Hi kntd,
I am certainly no antenna expert, but I really like the Skyliner on my Argosy. I have been playing with antennas now for more than ten years, and have a ham radio guide talking about different types. The Skyliner is both uhf and vhf, mine was not folded out properly when I got the trailer. Make sure the arms on the antenna are outstretched to a place where they lock in place.
You want as much signal as you can get before you amplify. That generaly means you want a big antenna, not the little amplified antennas. I put a radio shack 20 db amplifier on mine (about $20). I am also pulling reasonably good signal from an FM stations 100 miles away. The TV reception is excellant from local boosters. But I don't watch much TV. Tell us what coax or flat cable you are using. That can have a great effect. Sometimes you need little transformers to match the cabel with your end point.
I am having some trouble with my worm gears too. Thought I had fixed it. Sometimes when I raise it I can not get it lowered again without getting up on the roof and fidgeting a bit. Guess I need new gears too.
My point is that the Skyliner is a good antenna, if you get an amplifier you will be ahead of the small amplified antennas. At 100 miles I still get polarization shifts. Part of my signal is reflected off certain sky boundaries. This varies as time of day. Hopefully a real ham operator will jump in and have a real fix.
If you want to hit the farthest station stick with the Skyliner. If your stations are closer, get the small amplified antenna.
Good luck,
Jim