Jack Antenna Installation

[dtstanton]

I finally got started with the installation of my Jack antenna. It is a completely new installation, not just replacing the head or anything.


This is where I had to make the hole - for clearance. There is good wood up there.

This is where it will come through the roof - at the tape. After this job, I will be doing a little maintenance up there - sealing/coating, etc.

I put the box/power supply in the side of the closet. We use it as a pantry.

I hope the power supply will look like this when it's done (without the paint dings). The TV cable will run up the corner channel to the TV.

Haven't run any wire yet, just preparing everything so all I have to do is mount it and hook it up. Don't want to leave a hole in the roof too long. Weather can change fast around here.

More to follow when I make more progress. Stay tuned.

 

[bunjin]

Very good! looking fine! Keep us in the loop!

I may be doing something along this line down the road on my T-1550.

I need to live....and camp with the unit as is first for awhile to see what I need verses what I want or think I want.

 

[dtstanton]

Very good! looking fine! Keep us in the loop!

I may be doing something along this line down the road on my T-1550.

I need to live....and camp with the unit as is first for awhile to see what I need verses what I want or think I want.

I will do that. I would have done some more on it this evening, but had to prep the house's air conditioner, get the vehicles inspected and various other distracting things. <G>

I was pleasantly surprised to find plywood in the ceiling under the roof. I was really skeptical as to what I would find up there.

 

[dtstanton]

Today after work, I prepared the coax - cut two custom lengths and connectorized, the one from the antenna to the power supply and one from the power supply to the TV, and put them both in place.

There was a ceiling/roof rib going right through the center of this cabinet, or I could have passed the cable completely though to the closet/pantry on the right. (This cabinet is where we keep our CDs, DVDs, and GMRS/Weather radios.)

I will clean up and seal the holes and probably use some corner molding or something to conceal/enclose this stretch of cable. I also see that I got a little sloppy with the paint. Gonna have to do something about that, too.

 

[dtstanton]

I got the Jack mounted and sealed/calked today. I decided to drill a second hole for the coax since it would be pressing hard against the sheet metal, and I didn't want to cut it any bigger than the hole. I wanted to do something to keep from cutting through the jacket. This position will put the least strain on the cable.

I also packed some butyl tape around it to seal it, and forced some in the hole to help keep it from chafing.


I used two solid and over-lapping layers of butyl tape with the ends meeting at the back. After screwing it down, I made sure I had plenty of calk over all screw heads, then feathered it around the sheet metal and the base of the antenna making sure there were no holes or pits in the calk. It's supposed to rain (55% chance) somewhere in the panhandle tomorrow, and I expect the calk will be well set by then. Hopefully, no leaks.

All I have left to do is hook up the power supply. I will get a few feet of zip cord (or a cheap extension cord) and git 'er done - probably today.

 

[dtstanton]

I have a question for anybody that can offer some info. My Coby TV/AM/FM/CD/DVD player (seen in a post above) has an RCA connector for an external FM antenna. My Jack's power supply has a second F connector for a 2nd TV. The instructions say that nothing other than a 2nd TV be plugged in to it. Is there any reason I couldn't/shouldn't adapt my FM antenna port's RCA to an F connector and plug it into the power supply, allowing me to use the FM radio through the same antenna? Or do we have impedance or other issues here? (I will not be using regular cable service with it - at least not yet.)

Thanks in advance.
-Dale

 

[dtstanton]

Except for needing to do a little paint touch-up, this job is done. First time I fired it up and zeroed in on the strongest direction, the TV scanned 24 digital and 3 analog channels. Not bad.

 

[Gene-SUN]

Looking real good, glad to see it working.

I don't see any reaon not to use the second connection for the FM radio antenna.

One hint, I added a right angle connector to the coax when I plug it into the outlet. The coax sticking straight out got in the way of my coffee pot. Now the coax lays against the wall going to the TV.

