Advice Installing a Winegard Sensar Batwing Antenna

[Dave Siegel]

I have tried for several years to set-up a portable satellite dish. Always with failure. With out Jack Conrad's gracious help I would have never had tv at his rally.

This year I have tried again on my own and can not seem to make it work. I even went to Camping World and purchased a Winegard Automatic Carry Away dish. Still couldn't get that to work. I returned it and come to find out that one was defective. Just my luck after I returned it. That proved I was not to have Direct TV on the road.

So I have given up and I bought a Winegard Sensar Batwing with the HD additional piece. I will settle for local channels. TV is TV, I'll just have to wait until we get home to watch the Food Channel.

Here's my question. I am really reluctant to cut or drill any holes in the roof of our coach (1948 GMC Silversides) But I realize that I have no choice with this antenna. I have purchased the angle mounting plate for sloped roofs and I expect it will be here this week, and I already have the antenna sitting here in the garage. Is there anything special I need to know before I get started? Any special tricks of the trade?

I know someone will say "Stick with trying to setup the dish for satellite but I have tried too many times and I have decided to go this way. I still have the dish in a bay, and a receiver on the bus, so if we show up at a rally one day maybe Jack will help us again, but until then it's the local channels.

Thanks in advance for any help offered.

Dave Siegel

[Dreamscape]

Hi Dave,

Pick a suitable location on the roof, drill the holes and use a dab of silicone in the hole and insert the screws. Make sure you place it in a place that allows the shortest distance for the cable going to the TV. You will have to teach your TV to acquire the digital signals. If you follow the instructions it should be fairly easy.

Just remember to stow your antenna before you move the coach!

Come to TBR 2010 and we'll show you how to hook up your satellite and Sensar!

Paul

[Dave Siegel]

Thanks for the info. What do you mean "Teach your TV to accept Digital signals. It is a brand new digital TV. Do you mean have it do a channel scan?

Dave

[Busted Knuckle]

Dave I am sure that is what he means.
  BK 

PS sorry I missed you at your bus, but I did at least get to see it!

[Dreamscape]

Thanks for the info. What do you mean "Teach your TV to accept Digital signals. It is a brand new digital TV. Do you mean have it do a channel scan?

Dave

Yip, a channel scan!

If I can set one up, so can you!

Paul

[BG6]

Here's my question. I am really reluctant to cut or drill any holes in the roof of our coach (1948 GMC Silversides) But I realize that I have no choice with this antenna. I have purchased the angle mounting plate for sloped roofs and I expect it will be here this week, and I already have the antenna sitting here in the garage. Is there anything special I need to know before I get started? Any special tricks of the trade?

First thing that you do is assemble the antenna and bracket, and see that A), it's long enough to work with the thickness of roof and ceiling, and B), that it works properly.  

Now take it apart again, go up on the roof and find a spot where the top of the bracket is level (don't forget to correct for the slope of the ground and for any lean in the coach!).  It doesn't have to be perfect, but the closer the better.  Once you find that spot, measure the distance between the CENTER HOLE in the bracket and the crown of the roof (there will be a line of rivets).

Go back inside the coach, find the crown of the ceiling, then measure from that to where the main hole will be and mark with a pencil or piece of tape.

Make TWO photocopies of the template in the installation manual.  Mark one "INTERIOR" and the other "EXTERIOR."  Take the interior sheet and put the trim ring on it, with the holes centered.  Outline this with a felt pen (it may already be outlined on the template).

Now  you can decide where the antenna will be mounted.  Tape your interior template where you think you want the antenna, then look around it.  Are there wires, lights or any projections within a foot of the center hole?  Remember, you will need room for the crank (and for the elbows which do the cranking), and you need to keep it away from vents.

If practical, you want to mount it where the roof ribs will take some of the load.  The optimum location would be just behind one lateral rib and next to a longitudinal rib, where the mounting bolts or screws are directly between rivets on their same line.

Once you find your spot, UNPLUG ALL POWER and DISCONNECT THE BATTERIES.  You want your coach to be in "Marley Mode" (go read the first paragraph of "Christmas Carol" to understand the reference) anytime that you are blind-drilling through the shell.  

Now go up top with drill, bits, exterior template, sticky tape, tape measure and the brightest flashlight you can find.  This job is actually best done in the evening or at night.  Your helper is in the coach with flashlight, interior template, sticky tape and a large mixing bowl.  Drill a small pilot hole, no more than 1/4" in diameter, JUST UNTIL YOU DRILL THROUGH THE SKIN.  Using your flashlight, look through your pilot hole.  See any wires, screws, structure or anything else which might make this a bad spot to mount?  If so, shoot a little RTV or Shoe Goo into the hole and look for another spot.

If it looks good, then drill through to China, while your helper inside uses the bowl to collect the debris as you drill through.  Go back down, tape the interior template to the ceiling, centered on the hole you just made, and make sure this is really where you want to mount this.

If this still looks like the place to you, then the rest is pretty straightforward.  Tape your exterior template in place (make sure that both templates are properly oriented!) and make your holes, take it off, put on the sealant and mount the antenna base.

[JohnEd]

Now, when you "teach: it to find that channel....it has to be able to see(receive) that channel.  So, if you have two channels and they are so far apart that you can only see one at a time, you are in a fix. 


Also, and I hope someone else with experience adds his voice, those digital sigs don't seem to respond like the old HF stuff did.  It seems more prone to either "on the beam" or completely "OFF".  Not as much middle ground.  Complicates getting your TV to "learn" what is around in any particular location.

[Dave Siegel]

Thank you guys. That was some good advice. Fortunately I did every inch of wiring in this coach. (I mean EVERY INCH) and there are no wires in the ceiling so I just really need to find a firm spot. The rib location is a good idea.

Thanks again.

Dave

[JackConrad]

Dave,
   You may need to get the optional "wedge" to compensate for the roof curvatre so the antenna will stand up straight.  Jack

[cody]

Jack, shouldn't my restraint be properly noted? lol

[Busted Knuckle]

Jack, shouldn't my restraint be properly noted? lol

Yer absolutely correct Cody! Which color restraint are you wearing today? I know it's not the white one that the arms tie in the back, because you are still able to type!
  BK 

(Cody you know better than to give me that much room! )

[Dave Siegel]

Thanks Jack I did order one of the wedges. I am waiting for it to arrive. Later this week I suppose. Not sure how that works but I am gathering info before I get started. I don't want to make a mistake, especially on the roof.

What restraint Cody? Did I miss something?

Dave

[JackConrad]

Thanks Jack I did order one of the wedges. I am waiting for it to arrive. Later this week I suppose. Not sure how that works but I am gathering info before I get started. I don't want to make a mistake, especially on the roof.
What restraint Cody? Did I miss something?
Dave

Dave,
  The wedge goes between the roof and the antenna mounting plate (fat side of wedge towards the side of the coach) so the antenna will be vertical when raised rather than tilted toward the side of the coach.
   I think Cody was referring to the antenna being straight up (without Viagra).  OK coldy, I started it, go for it LOL.   Jack

[cody]

Coldy? lmao