Jerry in all honesty you do the best videos on TH-cam. You pick great subjects and take the time to explain things or at least provide links for additional information. Keep up the great work and thanks for educating us all.
Thanks so much Paul. We have so much fun sharing our RV tips and travels. We have much more planned for future videos. If you think these videos will help a friend, go ahead and click that share link. Safe travels. Jerry...
Great video Jerry! We appreciate people putting out good, quality information regarding the installation of our products! Very thorough from start to finish and we hope you are loving our antenna!
Thanks so much for the comment. We’re enjoying the new antenna and especially like the ease of finding channels using the added signal strength meter. Plus the installation instructions were on the mark. Great product. Jerry...
Thank you! I just bought a Newmar GrandStar 3752 with a crank up antenna looking forward to installing the King Jack as an added bonus to tv watching. Appreciate the help👍🇺🇸
Another great DYI project. Best part of doing yourself is that you know those connections are good. And you found out why you had so much extra cable at roof. Ha. Boy they didn’t leave an inch to spare. Nice job !! 👏👏👍👍
Jerry, thank you for taking the time to produce this video. Great job!!!! Totally appreciate all your knowledge and videos that you share. Thanks again and safe travels.
My truck camper came with this. I have to admit it's the best amplified antenna I've used. BUT I've had to pull it off the roof three times in 4 years. There's a RG-174 coax cable inside that gets broken easily. Even driving under a palm frond spins the antenna & breaks the coax. It's not accessible without removing the entire thing. The little push button locks from the inside but not very well. So keep a spare DTV antenna with you if you want to watch tv on the road, lessons learned.
Good video we have just return from RVING and my crank up antenna was acting up so now you’re video convinced me to buy one just like you installed so thx for the concise video
Thanks T X. Our old bat-wing came apart for over a month. Joan was some kinda unhappy missing her Young and Restless. Thank goodness for the afternoon replay on the POP channel. Replacing the bats-wing with the new King antenna was not to difficult of a project. Just read the directions in detail and take your time. Let me know how it goes if you tackle the project.
Thanks a bunch Ty. Just takes a good read of the instructions, a little patience and a couple of hours. Let me know how it goes if you tackle the project.
@@iLoveRVlife I don't plan on tackling a project like that any time soon. I just like watching your videos. Bye the way, I like watching the videos of the RV parks that you post of were you and Joan go to. I've saved every one of them. :)
Hey Jerry I am with you........it is nice not having to crank up our antenna anymore.....and remembering to put it down...we have all done it.........the amplified antenna makes all the difference.......and as always....love your spirit.....
Bit of an involved project, but the old bat-wing antenna has seen better days. Very please with the upgrade. Thanks a bunch for the kind comment. Jerry...
Thanks for this great and quality video as i am installing this King Antenna today, you made it look easy and gave me the confidence to tackle it. I think the sealer is going t be my biggest challenge!
I managed to get that install done in about 3hrs, but i get only 44 channels compared to 85 with the old batwing. Its ok because their all very clear now. I did have to carefully measure and cut the long extension shaft about 1/2in because it was to long and the base plate would not fit flush. That's not in the instructions. thanks again.
HI Jerry.. I'am working on Rebuilding My 2001 Rockwood ROO 21 Hybrid,, New Roof ( So Much Leaking from Neglect Past Owners, New Floor (much more Bracing under the New wood Floor)replaced the Fold Out Bed Floors with 1/8" Aluminum Sheets , Watching The Antenna VIDEO Today Was Perfect !!I Will Order The King OA8500 and the Plate Today ,I think that plate will Also give it more Stability I Truly ENJOY Your Help VIDS...
Thanks a bunch. What a great project. So much satisfaction replacing the bad and seeing the new materialize. The King antenna has been a nice upgrade from the old batwing and reception has been similar. We did a small remodel of our kitchen in the 5th wheel. A bit of a ballet working to reuse much of the cabinets and exterior paneling. Created a series if interested th-cam.com/video/5-EvGXnbFf8/w-d-xo.html. Thanks for watching the channel.
I haven't even touched an RV in 5 years but this video was quite informative and entertaining. I've subscribed and appreciate the effort you put into this content.
Awesome to hear back from you the only thing to after the king jack HDTV install is done just changing a few inside lightings and change out all the outside lights and redo the tail lights lens’s and bulbs and adding marble flooring to the entrance way up the steps with led changeable lighting and put a brand new paint job and adding chrome front mirrors then I will be all done it’s so worth it
Hi Jerry, I am very happy with King products I have their Jack antenna, OmniGo Antenna, and their Dish Tailgator Pro and all work excellent. I have their King Falcon Wi-Fi antenna on order hopefully that works as good as their other products. Nice clean work as usual, Lou
Thanks a bunch Lou. So far, so good. The antenna is working great. We went the Winegard X2 route for Dish service. Good to know the whole family of King products are working well.
@@iLoveRVlife I have one that is omni directional but no crank. Will go to this when this one goes out. Please let us know how the range is when you get a chance to really test it.
Hey Jerry. Great video, followed it step by step. Did not have the special tool for the cable connector so used old connector. That tool was $30! One thing would have helped me tremendously- how to manipulate the cable inside the antenna once it was connected. Had to sleep on that one and let the lap sealant dry so I could scrap off the next day. Frustrated, but so proud of myself once I figured it out! A little more detail on that portion would have helped, as I did all step by step with you. Thanks for giving me the confidence to do this project. My husband just rolled his eyes when I ordered the parts and told him I planned on doing it. And I DID IT!
Thanks so much. Our old batwing was damaged when we forgot to take it down on a leg of a long trip this summer, and I decided that I wanted a low-profile antenna instead, so as not to worry about it again. I was worried about doing it right, but I am following the instructions and your video. Should have it done soon.
Glad we could help Buzz. Ours has worked well since we installed. There are some particulars about placement in the instructions. No issues for us. Good luck with your upgrade.
I've installed two of these antenna's and could not be happier. They pull in stations better than the Batwings I removed. BTW, you can reuse the power supply (power inserter) from the batwing on the Jack. Mine had an output for the FM raidio ant connection so I wanted to keep it. I called Jack and they told me it would work fine - which it did.
