Other uses for TV Antenna ?

[Detached Dad]

what are all the uses for the antenna. Can it be used for anything other than TV, like internet? Because I'm thinking about getting rid of it, just something else to leak on the roof.

[HamRad Mobile]

Good morning, Detached Dad; 

     Well, the venerable Winnebago Elandan is a contemporary to your Chieftain, and the television antenna mounting system is not a source for leaks on mine.  The junctions between the roof joint seams have been my problems. 

     The antenna itself is useful for other things also.  It is resonant in the upper portion of the AM radio aircraft band, but I shortened mine slightly and moved it up into the 2 Meter ham radio band for a folded dipole horizontal antenna that can be raised and lowered, along with rotating it directionally, and I also mounted a 5/8ths wavelength vertical 2 Meter antenna with its own set of radials on the top of the mast.  It has proven to be beneficial.  I do feed it through a bigger 4 to 1 BalUn than the stock receiving BalUn and use the existing 75 Ohm coaxial cable for my transmission line.  I am at about a 1.6 to 1 VSWR with this system on 2 Meters.  It is not hard to do, and it certainly is functional.   

     I did find that lubricating the Wineguard parts with polyethylene grease helped make it much easier and smoother when raising, lowering, and rotating.  Yes, you do notice the thirteen (13) turns of the crank handle when raising the mast.  I lower it to get me back down to less than 13.5 feet tall when traveling, and the vertical still works while driving.   

     Because of the enormously different frequencies used for WiFi and Internet access equipment, I use very different antennas for that function. 

          Enjoy, 

          Ralph, N7KGA 
          Latte Land, Washington 

[tmsnyder]

I think there's a thread about mounting a new fangled antenna in place of the old antenna, that seemed to be a good use.


I'm with you though, I took it off and sealed the hole in the roof.   One less thing to leak.

[beaverman]

I think there's a thread about mounting a new fangled antenna in place of the old antenna, that seemed to be a good use.


I'm with you though, I took it off and sealed the hole in the roof.   One less thing to leak.

Did the same to mine

[Gearhead88]

I took mine off and sealed the hole , I needed the space for another solar panel . That was last year , now I'm thinkin about getting a TV for those cool rainy days /evenings . I bought a King Jack  antenna which takes up very little space on the roof.