External Antenna

[IchLiebeBier]

I like to tinker, so I was thinking of trying to use an external antenna instead of the one I have on the trailer (winegard rayzar I think) for those campgrounds with no cable. I was thinking of using something like this either on a pole or attached to the top of the ladder:

https://www.amazon.com/WA-2608-Amplified-Mounting-Wireless-Rotation/dp/B0748KYTZN

So 2 questions to anyone who’s tried it:

1. Would I get any better reception distance to be worth it?
2. Would the internal trailer cabling support the power for the auto rotation?

Thanks.

 

[Iowa Frogfarmer]

I have that antenna, or a twin to it, and it works fine. It pulls in the stations fairly well. Our favorite camping spot is 70 miles from our home tv station towers and it pulls in the signal 90% of the time. No need to worry about the power to it. The coax in the camper can handle it.

Now the bad news: 1. It's cheap. The plastic on that hold the front elements crack and break easily. I have had to epoxy over wire to repair them.

2. You have NO idea which direction it is pointing unless you have someone outside to tell you. I use https://www.antennasdirect.com/transmitter-locator.html to find which direction to point it for the most stations. I will cheat and use a compass to preset so it is pointed to the most towers when I put it up.

3. When you press either the rotate button on the power box or on the little remote ( that has a range of about 8 feet) you will have NO idea which way the darn thing is going to turn. One time to the right, next time to the left..or the right again.

Since you are going to use it on your rv there is no sense in buying the antenna with all that home mounting stuff. Look again on Amazon and you will find the same unit, minus the house mounting hardware for under $40.

 

[fella10]

1. Would I get any better reception distance to be worth it?
2. Would the internal trailer cabling support the power for the auto rotation?

Thanks.

I have a very similar style of antenna($25), works great six years, it's my opinion that height of the antenna is critical, ... I mounted it on a 24ft painters pole from Lowes($40, yep the pole cost more than the antenna), it's 8ft long w/two extensions, ... I would extend the pole out to 16-17ft, then sitting on the Micro Lite bumper would give great reception over the trailer antenna, ... at same campground same site, trailer antenna would get 3-4 weak channels, new antenna gets 37-52 depending on time of day and weather, ... there were times when a certain channel might have a little static and I would just pass it off as weather conditions, but then one time the static was much worse than ever before and wouldn't clear up for long, being aggravated by that I went out and extended the antenna another 2ft, came back inside and the improvement was amazing, ... height is important, now it's always 20-21ft, ... I didn't change nor did I continue to use any of my original antenna system, I bring the new cable into the trailer thru the propane hatch cover, pics show how I mount the pole to the ladder, .... I use Antenna Point App to know what direction to point the antenna, ...

 

[IchLiebeBier]

Thanks guys. Good info.

Fellla10, where did you find those clips that hold the pole to the ladder?

 

[fella10]

Thanks guys. Good info.

Fellla10, where did you find those clips that hold the pole to the ladder?

local True Value Hardware, but Amazon has them also, ...

 

[IchLiebeBier]

I ordered all the parts and an antenna on sale from wally world. I happened to have a painter’s pole that was left in my old house and I’ve never used.

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[elvisAZ]

I am trying to make out from your pic what parts you used. I see the spring clamps, but what are the other clamps that attach the spring clamp to the ladder? This looks like a great system!! Exactly what I want for my cellphone extension pole!

 

[fella10]

I am trying to make out from your pic what parts you used. I see the spring clamps, but what are the other clamps that attach the spring clamp to the ladder? This looks like a great system!! Exactly what I want for my cellphone extension pole!

3/4" conduit hanger from Lowes,


https://www.lowes.com/pd/Sigma-ProC...teel-Conduit-Hangers-Conduit-Fittings/1100127


I was so satisfied with that setup that I decided to repeated it on the other side of the ladder for the very same purpose, a cellphone signal pole, ... well the signal unit a camping friend had convinced me to buy proved to be useless, but I now have those clamps installed and ready if they are ever needed for any other purpose, ...