Hi Scott. We've been using for a little over a month since installed. Like you, we couldn't be happier with the performance. We were having problems with the power inserter. We gave up the 12v DC plug, but this one works much better.
Thanks Jim. Haven’t traveled to the fringe areas yet. Looking forward to seeing how it performs. Glad you like the new intro. That one was fun to make.
Outstanding video! I already have one of these in the RV we have which is a 2017 Coachman Orion and it actually brings in more stations that our external Winegard TV antenna on the roof of my house. Probably will buy another one of these just to add to the roof of my house because we live in Florida and hurricanes do a number on the large antennas like the one I have on top of a 40' telescopic pole.
Thanks Alan. The King Jack has done a great job on this current 3,000 mile trip. Talking with others in the campgrounds, ours has work as well as any other solution. Plus, the signal meter is a really nice addition making it much easier to zero in on the closest stations.
You can use a thin cardboard template of the baseplate and trace with a pencil to get your exact center. Just my 2 cents. Haven't done this yet, but I probably will soon. Thanks
Jerry, as we are all getting older I have found that when I have to go up onto the trailer roof it's easier to put all of the tools that I will need in a tool bucket with the tools pouch skirt around it. That way I can tie a rope onto it and pull them up or lower them down. Lowe's and home depot both sell the skirts to fit on their 5 gallon buckets
Great tip. What wasn’t shown on the video was the ladder I had on the side that made it easier to place the tools. But I’m using your bucket idea from now on. Thanks.
Great video. I have one of these King antennas on my 2018 TT. Mine is black so it won't show dirt so much. Mine also does not have the signal indicators in the inside portion, wish it did! I agree they do not leave enough cable at the power connector! Can be really hard to get my hands/fingers to work there. Thanks for sharing
Great Video Jerry we broke our antenna and was searching for a good one. I was wondering how far up this would stand. I think you helped me make up my mind. Thank you for posting it. Keep up the great work.
Very. Much easier to find stations with the built in strength meter. At this location we were able to pick up station for station just like the replaced crank up antenna.
Great video. Helped an awful lot. Going to upgrade soon. One question I had was about the roof sealant. You mentioned two types of roofs. Excuse my ignorance but how do I know what type of roof I have? Thanks.
I am not familiar with your wire stripper. Can you identify it for me? My large steel one irritates the heck out of me. Also, I have become a huge Eternabond fan. After mine arrives, I will go that route around the 12x12 base plate to aid in waterproofing and stabilization before adding the sealant. Ray with LOVEYOURRV is to blame for that. LOL. He went heavy on it to completely seal his roof and slide. Thank you for the video. It seems most RV owners are going this route, but, your the first to cover the installation procedure in detail for me.
Here’s an inexpensive kit with stripper, compression tool and a handful of compression connectors. amzn.to/2WbAXPO. Handy to keep in the tool bag just in case. Eternabond is great stuff. If you go that route you should consider adding lap sealant to the edges. Good luck with your project.
Thank you for an easy to follow video. I am about to replace just the cable connector on my King Jack Antenna as it broke. I purchased the kit you recommended from Amazon. One question I have is the when stripping the TV cable I strip the black outer coating off, strip the silver threads and the white coating leaving only a single copper wire to put through the R6 cable connector?
Thanks Barb. You’re correct. Take extra care to ensure no shield (the braid and/or foil) isn’t touching the center conductor. Leave about an inch of center conductor after you strip the cable. Push the coax into the connector till the white dielectric touches the bottom of the connector. Crimp, then trim the center conductor leaving 1/8 inch outside the connector. You’re ready to go.
Jerry: Your how-to videos are really appreciated, especially for an all-thumbs guy like me. I do have a question… I’ll be replacing the old batwing antenna with either the King Jack directional or a Winegard omnidirectional product. I’m making room in the roof to add an additional solar panel. Since the replacement wall plate for the cable on/off switch looks identical to the old one, can you use that existing plate? (Not looking forward to bruising up my finger and speaking a lot of “french”.) Thanks!
@@iLoveRVlife Jerry: I have a follow-up question… The old batwing antenna just has a co-ax cable running thru the roof, down to the booster wall plate connections. I’m assuming (without removing the crank handle assembly) there is NO 12V power cord at that ceiling point??? Did you experience that? If this is true, am I going endure the agony of trying to fish a power line to that old crank handle ceiling location for either product? Or am I just freaking over nothing? Thanks, again.
Depends on the type of system. It has a power inserter somewhere. Some RVs have a push button video distribution panel that has the power inserter built in. Not sure if that's your case. If you have this type of system, it should power the King Jack.
@@iLoveRVlife ahh ok, I was wondering if that switch box worked with the antenna because the cable goes into that then out to the TVs and it has power going into it. I'll look into that, thank you for the reply. That helps me out now.
Great how to video!!!!!!I just bought The King Jack Antenna. My older rv does not have a power inserter is the power 12 volt dc? Also I probably wont have extra eyes to help I was thinking about laying the mount plate down on roof to find center and marking out line with painter tape where mount plate will go. then assembling plate to the antenna Do you think that will work?
Thanks a bunch. It is 12V DC and a must have. No signal without power to the amp. You’ll first screw the plate to the antenna. The extra plate is only needed if you’re replacing the older style crank up antennas. Painters tape is always a great way to temporary mark something.
Great Video , lost my batwing on last trip purchased the King in texas just ordered the base plate for it. Question i already have the power box located in the living room with the button and green light the king comes with a box also is it necessary to replace the old one it was working fine with the bat wing.
Nice upgrade! Is it possible to add a signal indicator to a stock antenna? I don't want to have to replace the whole thing on our new trailer but trying to get a good signal is a bit of a pain! Thanks
Thanks. There are external signal meters. They are a bit pricey and some modification to the cable routing, cutting a hole to fit, etc. Here's an example. amzn.to/2Zkg7v3
This is probably the best video on replacing the bat wing antenna. I’m trying to decide what to replace it with. How’s it holding up and do you get good reception? Thank you.