 

[dtstanton]

Thanks, Gene. I had a right angle connector, but it broke. Kinda cheap. I'll have to get another one, or two. It would be handy in the power supply box, too.

 

[JohnGB]

Dale, this came out really well. Good job! Thanks for sharing. I'll add this to the collection of RV upgrades thoughts some day if my Wineguard ever gives up. So far after adding the Wingman, it works really good. I just have to find a better way on which way to point the thing. The TV has to auto search and ya really never know if your pointing in the right best direction on the 1st few scans.

 

[dtstanton]

Thank you, John!

As for finding signals, my Jack has a built-in version of this signal finder. Might be worth a look.

 

[JohnGB]

Dale, thanks for that link. I will check into them. It is 1/2 the price of the Wineguard signal finder. I just do not know if it will work in the Wineguard system that pumps voltage up the cable. Have to read more. Thanks again.

If anything I can use it on the home TV. We are still one of the few that does not have cable or satellite etd. Broadcast is all we ever had and still have. We about shocked the ATT sales guy going door to door trying to sell us ATT U verse. They can bundle us for like $139... I told him we do not need that. We have a cable Internet service for $40 a month and that is it. He asked, what do you do the TV? I said we use an an antenna and broadcast... He was shocked...:shock:. Seriously, he didn't thing anyone used broadcast anymore...

 

[dtstanton]

Are amplified RV antennas very good at filtering out EMI from things like air conditioners? I may find out pretty soon. Going to do a little camping this weekend.

 

[dtstanton]

Dale, thanks for that link. I will check into them. It is 1/2 the price of the Wineguard signal finder. I just do not know if it will work in the Wineguard system that pumps voltage up the cable. Have to read more. Thanks again.

You're welcome, John! The literature shows that it can be used inline or through a splitter. I've also seen reviews as used with Winegards, but they are widely varied - from excellent to lousy. Not sure what to make of that. Maybe some don't know how to use it. It's anybody's guess.

We about shocked the ATT sales guy going door to door trying to sell us ATT U verse. They can bundle us for like $139... I told him we do not need that. We have a cable Internet service for $40 a month and that is it. He asked, what do you do the TV? I said we use an an antenna and broadcast... He was shocked...:shock:. Seriously, he didn't thing anyone used broadcast anymore...

I can imagine the look on his face.

-Dale

 

[bfrench1984]

Looks great! You will enjoy the Jack...I can't wait to put one on my new to me Sole!

 

[dtstanton]

Looks great! You will enjoy the Jack...I can't wait to put one on my new to me Sole!

Thanks, Ben!

Initial tests were very good, and I even tried it out after I put her in her storage space. Large, enclosed commercial metal building with the door open about 15' away, it still found 20-some stations. Some were iffy, but many were just great!

Looks like it's going to be a good one. I'll find out this weekend with a real smoke test. We'll be at a campground pretty much in the middle of nowhere. I'll post with details next week.

 

[bunjin]

Dale,

Thanks for the updates....looks good. I can't wait to see how it works out in the "Big Sky Country".

Johnb,

More and more people are leaving the cable and going back to open air broadcasts. I'm about to do something like that myself soon.

 

[dtstanton]

Dale,

Thanks for the updates....looks good. I can't wait to see how it works out in the "Big Sky Country".

According to the DTV maps, we'll be over 70 miles from the nearest transmitters/towers - unless there are translators closer.

 

[Gene-SUN]

... I just do not know if it will work in the Wineguard system that pumps voltage up the cable. .....

Use it at the outlet, inline between the outlet and the TV. That kind of box is not frequency selective so as you turn the antenna you may find more that one "hot" direction. A lot better than waiting for the TV to scan "dead" directions.

.

Are amplified RV antennas very good at filtering out EMI from things like air conditioners? .....

NO!!! My whizzer fan in the bathroom vent will kill a weak/marginal digital signal. ...something for me to work on this Spring.

 

[dtstanton]

I will keep that in mind. Thanks, Gene.