How to remember to put TV antenna down...

[icman95]

So, as I'm preparing to get on the road with my rig for a week, I was wondering how do other people remember to put their TV antenna down before moving the camper so to not break it off.



For example, before we bought ours, we were renting once a year and the rental place put a woman's hair clip over the antenna crank. They told us to put it on the steering wheel of the motorhome until we were ready to get rolling. This absolutely works and prevented us from driving with it up. Now that we have our own, we do the same hair clip trick and have no problems. We passed that bit of knowledge on to a friend when he bought his and it works for him too. There must be a ton of other ways to remember to put it down, and I'm sure there are some who forgot and ripped it off, too.



I'd love to hear other ideas/stories.

 

[Jefff929]

We hang a ribbon from the antenna crank.



We use the antenna so little that it really stands out as odd.

 

[AClayton]

My Motorhome has a dash warning light with an audible alarm that reminds us to wind it down,every time the engine starts.



Alan

 

[Bob Cochran]

I used on of those cheap things from Camping Word, I am not sure how to describe it. It is orange and has a chain and clip and say lower antenna. Because I have a 5er I hang it from the rear view mirror. I don't use that antenna very much either usually satellite so is even easier to forget if I do use it. It has save me a few times and sure for a motor home hanging of the crank handle will work. Actually almost anything will if it is visible and you will see it when getting ready to leave.

 

[RonD]

On ours the Wife and I by ourselves always walk around the rig before we leave at a distance, just look everything over, it looks different at 30 feet, you will see what you forgot

 

[CUMMINZ]

Always have a final check list that you do a walk around your rig before you ever drive off.

 

[mberry]

We don't put it up. We've never camped anywhere where there was a signal good enough to watch TV. We just put on a DVD, usually for the kids, and leave it at that.

 

[Jim W]

I have check lists that we use. One for the hitching up, a different one for breaking camp and one for the dump station. These are stored on my main computer and printed off as we need them. They are then placed with the maps and we take them with us.

You may think you will remember everything but someone will come over and ask a question and you may forget were you are. Such as closing a valve or a gas connection, the check list help. I and the DW will then walk around and check one more time.

 

[JMetzger]

We hang a small stop sign on a chain on the handle. Handle is near door so we don't miss it. As with others we don't use it very much. Usually use the satellite most of the time.

 

[Grizzly]

We also have a check list for hooking up to the truck and one for unhooking. My wife reads off the list when we're preparing to leave. The TV antenna is on the list. I also walk around the truck and trailer twice.

 

[KFranco]

We hang a ribbon from the antenna crank.



We use the antenna so little that it really stands out as odd.

I like this idea since I need to use my truck when unhitched. The womens hairclip is a good idea also just not practical for me after I unhitch and then use the truck. Once I left it up and didn't notice until the dump station which wasn't too far. I'm gonna use the ribbon idea as a back up and keep with the checklist I have.

 

[icman95]

I like this idea since I need to use my truck when unhitched. The womens hairclip is a good idea also just not practical for me after I unhitch and then use the truck. Once I left it up and didn't notice until the dump station which wasn't too far. I'm gonna use the ribbon idea as a back up and keep with the checklist I have.

Actually, you hit on a good point I failed to mention. The hairclip was taught to us by the rental place because they only rented motorhomes and putting it on the steering wheel works well in a MH. When we bought our own in 2006, we wanted a trailer and to put it on the steering wheel won't get the job done, like you said. We still use the clip, but put it on the kitchen sink faucet. I know that sounds a little out if the way and easily forgetable, but we give the inside a good cleaning before we break camp and using the sink for the cleaning reminds us to put the clip back and antenna down. Also, the sink is right next to the door, so as we are leaving to hook up the truck, we can see the clip at the last minute if we forget. Not as good as the steering wheel in a MH, but it gets the job done for us.

 

[icman95]

AClayton's rig sounds like it has the right idea. A warning chime upon engine start is great. I don't think any of the ones we rented ever did that, but maybe because we had already put it down.





mberry has the same problem I do. Whenever we dry camp, we're nowhere near a good TV signal, but when we go to Bike Week in N. H (as we are preparing for now) we can get a really crappy signal, which is better than none at all. Our campsite is in a valley between two mountains and the only two stations that come in are from Maine. We actually, make an effort to NOT watch the TV while on vacation, but we tune in during the morning news to catch the weather report as this is REALLY good information to have during Bike Week.

 

[The patriot]

Dtv

You wont need to worry about it in a few weeks.

 

[icman95]

I wouldn't have thought about the DTV except that a buddy of mine told me that he got the converter box with the government coupon for his camper and he is able to get some DTV channels already. If he hadn't mentioned it, I wouldn't have even remembered about the camper. We did get the box, but haven't installed it yet. I guess I'll try in the next few days. D-Day for that is this Friday.

 

[AHarris]

I wouldn't have thought about the DTV except that a buddy of mine told me that he got the converter box with the government coupon for his camper and he is able to get some DTV channels already. If he hadn't mentioned it, I wouldn't have even remembered about the camper. We did get the box, but haven't installed it yet. I guess I'll try in the next few days. D-Day for that is this Friday.

But will the RV's regular antenna work with the DTV box, or do you have to get a special DTV antenna?

 

[jandtjil]

I haven't specifically checked our RV yet (haven't had it out), but an old amplified (Rabbit-ears)indoor unit that I have works fine, so it should be the same on the RV.
WikiAnswers - Can you use your old UHF antenna with a new HDTV and will it pick up broadcast HDTV signals

 

[BrianJ]

But will the RV's regular antenna work with the DTV box, or do you have to get a special DTV antenna?

The regular antena works fine, we have been picking up DTV stations on our RV LCD's (digital ready) since last fall.

 

[JMetzger]

Brianj is correct. Been getting DTV with our stock antenna & converter box for a while now.

 

[SScandalis]

I take my electric camper jack control with wires coiled up and then clip on a diamond shaped sign I got at Camping World to says "Antenna Up" and put it all on my steering wheel.



That way when I get into the driver's seat I am sure to not move the truck & camper with either the jacks down or the antenna up.



A check list and something hanging from the antenna crank handle helps remember too.