My batwin wasnt powered . I replaced it with a flat powered antenna. What i was hoping to see. How many channels you got before and after installation. In my case i had 12 channels before and an amazing 48 afterwards. I love rv life [ most of thd time ] see ya on the road
You say not to use dicor but they have a lap sealant as well correct? And that would Bo OK to use? Both between antenna and plate and between plate and roof?
I didn’t Bill. There were 2 holes from the replaced batwing. The main shaft of the King fit the larger hole and the mounting plate covered the smaller hole.
Jerry. Thanks for the video. Very informative and detail oriented. Now that you have had some time to use the product, how do you rate it? Is it worth the upgrade from what you had. I am not much of a TV watcher but we like to get local news for weather and such when we are traveling and when it is a bad weather day.
Hi Robert. The batwing had fallen apart so we had to replace. It’s working well. Like not having to crank up and down and the signal finder adds a benefit finding stations. Still need to tune a little left or right, but quickly gets you in the ball park. We’ve been to campgrounds where we used the previous batwing. Reception is similar.
@@iLoveRVlife 2 questions. Is the power to the antenna, (yellow wire) DC? #2 is can the antenna be rotated for tune from inside the RV or do you have to climb on the roof to rotate and adjust it or is this a three dimensional antenna?
This isn’t an Omni directional antenna. You’ll see in the video a knob inside to turn for directional tuning. We also have the signal strength indicator option. Makes it easier to find the better off air stations in an area. Can’t advise on the wire to use. No standards in RV color codes. I’d use a volt meter to verify.
Does the Wall Mount Power Injector (inserter) amplify the tv signal or just supply 12v power to the signal finder? My antenna did not come with one. Will I need this to amplify the tv signals?
Hi Rich. This is a power inserter. The amp is located in the antenna. Same as the crank up batwing antenna. If power isn’t sent to the antenna, no signal is received.
Terrific video! Looking to do same project in day or so. Instructions say post hole should be 2 1/4 in. I have a Wingard batwing as well, did you have to increase the post hole size on your install?
Hey Jerry thanks for the video we purchased the King Jack aswell. When you where checking your connections with your multi meter what setting did you have it on? Sorry it's new to me..thanks for the great tutorial
The range of most compact HD antennas is about 150 mile radius. That means from the center point of where you're located. If you divide that distance in half, you're talking about 75 miles. If you are boon docking that far out, it is likely, you would be better off with GSM/satellite communications, and would be better off using the WiFi / hotspot, and streaming via the internet.
We use a Dish and an X2, but try to get the locals of antenna if possible. Saves few bucks each month. Hotspots are good if we have good cell coverage, but I work on the road and often my work needs consumes the bandwidth during the day.
@@iLoveRVlife So you paid ~$400 to buy a dish which STILL requires you to pay for monthly service from dish, which gives you slower than 4G internet speeds (up to 12MBPS on 4G...5G is supposedly faster). There are very limited areas throughout the US that do not have some type of 4G/5G service, and for that you would probably be better off in investing in a cellphone booster (which costs a lot less than the X2)...because if you can connect to their network, you can use data. I personally have the T-mobile international one plan for when I travel and demo my product(s). I have unlimited 4G data tethering, and unlimited regular phone data. I paid an extra $25.00 per year, and I also get unlimted calls/texts to other countries including Canada, UK, Mexico, France, etc. They cannot dial me back. This service allows me to pay for a streaming service for around $10.00 per month, which gives me locals from every state (as well as other countries). Now, if you didn't want to pay for the unlimited tethering, your unlimited data service would w work well as well, you would just have to connect your phone directly up or stream wirelessly from your cellphone to the TV (DLNA, etc).
Joyce, I don’t think we are saying the same thing. The Dish service, Wally receiver and Winegard X2 are for video services only. They do not provide any cell service of any kind. This is strictly a satellite based video service. Many times we stay in areas where cell service is very limited even with the booster. We have to be able to have some cell service first to boost. With the Dish satellite service we are able to watch TV regardless as long as we have a clear shot to either the east or west arc where the satellites reside. We use Internet, have a MoFi 4500 and external antenna with grandfathered Verizon and AT&T unlimited plans. We prefer a good enterprise router with a quality cellular radio and a high gain external antenna. Boosters are hit or miss from our experience. Appreciate the comments.
@@iLoveRVlife I don't think you understand what I'm trying to say. If you are close enough to get Over the Air (OTA HD), you are close enough to get cell service, with an extender. If you get cell service, you can get data service through your cellphone provider, which allows you to stream content over the data service from your cell provider for cheaper than paying for Dish and the whole works you've purchased into. A cell phone extender, which you can install in place of your Wineguard, costs about $200. Your cellphone service can be upgraded (if you're with the right company to unlimited tethering for $25 per month). So you can drop the dish, go tell Wally whatever to take a hike, and run simply off your unlimited 4g/5G data streaming content from the internet.
Jerry, I am watching your video for 2nd time. I thought I had a coax issue with my current King Jack Antenna and ordered the crimp set recommended by you. However after further examination the coax cable issue is one that that connects to antenna head and in the antenna shaft. The cable has yellow crimped connectors. I saw the yellow crimped connector in the shaft of antenna in your video. To replace this $10 cable will require to remove the antenna . That’s not a problem. My question is the lap sealant you used was for PVC roof. My roof is fiberglass constructed by Winnebago. Will the lab sealant you used by okay for fiberglass roof? Thank you for your help. Your videos are great.
Still thumbs up Mark. We’ve returned to some campgrounds where we used the old batwing. Reception was similar. Doubt there would be any addition gain over the older unit. We still go places were their isn’t any TV signal.
I will have to find someone I trust to do this for me that is tech savvy. Amazingly I understood most of what you were saying. The problem is I can't go up on the roof( that would be a paramedic run for me) and we don't need that 😱🙀😳
nice video but you had your coax strippers backwards which is why they did not strip correctly. it matters which direction you put the coax into the strippers.
You can if the camper has a dedicated satellite connection. Usually these are marked “satellite” and there’s a dedicated line near the TV. Satellite will not work through the One marked “cable” due to the electronics located at the antenna booster switch. We used a Dish Wally and Winegard X2 for the last 4 years. Both have served us well.
