End of Analog, End of Batwing ?

I believe that the over-the-air, analog signal that is picked up by our batwing antennas will cease in Feb. '09. I have never even cranked up the antenna on our 2720sl so I don't pretend to know much about the subject. Instead, I have used a Direct TV satellite dish with great success. So, is it true that the antenna will no longer serve any function after 2/09 ?

And, if this is so --- does anyone have any plans to remove their antenna ? Would you just use some kind of metal plate with screws and silicone to cover both the exterior or interior holes ?

Or, could something else take its place --- like another skylight or ???

If the batwing will longer have any utility --- and if it creates a slight amount of wind resistance --- that probably doesn't help with fuel economy --- is anyone planning to eliminate it ?

Just wondering.
Eric

Seems like I read somewhere that some of the newer bat wing antennas on the TM's will be able to pick up the digital TV signal. You will of course have to have a converter box if you wish to continue to use an analog TV in the TM. There was a blurb about it on PBS as some of the PBS stations in the Atlanta area are already broadcasting in digital as well as analog. Might want to check with your antenna manufacture web site. I would not take mine off even if I did not use it. My luck it would start a leak!

Happy Camping

Eric, Keep your antenna. It will pick up the digital broadcasts. I already use mine for such. You will just need what's called a digital tuner (ATSC) to receive the digital broadcasts.

You can either purchase a television with a built-in ATSC tuner or get a set top box digital tuner that you will hook up to an analog tuner (NTSC) television. I just have an old pair of rabbit ears hooked up to my digital tv in our home bedroom and pick up the digital broadcasts with them. Of course, how much antenna you will need depends on how close you are to the broadcast stations, just like now with analog broadcasts. You may need to get a better antenna if you live aways from the stations.

You can read the fact sheet from the FCC, It tells you what you need, including a regular antenna.

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/digitaltv.html

I took the following excerpt from it.

If I Already Have an Antenna, Do I Need a New One to View the Digital Signals?

A special antenna generally is not needed to receive digital signals. You may have antenna issues, however, if your current antenna does not receive UHF signals (channels 14 and above) well, because most DTV stations are on UHF channels. In such a case, you may need a new antenna or to add a UHF section to your existing antenna system. This equipment should be available at most bricks-and-mortar and Internet consumer electronics retailers.

Thank you very much, gentlemen. It will continue to grace our roof.

Not too worry, Bobby is spot on. The HDTV signals developed in the US were designed to fit in the same 6MHz bandwidth as the normal analog broadcast channels. You will, as Bobby points out, need an ATSC tuner. When they convert though, they will also convert the VHF channels. One thing to note is that this applies only to "over-the-air" channels. Cable TV systems can still control their own bandplans.

Eric and Everyone else interested, here is a link to the government voucher program for digital tv converters. Even if you have digital televisions with built in ATSC tuners in your home, you might possibly still need a converter box for your campers tv (if it doesn't). The government will give you up to two $40 vouchers to help offset the cost of a converter box.

I hear the vouchers are on first come first serve request. If they run out of money, then they have to ask Congress to appropriate more.

https://www.dtv2009.gov/

Has anyone got their voucher yet for the converter box. I called for mine back in early January and I have not received it yet.

[2blueranger]

Send off for mine in January also, received it this past Monday. Looks like walmart charges 50 for them and voucher is good for 40 of it.