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Old 05-13-2010, 08:20 PM   #1
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1973 23' Safari
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Is it bad to remove the antenna up top if I don't plan on using it?

The recent 23' Safari that I bought has an analog TV antenna up top. I'm sure it works, but I'll never use it. I get all my music and TV over the internet so the antenna is a relic for me. My question is, am I shooting myself in the foot by removing it? Will it all the sudden cause leaks or ruin my chances to resell it down the road? The entire rig is nearly original, but this antenna seems like dead weight to me.

Your thoughts are appreciated.
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Old 05-13-2010, 08:25 PM   #2
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We never used ours either so we removed it and patched the hole.

Kevin
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Old 05-13-2010, 08:27 PM   #3
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I've kinda been wondering the same thing, but I guess it doesn't do any harm, folded up up there.
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Old 05-14-2010, 11:32 AM   #4
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Here is a private message that I received. I'm not sure if this is a faux pas for posting someone's PM to me, but it contained such gold on how to do this repair, that I thought others might also be interested.

Hey Biggie,

It's no problem to remove that antenna. Just be sure that you take off the base plate as well.

You will have a 2" hole thru the roof of the trailer. You can get a square of white finished aluminum at least 2-3" larger all around to place over the hole.

If you have no intention of ever removing it again, use Sika-Flex 221 for the sealant. Run a couple of beads around the inside edge of the patch and also around the hole in the roof. It would help if you pre-drilled your rivet holes before you started using the sealant.

Then place the patch on and line up the rivet holes. Secure with rivets about every 2-3". After placing the last rivet, use Sika-Flex 715 to seal over the rivets and around the edge seam.

You will have an absolutely bomb-proof seal that will NEVER LEAK and never come off!!!

Let me know if you have any questions.
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Old 05-14-2010, 12:11 PM   #5
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I removed my antennae off my 76. Actually I forgot it was up there and didnt clear enough space to drive into storage Anyway I intially took off the antenae and left the base plate on in case I ever changed my mind. Big mistake!!!! I thought I had it all sealed up until the first big rain hit and I realized I didnt seal it well enough. After that we pulled it all off and patched the hole and removed the lever on the inside and patched that as well. Now no leaks!!!
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Old 05-14-2010, 12:21 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Biggysmalls View Post
this antenna seems like dead weight to me...
at ~ 10 lbs it's hardly any weight.

and it works FINE with digi signals so it's not out of date.

i DO think this hurts the resale value (for those who KNOW about it)

since the NEXT buyer would need to UNDO your improvement.

the wiring includes a tiny amplifier in the wall as well.

just leave it alone.

while i also use the web for tele, the batwing still comes in handy...

the main shaft can be used for mounting a broadband antenna that is RAISED for use..

and it can be Plugged into the puter for LOCAL programing and it's protective.

3 months ago a LIMB fell from a tree OVER my stream....

the antenna was UP and deflected this big branch away from the end cap which would have been mooooshed badly.

the bat wing bowed but did not break and like a member of the secret service...

gave itself to protect the presidential palace...

cheers
2air'

((in additon to patching the roof, there will be an INTERIOR hole to cover ...))
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Old 05-14-2010, 02:03 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jammer View Post
I've kinda been wondering the same thing, but I guess it doesn't do any harm, folded up up there.
Au contraire!!

Biggy didn't say what YEAR his 23' Safari is, but if you have an old 70's "Skyliner" antenna, it is probably leaking. The pot-metal base reacts w/ the aluminum skin and slowly corrodes, eventually to the point of creating small (invisible) pin-holes in the plate, allowing the water in. The o-rings on the shaft can dry out, as well...also allowing water to pour in. (that was the case with mine...although, I couldn't prove the exact point of entry until I dropped the ceiling panel, and watched while the W poured water on the roof w/ a garden hose).

I repaired it pretty much like "the mystery pm-er" said. Except, I bought a small sheet of aluminum from Home Depot, and planked the base-plate of the old skyliner down on it...traced around it to get a matching size patch. I also marked the locations of all the rivet/screw holes, and pre-drilled them into the patch, so it was easy to install. I also sanded out the corrosion on the roof skin, to keep that from progressing. Lots of sikaflex and rivets into the original holes...it ain't gonna leak no more, no more.
Now, I only have to worry about the replacement antenna, which had to be installed in a different location. (new "BatWings" are longer than the old skyliners, and won't fit in the top/dead-center location of the original. had to install it "off-set" from the centerline, so it wouldn't interfere w/ the air conditioner. )
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Old 05-14-2010, 02:41 PM   #8
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All-

Thanks for the excellent information. I've apologized original person who PM'ed me the info and the moderators were able to clean up my mistake by removing the person's identifying info. Lesson learned!

For what it's worth, I have a '73 Safari 23'.
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Old 05-14-2010, 03:06 PM   #9
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...For what it's worth, I have a '73 Safari 23'.
that's a game changer, ditch the coat hanger...

and PUT ON a batwing

bada dada dada dada dada dada batwing!

