King Jack TV antenna test

[Ron in BC]

Wow, it was like Xmas today. 3 parcels One was my shiny new replacement SureLock signal finder, plus a coiled 12 V cord for the TV and a DC-DC converter for my ultimate rear view camera project. (I'll post that when it's completed)

Because the previous unit had a dead 9V battery I checked the voltage of the new one before installing it. 9.1 volts, good enough.

Popped the new battery in, hooked it up to an incoming cable and imagine my disappointment when I flipped the power switch to "on" and even the power light didn't light up. Of course, none of the blue lights were lit up.

Now I have to compose a polite note to King Controls

Ron

[Tin]

Hi Ron, it's always nice getting those little presents, sorry to hear about it not working
Just got back from Quartzsite, weather was nice 60-70 with a little bit of over cast.
We had the place to our selves, piece and quite just loved it! any way to the point. We got about 20 channels 6 where watchable with 3 bars on the surelock signal finder. At home it picks up 160 digital channels at full bars, so far very pleased with the king jack. Here a couple of pics showing our general location and antenna direction pointing south by south east and a couple of pics just for fun.
Tin.

[CoolCampingKid]

Originally Posted by Tin

Hi Ron, it's always nice getting those little presents, sorry to hear about it not working
Just got back from Quartzsite, weather was nice 60-70 with a little bit of over cast.
We had the place to our selves, piece and quite just loved it! any way to the point. We got about 20 channels 6 where watchable with 3 bars on the surelock signal finder. At home it picks up 160 digital channels at full bars, so far very pleased with the king jack. Here a couple of pics showing our general location and antenna direction pointing south by south east and a couple of pics just for fun.
Tin.

Thank you, Tin, for posting some of the best photos I have seen of the 2017 5.0 ta. Beautiful unit, I love the red accents

[MyronL]

When I tried and failed to get a single TV station using my old collapsible Omni-directional antenna atop my nice tall PVC mast I said to myself, "...that's it...I am done with Quartzsite."

So once home I got the King Jack.

Now, here I am reading you King Jack guys got good reception at Quartzsite and you wasn't even up on the ridge? It must be the new 5.0. ...Might be another Q-Trip in my future.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by MyronL

W
Now, here I am reading you King Jack guys got good reception at Quartzsite and you wasn't even up on the ridge? It must be the new 5.0. ...Might be another Q-Trip in my future.

I was wondering if Doug, with all his channels, hadn't just left his source as his satellite dish. But now, with others claiming to get reception there it seems like a challenge to go back and try again.

The signal finder situation as Alice said, just keeps getting curiouser and curiouser. Before I sent off a missive to King I tried one more thing. I took the 9V battery from the old meter, which I had replaced since the original was almost DOA, and put it in the new one. Red light on and it works. This despite it coming with a new battery that tested at 9.1 volts. I checked the date of the "new" battery--2013 Don't know why it tests OK but won't power up the meter.

Ron

[dfandrews]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

....... Don't know why it tests OK but won't power up the meter.

Ron

Ron,
Without getting into the details of battery properties, if you put a slight load on the battery, I'll bet the voltage drops precipitously. If it's a NiCd or Ni metal hydride battery, I'd expect somewhere around 9.5 V for a new, fully charged battery.

And then there is, of course, the "Where was it manufactured" issue, relative to quality

[Tin]

Originally Posted by CoolCampingKid

Thank you, Tin, for posting some of the best photos I have seen of the 2017 5.0 ta. Beautiful unit, I love the red accents

No problem, glad you like them hopefully you well be posting pics of yours soon.

[Tin]

Originally Posted by MyronL

When I tried and failed to get a single TV station using my old collapsible Omni-directional antenna atop my nice tall PVC mast I said to myself, "...that's it...I am done with Quartzsite."

So once home I got the King Jack.

Now, here I am reading you King Jack guys got good reception at Quartzsite and you wasn't even up on the ridge? It must be the new 5.0. ...Might be another Q-Trip in my future.

LOL Myron, maybe a new 5.0 TA is the answer.
I'm sure with your new antenna and finder you will get get plenty of channels next time you visit Quartz.

[Tin]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

I was wondering if Doug, with all his channels, hadn't just left his source as his satellite dish. But now, with others claiming to get reception there it seems like a challenge to go back and try again.

The signal finder situation as Alice said, just keeps getting curiouser and curiouser. Before I sent off a missive to King I tried one more thing. I took the 9V battery from the old meter, which I had replaced since the original was almost DOA, and put it in the new one. Red light on and it works. This despite it coming with a new battery that tested at 9.1 volts. I checked the date of the "new" battery--2013 Don't know why it tests OK but won't power up the meter.

Ron

Ron, sounds like there should be a Quartzsite 2.0 TV antenna rally ?