It doesn’t. You’re probably looking for an outdoor WiFi antenna and booster such as one of these - amzn.to/2HrJNR1 or amzn.to/2WbXvzP. They’re pricey, but the function and electronics are substantially different.
I know. Boosting a WiFi signal takes a lot of science and it is expensive. If you have the skill set to manage a good home style access point, you can purchase one in the $100 range with good set of high gain antennas. Place it by a window and connect to the park WiFi. I did this for a while until I migrated to cellular Internet. It won’t boost like the high-end RV boosters, but will make a difference.
Hey Jerry I'm not sure if you can help me with this or not. I'm installing that antenna after loosing out old one on a tree limb. Anyway my problem is this. When I removed the old antenna there was only ONE cable in the space.. No 2nd line to hook i to the knob for adjusting it. Can you explain how to find the proper coax line that I should run into the antenna from the bedroom cable outlets in the ceiling ? Tia
I’ll try. The OA8500 with signal finder is the unit I installed. At the flat part of the base, you’ll find a connector to connect the RG6 coax cable that was attached to the antenna you removed. The connector that has the thin coax goes to the base with the knob. Page 3 of the installation manual has a good picture showing the TV coax connection. Page 4 shows the connection for the signal coax. I also replaced my older power inserter with the coax splitter for the front and back TVs. If cables aren’t labeled, disconnect from TV’s and short the ends one at a with a with a paper clip from inserting one end into the center connection and touching the outer barrel. The use a voltmeter to very each TV and the cable in connection. The 4th will be from the antenna. Hope this helps.
Great video. I'm glad that my RV came with that newer style antenna. Did you know you have to turn the pre amp off before you can use an outside cable hookup or it will not program?
During the program, you recommended a coax connector and tool for installation. I do not see it on your products list, what brand and model of connector and tool did you use? Thanks Tony
Time after time after time I've watched King Jack tutorials and do you think after scouring TH-cam that I can find one that actually explains how are what the booster hooks up to for power? Every single one omits that part.
Jerry in all honesty you do the best videos on TH-cam. You pick great subjects and take the time to explain things or at least provide links for additional information. Keep up the great work and thanks for educating us all.
Thanks so much Paul. We have so much fun sharing our RV tips and travels. We have much more planned for future videos. If you think these videos will help a friend, go ahead and click that share link. Safe travels. Jerry...
Great video Jerry! We appreciate people putting out good, quality information regarding the installation of our products! Very thorough from start to finish and we hope you are loving our antenna!
Thanks so much for the comment. We’re enjoying the new antenna and especially like the ease of finding channels using the added signal strength meter. Plus the installation instructions were on the mark. Great product. Jerry...
I'm thinking about buying one for my RV. Do you have any promo codes to use? Thanks!!
Hi Joshua. No promos. But, here’s the links I used. Antenna amzn.to/2Ja9DKw. Base amzn.to/2Xmz7b2
Thank you! I just bought a Newmar GrandStar 3752 with a crank up antenna looking forward to installing the King Jack as an added bonus to tv watching. Appreciate the help👍🇺🇸
Glad we could help.
Another great DYI project. Best part of doing yourself is that you know those connections are good. And you found out why you had so much extra cable at roof. Ha. Boy they didn’t leave an inch to spare. Nice job !! 👏👏👍👍
Thanks a bunch.
Jerry, thank you for taking the time to produce this video. Great job!!!! Totally appreciate all your knowledge and videos that you share. Thanks again and safe travels.
Hi Richard. Appreciate the very kind comment. Glad to share our RV travel and tips. Jerry...
Great video! I was wanting to replace my old batwing and now I know what to get. Great job of replacing!
Thanks Michael. You’ll like not cranking up and down, and the signal quality is a bout the same.
My truck camper came with this. I have to admit it's the best amplified antenna I've used. BUT I've had to pull it off the roof three times in 4 years. There's a RG-174 coax cable inside that gets broken easily. Even driving under a palm frond spins the antenna & breaks the coax. It's not accessible without removing the entire thing. The little push button locks from the inside but not very well. So keep a spare DTV antenna with you if you want to watch tv on the road, lessons learned.
Great to hear the antenna is working for you. We’ll watch out for the low hanging limbs. Appreciate the tip.
Good video we have just return from RVING and my crank up antenna was acting up so now you’re video convinced me to buy one just like you installed so thx for the concise video
Thanks T X. Our old bat-wing came apart for over a month. Joan was some kinda unhappy missing her Young and Restless. Thank goodness for the afternoon replay on the POP channel. Replacing the bats-wing with the new King antenna was not to difficult of a project. Just read the directions in detail and take your time. Let me know how it goes if you tackle the project.
You never cease to amaze me Jerry. You make it look easy to install and I think I might be able to do it. I like the fact you explain things well to.
Thanks a bunch Ty. Just takes a good read of the instructions, a little patience and a couple of hours. Let me know how it goes if you tackle the project.
@@iLoveRVlife I don't plan on tackling a project like that any time soon. I just like watching your videos. Bye the way, I like watching the videos of the RV parks that you post of were you and Joan go to. I've saved every one of them. :)
Thanks much. We’ll be back on the road soon. Looking forward to sharing the campgrounds and our tours along the way.
@@iLoveRVlife Can't wait. :)
Hey Jerry I am with you........it is nice not having to crank up our antenna anymore.....and remembering to put it down...we have all done it.........the amplified antenna makes all the difference.......and as always....love your spirit.....
Bit of an involved project, but the old bat-wing antenna has seen better days. Very please with the upgrade. Thanks a bunch for the kind comment. Jerry...
Thanks for this great and quality video as i am installing this King Antenna today, you made it look easy and gave me the confidence to tackle it. I think the sealer is going t be my biggest challenge!
Glad we could help. Sealer is pretty easy. You’ll do great.
I managed to get that install done in about 3hrs, but i get only 44 channels compared to 85 with the old batwing. Its ok because their all very clear now. I did have to carefully measure and cut the long extension shaft about 1/2in because it was to long and the base plate would not fit flush. That's not in the instructions. thanks again.
