When you’re off on an adventure in your RV for the weekend, having access to your favorite TV shows doesn’t come across your mind, well not mine anyway. But, as soon as your trips start to be for as long as a week or more, then you start to miss the comforts of home, like your favorite shows, or watching the game.
With a great RV TV antenna, you can take all your shows on the road with you but finding the best RV TV antenna isn’t such an easy process which is why we are here to help.
At A Glance: Our Top 3 Best RV Antennas
In this article, you’ll find some of the best RV TV antennas on the market reviewed in detail so you pick the right one for your RV. Plus there is even a handy buying guide at the end to help you understand the ins and outs of RV Antennas and how to pick the right one.
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The KING VQ4500 Tailgater RV Antenna is a more affordable satellite antenna for your RV than others, and it’s much lighter and compact too.
This RV antenna works with a DISH subscription to give you access to all your favorite shows. You can pay as you go for use on the road only, or link to a home DISH subscription if you have one.
The antenna has excellent signal strength no matter where you are, it auto-tunes itself and you can watch multiple TVs on it too.
The installation is quick and easy plus you have the option to mount it on your roof or use it as a portable antenna. This means you can take it anywhere and place it outside when you need it, rather than mounting it.
It’s not the best at picking up local channels though, and will only show them on the 101 satellite network. Also, it doesn’t work with HD, just SD.
Overall, it’s a great RV TV antenna if you’re after a satellite connection instead of UHF or VHF, especially if you already have a DISH subscription.
The 1byone Amplified RV Antenna is a super light and compact TV antenna for RV with an awesome signal range of 70 miles that picks up not only UHF and VHF but also FM channels too.
This means you can listen to local radio as well as watch your favorite shows wherever you have parked your RV (hopefully straight using leveling blocks :>). The signal strength is strong, and being omnidirectional, there is no need to turn the antenna to get the best signal reception.
The antenna also picks HDTV signal so you can enjoy the crisp view of HD wherever you are.
It has a sleek, compact design with waterproof and anti-UV coating for durability, and weighing just under 5lbs, it’s super light too.
Installing this RV TV antenna is about as simple as it gets; just screw in the mount, add the antenna and hook it up to a 12-volt power supply.
The 12-volt supply requirement is a little annoying, but it’s worth it for the excellent signal range in our eyes.
Overall this is a quality antenna with great reception and it comes with a 12-month warranty or 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied.
The KING OA8300 Jack RV Antenna is another lightweight and low-profile RV Antenna from King Jack, with maybe the easiest install ever.
Installing this antenna on your RV takes less than 5 minutes thanks to its retrofit design and it does a pretty good job and picking up channels too.
The RV antenna picks up both UHF and high band VHF channels well thanks to its 360-degree antenna and long-range. It doesn’t pick up low band VHF channel well though, mainly local ones.
Weighing just 1.5 lbs, this antenna is super light and won’t take up much space on your RV’s roof. It also features an aerodynamic design so it’ll handle strong winds with ease.
Another great feature of this RV television antenna is that you can retrofit an upgrade to receive HD digital TV signals, making the upgrade process as simple as possible.
Overall, this is an affordable, durable RV TV antenna that has great signal, except for when it comes to local channels.
The Winegard SK-SWM3 TRAV’LER DIRECTV RV Antenna is a little different from the other RV TV antennas featured as it runs on satellite instead of UHF or VHF.
The benefits of the satellite connection are that you get excellent signal strength no matter where you are, and you can use a Direct TV subscription, so you never miss your favorite show.
The Winegard RVW 395 Sensar antenna also lets you watch up to 3 different channels at the same time. This means the kids can watch one how in their room, while you watch yours on the main TV, saving having to compromise on which show to watch.
The TV antenna for RV works with both HD and SD, and once installed on the roof, autotunes itself and picks up signals without you having to lift a finger.
It’s quite a heavy RV TV antenna at 53lbs, and you’re probably going to need an expert for the installation if you’ve never installed a satellite dish before.
Overall, it’s the creme de la creme of RV antennas but it sure is expensive at over $1000.
The KING OA8500 Jack HDTV RV Antenna is a light, small, aerodynamic over-the-air antenna for the roof of your RV that’ll pick up almost 65 channels on more depending on your location.
This outdoor RV antenna supports both VHF and UHF channels and has an excellent range so you can be sure to pick up the channels you’re looking for when relaxing in your RV.
The KING Jack antenna even comes with a signal finder allowing you to hone in on particular channels you’re looking for like local ones with lower signal strength.
The technology within the RV TV antenna enhances UHF signal and with a broader reception, quickly locates the strongest reception, latches on, and maximizes it for uninterrupted viewing.
Weighing just 2.6 lbs, this RV antenna takes up minimal space on your roof, and with its aerodynamic design, you won’t have to worry about it getting damaged when you’re doing 80 on the highway.
The only issues with this RV antenna are that you may need a mounting plate to cover the holes of your old antenna in order to install this one.
Otherwise, this TV antenna is durable, affordable, and provides an excellent signal.
The Winegard RVW-395 Sensar IV RV Antenna takes things back to basics and is a traditional over the air antenna that you point and shoot.
