About the original antenna

[AIR-Quarius]

You know we all have the old antenna on the roof of our vintage airstreams. Think they are still functional to some degree! ? Ours is still up there but we have never used it. Well, actually we use the internet for television, but just thought I would ask.

[jdalrymple]

Assuming it is not damaged or missing parts, yes it will work fine.

A digital or analog signal makes no difference whatsoever to the antenna. A radio wave is a radio wave. Digital or analog refers only to how the video and audio is loaded on to the radio wave.

Although the marketing department would like you to spend your money on a new "digital" antenna....

[Nuvite-F]

Originally Posted by AIR-Quarius

You know we all have the old antenna on the roof of our vintage airstreams.

"All" is a bit too broad a term. Many old Airstreams don't have any antennas, TV or radio. Our 1960 didn't.

Think they are still functional to some degree?

If you are talking about the Skyliner VHF/UHF TV antennas that were used for many years, they work fine as long as the connections and transmission line are in good shape. The Skyliner on our 1980 originally used 300 ohm twin lead but some previous owner installed a balun at the antenna and brought in 75 ohm coax, which is the current standard. When we got the trailer I replaced the old balun, which was pretty weathered, and the antenna works fine.

If you look around a big Airstream rally you will see many of them still in use.
.

[eubank]

Among the surviving parts on our 67 was the antenna. After some minor repair and fresh wire, we put it back into service, and it works great. Interesting to watch the looks on people's faces when I fold out those giant antlers and turn them toward the signal.

Lynn

[vswingfield]

Jeff and Nuvite are both correct. They are not only functional to some degree, they are completely functional and work great! Despite the marketing hype that you need something new. Both my Skyliners work great.

As Nuvite said, converting to 75 ohm coax is a good idea. I did that on my '67 Trade Wind, but my '83 Excella came that way so I didn't have to do that.

[Bettye]

We use the antennae on the roof of our '84 Excella whenever we are in a park without cable. Works great and we usually get quite a few stations. But, we only watch TV late at night or when the weather's bad. Otherwise, we're enjoying the great outdoors! Ours is a Winegard. Don't know if it's original or an upgrade by PO.

[kickstand]

I have a 2011 Flying Cloud with the Winegard antenna. Others in the campground get
several stations without a satellite. I get only a couple. Rotating the antenna does nothing to
help. The green booster light is lit. What, if anything, am I missing here?
Thanks !

[jdalrymple]

On my '09 FC, the television has two cable connections. One is labeled "cable" and the other "air". I have to manually move the cable coming from the wall to the tv to the proper jack, depending the the type of reception I want. The RV park's cable or the antenna on the trailer.

Other televisions allow to make this choice in the menu system.

There is a difference in the channels between over-the-air and cable.

Make sure when you are searching for tv stations off the air, you have the tv in the right mode, of the cable connected to the right jack.

JD

[Jim Foster]

Originally Posted by eubank

Among the surviving parts on our 67 was the antenna. After some minor repair and fresh wire, we put it back into service, and it works great. Interesting to watch the looks on people's faces when I fold out those giant antlers and turn them toward the signal.

Lynn

I think we have the same antenna on our '65 Caravel. Funny thing is, it was wired in using household lamp cord, and still works great with our 19" Vizio digital HD TV.

There seems to be a lot of "you really should have this" hype out there.

[Nuvite-F]

Originally Posted by kickstand

I have a 2011 Flying Cloud with the Winegard antenna. Others in the campground get
several stations without a satellite. I get only a couple. Rotating the antenna does nothing to
help. The green booster light is lit. What, if anything, am I missing here?
Thanks !

There is obviously something wrong with your antenna system. You should have about the same coverage as the other folks in the campground and the antenna should exhibit some directionality.

Most likely thing is a bad connection somewhere. I would start with a good visual inspection, which will find most problems. Another possibility would be a bad amplifier, which would be harder to find.
.

[Silver Goose]

Originally Posted by kickstand

I have a 2011 Flying Cloud with the Winegard antenna. Others in the campground get
several stations without a satellite. I get only a couple. Rotating the antenna does nothing to
help. The green booster light is lit. What, if anything, am I missing here?
Thanks !

If yours is still in warranty and a dealer is convenient, you may let them troubleshoot this. Or here are some hints...

The amplifier on most new Winegard Sensar antennas is located in the center part of the antenna head. The wall plate sends a dc voltage up the coax to the antenna. On the back side of the wall plate are 3 coax connections, they are not interchangeable so the correct coax must be connected to each and they are labeled. One goes to the cable connector on the side of the TT, one goes to the 2nd tv jack and one goes to the antenna. The primary tv connects to the front of the wall plate.

I would check that each connector has a good center conductor and is securely attached to the correct connection. Also inspect the end connected to the antenna. A common failure is simply a loose connection.

The green light tells me 3 things: you have 12v to the wall plate, the switch is in the correct position to receive over the air stations from the antenna and you don't have a conductor to shield short in the coax.

[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by Jim Foster

...
There seems to be a lot of "you really should have this" hype out there.

That's a very polite way of putting it.

[moparjohn]

OK, so I have a 73 Tradewind I am restoring/ keeping mostly original. I have not or doubt I will ever take or use a TV while camping. Do I clean it up and keep it on, OR remove it to clean up the appearance of the trailer overall? MPJ

[Skatiero]

We use our antenna, it works great! Moparjohn, I would be tempted to take it off and store it carefully, they are not pretty when folded! That is, if you don't use it.