[freespirit]

Originally Posted by Tin

Hi Ron, it's always nice getting those little presents, sorry to hear about it not working
Just got back from Quartzsite, weather was nice 60-70 with a little bit of over cast.
We had the place to our selves, piece and quite just loved it! any way to the point. We got about 20 channels 6 where watchable with 3 bars on the surelock signal finder. At home it picks up 160 digital channels at full bars, so far very pleased with the king jack. Here a couple of pics showing our general location and antenna direction pointing south by south east and a couple of pics just for fun.
Tin.

nice pics..at least one could be an Escape calendar contender!
also is there some locking thing protruding from a rim....?

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by freespirit

nice pics..at least one could be an Escape calendar contender!
also is there some locking thing protruding from a rim....?

Hi: freespirit... Looks like he got "Clamped" for illegally parking in a "Towaway zone"!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Tin]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: freespirit... Looks like he got "Clamped" for illegally parking in a "Towaway zone"!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

LOL, thats a good one Alf.
freespirit, no I did not get "Clamped" I wrap a chain around my axle and tire is all.

https://www.amazon.com/ABUS-10KS-Sec.../dp/B005UMCBL4

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-Hardw.../dp/B001V5IYT2

[Fox hunt]

Your fabric looks like the one I am thinking of buying

[Fox hunt]

Your tv looks huge what size is it?

[Tin]

Originally Posted by Fox hunt

Your fabric looks like the one I am thinking of buying

Nice, heres a thread with interior pics.
http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f7...home-9473.html

[Tin]

Originally Posted by Fox hunt

Your tv looks huge what size is it?

The TV is a 24" Vizio 1080p , I will start a new thread about TV, Mount and Quick disconnect as others have asked for more info.

[MyronL]

Have been thinking about trailer security for those times we are away and ET-19 is left behind. Next week we do that. We live in a semi-rural area on a lonely dead end street. Nearby there are a couple suspiciously dumpy, ill maintained, junk yard houses with too many parked cars. Needing some peace of mind.

What to do? Tongue locks not good enough. Tom my reliable neighbor is a long haul trucker with a Mosberg but is usually on the road. Had been planning to remove 2 tires after jacking up on floor jacks.

Tin, your 5.0 wheel lock solution got my quick attention. Today I sprang to action. Not as drastic as removing tires but....I hope good enough for 6 days.

[Tin]

Originally Posted by MyronL

Have been thinking about trailer security for those times we are away and ET-19 is left behind. Next week we do that. We live in a semi-rural area on a lonely dead end street. Nearby there are a couple suspiciously dumpy, ill maintained, junk yard houses with too many parked cars. Needing some peace of mind.

What to do? Tongue locks not good enough. Tom my reliable neighbor is a long haul trucker and usually on the road. Had been planning to remove 2 tires after jacking up on floor jacks.

Tin, your 5.0 wheel lock solution got my quick attention. Today I sprang to action. Not as drastic as removing tires but....I hope good enough for 6 days.

Looks great! Myron, I think that will work great as a preventive measure. Sure a high power grinder /cut off saw will cut both of our chains but first they would have to have one handy along with a generator or gas powered or a 28 volt grinder. I know one thing, good luck trying to cut my lock or chain with a bolt cutter or zawsall not going to happen. plus they would still need to cut off my king pin lock, then break in to the trailer find the kill switch for the landing gear and hope and pray I dont come up on them cause then old Betsey's coming out! to play.

[War Eagle]

Originally Posted by MyronL

Have been thinking about trailer security for those times we are away and ET-19 is left behind. ... Tin, your 5.0 wheel lock solution got my quick attention. Today I sprang to action. Not as drastic as removing tires but....I hope good enough for 6 days.

Myron, The Brinks 15' x 3/8" coated heavy duty cable is long enough to thread through one wheel, wrap around the axle, thread through and back through the wheel on the opposite side of the trailer, and then come back through the first wheel where the two end loops can be padlocked together. If you already have two padlocks that you trust for this purpose, you can cable lock all four wheels to the axles using two of these cables for under $30.00 total. Dale
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Brinks-Cable-15/17619637

[Ron in BC]

Well, this being a tv antenna thread I'll update my findings.

Today I went down to a nearby mall that has a parking lot with a clear view of the local mountain that has several tv transmitter towers.

I took my trusty old unamplified 4 bay antenna. I had both the original and replacement Surelock signal finders with me. Both, with fresh new 9v batteries now have the red power indicator coming on when the power switch is turned on.

Lot's of blue lights on both But the 4 bay is very directional and I was getting the lights almost, not quite, but almost in any direction I pointed the antenna. Maybe one light would go out in a 90* change in direction.

So who knows. I think that my old method of using TVfool to find stations and directions worked much better.

I might just get one of the cheap meters like Myron got, I mean hope springs eternal.

Ron