KING isn’t really known for over-the-air antennas. That’s a shame really because they deserve a place with the top names in the game. Their products are high-quality and uniquely engineered to do what they do. If you’re looking for an antenna for your RV, you really shouldn’t be looking anywhere else.
I go into a lot of detail on the general state of KING antennas in this video:
KING sent me a bunch of antennas to test and I’d like to focus on their Jack line today. The Jack antennas are the directional ones, designed for longer-range reception in areas where most of the broadcast towers are located in the roughly same direction.
KING knows they might be your second choice
A lot of folks who put up antennas in the 2000s used a batwing antenna from another manufacturer. KING’s engineers know this, and this is why they have a special mounting plate that works perfectly to cover up the previous hole where the old antenna was and provides a great mount point for the new antenna. Now, I really have a lot of respect for a company that does something like that. It means they really understand the market and their place in it. Maybe in the future they’ll be the number one choice in TV antennas just like they’re now the number one choice in portable satellite antennas. But for folks who are dealing with choices from the past, they have great options.
Looking at the Jack antennas
The Jack RV antenna comes in nice retail packaging. I know you can find these on the shelves of a lot of camping stores and whatnot, although I’d prefer you bought yours from Solid Signal. It’s available in white and black. There isn’t any performance difference, so you should just get the one that makes the most sense for you.
The antenna comes fully assembled, more or less just how you see it at the top of the article. There’s a cable and a rotator stem that protrude from the bottom and go into the RV.
The whole point here is to give you everything you need for a permanent installation. One line from the built-in splitter goes to the permanently mounted control knob, which has a built-in antenna signal strength meter. The other goes to the power injector.
The control knob does all the aiming and has a built-in signal meter that gives you from 1-4 LEDs to indicate signal in a simple way. There’s also a built-in attenuator, but with digital signals you probably won’t need it.
The knob has a pushbutton built into it so that it doesn’t move accidentally. To aim the antenna it’s a very natural movement to press the knob a little bit and it turns freely. In fact, that’s one of the things I really like about this antenna. It’s balanced so well that you don’t need a motor to rotate it. This is just one less thing to break in my opinion and it speaks very well to the superior engineering of the Jack antenna that it’s able to do this so easily.
The power injector
I did not expect to geek out over a power injector. But the thing about this one is that it is so well built and perfectly designed for an RV. It will fit in any standard size junction box so it looks like it was built for the TV. On the outside it’s a simple affair:
The labeling on the switch is a little hard to see but it’s just a typical push-click type switch that is labeled on and off. This triggers the built-in amplifier. It also allows for a bypass line. If you are parked somewhere with cable television, you can connect that into the back:
…and use the cable TV instead of the antenna. You can also feed a second TV from the back as well. This is a very nice touch overall. It also wires cleanly into your RV’s 12 volt power. You don’t technically have to solder the connections in place but personally I would. If you don’t choose to solder, make sure that you’re isolating the lines to avoid a short by using shrink tubing or electrical tape.
The home version
I have a feeling you’re going to like this antenna enough that you’ll want one for home. KING has you covered there too. They sell the same antenna without the rotation and control knob, and with a more traditional power injector. It comes with a very high-quality J-mount and metal mounting arm that will let you put it anywhere, even on an existing satellite dish mast.
I think this is a clever move on their part because the antenna itself is really high quality and I think there are going to be enough people who want it for a permanent install as well. You can argue that it’s a little overbuilt for stationary use but better overbuilt than underbuilt I would say.
Performance
Jack-antenna-chartsThis is a premium priced antenna and you would expect it to perform very well. Here, it doesn’t disappoint. Signal strength is excellent even when tested from 60 miles out. More importantly, signal-to-noise is excellent across the entire spectrum. This is an indication that you have a high-quality amplifier. A lot of antennas will blast the signal up with a 40dB or greater amplifier and then they add tons of noise so you still get subpar reception. The KING antennas don’t do that, even though with 12 volts to work with they could easily put a super-powered preamp in.
Considerations for this antenna
The first thing you’ll need to know is that you will end up aiming this antenna every time you park. It’s easy, but if you don’t relish the idea, I’d recommend one of KING’s Omni antennas instead. They have a little less range but there’s no mounting necessary.
Installing this antenna will require drilling holes. There’s no getting around that. You’ll need a larger one for the cable and aiming mechanism to go through, plus several holes to mount the antenna down. You may also need to open up a junction box to allow for the power injector, and possibly another one for a second TV. If you’d rather go with a standalone power injector, contact us at Solid Signal at 888-233-7563 and we’ll help you out.
Once this antenna is installed, I expect it will last a very long time. The plastic is high quality and I wouldn’t expect a lot of oxidation even if you park out in the desert for a while. The electronics are located inside the cabin so they won’t be affected by heat or cold. That’s another big plus.
Still have questions?
If you prefer a video review, check this one out:
If you still have questions after that, call us! We’re here for you at 888-233-7563. Call us during East Coast business hours, or fill out the form below!
