I would like to know how far from the edge of the roof (the side) and the front of the roof as I very keen to have a go at installing one. The other item is where have the factory or people mounted the Winegard signal strength wall plate.
Hi all need some measurements for the Winegard antenna
- Thread starter rojoberry
- Start date
Winegard put a printable template on their website and have comprehensive instructions which includes an answer to your question.
Google 'winegard antenna template' and you will get it.
I installed one on my old Expanda. The only only thing I nearly got wrong was not knowing where the wiring for the ceiling lights ran.
Cheers
Andrew.
Google 'winegard antenna template' and you will get it.
I installed one on my old Expanda. The only only thing I nearly got wrong was not knowing where the wiring for the ceiling lights ran.
Cheers
Andrew.
Installed a heap of these, usually limited on where we can put it by aircons, roof vents, solar etc so i usually just lay the antenna on the roof and work it out from there. one thing to watch is the access to the winder handle, you don't want it above a cupboard or in a hard to reach place, we have even mounted them on a slight angle to clear roof objects.
to run the coax, you have to realize that the roof has cross braces, so you can only run the cable sideways without risking trying to go thru a brace. once the hole is drilled and a hole thru top skin only for the coax i open up the cavity inside a bit so i have room for the coax to have a joiner inside the roof near the shaft hole.I use a long spring out of a camper lifter arm, heat up the end with a blow torch and melt my way thru the foam working from inside the van, you can even steer it to some degree. and i drill a hole in the ceiling near the edge and aim for that. then it's a small bit of wire and some string to fish a line thru the hole, once thats done you can pull the coax thru, HINT, don't tape the coax to the end of the string, leave enough loose so if the tape break the string is still in the hole to try again, i usually feed up toward the antenna instead of trying to get the coax out a small exit hole near the roof edge.........
A grommet on the exit hole neatens the thing off. then run the cable down one of the pockets in the tent for the folding spring (which is another thing to consider on where the hole in the roof will be) and out into a cupboard again with another grommet. the booster you can put anywhere that you can run the coax to at the back, but they are pretty ugly at the back so i aim for the side of the split system or microwave to hide the back of them or use a jayco cover to hid them a bit, remember you need to get 12v to this as well. the factory just use a hole saw, which is a pain to get the booster in with the coax connected, the new boosters are easier, but you still need to add a coax point near them as well as they don't have one built in.
Once it's in and booster is on you should be getting <12v at the antenna end of the coax, another tip is don't shorten the coax, it's hard to find a proper crimp terminal for that size (or if you do find one tell me!) just fixed a customer job where he used just normal pliers to crimp the terminal and shorted out the coax ...........
make sure you use a continuous bead of salastic under the winegaurd base and another circle around the cable entry point as it's a trouble spot if not sealed correctly, after it's screwed down put another decent bead around the outside and cover the screws as well, seal the cable entry point with a heap as well and push the coax cover onto the wet slas to get a real good seal. water can run down the coax and find it's way in so use heaps (pity the next bloke who has to get it off!) i usually finish it off with soapy water to get it lookin cute
a handy hint ..... if you have a pair of conduit cutters (electricians use em all the time) they are great for shortening the handle tube to the correct length, make sure you don't go too short as you need to be able to pull the outer ring down to rotate the antenna. cutting the alloy shaft too short prevents this from happening.
It's not a job i take lightly as one mistake can ruin a roof from a botched job or water ingress at a later time, so make sure your feeling comfortable about jumping into this one.
to run the coax, you have to realize that the roof has cross braces, so you can only run the cable sideways without risking trying to go thru a brace. once the hole is drilled and a hole thru top skin only for the coax i open up the cavity inside a bit so i have room for the coax to have a joiner inside the roof near the shaft hole.I use a long spring out of a camper lifter arm, heat up the end with a blow torch and melt my way thru the foam working from inside the van, you can even steer it to some degree. and i drill a hole in the ceiling near the edge and aim for that. then it's a small bit of wire and some string to fish a line thru the hole, once thats done you can pull the coax thru, HINT, don't tape the coax to the end of the string, leave enough loose so if the tape break the string is still in the hole to try again, i usually feed up toward the antenna instead of trying to get the coax out a small exit hole near the roof edge.........
A grommet on the exit hole neatens the thing off. then run the cable down one of the pockets in the tent for the folding spring (which is another thing to consider on where the hole in the roof will be) and out into a cupboard again with another grommet. the booster you can put anywhere that you can run the coax to at the back, but they are pretty ugly at the back so i aim for the side of the split system or microwave to hide the back of them or use a jayco cover to hid them a bit, remember you need to get 12v to this as well. the factory just use a hole saw, which is a pain to get the booster in with the coax connected, the new boosters are easier, but you still need to add a coax point near them as well as they don't have one built in.