It’s super simple to use and has an awesome range of 55 miles. The RV antenna UHF signal reception, and will pick up all the VHF channels in range and with great signal strength for uninterrupted viewing.
The Winegard RVW 395 Sensar IV also works with SD and HD for local over-the-air television broadcast channels like NBC, ABC, and Fox, so you can enjoy HD viewing while you’re on the road.
Installing this HD antenna takes around 20 minutes, and it’s pretty simple. Once installed you’ll find a crank handle inside the RV that lets you raise, lower, and rotate the antenna from inside so you can find the best signal without going out on the roof.
The only downside to this RV TV antenna is the plastic parts seem a bit flimsy, but they tend to last. Overall, it’s pretty awesome with such a good signal and easy install.
The Winegard PA-1000 DISH RV Antenna is another satellite antenna that works exclusively with DISH TV, so you’ll need a pay-as-you subscription when using it on the road.
It’s a little different from the other RV TV antennas as it is not made to be roof mounted and is fully portable, so you can take it anywhere.
It is a little inconvenient to use with your RV though as you’ll have to place the antenna outside when you want to watch TV.
Once connected, this RV TV antenna auto-tunes itself to pick up the DISH satellite network. Once connected, the signal is usually uninterrupted and strong and you’ll have access to all your favorite channels.
The one downside to this RV TV antenna is that it picks up west coast arc satellites only so it’ll always need a clear view of the southern sky to function properly. Otherwise, it’s an excellent, portable satellite RV TV antenna.
The LAVA Outdoor RV Antenna is actually a home TV antenna that you can also put on your RF roof.
This antenna comes with a huge 150-mile signal range and picks up any UHF and VHF within range, and in HD too, so you can enjoy crips HD viewing from your RV.
This RV TV Antenna does auto-tune itself, but some people have found more channels doing it manually, so this is something to bear in mind.
Installing it is simple, just rig it up on the roof, but you might need your own crank mount, as it doesn’t come with any mounts for RV installation.
Once installed, this HD antenna needs a socket power supply for the best signal strength, but it also works without it. You can also add a splitter into the install to watch different channels on multiple TVs.
You can choose between two types of RV antennas: a satellite RV antenna or an RV antenna that picks up normal TV shows broadcasted over VHF and UHF signals. Satellite TV antennas are more expensive and require a subscription, but they do come with better reception and more channels.
A normal UHF/VHF RV antenna will pick up any local and national TV channels within its signal range, and they’re a lot more affordable overall.
The bigger the signal range the more channels your RV antenna is likely to pick up. Most RV TV antennas have a range of around 50 miles but there are some that push 70 miles or even 100 miles. If you planning on parking up in the middle of nowhere, then you might want to spend a bit extra on a bigger range.
RV TV antennas can either be omnidirectional or point and shoot style antennas. Omnidirectional antennas pick up a signal from every direction, meaning there is no need to turn the antenna to pick up better reception.
An RV antenna that requires turning, is not too convenient, but it is quite fun lowering, raising, and rotating it from within the RV. It doesn’t make much difference in regards to range and connection between the two types, but not having to move your antenna every time you watch TV is a bonus.
Your RV antenna is most likely going to end up on your RV’s roof, and size matters when it comes to both aesthetics and signal. A bigger antenna picks up more signal but it will be a bit of an eyesore on your RV roof if you care that is.
The key to the size is making sure it fits the space dedicated to the antenna on the roof, which will make installation a lot easier.
No matter what type of RV antenna you choose, you’re going to have to install it. Try an make sure you buy one with all the mounting equipment necessary so you don’t have to go to the shops to buy any missing hardware.
Also, some satellite RV TV antennas are tricky to install and may require an expert, so it’s worth factoring that in as an extra cost that goes with satellite TV.
RV TV antennas are usually made from either aluminum or plastic. Aluminum is far more heavy duty and is the better choice overall, especially as the antenna will most likely be living outside and will need to handle the elements in order to survive.
There is a strange balancing game that needs to be played with the weight of RV TV antennas. A heavier antenna will most likely be made of aluminum and be quite burley to survive on the roof. But the extra weight does make the installation a bit hard and puts pressure on the mounting.
Lighter RV TV antennas that come in a pod design are ideal as they are fully protected from the elements and have an aerodynamic shape, so won’t suffer from heavy winds or high speeds on the highway.
The best RV TV antenna, if you’re looking for a satellite connection, is the KING VQ4500 Tailgater RV Antenna. This RV antenna has excellent signal, is affordable, simple to install, and will ensure you can watch any DISHTV satellite channels, wherever you park your RV.
The all-around best RV TV antenna is the 1byone Amplified RV Antenna. This RV TV antenna is light, heavy-duty, compact, easy to install, works with HD, and has a huge signal range of 70 miles. It’ll pick up all UHF and VHF within range, and it’s omnidirectional and auto-tuning for convenience.
The best Rv TV antenna, if you’re on a budget, is the KING OA8300 Jack RV Antenna. This RV antenna has great signal strength over both UHF and VHF signals and it’s about as affordable, light, and easy to install as an RV TV antenna can get.