I was setting up the TV digital converter for use and was waiting for the setup to timeout. Cleaning up other things within the interior, got the TV working and shut it down.
Started the bus and drove into the hanger, Yes you guessed it, sheared off the Wingard Batwing antenna. I always knew it would be like the two types of pilots who fly retractable gear, those who have landed gear up, and those who will....
I broke the base that swivels within the larger mounting base. I looked it up on the Wingard site and looks to be a relative inexpensive part. I hope I do not have to remove the base plate, but we will see.
Taking suggestions for an obnoxious, but effective reminder......
I am thinking of a large plastic spring clip either on the roof antenna, or on the chime toggle switch.
Gary
Tag on the handle?
Ed,
Are you asking if there is a tag on the handle? No, might have been there originally, but I am the second owner, and no tag.
I would a tendendance to ignore the tag. I know petty, but I am getting worse as I age.
I might go back to a mini check list magnet on the steering wheel. Bay doors secure, Unplugged, Antenna Dn, Door Locked
Thanks,
Gary
Something hanging from the steering wheel is likely the most effective and least obtrusive. Something hanging from the crank is a tad de-classe if you have champagne guests over. For family its probably OK too but I favour the steering wheel reminder.
A clip on the antennae winder that is transferred to the steering wheel when deployed.
Still depends on your self discipline/functioning gray matter to actually move it.
Stop parking indoors?
Stop watching TV?
happy coaching!
buswarrior
I was suggesting putting a tag on the handle. Only trouble with that is you have to see it before you leave. :) Something on the steering wheel is probably more likely to be noticed. ;D
When I put a chock in front of my trailer tires I have a cardboard card that I hang from the visor so that I see it right in front of my face...mine says 'Get out and move the chock dummy!"
Yours could say, "Now Gary...remember what happended when you didn't retract the antenna!" ;D
Jack
Jack,
Maybe I could use the clip to attach the invoice for the replacement parts on the steering wheel or the chime toggle.....Just so I can savor the rememberance.
I am thinking I would move the clip, hence it would remind me when I start up..
Hey look on the bright side, the Mrs. was not with me...
Bob of the North,
No champagne crowd for me, they left with Nick & the new Prevost he ferried south..... I love the dryness of your humor, however...
Good Evening to all,
I always use a sock or glove on the gear shifter. Goes on before the ant. goes up. :) Mitch
My Vogue MH has an alarm on the dash for antenna up. Depending on how much trouble it would be to run a couple of wires, it might work for you. A mercury switch from an old thermostat or magnetic alarm switch would work.
If I had it to do over again, I would alarm the shore power cable, the water line, sewer hose, antenna, cable connection, and anything else I could think of.
With some of the technology out there today, it might be easy to do with RF or digital transmitters instead of wiring.
Quote from: Gary '79 5C on October 31, 2009, 05:58:55 PM
Jack,
Maybe I could use the clip to attach the invoice for the replacement parts on the steering wheel or the chime toggle.....Just so I can savor the rememberance.
I am thinking I would move the clip, hence it would remind me when I start up..
Hey look on the bright side, the Mrs. was not with me...
Photocopy your invoice, reducing it to credit card size. Laminate it with plastic, like a driver's license. Punch a hole and attach to a plastic spring clip from the hardware store. Attach to
the handle of the antenna. When you raise the antenna, move it to the visor or steering wheel.
The only problem I see is with these great suggestions, is trying to remember to remember! ;D
We don't have a visor, but I like the idea of a card sandwiched between two layers of plastic, above the driver, mounted to the underside of the header cabinet on a spring hinge. It would include a "Must Do List" before departing.
That's what I'm going to do if I can remember to do it! ;)
Paul
Camping World makes a nice bright red sign with a spring clip that you can hang from where ever to remind you to put down the antenna before moving. I clip mine to the air horn pulls and works well every time. Good Luck, TomC
I can relate. The only thing I have not done YET is drive down the road with the awning extended!!!!
I work for 13 days a year at an RV parking lot at the exit. Most years I have to remind a number of RVers to lower antennas and fold in steps. A few times I've even had to let people know they left the door on their trailer open!
