Original Bat Wing replaced with King Digital Antenna Question

[TucsonJim]

When you had your roof replaced!?!?! Our trailers are about the same age. Is that the next "mod" I'm going to have to make?

A tree damaged Paul's roof. You should be good for quite a while.

Jim

[Paul & Deb]

Hi Paul,

Which King antenna are you considering? The turnable directional (probably with built in signal strength meter) or the omni directional? We find that our bat wing sometimes flutters enough in a wind to lose reception . . . so, I'm interested in this discussion. None of these alternatives are particularly expensive.
https://kingconnect.com/product/king-jack-antenna/
Rob

That's the unit I am looking at Rob. ( https://www.amazon.com/KING-OA8500-D...2Bantenna&th=1 ). I'm curious about whether I need to also purchase a mounting plate and how that works with the mounting plates that the bat wing uses. I also like the idea of never worrying about retracting the antenna.

When you had your roof replaced!?!?! Our trailers are about the same age. Is that the next "mod" I'm going to have to make?

I ran into an oak tree in PA Jim. Ripped a gash about 4 ft long right on the roof edge over the BR slide. Ask me if I was pissed off! I called Jerry and we pulled directly to the factory. Stayed for free for a couple days at their CG and on Monday they got us set up at a new RV Service shop they recommended because they couldn't fit us in for a week or so. Shout out to Allegiant RV Service. It's barely a mile from the GD Service Center and a brand new facility. The shop is owned by the parts manager for the nearby Winnebago factory! and is staffed by experienced RV techs one of which worked with GD. They were very good and I would highly recommend them to anyone needing help that can't get into the factory service center.

Paul, have you been up on the roof since the replacement? Wen the GD service center resealed our roof they got a little heavy around the antenna and ours wouldn't turn completely, we had to cut some of the caulking away.

I have checked and that isn't the problem in this situation. As you know, from inside you pull down slightly on the collar and turn it to spin the antenna. Mine doesn't seem to "engage" and the collar spins but not the antenna. I'm sure I could probably find and fix the problem but I looked at these King Digital antennas at the Rally and liked the idea of not having to retract them and then read they worked better so I'm thinking of killing 2 birds with 1 stone.

[J&G garage]

Ah those dang trees. Sorry for the hijack. Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

[SouthTX]

Pilots say there are those who have and those who will land with their wheels up. I figure RV antennas are the same way - I know I've come close to leaving it up several times.

Just figure you're going to replace the batwing sooner or later. Do you want to do it at a time and place of your choosing or when you're also patching the hole where the antenna used to be.

[SouthTX]

My 337 is (finally) back from its vacation at the shop and I have it parked in the same spot where it used to pick up all the local stations. I marked the direction it was pointed before, only this time it is backed in to the slot so the antenna has to be turned 180 degrees from where it was. Now there are two of the local channels missing. It just happens that with the RV turned this way the antenna points at the bedroom AC unit. Perhaps there is something to elevating the antenna a couple of feet.

[Paul & Deb]

My 337 is (finally) back from its vacation at the shop and I have it parked in the same spot where it used to pick up all the local stations. I marked the direction it was pointed before, only this time it is backed in to the slot so the antenna has to be turned 180 degrees from where it was. Now there are two of the local channels missing. It just happens that with the RV turned this way the antenna points at the bedroom AC unit. Perhaps there is something to elevating the antenna a couple of feet.

Well that's interesting feedback John! I didn't realize they worked on such direct line of site that the signal would be blocked by the A/C unit! Glad I haven't made a move yet. I'll be curious to see if anyone else with the King unit reports similar findings.

[Cate&Rob]

I've been researching these things too. The King installation instructions say "no closer than 20" to anything 8" tall". The newer Reflections have these antennas further back in more open space on the roof. I am wondering if it might be better (and easier) to put the King head on the original lifting arm .

Rob

[Paul & Deb]

I've been researching these things too. The King installation instructions say "no closer than 20" to anything 8" tall". The newer Reflections have these antennas further back in more open space on the roof. I am wondering if it might be better (and easier) to put the King head on the original lifting arm .

Rob

Interesting but it won't help my reason for wanting to change. The mechanism to spin it once it has raised isn't working so I was hoping the roof mounted King would do the trick. Poop

[Phansen404]

We had our batwing replaced while at the rally and we were able to increase channel selection by almost 50%. We had King install the antennae that replaces the batwing. Still cranks up and turns like the batwing.

[Cate&Rob]

Decided to go the "easy way" and just replaced our batwing with the King antenna that goes on top of the original lifting mechanism. This gets it well clear of the nearby vent cover (we don't have a front AC). Installation took literally 2 minutes (and didn't use most of the alternative parts in the box ). We get exactly the same number of channels that we got with the batwing, although the signal strength seems to be stronger. Interesting that the signal direction is 90 degrees to what it was with the batwing because of how the antenna mounts to the lifting mechanism. This actually helps us on our long term winter site because previously, the best direction was exactly in the segment of rotation that is not reachable. Now we can fine tune in this area.

Rob