Roof top antenna

vescotech · 07-22-2019, 06:41 AM

We have a 2015 Navion 24g and the roof top antenna is absolutely worthless. has anyone found or upgraded to anything better than the OEM one? We have a Dish Network system that works great unless you are in heavy canopy.

SLOweather · 07-22-2019, 12:51 PM

Is the amplifier turned on?

vescotech · 07-22-2019, 01:05 PM

Yes

Morich · 07-22-2019, 06:20 PM

I found it necessary to dig into how to adjust and set up the amp to get very much out of it as it is not at all what I might have expected. If you are getting nothing using it, I might guess that there are two things possible. One is the use which is not a thing that I like to throw around too quickly as it sounds like I'm bumming your common sense, but on this one, I had to dig deeper to get better. But then there are also times when we need to look at the wiring as a 21015 may have had four years of a hammer head making changes that you may have to redo.
So, have you done any checking to see that things like coax are still connected and getting to the antenna as well as the TV? Maybe even checked uptop to see that the antenna is actually still there?
Sounds silly but there are RV that folks have sold without the buyer looking on top to actually SEE the antenna and on the tall ones, we can miss what should be obvious!
But I can also fully agree that the Antenna is not going to get us nearly as much as we may have gotten used to on cable, etc.

vescotech · 07-23-2019, 07:53 AM

Yes cables are connected and the system works its just even at home where I have excellent signal on my home roof top antenna the rv struggles to find tv stations that should come in clearly. i have read the manuals and know how to operate it. It just seems that it is a bare minimum system that will pickup stations maybe 30 miles or less away.

BobC · 07-23-2019, 10:08 AM

1. It may be that you're expecting too much of it. What antenna do you have?
2. The amplifier could be bad. Do you see any difference between amp on and amp off? I had one replaced in my TT.
3. Coax can look OK but be bad (typically due to water intrusion or bad connectors). Try running a length of good coax from the amplifier to the antenna and see how that works. As a test, just run it externally out the door to the roof. If this doesn't improve it, try the good coax between the amp and the TV.

And this may help:

https://www.usautoauthority.com/wine...oubleshooting/

Morich · 07-23-2019, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vescotech

Yes cables are connected and the system works its just even at home where I have excellent signal on my home roof top antenna the rv struggles to find tv stations that should come in clearly. i have read the manuals and know how to operate it. It just seems that it is a bare minimum system that will pickup stations maybe 30 miles or less away.

This may actually be the truth of the situation as they are bare minimum systems and often will not do what a rooftop antenna on a house will do, just simply due to the restrictions the RV puts on them.
One big one is that they are much smaller antennas and mounted much lower so that they are often behind things that block the signal to some extent.
A three foot long antenna, mounted 8 feet off the ground and possibly behind a building is not going to do as well as a 6 foot antenna mounted 16 feet high and not blocked.

Beach-Rat · 07-23-2019, 04:36 PM

Vescotech, I feel your pain!

It’s not you, it’s the antenna! My last RV had a crank up “bat-wing” antenna.. I could pick up every station listed on the FCC website.

My cute little “Jack” antenna picks up a fraction of the stations (two transmitters on the same tower, new antenna only picks up one!)

I added a 15db linearamp on the drop side of the splitter, helps a little.

Good luck..

BobC · 07-23-2019, 05:22 PM

A few years ago I was contemplating upgrading my crank-up Winegard and a surprisingly candid salesman told me how much better it was than some of the newer, snazzier versions.

Beach-Rat · 07-24-2019, 06:00 AM

Bob C..
I had the same experience.
My previous rig was an Arctic Fox 24-5N 5th wheel. It has a wardrobe next to the TV point, common wall. I inquired about adding a second antenna, new low profile, with all “work” hidden in closet..

My RV dealer advised against it and lost the sale.. He told me that I would be disappointed in the performance compared to the old crank up.. the convenience would not make up for the poor performance.

I’m now experimenting with an antenna on a flagpole mounted to rear hitch, very early stages..

Morich · 07-24-2019, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beach-Rat

Bob C..
I had the same experience.
My previous rig was an Arctic Fox 24-5N 5th wheel. It has a wardrobe next to the TV point, common wall. I inquired about adding a second antenna, new low profile, with all “work” hidden in closet..

My RV dealer advised against it and lost the sale.. He told me that I would be disappointed in the performance compared to the old crank up.. the convenience would not make up for the poor performance.

I’m now experimenting with an antenna on a flagpole mounted to rear hitch, very early stages..

Got to agree with this thinking due to the way antennas work and are designed. The new are great for not forgetting to pull them down when we pull out, but at the expense of having them much smaller and much lower, which just works out to be the two of the most important things on antenna design!
Bigger collects more signal while being higher gets less signal blocked! The amp can only amplify what it gets and if it doesn't get it, there is nothing amped.

BobC · 07-24-2019, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beach-Rat

I’m now experimenting with an antenna on a flagpole mounted to rear hitch, very early stages..