HI Jerry.. I'am working on Rebuilding My 2001 Rockwood ROO 21 Hybrid,, New Roof ( So Much Leaking from Neglect Past Owners, New Floor (much more Bracing under the New wood Floor)replaced the Fold Out Bed Floors with 1/8" Aluminum Sheets , Watching The Antenna VIDEO Today Was Perfect !!I Will Order The King OA8500 and the Plate Today ,I think that plate will Also give it more Stability I Truly ENJOY Your Help VIDS...
Thanks a bunch. What a great project. So much satisfaction replacing the bad and seeing the new materialize. The King antenna has been a nice upgrade from the old batwing and reception has been similar. We did a small remodel of our kitchen in the 5th wheel. A bit of a ballet working to reuse much of the cabinets and exterior paneling. Created a series if interested th-cam.com/video/5-EvGXnbFf8/w-d-xo.html. Thanks for watching the channel.
I haven't even touched an RV in 5 years but this video was quite informative and entertaining. I've subscribed and appreciate the effort you put into this content.
Thanks for the kind comment and appreciate the sub. Jump back in that RV. Hope to see you in a campground one day soon.
I too got the same one from work I just ordered the bottom plate for it be here in a few days I can’t wait my 50’ diesel pusher
We’re having good results with ours. Hope the install goes well.
Awesome to hear back from you the only thing to after the king jack HDTV install is done just changing a few inside lightings and change out all the outside lights and redo the tail lights lens’s and bulbs and adding marble flooring to the entrance way up the steps with led changeable lighting and put a brand new paint job and adding chrome front mirrors then I will be all done it’s so worth it
Sounds like a great project. Safe travels.
Hi Jerry, I am very happy with King products I have their Jack antenna, OmniGo Antenna, and their Dish Tailgator Pro and all work excellent. I have their King Falcon Wi-Fi antenna on order hopefully that works as good as their other products. Nice clean work as usual, Lou
Thanks a bunch Lou. So far, so good. The antenna is working great. We went the Winegard X2 route for Dish service. Good to know the whole family of King products are working well.
Jerry, You are indeed a video guru. Great Job and it looks like the antenna will do you a good job. Hope it does well when out and about.
Thanks Tim. So far so good. We’ll see how well it holds up on our travels through the year.
@@iLoveRVlife I have one that is omni directional but no crank. Will go to this when this one goes out. Please let us know how the range is when you get a chance to really test it.
Very good video. Contains a lot of useful information.
Thanks Bill.
Hey Jerry. Great video, followed it step by step. Did not have the special tool for the cable connector so used old connector. That tool was $30! One thing would have helped me tremendously- how to manipulate the cable inside the antenna once it was connected. Had to sleep on that one and let the lap sealant dry so I could scrap off the next day. Frustrated, but so proud of myself once I figured it out! A little more detail on that portion would have helped, as I did all step by step with you.
Thanks for giving me the confidence to do this project. My husband just rolled his eyes when I ordered the parts and told him I planned on doing it. And I DID IT!
Way to go Deb! Great to hear you found the video helpful and was able to work through the cable routing.
Thanks so much. Our old batwing was damaged when we forgot to take it down on a leg of a long trip this summer, and I decided that I wanted a low-profile antenna instead, so as not to worry about it again. I was worried about doing it right, but I am following the instructions and your video. Should have it done soon.
Glad we could help Buzz. Ours has worked well since we installed. There are some particulars about placement in the instructions. No issues for us. Good luck with your upgrade.
Whew, lot of work! Great video, as usual!
Thanks Paula.
Thanks for sharing looking at installing one of these
Glad we could help.
I've installed two of these antenna's and could not be happier. They pull in stations better than the Batwings I removed.
BTW, you can reuse the power supply (power inserter) from the batwing on the Jack. Mine had an output for the FM raidio ant connection so I wanted to keep it. I called Jack and they told me it would work fine - which it did.
Hi Scott. We've been using for a little over a month since installed. Like you, we couldn't be happier with the performance. We were having problems with the power inserter. We gave up the 12v DC plug, but this one works much better.
Good choice, Jerry! I have one on my Jayco and it works great, even out in the boonies. By the way, you did a great job with your video intro's.
Thanks Jim. Haven’t traveled to the fringe areas yet. Looking forward to seeing how it performs. Glad you like the new intro. That one was fun to make.
Thank you so much for sharing your project and your time.
Glad to help.
Great video I had the same problem with my reception I changed me cable and I have 26 fantastic channels thanks very much 👍👍👍👍
Glad to help.
I plan to do this upgrade, thanks for the great informative video.
You bet Dave. Let me know how the project goes.
Great video! Just what I was looking for.
Thanks Eric. Glad this helped.
Looks easy when you do it. 😊
Just a little patience and time. Wasn’t too bad.
Outstanding video! I already have one of these in the RV we have which is a 2017 Coachman Orion and it actually brings in more stations that our external Winegard TV antenna on the roof of my house. Probably will buy another one of these just to add to the roof of my house because we live in Florida and hurricanes do a number on the large antennas like the one I have on top of a 40' telescopic pole.
Thanks Alan. The King Jack has done a great job on this current 3,000 mile trip. Talking with others in the campgrounds, ours has work as well as any other solution. Plus, the signal meter is a really nice addition making it much easier to zero in on the closest stations.
You can use a thin cardboard template of the baseplate and trace with a pencil to get your exact center. Just my 2 cents. Haven't done this yet, but I probably will soon. Thanks
Thanks, I use CAD often. “Cardboard Aided Drawing” Helpful to get it right on paper first.
Jerry, as we are all getting older I have found that when I have to go up onto the trailer roof it's easier to put all of the tools that I will need in a tool bucket with the tools pouch skirt around it. That way I can tie a rope onto it and pull them up or lower them down.
Lowe's and home depot both sell the skirts to fit on their 5 gallon buckets
Great tip. What wasn’t shown on the video was the ladder I had on the side that made it easier to place the tools. But I’m using your bucket idea from now on. Thanks.
Also I subscribed and looking forward to watching your videos.
Thanks!