Click image for larger version

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cheers
2air'
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Old 05-14-2010, 04:46 PM   #10
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You'll need to do it like this:



try and put it a little bit further forward than I did. Now, they have an attachment thingy that sticks out of the side of the antenna head, to help improve digital signal reception...that would interfere w/ my center vent.
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Old 05-14-2010, 04:55 PM   #11
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Good ideas guys. I've seen enough here to want to take our old anteni off and rivet in a patch. Many Thnxs.
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Old 08-22-2010, 12:48 PM   #12
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I have a 75 Overlander and was wondering what the original antenna can do. I have a friend in the communications industry who tells me there is no such thing as "free tv" as of a couple of years ago so we were thinking of replacing it. With what ?
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Old 08-22-2010, 12:53 PM   #13
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I have a 75 Overlander and was wondering what the original antenna can do. I have a friend in the communications industry who tells me there is no such thing as "free tv" as of a couple of years ago so we were thinking of replacing it. With what ?
No offense, but your "friend" must have been trying to sell you cable.

The original antennas work perfectly for over the air HDTV, and there still is no charge. I use mine every day.
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Old 08-22-2010, 03:11 PM   #14
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If you have a 31' from the 70's style (skyliner), you can put the Winegard replacement on using the existing large holes and cradle with clearance for everything. It will also cover the rivet holes from the old mount. We removed the center ceiling aluminum just enough to reach it in order to run the coax cable down which was the only painful part (hard to get it back in its groove). We were able to fish the coax down along side of the vista view (curbside) and then fish again down to the bottom and out.

The Skyliner on ours had broken every plastic piece on the top portion and all the gears in the lifter. We tried out the new one using the digital converter at our first camping weekend and got about 25 stations (we were about an 2 hours outside DC). Some of the stations were Japanese and Vietnamese though.

Old antennae during removal:


New antennae in cradle:


Inside with roof removed:
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Old 08-22-2010, 06:52 PM   #15
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If you have a Skyliner like I do, there is no need to replace it with anything. They work great. That is assuming that you still have all the aluminum parts. Plastic parts like the gears and cover are available at TV Radio Satellite Parts : Out-of-Doors Mart!, More Airstream Parts on-line than anyone!.

I've never compared them, but I have difficulty believing that a smaller antenna, like a batwing will match the performance of the Skyliner. Just my opinion. If I didn't have a complete Skyliner, I'd not hesitate to use a batwing. I just don't see any reason to replace an antenna that works perfectly.
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Old 08-22-2010, 07:58 PM   #16
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If you have a Skyliner like I do, there is no need to replace it with anything.
unless...the situation I mentioned earlier in the thread. and not all of the parts are available. The innards that I needed are not.

Quote:
Originally Posted by vswingfield View Post
They work great. That is assuming that you still have all the aluminum parts. Plastic parts like the gears and cover are available at TV Radio Satellite Parts : Out-of-Doors Mart!, More Airstream Parts on-line than anyone!.

I've never compared them, but I have difficulty believing that a smaller antenna, like a batwing will match the performance of the Skyliner. Just my opinion. If I didn't have a complete Skyliner, I'd not hesitate to use a batwing. I just don't see any reason to replace an antenna that works perfectly.
They do work great. But I did find that the batwing actually picked up a couple of stations that I wasn't able to pull in w/ the skyliner, tested with the same amplifier in the same spot in my driveway. I was surprised, too.
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Old 08-22-2010, 08:03 PM   #17
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I concur the Batwing is better. I think is because the amplifier is in the head of the unit and does not suffer the loss of low level signal coming into the trailer to reach the amplifier mounted in the wall used by the coat hanger antennas.
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Old 08-22-2010, 09:11 PM   #18
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Quote:
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unless...the situation I mentioned earlier in the thread. and not all of the parts are available. The innards that I needed are not.



They do work great. But I did find that the batwing actually picked up a couple of stations that I wasn't able to pull in w/ the skyliner, tested with the same amplifier in the same spot in my driveway. I was surprised, too.
Thanks Chuck,

It's good to have info from someone who had actually used both. I'll keep it in mind if I need to change sometime.
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Old 08-23-2010, 06:58 AM   #19
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I concur the Batwing is better. I think is because the amplifier is in the head of the unit and does not suffer the loss of low level signal coming into the trailer to reach the amplifier mounted in the wall used by the coat hanger antennas.
mine doesn't have an amplifier in the head of the unit; I had already purchased the wall-mounted one (has the co-ax connector, + a 12v outlet, and cable/antenna inputs) to use w/ my skyliner. So when I decided that I needed to replace the antenna itself, I opted for the non-amplified unit. (~30 bucks cheaper, at the time...and the wall-mount amplifier also cost ~$30...so, same investment in the end.)
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Old 08-23-2010, 07:14 AM   #20
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As far as interfering with the center vent, I used the original antenna hole and installed the batwing so it stows at an angle off centerline and lays down between the center roof vent and fridge vent. I have not had any problems. You can also shorten the antenna mast so it stows further forward.
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