Visit our Popular Forums

Keyair · 11-09-2012, 04:59 AM

Hello AV Peeps!

My '84 345 Motorhome was missing its original TV antenna.
This is what was left...
Note that the coax and original 12v supply cord emerges from a hole rearward of the antenna base...

After a lot of effort I got the original mounting and its sub plate off the roof and the spindle that goes down thru the roof out..

I had bought a Wingard Sensor IV a couple of years back.
When I came to mount it I realized I have some issues...

Firstly..
The antenna is much longer than the original and when lowered it comes down on the front Fantastic Fan..
Note the original antenna's standoff bracket...

First question..
Another MH owner had the same problem, and cured it by making an extension to the original stand off bracket to keep the head off and above the vent...
I was thinking that might be best, but had another thought..
By offsetting the base a few degrees to the curbside I could do it like this..
Lucky that the new base covers the original mounting and screw holes in either position!

Opinions?

Second question...

The original coax is to the rear side of the antenna base, and the Wingard places the coax to the front..

Can anyone suggest a solution?

gunner · 11-09-2012, 05:18 AM

Are you able to push the existing wires back into the motorhome and mate them with the Wingard wires and seal the unused hole?

Keyair · 11-09-2012, 06:08 AM

I dont think so Gunner...
Well, not without a lot of work!
There is a line of rivets between the two places, which suggests the is a spar there.
Longer term, I plan to remove the interior roof panel to strip and polish.so I could drill the spar and reroute the cable then.

Maybe for now its as simple as a piece of white PVC piping to run the cable thru and keep it neat, protected and out of harms way from the rotating head. The roof is going white, so it will not be so noticable.

Looking the other day, it looks like some of the original Coax is in poor shape, so I hope I have enough good cable to splice!

Phoenix · 11-09-2012, 02:57 PM

It looks like the FantasticFan cover is about 3-feet from the base of the antenna mount. What is 3-feet in the other direction? Can you rotate the base 180-degrees and remount it in the other direction?

Lumatic · 11-09-2012, 03:27 PM

Looking at your top photo of what was left I am amazed that that towel, pliers, sockets and rivets were still on your roof.

I installed my Wingard at an angle to clear the vent. No problem.

You could also shorten the mast and the antennae should work fine.

Keyair · 11-13-2012, 03:34 PM

About a foot forward of the antenna is the front AC unit...

gloran · 11-13-2012, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keyair

I dont think so Gunner...

Looking the other day, it looks like some of the original Coax is in poor shape, so I hope I have enough good cable to splice!

Keyair,when I had trouble with my coax (end came off and coax fell down inside ceiling) after fishing it out there was barely enough extra coax to put a new connector on and refaten it to antenna. No extra play on mine, yours might be different though.

9