jhilley wrote: I went to the Winegard seminar at the Winnebago GNR a couple of weeks ago. The batwing antenna receives analog signals off both sides of the antenna, but receives digital off only one side. Unless you know the direction of the digital stations you have to do scans with the digital converter with the antenna in 90 degree changes then tune to a digital station and use the digital converter signal meter to fine tune the channel.
Not to pick a fight with a Winegard "expert", but that is complete BS! RF is RF, and an antenna is an antenna. It makes no difference that the content on the signal is analog or digital, it works exactly the same. All this guy is doing is spreading serious mis-information around to people that trust him because he's running a seminar.
Just like an analog search, a digital search is exactly the same thing, although the problem is that unless the digital receiver sees the transmitter during it's scan it won't display. Make sure that you get a converter, TV, etc. that has some sort of signal indicator that you can peak the antenna with. Also, go to Antennaweb.org for help in pointing your antenna if you need it.
SCVJeff . Thanks, that's what I needed. My display shows a signal meter, no button on the remote, though. I'll try tuning to the meter after I've selected the digital channel. Appreciate all the good info (and the bad).
Can't remember what the site is (found it 2 years ago), but there is a web site that tells you where in a town the digital transmitters are located. With that information and the location of the park/RV park where you are located you can use a compass to turn the antenna in the general area of the transmitters and hopefully get a good strong signal.
jhilley wrote: I went to the Winegard seminar at the Winnebago GNR a couple of weeks ago. The batwing antenna receives analog signals off both sides of the antenna, but receives digital off only one side. Unless you know the direction of the digital stations you have to do scans with the digital converter with the antenna in 90 degree changes then tune to a digital station and use the digital converter signal meter to fine tune the channel.
Not to pick a fight with a Winegard "expert", but that is complete BS! RF is RF, and an antenna is an antenna. It makes no difference that the content on the signal is analog or digital, it works exactly the same. All this guy is doing is spreading serious mis-information around to people that trust him because he's running a seminar.
Just like an analog search, a digital search is exactly the same thing, although the problem is that unless the digital receiver sees the transmitter during it's scan it won't display. Make sure that you get a converter, TV, etc. that has some sort of signal indicator that you can peak the antenna with. Also, go to Antennaweb.org for help in pointing your antenna if you need it.
I don't find it all that surprising, the VHF part of the antenna is bi-directional and the UHF side is uni-directional. I have worked with antennas most of my working life. I have to admit that most people seemed to know more about DTV converter use than the Winegard manager of that department who did the seminar. It is easy enough to prove, tune in a station and rotate the antenna 180 degrees, if the signal is the same, he was spouting BS.
jhilley wrote: I went to the Winegard seminar at the Winnebago GNR a couple of weeks ago. The batwing antenna receives analog signals off both sides of the antenna, but receives digital off only one side. Unless you know the direction of the digital stations you have to do scans with the digital converter with the antenna in 90 degree changes then tune to a digital station and use the digital converter signal meter to fine tune the channel.
Not to pick a fight with a Winegard "expert", but that is complete BS! RF is RF, and an antenna is an antenna. It makes no difference that the content on the signal is analog or digital, it works exactly the same. All this guy is doing is spreading serious mis-information around to people that trust him because he's running a seminar.
Just like an analog search, a digital search is exactly the same thing, although the problem is that unless the digital receiver sees the transmitter during it's scan it won't display. Make sure that you get a converter, TV, etc. that has some sort of signal indicator that you can peak the antenna with. Also, go to Antennaweb.org for help in pointing your antenna if you need it.
I don't find it all that surprising, the VHF part of the antenna is bi-directional and the UHF side is uni-directional. I have worked with antennas most of my working life. I have to admit that most people seemed to know more about DTV converter use than the Winegard manager of that department who did the seminar. It is easy enough to prove, tune in a station and rotate the antenna 180 degrees, if the signal is the same, he was spouting BS.
I have, and it's actually more directional than VHF which, if you consider the 4x freq spread, thats to be expected. This is a simple dipole arrangement, no directors, reflectors, nor anything to make it band specific or add gain of directivity anywhere, including the wideband pre-amp
wny_pat wrote: "Uni-directional" would mean that I do not have to turn the antenna on UHF?
No, that would be omni-directional. Bi-directional means from 2 directions (back to back) and uni-directional means from the direction it is pointing only.
wny_pat wrote: "Uni-directional" would mean that I do not have to turn the antenna on UHF?
No, that would be omni-directional. Bi-directional means from 2 directions (back to back) and uni-directional means from the direction it is pointing only.
Then mine is bi-directional on UHF (at my very weak signal area which according to antenna web, I will not receive any digital signals at all after the switch over). But the signal could be bouncing off a hill giving the appearance of a bi-directional signal. Will have to check to see if it is at a 180 degree direction from the station antenna location.
By theory, I should not even receive a usable signal at my deep fringe location.
* This post was
edited 08/05/08 11:33am by wny_pat *
jhilley wrote: I went to the Winegard seminar at the Winnebago GNR a couple of weeks ago. The batwing antenna receives analog signals off both sides of the antenna, but receives digital off only one side. Unless you know the direction of the digital stations you have to do scans with the digital converter with the antenna in 90 degree changes then tune to a digital station and use the digital converter signal meter to fine tune the channel.
Not to pick a fight with a Winegard "expert", but that is complete BS! RF is RF, and an antenna is an antenna. It makes no difference that the content on the signal is analog or digital, it works exactly the same. All this guy is doing is spreading serious mis-information around to people that trust him because he's running a seminar.
Just like an analog search, a digital search is exactly the same thing, although the problem is that unless the digital receiver sees the transmitter during it's scan it won't display. Make sure that you get a converter, TV, etc. that has some sort of signal indicator that you can peak the antenna with. Also, go to Antennaweb.org for help in pointing your antenna if you need it.
Here is Winegards response to my email to them
Subject:FW: Online Support Request by John Hilley
From: Off Air Help
Date: Tue, Aug 05, 2008 2:21 pm
To: john@hilley.net
Cc: 'Tim Miller'
Dear John,
The Sensar TV antennas are bi directional front and back on VHF and only directional toward the front of the antenna on UHF. The front of the antenna is the word Winegard molded into the housing. The back of the antenna is the mounting bracket.
Cordially,
Hans Rabong
Tech. Service Manager.
Winegard Company
3000 Kirkwood St.
Burlington, IA 52601
1-800-288-8094 ext 675
Fax 1-319-754-0787
hrabo@winegard.com
www.winegard.com
Offline
Online