Good job Jerry.
Thanks Norm.
Great video. I have one of these King antennas on my 2018 TT. Mine is black so it won't show dirt so much. Mine also does not have the signal indicators in the inside portion, wish it did! I agree they do not leave enough cable at the power connector! Can be really hard to get my hands/fingers to work there. Thanks for sharing
You bet. Glad to share. Looking forward to seeing how the antenna behaves in the fringe areas.
Great Video Jerry we broke our antenna and was searching for a good one. I was wondering how far up this would stand. I think you helped me make up my mind. Thank you for posting it. Keep up the great work.
It was a little shorter than the AC unit. Looks like it’s going to be a good replacement.
I Love RV Life that’s great. I was worried about how high it would stand on the roof. Have you been happy with it up until now?
Very. Much easier to find stations with the built in strength meter. At this location we were able to pick up station for station just like the replaced crank up antenna.
Great video. Helped an awful lot. Going to upgrade soon. One question I had was about the roof sealant. You mentioned two types of roofs. Excuse my ignorance but how do I know what type of roof I have? Thanks.
The largest percentage of camper roofs are TPO. If it’s thick with a little spring in it when pushed with your thumb, it’s a good bet it’s a TPO roof.
Thank you so much! 🙏
Thanks for watching
I am not familiar with your wire stripper. Can you identify it for me? My large steel one irritates the heck out of me. Also, I have become a huge Eternabond fan. After mine arrives, I will go that route around the 12x12 base plate to aid in waterproofing and stabilization before adding the sealant. Ray with LOVEYOURRV is to blame for that. LOL. He went heavy on it to completely seal his roof and slide. Thank you for the video. It seems most RV owners are going this route, but, your the first to cover the installation procedure in detail for me.
Here’s an inexpensive kit with stripper, compression tool and a handful of compression connectors. amzn.to/2WbAXPO. Handy to keep in the tool bag just in case. Eternabond is great stuff. If you go that route you should consider adding lap sealant to the edges. Good luck with your project.
Thank you for an easy to follow video. I am about to replace just the cable connector on my King Jack Antenna as it broke. I purchased the kit you recommended from Amazon. One question I have is the when stripping the TV cable I strip the black outer coating off, strip the silver threads and the white coating leaving only a single copper wire to put through the R6 cable connector?
Thanks Barb. You’re correct. Take extra care to ensure no shield (the braid and/or foil) isn’t touching the center conductor. Leave about an inch of center conductor after you strip the cable. Push the coax into the connector till the white dielectric touches the bottom of the connector. Crimp, then trim the center conductor leaving 1/8 inch outside the connector. You’re ready to go.
Great video, was wondering if the interior plate would cover the hole and from your video, I am ordering one now. Thank you very much.
Jonathan, the plate leaves the large hole for the main part of the antenna and covers the smaller holes. Great base for antenna.
Jerry: Your how-to videos are really appreciated, especially for an all-thumbs guy like me.
I do have a question… I’ll be replacing the old batwing antenna with either the King Jack directional or a Winegard omnidirectional product.
I’m making room in the roof to add an additional solar panel.
Since the replacement wall plate for the cable on/off switch looks identical to the old one, can you use that existing plate?
(Not looking forward to bruising up my finger and speaking a lot of “french”.)
Thanks!
Thanks Dean. The old plate should work. Most provide 12V DC to the antenna amplifier.
@@iLoveRVlife Jerry: I have a follow-up question…
The old batwing antenna just has a co-ax cable running thru the roof, down to the booster wall plate connections. I’m assuming (without removing the crank handle assembly) there is NO 12V power cord at that ceiling point???
Did you experience that?
If this is true, am I going endure the agony of trying to fish a power line to that old crank handle ceiling location for either product?
Or am I just freaking over nothing?
Thanks, again.
Power is over the coax
Hello Jerry, did you use the extension provided with the king antenna?
Thank you
I did.
Nice video, nice information
Thanks Tim.
I have a Batwing style but I don't see a power inserter for the antenna?
Depends on the type of system. It has a power inserter somewhere. Some RVs have a push button video distribution panel that has the power inserter built in. Not sure if that's your case. If you have this type of system, it should power the King Jack.
@@iLoveRVlife ahh ok, I was wondering if that switch box worked with the antenna because the cable goes into that then out to the TVs and it has power going into it.
I'll look into that, thank you for the reply. That helps me out now.
Great video Jerry. Love the new intro.
Thanks Don. Broke down and bought the right to use. Fingers crossed.
@@iLoveRVlife honestly, I like it better than the original. And I liked the original.
Thanks a bunch Don.
Great how to video!!!!!!I just bought The King Jack Antenna. My older rv does not have a power inserter is the power 12 volt dc? Also I probably wont have extra eyes to help I was thinking about laying the mount plate down on roof to find center and marking out line with painter tape where mount plate will go. then assembling plate to the antenna Do you think that will work?
Thanks a bunch. It is 12V DC and a must have. No signal without power to the amp. You’ll first screw the plate to the antenna. The extra plate is only needed if you’re replacing the older style crank up antennas. Painters tape is always a great way to temporary mark something.
@@iLoveRVlife thanks for the reply. I will use the info to make the installation.
Hello, great video. What type screws did you use to attach the base plate to the roof?
Thank you
Those were 1 1/2 inch #8 pan heads
@@iLoveRVlife . Thank you very much for the information. I think they will work on a rubber roof as well.
Shouldn’t be a problem. You’ll be screwing into the plywood underpayment.
Great Video , lost my batwing on last trip purchased the King in texas just ordered the base plate for it. Question i already have the power box located in the living room with the button and green light the king comes with a box also is it necessary to replace the old one it was working fine with the bat wing.
Thanks Fred. If this is a 12V DC source, all should work.
Nice upgrade! Is it possible to add a signal indicator to a stock antenna? I don't want to have to replace the whole thing on our new trailer but trying to get a good signal is a bit of a pain! Thanks
Thanks. There are external signal meters. They are a bit pricey and some modification to the cable routing, cutting a hole to fit, etc. Here's an example. amzn.to/2Zkg7v3
This is probably the best video on replacing the bat wing antenna. I’m trying to decide what to replace it with. How’s it holding up and do you get good reception? Thank you.
