joshuajim

Mojave Desert

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Joined: 04/29/2006

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Saw these at Costco (for a lot less money). Anybody have any feedback on them?
Here
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rockhillmanor

On the Road

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Joined: 12/06/2003

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joshuajim wrote: Saw these at Costco (for a lot less money). Anybody have any feedback on them?
Here
I have bought and returned 4 antenna's like these. First of all if they are not amplified they simply do not work. And the amplified ones from best buy do NOT work.
I just bought some investment property while down here in Florida. Don't want to hook up Direct TV because I am selling at soon as I am finished painting it. No antenna in attic either. So I went on a mission to find a small antenna so I could watch some TV at night.
Here is the 'only' one I found that WORKS! I have it hooked up to the TV with a cable and out under one of the doors to the outside with a 100 ft cable. Mounted on a 6" square piece of wood and placed on the ground!
I gotta tell you I PLAN on taking this one with when I hit the road! With digital there are way too many times where trees are in the way and the MH can't get a signal. With this I just hook the cable to my MH and I can have the antenna anywhere on the ground, 100 ft away if I want too to find a good signal.! 
Indoor/Outdoor
Futura Antenna
Made by GE
It is incredibly small and comes with mounting brackets to mount it any which way you want if installing it in your home.
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wa8yxm

Wherever I happen to park

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Joined: 07/04/2006

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I read the write up "New technology" is perhaps 50 years old.. So.. They are big on hype.. Can't tell you how good the performance is, but since the NEW technology is older than many of the posters here... I'd not believe anything they say.
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
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SidKaye

Mt Dora Florida, Montreal QC for the Summer

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Joined: 09/03/2003

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rockhillmanor, could you post the exact model number. I Googled with the info you posted but there appears to be several models.
Thanks,
Sidney
2003 Dodge Ram 3500 SLT,48RE, 4:10,Cummins HO Diesel,Quad Cab,LWB,SRW,PacBrake,Prodigy, X-Monitor Gauges,Line-X,Bedsaver
2002 Excel,Ltd,30RGW,Hughes Autoformer,Honda Eu1000i, ClearSpot 4G+,
http://www.kayepics.com
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camperpaul

Wherever I park my travel trailer

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Joined: 05/10/2006

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As an antenna design engineer, I see NO WAY that antenna can live up to the gain claims.
There are four ways to express antenna gain;
1. dBi = gain over a theoretical antenna with no dimensions.
2. dBq = gain over a "quarter wave monopole".
3. dBd = gain over a dipole.
4. dBadv = random large numbers generated by advertising departments.
That antenna is obviously rated in dBadv.
Paul
Ham Radio - K9ERG (since 1956)
Was a campground host at IBSP (2006-2010) - now retired.
Single - Full-timer
2005 Four Winds 29Q
1982 6.2L Diesel Suburban 1500
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Tom&Dale

Manhattan Beach, CA

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Joined: 03/08/2006

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Others might disagree but I actually have one and it works much better than the Winegard that came with my trailer. Have it in the cabinet above my tv and next to the Wilson cell signal amplifier antenna. To be on the safe side I installed a dual coax switch so I can use either the internal CS2 or the outside Winegard.
Side benefit is I don't need to use any signal boost with the CS2 as is required with the Winegard to get any channel(s).
Very happy with it so far and I think that Costco price is the best around now.
02 Dodge 2500 CTD, Edge EZ, Goerend transmission (3.55 axle ratio), BrakeSmart, BD exhaust brake, Firestone Ride-Rite air bags & 05 Americana LC30/31 RL
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SCVJeff

Santa Clarita, CA.

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Joined: 07/28/2006

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joshuajim wrote: Saw these at Costco (for a lot less money). Anybody have any feedback on them?
Here Are you really in Mojave? What do you expect to see with this, because off the top of my head you might have a chance at seeing Barstow (1ch) and that's about it.
CamperPaul: dBadv
Gotta remember that one
Jeff - WA6EQU
'06 Itasca Meridian 34H, CAT C7/350
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rockhillmanor

On the Road

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Joined: 12/06/2003

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SidKaye wrote: rockhillmanor, could you post the exact model number. I Googled with the info you posted but there appears to be several models.Thanks,Sidney
I found it at Home Depot, no need to order on line.
GE 24769 Outdoor Antenna for Digital HDTV Futura

This antenna gets SO many MORE Channels than my MH antenna. Which is why I will be bringing it with when I hit the road again.
When I bought this place I actually ran a cable from the TV inside the house, TO my MH to be able to watch TV off the MH antenna! It worked but I only got 2 channels (I am remote practically in the woods tons of trees). I hooked up this antenna and I now have 30 channels or so.
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rmmpe

Northeast PA

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Joined: 06/22/2007

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I have never been a fan of the rooftop antennas installed on motorhomes and am seriously considering removing the unit on the one I have now.
However, would those of you who have one of these believe it would work if installed on the elevating/rotating mechanism the "Bat-wing" unit is installed on now?
Bob & Peg "In God we trust"
2011 Phoenix Cruiser 2552S
Carry on, regardless...............
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rockhillmanor

On the Road

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Joined: 12/06/2003

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rmmpe wrote: I have never been a fan of the rooftop antennas installed on motorhomes and am seriously considering removing the unit on the one I have now.
However, would those of you who have one of these believe it would work if installed on the elevating/rotating mechanism the "Bat-wing" unit is installed on now?
No. Because it wouldn't fold flat for traveling.Well it could because it has that movable joint but you'd have to climb up to bend it each time. But these types do not have a narrow point that 'need' to be turned to receive channels.
I do think that down the line somewhere, if the economy recovers you will see new and quite different antennas on RV's that receive digital better.
IMHO The batwing is great on an RV the ease of turning it etc, I would never think of replacing it with something else. It's only since the introduction of digital that you have to remember it has to catch a narrower signal (laymans terms). If wingman is added you've narrowed down that point of reception even more.
Before we'd just flip the antenna around and caught our local stations quickly. Digital requires a little slower turning to catch the signals. And if it breaks up then very small tweaks on the antenna.
Sometimes a PITA but at least it works and we as RV'ers didn't have to change the antennas completely out.
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