from the King jack to the TV to see if is in the wiring. Both still have fuzzy reception and pixilation compared to my batwing. They both decided to get some batwings off of ebay.
__________________
'07 K3500 Silverado LT Crew Duramax (LBZ)
2016 Salem 27RKSS
1984 CHEV SCOTTSDALE K20 2GCGK24J0E1XXXXXX (Chevrolet Legends-Class of 2019)
"...exhaust fluid? We don't need no stinkin' exhaust fluid"
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10-13-2018, 05:49 PM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 10
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Thank you to all for the feed back on my antenna issue. My FR3 has three TV’s and the roof mount is for all three TV’s. I have a TV that I had before I bought my FR3. The TV Free Way antenna works great on TV four. I tried the Free Way antenna on the TV’s that came installed with the FR3 and the results were all the same. The Free Way antenna did not inprove the reception. I may have a problem with the TV’s that came with my FR3 is that is possible. Welcome to RV life! It’s always something!!
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10-13-2018, 09:32 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: SO CAL
Posts: 495
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BruceFR3
Thank you to all for the feed back on my antenna issue. My FR3 has three TV’s and the roof mount is for all three TV’s. I have a TV that I had before I bought my FR3. The TV Free Way antenna works great on TV four. I tried the Free Way antenna on the TV’s that came installed with the FR3 and the results were all the same. The Free Way antenna did not inprove the reception. I may have a problem with the TV’s that came with my FR3 is that is possible. Welcome to RV life! It’s always something!!
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I get different channels on all 3 tvs when I scan for over the air using the roof antenna and booster on my 2015 30DS.
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10-14-2018, 08:56 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: SouthWest Michigan
Posts: 5,977
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scrapper
Even in some areas the large old style antennas needed a signal amplifier. Also, the antennas wouldn't fair well traveling around on top of a RV.
It's funny you say that when the people who have RV's with omnidirectional antennas say they have very poor reception and they even have an amplifier.
Even the old style antennas were directional. That's why many people put rotors on them so they could be pointed towards the stations transmitter towers.
The problem with the tv reception now is that being digital the signals are prone to blockage from trees, hills, mountains and buildings whereas the old analog signals would penetrate trees and many buildings. Another option would be to get the antenna as high as possible.
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I am glad we have the old crank up with a booster in our MH,,,
It ain't great,,, but maybe the best thing going ???
I added the UHF add on a month or so ago,,,
Got 20 more channels,,, most from IN !!!
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10-14-2018, 09:14 AM
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#13
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Denver To Yuma In 90 Days
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Yuma, Arizona
Posts: 3,882
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The problem with the new fangled omni antennas is that they are low to the roof and typically mounted right next to the roof-mounted AC units or other roof-mounted things, which cause signal blockage and possibly static interference from the AC.
Everyone that I know that has the omni's hates them and wishes for their old batwings! 
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02-03-2019, 06:00 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 206
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Our reception with the king jack antennae is marginal at best. We too got better reception and more channels with the old bat wing we had in our class C.
Have any of yall switched the king jack back to the bat wing, yet? If yes, did you have to do anything with the amplifier, or just use the one that came with the king jack?
__________________
OldGunny
2016 FR3 30ds
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02-03-2019, 07:05 PM
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#15
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Canadian Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Eastern GTA, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,235
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The KING Jack antenna on our new Rockwood 5er is direction and can be aimed. We’ll see in the Spring how well it works compared to the Winegard Sensar with the Wingman add-on we had on the TT.
__________________
2023 Rockwood Signature 8262RBS
2016 Ford F-250 XLT SuperCrew, 6.2L, 4x4, 6'9" bed
2019 Rockwood Signature 8290BS (2019 - 2022)
2011 Rockwood Signature 8293SS (2015 - 2018)
2010 Rockwood Roo 23SS (2012 - 2014)
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02-03-2019, 11:41 PM
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#16
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Denver To Yuma In 90 Days
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Yuma, Arizona
Posts: 3,882
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OldGunny
Our reception with the king jack antennae is marginal at best. We too got better reception and more channels with the old bat wing we had in our class C.
Have any of yall switched the king jack back to the bat wing, yet? If yes, did you have to do anything with the amplifier, or just use the one that came with the king jack?
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You must not have it hooked up right or not aimed correctly.
I've had mine on two different RV's and it blew the batwing away on both...
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06-23-2020, 08:46 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Chicago, Rochester now GA/SC at Lake Hartwell
Posts: 197
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We're on our 4th RV. First three had the BATWING. No problems with TV's. New Sandpiper has King Jack. We're 20 miles south of Rochester, NY and can't get two stations out of three. Highly frustrated. Paid Wilkins RV to come out and install new Sensar IV. What a difference. The BATWING is five times larger surface area than the King Jack. We don't even have to aim the antenna to get Syracuse (70 miles east) and Batavia (50 miles west) with 50 percent signal. The difference between a large high quality antenna and a straight wire. The conversion is well worth the investment.
__________________
2019 Sandpiper 379FLOK, F350 Lariat 6.7 DRW, KN4YBP APRS, NRA Benefactors.
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06-27-2020, 08:30 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Chicago, Rochester now GA/SC at Lake Hartwell
Posts: 197
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Bigger net captures bigger fish
__________________
2019 Sandpiper 379FLOK, F350 Lariat 6.7 DRW, KN4YBP APRS, NRA Benefactors.
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06-28-2020, 10:01 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Chicago, Rochester now GA/SC at Lake Hartwell
Posts: 197
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Inside the King Jack
__________________
2019 Sandpiper 379FLOK, F350 Lariat 6.7 DRW, KN4YBP APRS, NRA Benefactors.
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06-28-2020, 10:42 AM
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#20
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Just as confused as you
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: south central Wisconsin
Posts: 5,108
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dwhit
Inside the King Jack
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They sure don't look like much.
__________________
Richard & Jill
2014 Flagstaff 832IKBS Classic Super Lite
2018 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab Z71 4WD All Star Edition
Camping since 1989, Seasonal since 2000.
Car Shredder Op/Tech, Scrap Metal Recycling - retired
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