Ever drive off with the antenna up?

[Steeljag]

Have been lucky and have not forgotten......yet ! We always do a walk around prior to leaving ( both of us ) to double check everything!

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by steeljag

Have been lucky and have not forgotten......yet ! We always do a walk around prior to leaving ( both of us ) to double check everything!

Right up until some helpful neighbor interupts your routine while breaking camp.

[Signguy71]

First 2 miles with the new FW on the first trip. We now have big red letters in the cabinet where all the switches and controls are at that read "antenna down?".

[MCTroy]

We didn't leave the antenna up but still managed to tear it off. Pulling into our seasonal site with the new WJ for the first time, we were a little nervous because it was bigger than our previous trailer. And yes, we were a little puffed up with other in our new rig. I wasn't looking up and DH caught the antenna on a power line! Antenna pulled off but fortunately the power line was ok!

[Las Cruces]

Yes I did it once, not expensive but embarrassing! For years with every unit I've owned has had a label over the switch for the slid out asking "is the antenna down?" It's worked for me.

[Wolverine 1945]

Originally Posted by klspahr

With my memory not what it was, I always feared driving off with the tv antenna up. I managed to do that this year and busted the plastic gear. It was not expensive or hard to fix. Embarrassing for sure.

After many months of heavy thinking I came up with a cheap and effective solution:

Hang my keys on the crank handle when I put it up. When I need my keys crank it down.

Great Idea !!!
I have a large yellow foam key chain,,, maybe made for boat keys ???
that we are going to use !!!

[Bangback]

I've noticed that on a many of the newer travel trailers, the antenna no longer cranks up. To me, this kind of makes sense. Other than the A/C unit on the roof, what is a crankable 3 or 4 foot extension going to give you for line of sight reception improvement? It probably won't get you above the tree line. On my '16 Freedom Express, the antenna seems far enough away from the A/C unit where shadowing shouldn't really be an issue. The big plus is I don't have to worry about retracting it before I drive off.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by Semperfi24

Am I the only one that is thinking in my mind to departing day, and the inevitable, "where the f$#k did I put the keys...? hahahaha

Your not the only one I bought those things called tiles that I can ring from my smart phone, works great will even give you the GPS location last recorded incase you leave something, like my wife's purse or anything you have it attached to. Also if you misplace your phone you can use any tile to find it...

[Forbes]

There are those who have....and those who will.

[emm-dee]

Originally Posted by Bangback

I've noticed that on a many of the newer travel trailers, the antenna no longer cranks up. To me, this kind of makes sense. Other than the A/C unit on the roof, what is a crankable 3 or 4 foot extension going to give you for line of sight reception improvement? It probably won't get you above the tree line. On my '16 Freedom Express, the antenna seems far enough away from the A/C unit where shadowing shouldn't really be an issue. The big plus is I don't have to worry about retracting it before I drive off.

Those antennas are nice since you won't forget. Only problem is the ones used by FR are pure junk when it comes time to actually use them.

[Jim in Halifax]

Yup!!!!! I did so!!!!! Left CG in april on way home from Fl......saw first overpass coming and said ""OH NO"" and looked back and saw many pieces of plastic and metal flying thru the air No damage to roof Cheaper to buy a whole unit ass'y...Now I hang a piece of red survey ribbon from handle when I put it up.....J

[Wolverine 1945]

Originally Posted by Jim in Halifax

Yup!!!!! I did so!!!!! Left CG in april on way home from Fl......saw first overpass coming and said ""OH NO"" and looked back and saw many pieces of plastic and metal flying thru the air No damage to roof Cheaper to buy a whole unit ass'y...Now I hang a piece of red survey ribbon from handle when I put it up.....J

Glad I was not following you on a Motorcycle !!!

[RLHAMILTON]

Yep, I've done it. Makes you feel stupid, after all the conversation about it. Good idea with the keys.

[Brother Les]

Spent a week traveling to/around Colorado. Went with a couple of in-laws and their campers. My brother-in law had put his 'dish' on top of his camper for the week. We were to pull out early one morning so we all hooked up to the trucks the night before. As each family climbed into their trucks to pull out inline, I noticed by brother-in-laws dish still on top of his camper. I got out and walked over and leaned in to his truck and asked him if he was ready to go. He said he was. I said, "can I pull out in front of you, because I don't want your dish to come close to hitting my truck when we leave..." ..... we were on the road a few minutes later after he had put his dish away.

[ernest917]

I hang my ignition keys from the crank handle.... When I retrieve them I'm reminded to lower the antenna.... Worked for years now....


Sent from my iPad using Forest River Forums