You could also get a little suction cup like goes in showers and stick in front of the windshield with the card that reminds you to put the antenna down, retract the awning, put your chocks back in the bus, make sure the seat to the right has the gurl in it, etc! ;D
Jack
We hang a little velcro type strip on the hand crank. When we want to crank the antenna up, we move the velcro strip to the top of the steering wheel with the wheel straight ahead.
For us, the cues have been in just the right place at the right time. I don't think that we will change anything, for now.
Tom Caffrey
Quote from: Gary '79 5C on October 31, 2009, 05:27:58 PM
I was setting up the TV digital converter for use and was waiting for the setup to timeout. Cleaning up other things within the interior, got the TV working and shut it down.
Started the bus and drove into the hanger, Yes you guessed it, sheared off the Wingard Batwing antenna. I always knew it would be like the two types of pilots who fly retractable gear, those who have landed gear up, and those who will....
I broke the base that swivels within the larger mounting base. I looked it up on the Wingard site and looks to be a relative inexpensive part. I hope I do not have to remove the base plate, but we will see.
Taking suggestions for an obnoxious, but effective reminder......
I am thinking of a large plastic spring clip either on the roof antenna, or on the chime toggle switch.
Gary
luckily I'm one of "those who will"
Spoken from someone who's career depends on it, I hope you are wrong.
maybe try getting a beefier antenna, next time the hangar will lose ;D
Hang a weight on a piece of string from an appropriate place on the hanger ceiling. When driving the bus into the hanger the weight will strike the windscreen in front of the driver and remind him to go and retract the antenna!
Jeremy
Quote from: Jeremy on November 03, 2009, 01:54:57 AM
Hang a weight on a piece of string from an appropriate place on the hanger ceiling. When driving the bus into the hanger the weight will strike the windscreen in front of the driver and remind him to go and retract the antenna!
Jeremy
And the newly cracked windshield too! ;D
;D BK ;D
Sorry Jeremy I just couldn't resist! ;D
This can be simply done by mounting a micro switch on the roof that is wired thru a relay that is wired thru the inginion switch and then wired thru the generator switch. Then you wire the + (positive) side of the generator to the frame of the drivers seat and the - ( negetive) side of the generator to the gas pedal. It will then gently remind you the antenna is up. Or you can do it the hard way and tell the boss to remind you, somehow the ladies always remember these thing.
Good Luck Wayne
Make the weight a tennis ball! Saves the glass. I have one in My garage so I do not bump the wall with My vette. Short and old and cannot see over the hood,LOL. john
If you bus uses a key to start you could hang it to the crank.
Mike
I have an ignition key, that is blank. It will not start the rig. I keep the key on a big orange tag that resides by the video equipment. If the antenna or dish goes up, the blank key goes in the ignition. It was worked well so far.
Hang your keys on the crank
Sorry I missed previous reply :-[
If ir's a crank-up, take out the crank retaining screw and put a hook on it. Pull it off when the antenna is up and hang it from the steering wheel. Do similar things for your shore power, water and waste umbilicals, so that if they are unsecured, there is some key component on the steering wheel.
REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT!!!
Years ago, I borrowed my Dad's RV and it didn't take me long to destroy the antennae. First night out of the campground and it was gone... victim of a low branch and my own absent-mindedness. Fortunately, Dad was pretty understanding. It never did get fixed, so we never did develop any kind of reminder system. Just watched movies from then on until it got sold. LOL
I took the TV's off of my bus, I did get a bus to go somewhere else and watch TV ;)
Anyway, if you must, why not just skip the antenna and watch it on the Internet.
http://www.hulu.com/ (http://www.hulu.com/)
just google internet TV, you'll find plenty of nothing on :D
gotta run my show is on :D
Quote from: NewbeeMC9 on November 04, 2009, 05:26:31 PM
I took the TV's off of my bus, I did get a bus to go somewhere else and watch TV ;)
AMEN!!! We don't even have cable at the house. Every time I do watch something on TV, I feel like I lose about 10 IQ points.