A few years ago we were at an RV park in Yuma where I saw many RV'rs using this technique. Probably not the best for overnights but worth it for long stays.

Morich · 07-24-2019, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobC

A few years ago we were at an RV park in Yuma where I saw many RV'rs using this technique. Probably not the best for overnights but worth it for long stays.

When we think back a few years like 50? Remember when TV first was getting started and there were very few stations around to broadcast? Tv antennas were always big and mounted way up high, often with masts to hold them even higher than the roof lines. So now we have amps to boost the signal we get on our tiny little antennas mounted about a foot above our RV roof but we still ask why we don't get stations out like a hundred miles away. So if we want to collect a bunch of signals at a level high enough to amplify, we need to get a one of those great big antennas and mount it way up high.
But does that mean we will get the same number and quality of signals that we are used to on cable or sat. systems? Certainly not as there is also a second problem with getting lots of those TV broadcasts, besides the number of them available.
We now have lots of TV broadcast sites but many of those sites are at a signal level which is very close to nothing! I use an app to show what stations are nearby but also the signal levels they broadcast and direction from me.
It very worthwhile info to tune to get what you can on the minimum quality antennas we use. If you want to watch a steady signal and it is coming from fifty miles out, don't expect to get the same from a station broadcasting at
.07 Kw as you will get from a station kicking it out at 700 KW!
Gets back to knowing what equipment you have and then knowing how to get the most from that equipment, considering the limits of the equipment as well as the broadcast level and the location where you are parked. Parking backed up to some nice big bluff may get you a pretty location but it can sure kill the TV reception.

thataway4 · 07-28-2019, 04:12 PM

Hmm, I had to go thru all of the coax connections, take them apart, put in dielectric grease--and it improved dramatically. I would say the current antenna, was equal to the "Bat wing" I had on a unit I sold in Oct. You do have to fiddle around to find the best "heading" for each station. Sites such as "channel Master.com" will tell which stations you should get and show the distance and compass bearing from your location.

Mike Owens · 07-28-2019, 05:05 PM

I just found my switch for the site cable and antenna source. The light off on the faceplate means outside source is selected so no rooftop antenna signal. This was my first time using a park cable source.

Morich · 07-28-2019, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thataway4

You do have to fiddle around to find the best "heading" for each station. Sites such as "channel Master.com" will tell which stations you should get and show the distance and compass bearing from your location.

I mentioned this on another post but word travels slow at times so I'll double down on what I now use.
There is a free APP for android called DTV antenna, which is a big upgrade from other methods as it gives lots of info which helps sort what we want to search for as well as acting as a compass. Only works where you have a dell signal or wi-fi but super easy. One screen gives a list of towers, from near to farther out, lists the call sign, channel number and what network. An option at the top of the screen can bring up a map to see where signals might be expected and touching one of the list brings that site up, gives an arrow for direction, distance and level of the broadcast signal. So with those bits, one can choose something like NBC punch it up and see how far and where. As you turn your phone around, the arrow lights green when the phone is pointed to the transmitter site. Then you align the antenna with the phone!

SocioSam · 07-28-2019, 06:18 PM

We have basically the same model - View G 2014. The Jack antenna wasn't working. We had it replace with ??? sorry but don't remember the brand. Works much better BUT we had a local "expert" put it in and he hotwired it so we cannot shut off the antenna when hooking up to cable. The work around is to run cable directly to TV and disconnecting the antenna cable when we have that option. Not ideal but we have a bit better over air TV.

rk911 · 07-28-2019, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLOweather

Is the amplifier turned on?

and have you re-scanned for channels? is this a Winegard batwing antenna? if yes which model? does it have or have you added the Wingman UHF yagi?

golden13 · 07-28-2019, 08:06 PM

I suspect that your signal amplifier is either malfunctioning or not powerful enough to begin with. Most antennae are extremely simple in design, but signal amp technology is constantly improving. They are usually not terribly expensive, either.
If it is the antenna, I suggest you look into various DIY designs for a "Yagi antenna." Instructables has several good tutorials on how to make one out of tinfoil (yes, really.) They are surprisingly effective at picking up TV signals.

NeilV · 07-28-2019, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vescotech

We have a 2015 Navion 24g and the roof top antenna is absolutely worthless. has anyone found or upgraded to anything better than the OEM one? We have a Dish Network system that works great unless you are in heavy canopy.

The old style Wineguard Batwing with the Amplifier and Wingman UHF Extender (Sensar IV amplified antenna) works great, is one that I have considered installing on my traditonal home and has been the Gold Standard of RV long range antennas (55 miles UHF) for 30 years.

See: https://winegard.com/products/hdtv-d...v/sensar-iv-rv

I believe that the your coach has the stubby Rayzar Z1 which while its more modern, more streamlined and has more Frufru features just does not match up to the Sensar's for pulling in distant stations.

See: https://winegard.com/products/hdtv-digital-antennas/outdoor-antennas/rayzar/rayzar-z1-white