What year did HD tv antennas start being installed?

[JPin AZ]

I just bought a 2011 Roo 23SS and I am wondering if the antenna is HD. If not what suggestions do you have to get TV over the air?

[MR.M]

Originally Posted by JPin AZ

I just bought a 2011 Roo 23SS and I am wondering if the antenna is HD. If not what suggestions do you have to get TV over the air?

It's not the antenna but the

tv . the older TV's needed a box for the digital channels .

[Paulie1138]

There is no difference in the antennas. Do not let anybody fool you. Television signals are RF, or radio frequency. You still have UHF and VHF signals that your TV tuner receives.

The difference is that they went from analog type transmission to digital. This allows them to pack in more channels per old type channel. This is where you get your 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, etc. Some sets show it as 3-1, 3-2, you get the idea.

With digital, typical transmissions are a lot clearer. Typically, you either get a signal or you don’t. When on the edge of the signal, you get the freezing and glitchy reception. Typically, you do not get snow anymore, well, maybe ON the antenna....LOL.

Hope this helps. There is more to this, but this is the basics. You do not need a special antenna. If you are far from the stations, then, use a beam type antenna. Most RV’s have them-you have to point it towards the stations. Then again, some work better than others. I added the small clip-on for my “batwing” and it helps a lot to pull in the higher channels.

[NJKris]

There is no such thing as an “HD” antenna or “digital” antenna—the format of the signals being received doesn’t matter—and take those “miles” range claims in the product specifications with a grain of salt. No manufacturer can guarantee their antenna will pull in a signal from a given number of miles because too much depends on local topology, signal strength, interference, and other factors unique to your location.

Antennae are generally VHF or UHF, or combination. They are both capable of receiving digital OTA (over the air) signals. VHF channels 2-13, and UHF anything higher.

[NJKris]

Paulie, you beat me to it, lol.

[aeblank]

Yes. This whole HD antenna is a sham. It's all UHF (except the occasional station that gets a variance) now, so the same frequencies as the old 14-83. What's being broadcast is different, but the waves that carry it are the same.

[aeblank]

To all, VHF bands are no longer used for tv. The govt sold those bands for big money. Though some stations got variances to continue using those frequencies (one near me did, that's why I know). HD is broadcast on what used to be the UHF bands.

So while the VHF portion of your antenna will still pull in UHF signal, generally you only need the UHF portion. It's the V looking part of an old long range antenna.

Just saying.....

But again, there is no special antenna for HD.

[brucemc]

Read up on it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UHF_te...n_broadcasting


Actually, there is a difference. It's not "digital" vs "analog", as the antenna still receives analog signals. "Analog" antennas are designed to receive 2-6 - low VHF, 7-13 - high VHF, and 14-83. At the transition to "digital" (which means the analog carrier is carrying the digital signals) all VHF channels were no longer used to transmit television signals. It wasn't long after the transition for some channels to move back to the high VHF - 7-13 channels.


Therefore, the same antenna that worked before the transition works fine after, except the elements designed to receive 2-6 no longer are used. A current antenna is tuned to receive high VHF and UHF. As most of the channels were on the VHF bands before the transition, most antennas of the day were optimized for those channels. Now that most of the transmission is on the UHF bands, the newer antennas are optimized for these bands.


Pics:
The great converter coupon give away:





Pure UHF antenna: (first stage of the transition)





High VHF/UHF antenna - note the vast majority is the Yagi elements:





As our property is rural, and I refuse to pay someone to receive the same TV I normally watch that is broadcast OTA (Over The Air), I've been over this ground...


To be RV Specific - if you have a unit that is older than about 2008, your antenna is designed for low & high VHF and UHF, but is not optimized for UHF. You can purchase a device that enhances the UHF section. After about that date, the antennas were optimized for high VHF and UHF.


Hope that helps!

[NJKris]

I refuse to watch 'TV' period, lol. Cut my cable 3 years ago (well almost, I still get cable internet). Best thing I ever did. For awhile, i did get OTA using a yagi rooftop antenna, but now I don't even bother. If I can't stream it on Netflix or Prime, commercial free, it's not worth watching.

