JACK Digital HDTV Antenna

[Bigdaddy_2]

Has anyone replaced their batwing antenna with the above? Considering this as we find it a bit tricky to zero in on stations in marginal areas.

[DKB_SATX]

I think the main signal advantage the JACK would have over an amplified batwing alone is that it behaves more like the batwing+WingMan (VHF+UHF elements.) With HD, more channels moved into the UHF space.

I know a couple of people who use the JACK and are happy with it, though their assessment of it has been pretty subjective. I chose the JACK for my 28' renovation (it was delivered yesterday, in fact!) because I have no antenna parts at all and liked the idea of the unit that doesn't have to be raised and lowered.

[breezyway]

I am a newbie but, I actually had the Airstream dealership remove the big old batwing antenna and put in the Jack Digital HDTV one.

The picture quality is amazing, but see if you can get a bigger size or something. The one I have can only pick up stations up to 40 miles or something like that, whatever that means in antenna speak! So in some spots I only get 1 station, but in the driveway at home, about 10.

The dealer just cut off the old one and left some some remnants on top of the roof. The new one was placed in front of it by a few feet.

All the wiring should work from the original, I think the dealer told me new wire would be needed in some manner, can't remember but I most likely paid too much for them to do it

Hope this helps!

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by breezyway

I am a newbie but, I actually had the Airstream dealership remove the big old batwing antenna and put in the Jack Digital HDTV one.

The picture quality is amazing, but see if you can get a bigger size or something. The one I have can only pick up stations up to 40 miles or something like that, whatever that means in antenna speak! So in some spots I only get 1 station, but in the driveway at home, about 10.

The dealer just cut off the old one and left some some remnants on top of the roof. The new one was placed in front of it by a few feet.

All the wiring should work from the original, I think the dealer told me new wire would be needed in some manner, can't remember but I most likely paid too much for them to do it

Hope this helps!

I don't think the old wire will work for your older trailer or mine. (I'm assuming you have the flat 300-ohm twinlead like my 70s trailer does.) The amplifier is up in the body of the JACK antenna, so it'll require coax for the power injector in the wall plate that feeds power to the amp up in the JACK. The OP probably has coax already in an '02 and so can reuse that. He also could mount the top portion of a JACK antenna onto the raise/lower arm for the Winegard and get it up higher for a better chance at catching distant stations. I don't have any of that assembly and I'm not big on TV when we're camping so if we can't pick it up we'll have to do something else.

[breezyway]

Yes, now I remember something about the wall plate wire for the power to the new antenna. The PO might have done some work as far as the coax cable was concerned, it looked like something I have at home in the basement that is not too old.

The one thing I do enjoy when travelling is, the local news and community happenings that I might not know about if I didn't put the TV on at some point, usually after all other activities have wound down.

[BAB]

I installed the Jack HDTV last week (BTW if you have the stock antenna, buy the adapter plate as it makes the install very easy). While I'm parked at home, I am really surprised (and delighted!) by the quality of the picture I'm receiving as well as the number of channels I'm pulling in. I REALLY like the "don't have to crank it up/down" feature, and I think it has a much more modern look to it -- outside and inside. Will road test it in a couple of weeks. (BTW, I repainted it in a nickel shade and it looks a lot better than the stock cream color -- IMHO).

[Becky B.]

Originally Posted by BAB

I installed the Jack HDTV last week (BTW if you have the stock antenna, buy the adapter plate as it makes the install very easy). While I'm parked at home, I am really surprised (and delighted!) by the quality of the picture I'm receiving as well as the number of channels I'm pulling in. I REALLY like the "don't have to crank it up/down" feature, and I think it has a much more modern look to it -- outside and inside. Will road test it in a couple of weeks. (BTW, I repainted it in a nickel shade and it looks a lot better than the stock cream color -- IMHO).

Did you use Krylon paint?, or if not, what did you use? I have to paint my white one (if the snow EVER leaves!)

[goshawks00]

WE bought one last year and I must say it is amazing the channels we fet with it, 30+ every where we went. You'll like it!!