Once it's in and booster is on you should be getting <12v at the antenna end of the coax, another tip is don't shorten the coax, it's hard to find a proper crimp terminal for that size (or if you do find one tell me!) just fixed a customer job where he used just normal pliers to crimp the terminal and shorted out the coax ...........
make sure you use a continuous bead of salastic under the winegaurd base and another circle around the cable entry point as it's a trouble spot if not sealed correctly, after it's screwed down put another decent bead around the outside and cover the screws as well, seal the cable entry point with a heap as well and push the coax cover onto the wet slas to get a real good seal. water can run down the coax and find it's way in so use heaps (pity the next bloke who has to get it off!) i usually finish it off with soapy water to get it lookin cute
a handy hint ..... if you have a pair of conduit cutters (electricians use em all the time) they are great for shortening the handle tube to the correct length, make sure you don't go too short as you need to be able to pull the outer ring down to rotate the antenna. cutting the alloy shaft too short prevents this from happening.
It's not a job i take lightly as one mistake can ruin a roof from a botched job or water ingress at a later time, so make sure your feeling comfortable about jumping into this one.
Thanks DaveS this is one of many mads I have made the reason I was after a location was that I thought there may be a mounting block in the roof. I had a look at a heap of Expandas at Bayswater today and the 2013 models all appear to be in the open area as you first step into the van. As far as the booster goes I have bought the signal Winegard strength meter and again not sure where to mount. I like to have things where they are normally mount by factory or Jayco service as there will be a day I come to sell the van and don't want it looking like it has been fiddled with. The other mod I'm working on is the extension of the rear trunk so as the new split mattress fit. I have order the new timber from old mate Tom out at the factory I was hoping to have it for the weekend but that's not going to be the case.
Anyway thanks so much for your information, will speak shortly.
Anyway thanks so much for your information, will speak shortly.
Thanks Andrew I have that's info I wanted to know where exactly the antenna was mounted by the factory so it all looks original, but thanks for responding sometimes that's the hardest thing.
Hi
never seen blocking in the roof for them, they just screw em down to the fibreglass, i didn't see them making a roof with antenna while i was on a factory tour, but i guess they ploke the cable in somewhere and drill a marker hole for the antenna to be fitted after they turn them over. as for the booster they are all over the place depending on the model, i don't think anyone could pick a factory from aftermarket as long as you do a neat job, with those type of boosters you could really put it anywhere and then have the outlet(s) in a different location.
Havn't seen the mod for the bed is this just to keep it all level instead of the thicker mattress part on the hatch?
never seen blocking in the roof for them, they just screw em down to the fibreglass, i didn't see them making a roof with antenna while i was on a factory tour, but i guess they ploke the cable in somewhere and drill a marker hole for the antenna to be fitted after they turn them over. as for the booster they are all over the place depending on the model, i don't think anyone could pick a factory from aftermarket as long as you do a neat job, with those type of boosters you could really put it anywhere and then have the outlet(s) in a different location.
Havn't seen the mod for the bed is this just to keep it all level instead of the thicker mattress part on the hatch?
Dave the antenna went in like clockwork, your idea with the hot spring worked well however I had to make up my own version from a coat hanger as I did not have any springs lying around. Once I had the cable in I decided to put in a Winegard Sensor Pro TV Signal Meter and a second TV point beside the foldout table.
The other thing I did while I was on a roll was to add a second switch for the speakers when I original got the van there was an isolation switch for the outside speakers. I have always found it hard to use the controls on the Pioneer DVD/Radio to adjust the balance if someone wants the music on outside as the sound was then to loud inside the van. So the easy fix was to put an isolation switch for the inside speakers. So now I have the 2 switches and the Winegard Sensar Pro TV Signal Meter all mounted neatly inside the overhead cupboard that backs up to where the radio is mounted on. I will up load some photos soon. P.s thanks for your information Dave, I do travel up North with work and will try to catch up for a face to face thanks again.
The other thing I did while I was on a roll was to add a second switch for the speakers when I original got the van there was an isolation switch for the outside speakers. I have always found it hard to use the controls on the Pioneer DVD/Radio to adjust the balance if someone wants the music on outside as the sound was then to loud inside the van. So the easy fix was to put an isolation switch for the inside speakers. So now I have the 2 switches and the Winegard Sensar Pro TV Signal Meter all mounted neatly inside the overhead cupboard that backs up to where the radio is mounted on. I will up load some photos soon. P.s thanks for your information Dave, I do travel up North with work and will try to catch up for a face to face thanks again.