[Jay2504]

Around here at least, the local channels kept their same numbers from the old days. That was done for brand loyalty I think. But in reality, they are all UHF channels now. The higher the frequency, the shorter the antenna elements are. My unit came with the “Batwing”. I added the “wingman” and it helped bring in a lot more channels BUT it made the antenna a lot more directional. If the OP has a Batwing, he should get the wingman. Just my experience. Jay

[aeblank]

I got a wingman, and haven't cranked up the antenna since I got it. I bring shows from the DVR at home.....

[JPin AZ]

Thanks for the replies. I figured out the TV and did a scan. 61 HD channels! I am using the common RV antenna. I can not figure out how to add photos, I am guessing it is because I am a newbie

[bedubya]

Originally Posted by JPin AZ

I just bought a 2011 Roo 23SS and I am wondering if the antenna is HD. If not what suggestions do you have to get TV over the air?

Even the old "Rabbit Ears" are HD antennas. It's the TV tuner, not yhe antenna. However older RV's might not have an amplifier in the antenna circuit. The amplifier doesn't make it HD. It does pull the signal from greater distance.

[Paulie1138]

Tried to keep it simple without getting into all the specifics of transmissions, and I will keep it so. Almost all antennas made since about the 60’s included both VHF and UHF. Now, most of the channels use just the higher VHF and UHF frequencies. The lower VHF is no longer used, so not needed. Newer antennas, simply do not include the longest parts for the lower VHF frequencies. As the frequency goes higher, 2 things happen. The signal becomes difficult to transmit longer distances, and the shorter the elements of the antenna become. If you make the antenna directional to compensate the loss, the reception becomes higher in only the direction of the antenna. The distances you see listed for those antennas, while optimistic at best, are under ideal conditions. It is only a guideline when comparing different antennas. However, you will be hard pressed to verify if they are using the same testing standards.

Part of the “digital” revolution, is the broadcasters must stay within their bandwidth allocation. Some had to change their broadcast frequency as part of that shuffle. That said, those allocations have become much more defined. Furthermore, you can put a whole lot more information within that bandwidth using digital. When it was all analog, it took that whole bandwidth allocation to send just one channel. With the switch to digital, you get all those extra channels and information. Your tuner has a whole lot of electronics to decode all that information.

[NJKris]

JP, to add a pic, hit 'go advanced' instead of 'post quick reply', then scroll down to 'manage attachments', where you will be able to add pics.

[fishinpole]

Regarding the newer OTA digital TV channels, frequencies are still being changed. The schedule is posted so you can find out if any channels in your area are going to change soon. Some channels may disappear because they'ed changed frequency. If you have a newer TV, just re-scan occasionally and the TV will find the channels again.
In our area (Southern CA) the channel 30's disappeared on 20 DEC 18.
Re-scan and TV found them again.
This is at home, not at a remote campsite. We are lucky at home. Most all TV transmit antennas are on MT Wilson (one location, no need to re-point antenna)) and recent scan found 155 HD channels and 1 Analog channel.
Have simple UHF antenna 5 feet above of home.
Also note that change to HD digital was for high power stations only. In Ghost Town campground (near Barstow CA) scan with digital got 4 channels. Old analog scan got 18 channels. These low power analog still service some towns in the boonies!!!!

[JohnD10]

I took the batwing off of my RV and put the King/Jack batwing replacement head on the same arm ($50 at Camping World or other RV parts store) and it blows the batwing away!

Best $50 bucks I've ever spent on any RV over the years...

[JPin AZ]

This is what I am using

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by fishinpole

Regarding the newer OTA digital TV channels, frequencies are still being changed. The schedule is posted so you can find out if any channels in your area are going to change soon. Some channels may disappear because they'ed changed frequency. If you have a newer TV, just re-scan occasionally and the TV will find the channels again.
In our area (Southern CA) the channel 30's disappeared on 20 DEC 18.
Re-scan and TV found them again.
This is at home, not at a remote campsite. We are lucky at home. Most all TV transmit antennas are on MT Wilson (one location, no need to re-point antenna)) and recent scan found 155 HD channels and 1 Analog channel.
Have simple UHF antenna 5 feet above of home.
Also note that change to HD digital was for high power stations only. In Ghost Town campground (near Barstow CA) scan with digital got 4 channels. Old analog scan got 18 channels. These low power analog still service some towns in the boonies!!!!

Maybe it's the ghost's of Calico.

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by JPin AZ

This is what I am using

That is the batwing...

Replace it with the King/Jack in my photo above and you'll be a much happier camper!

It is only about $20 more that the Wingman mentioned above, yet 100 times better!