Thanks. It works well. Tested in areas where we used the old batwing. Reception was similar. In a few instances we has better reception.
Thanks, Jerry.
You bet.
My batwin wasnt powered . I replaced it with a flat powered antenna. What i was hoping to see. How many channels you got before and after installation. In my case i had 12 channels before and an amazing 48 afterwards. I love rv life [ most of thd time ] see ya on the road
Interesting that your bat-wing didn’t have an amplifier. I imagine the reception was pretty crummy. Safe travels.
You say not to use dicor but they have a lap sealant as well correct? And that would Bo OK to use? Both between antenna and plate and between plate and roof?
I had to use 5051 with my PVC roof. Dicor is a reasonable lap seal for the other RV roofs.
Did you have to enlarge the hole through the roof to accommodate the new antenna shaft?
I didn’t Bill. There were 2 holes from the replaced batwing. The main shaft of the King fit the larger hole and the mounting plate covered the smaller hole.
Jerry. Thanks for the video. Very informative and detail oriented. Now that you have had some time to use the product, how do you rate it? Is it worth the upgrade from what you had. I am not much of a TV watcher but we like to get local news for weather and such when we are traveling and when it is a bad weather day.
Hi Robert. The batwing had fallen apart so we had to replace. It’s working well. Like not having to crank up and down and the signal finder adds a benefit finding stations. Still need to tune a little left or right, but quickly gets you in the ball park. We’ve been to campgrounds where we used the previous batwing. Reception is similar.
@@iLoveRVlife 2 questions. Is the power to the antenna, (yellow wire) DC? #2 is can the antenna be rotated for tune from inside the RV or do you have to climb on the roof to rotate and adjust it or is this a three dimensional antenna?
This isn’t an Omni directional antenna. You’ll see in the video a knob inside to turn for directional tuning. We also have the signal strength indicator option. Makes it easier to find the better off air stations in an area. Can’t advise on the wire to use. No standards in RV color codes. I’d use a volt meter to verify.
Does the Wall Mount Power Injector (inserter) amplify the tv signal or just supply 12v power to the signal finder? My antenna did not come with one. Will I need this to amplify the tv signals?
Hi Rich. This is a power inserter. The amp is located in the antenna. Same as the crank up batwing antenna. If power isn’t sent to the antenna, no signal is received.
@@iLoveRVlife Thank You!
Terrific video! Looking to do same project in day or so. Instructions say post hole should be 2 1/4 in. I have a Wingard batwing as well, did you have to increase the post hole size on your install?
I didn't Tim. It slipped in no problem and the purchase of the adapter plate covered the extra holes and provided a good foundation for the antenna.
Hey Jerry thanks for the video we purchased the King Jack aswell. When you where checking your connections with your multi meter what setting did you have it on? Sorry it's new to me..thanks for the great tutorial
That’s a DC connection. Depending on your meter, a setting to read in the 12V to 14V range.
Great video, just one question is the power supplied through the coax to the antenna?
Thanks. It is.
The range of most compact HD antennas is about 150 mile radius. That means from the center point of where you're located. If you divide that distance in half, you're talking about 75 miles. If you are boon docking that far out, it is likely, you would be better off with GSM/satellite communications, and would be better off using the WiFi / hotspot, and streaming via the internet.
We use a Dish and an X2, but try to get the locals of antenna if possible. Saves few bucks each month. Hotspots are good if we have good cell coverage, but I work on the road and often my work needs consumes the bandwidth during the day.
@@iLoveRVlife So you paid ~$400 to buy a dish which STILL requires you to pay for monthly service from dish, which gives you slower than 4G internet speeds (up to 12MBPS on 4G...5G is supposedly faster). There are very limited areas throughout the US that do not have some type of 4G/5G service, and for that you would probably be better off in investing in a cellphone booster (which costs a lot less than the X2)...because if you can connect to their network, you can use data. I personally have the T-mobile international one plan for when I travel and demo my product(s). I have unlimited 4G data tethering, and unlimited regular phone data. I paid an extra $25.00 per year, and I also get unlimted calls/texts to other countries including Canada, UK, Mexico, France, etc. They cannot dial me back. This service allows me to pay for a streaming service for around $10.00 per month, which gives me locals from every state (as well as other countries). Now, if you didn't want to pay for the unlimited tethering, your unlimited data service would w work well as well, you would just have to connect your phone directly up or stream wirelessly from your cellphone to the TV (DLNA, etc).
Joyce, I don’t think we are saying the same thing. The Dish service, Wally receiver and Winegard X2 are for video services only. They do not provide any cell service of any kind. This is strictly a satellite based video service. Many times we stay in areas where cell service is very limited even with the booster. We have to be able to have some cell service first to boost. With the Dish satellite service we are able to watch TV regardless as long as we have a clear shot to either the east or west arc where the satellites reside. We use Internet, have a MoFi 4500 and external antenna with grandfathered Verizon and AT&T unlimited plans. We prefer a good enterprise router with a quality cellular radio and a high gain external antenna. Boosters are hit or miss from our experience. Appreciate the comments.
@@iLoveRVlife I don't think you understand what I'm trying to say. If you are close enough to get Over the Air (OTA HD), you are close enough to get cell service, with an extender. If you get cell service, you can get data service through your cellphone provider, which allows you to stream content over the data service from your cell provider for cheaper than paying for Dish and the whole works you've purchased into. A cell phone extender, which you can install in place of your Wineguard, costs about $200. Your cellphone service can be upgraded (if you're with the right company to unlimited tethering for $25 per month). So you can drop the dish, go tell Wally whatever to take a hike, and run simply off your unlimited 4g/5G data streaming content from the internet.
Have you done an update video on this King antenna?
I don’t. Nothings changed since install. Works great.
Jerry,
I am watching your video for 2nd time. I thought I had a coax issue with my current King Jack Antenna and ordered the crimp set recommended by you. However after further examination the coax cable issue is one that that connects to antenna head and in the antenna shaft. The cable has yellow crimped connectors. I saw the yellow crimped connector in the shaft of antenna in your video.
To replace this $10 cable will require to remove the antenna . That’s not a problem. My question is the lap sealant you used was for PVC roof. My roof is fiberglass constructed by Winnebago. Will the lab sealant you used by okay for fiberglass roof?
Thank you for your help. Your videos are great.
It’s also rated for fiberglass too.
Where can I get one of those fancy roof-mounted paper towel dispensers?
After 4 years, would you still suggest this antenna?
It’s a good antenna. Pick up stations and no set up.
Great video!
Thanks a bunch.
What kind of screws did you use to screw the plate to the roof?
Hi Evan. It’s a 1 1/4 inch round head course thread screw.
Hello Jerry, after over 1 year of usage is this a thumbs up? I also am wondering if it would work at remote COE areas?
Still thumbs up Mark. We’ve returned to some campgrounds where we used the old batwing. Reception was similar. Doubt there would be any addition gain over the older unit. We still go places were their isn’t any TV signal.
What kind of sealer do you use ?
Dicor is a good all around self leveling RV sealant. Here’s a link amzn.to/39cus3P
How do you know if it's pvc or epdm or rubber?
PVC will have be a bit of a feel like a thick sheet of plastic. The EPDM has a rough and soft feel. I’ve not seen a rubber roof on an RV.
Jerry, where you able to install this antenna with one tube of sealant? Getting ready to install one. Thanks.
It was a little less than a whole tube.
If you had room, would you have replaced the inside cable connectors?
I would have. I tested. They were tight and I just didn’t have any slack to cut the ends off. So far so good.
How has this held up? Longevity wise
No issues so far. Works great.
@@iLoveRVlife great
I have an old 1976 Dodge RV will that work on it
Perfect. It does a good job picking up stations and we really like the low profile.
I will have to find someone I trust to do this for me that is tech savvy. Amazingly I understood most of what you were saying. The problem is I can't go up on the roof( that would be a paramedic run for me) and we don't need that 😱🙀😳
No! Don’t go slipin’ and slidin’ on the roof if this isn’t the place you. Great alternative if you ever need to replace that old bat-wing. Jerry...
Where did you buy the Xtrem sealant? Every time I have ordered it the expiration date has expired. Thanks
Hi Jim. I haven’t run into a date issue, a least not yet. I order a couple of the a year at amzn.to/2M0Yxuv.
will the cable that you connect at sites that have cable tv still work
It will George. With these systems, you leave the amplifier (power button) off to receive cable channels.
Perfect thank you
You bet.
nice video but you had your coax strippers backwards which is why they did not strip correctly. it matters which direction you put the coax into the strippers.
Thanks. Guess it just on of those left handed things.
What screws did you use to install it
Hi Eric. Inch and a half wood screws.
I love the handy paper towel holder on the rear of your roof, but wouldn't the paper towels get wet or blow off in the wind? :)
So true Sam. Kind of a Hansel and Gretel thing with paper towels 😏
You mentioned a satellite port. Can you hook up a satellite dish to this?
You can if the camper has a dedicated satellite connection. Usually these are marked “satellite” and there’s a dedicated line near the TV. Satellite will not work through the One marked “cable” due to the electronics located at the antenna booster switch. We used a Dish Wally and Winegard X2 for the last 4 years. Both have served us well.
jerry should use another tube of that sealant..or not.
Appreciate the tip.
I don't watch tv ,but I do watch Wi-Fi so does that antenna give Wi-Fi also? That's what I want.
It doesn’t. You’re probably looking for an outdoor WiFi antenna and booster such as one of these - amzn.to/2HrJNR1 or amzn.to/2WbXvzP. They’re pricey, but the function and electronics are substantially different.
Ok thanks! YIKES wayyyy too costly for me .
I know. Boosting a WiFi signal takes a lot of science and it is expensive. If you have the skill set to manage a good home style access point, you can purchase one in the $100 range with good set of high gain antennas. Place it by a window and connect to the park WiFi. I did this for a while until I migrated to cellular Internet. It won’t boost like the high-end RV boosters, but will make a difference.
Hey Jerry I'm not sure if you can help me with this or not. I'm installing that antenna after loosing out old one on a tree limb. Anyway my problem is this. When I removed the old antenna there was only ONE cable in the space.. No 2nd line to hook i to the knob for adjusting it. Can you explain how to find the proper coax line that I should run into the antenna from the bedroom cable outlets in the ceiling ? Tia
I’ll try. The OA8500 with signal finder is the unit I installed. At the flat part of the base, you’ll find a connector to connect the RG6 coax cable that was attached to the antenna you removed. The connector that has the thin coax goes to the base with the knob. Page 3 of the installation manual has a good picture showing the TV coax connection. Page 4 shows the connection for the signal coax. I also replaced my older power inserter with the coax splitter for the front and back TVs. If cables aren’t labeled, disconnect from TV’s and short the ends one at a with a with a paper clip from inserting one end into the center connection and touching the outer barrel. The use a voltmeter to very each TV and the cable in connection. The 4th will be from the antenna. Hope this helps.
@@iLoveRVlife Thank you do much I will try that out. Really appreciate your time and expertise...Thanks Jerry have a great weekend 😀
You bet!
Great video. I'm glad that my RV came with that newer style antenna. Did you know you have to turn the pre amp off before you can use an outside cable hookup or it will not program?
Hi Brian. Yes, you do have to turn off. There’s a signal amplifier and it distorts the cable signal.
During the program, you recommended a coax connector and tool for installation. I do not see it on your products list, what brand and model of connector and tool did you use? Thanks Tony
Hi Tony. Thanks for the suggestion. Here’s the tool with stripper and a handful of connectors amzn.to/32XuitP
Jerry, there's always haters, if someone was giving away money there would be haters.
Always. But that’s ok. I guess something to do on a Saturday morning.
Time after time after time I've watched King Jack tutorials and do you think after scouring TH-cam that I can find one that actually explains how are what the booster hooks up to for power? Every single one omits that part.
For our install, it was a replacement for the old batwing antenna. The power inserter was a wire-for-wire replacement.