Back up Camera for North Point

[hammerhead]

Looking to install a backup camera on my North Point 5th wheel. I would like some feedback on brands and experiences. My 5th wheel is pre wired for camera.
Thank you.

[Bookemdanno]

There's a few located here.

http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f6...-32834-46.html

[Dskyward]

Our 2017 377 came with a Voyager brand backup camera. As it is wireless, it'll never be 100% like a wired camera. I believe this to be a somewhat recent change in brand by Jayco due to this unit having better reliability than previous brand. That said, it worked great at first from Middlebury IN where we bought our coach, then as we ventured west in flat featureless plains, our signal simply dropped out completely and only came in as vehicles like big TTs passed us. We called the manufacturer and they shipped us a 10' antenna extender (free of charge), which mounts on the driver side rear of camper, so the signal has a better 'view' of the monitor receiver on the dash. Simply unscrew the camera antenna and screw the extension antenna. I used heavy duty double sided tape to mount the bracket for the antenna right in front of the 'tv window' and used gaffer tape (small strips) to secure the 10' wire. I did not choose to drill a hole in case the extension didn't work. Gaffer tape is waterproof and has held firmly for thousands of miles. After installation, the signal loss issue went away entirely on the first full day. Second day, once or twice. But as of now, on any full day of traveling, I'd say we get about 85-90% good signal. It's definitely an improvement, but there's nothing like being hard wired, which gives 100% live signal, which is vital in urban areas of heavy traffic and you need visibility behind you.

[Dskyward]

Just a small edit to my previous reply. Our 377's backup camera is a Voyager WiSight WVOM541AP. The 10' extension only reaches to the top front of the side rear window, behind slide 3; not the tv window. Sorry about that.

Trying to post a picture.

The other two wires hanging down are for cellular and wifi booster on the pole mast.

[Desert RVers]

Originally Posted by Dskyward

The other two wires hanging down are for cellular and wifi booster on the pole mast.

Not to hijack this thread, but I'm curious about the brand of cell & wifi booster you are using? Do you like the performance? Also, did you make your own pole mast? I want to do the same to our TT and I'm trying to get ideas on what would be best. TIA

[Dskyward]

Hi Desert RVers,
The cell booster is a Wilson Mobile 4G SmarTech III, model 460008. The wifi booster is a PDQ Connect; is/or similar to this one: https://www.amazon.com/AllPro-Wi-Fi-.../dp/B00LGZN47E
Close to $700 for both.

The cell booster can also be used in the tow pickup. I bought an extra $15 taller magnet antenna for use on the rv. However, what you don't see at top of mast is a 22ga 12"x12" galvanized sheet metal the antenna sits on to help with signal. Can certainly make a difference between talk n text or not.

The pole mast is a paint pole extension from Lowe's. <$20, plus u bolts to connect to ladder.

[Dskyward]

Originally Posted by Dskyward

Our 2017 377 came with a Voyager brand backup camera. As it is wireless, it'll never be 100% like a wired camera. I believe this to be a somewhat recent change in brand by Jayco due to this unit having better reliability than previous brand. That said, it worked great at first from Middlebury IN where we bought our coach, then as we ventured west in flat featureless plains, our signal simply dropped out completely and only came in as vehicles like big TTs passed us. We called the manufacturer and they shipped us a 10' antenna extender (free of charge), which mounts on the driver side rear of camper, so the signal has a better 'view' of the monitor receiver on the dash. Simply unscrew the camera antenna and screw the extension antenna. I used heavy duty double sided tape to mount the bracket for the antenna right in front of the 'tv window' and used gaffer tape (small strips) to secure the 10' wire. I did not choose to drill a hole in case the extension didn't work. Gaffer tape is waterproof and has held firmly for thousands of miles. After installation, the signal loss issue went away entirely on the first full day. Second day, once or twice. But as of now, on any full day of traveling, I'd say we get about 85-90% good signal. It's definitely an improvement, but there's nothing like being hard wired, which gives 100% live signal, which is vital in urban areas of heavy traffic and you need visibility behind you.

Update, I can report that our 83 mile journey from Ft Wayne to Jayco Service Center in Middlebury, had a flawless rear camera performance. Full frame rate was noted 100% of the time. Thanks to another post I read online from a guy who had a 40' Forrest River 5th wheel with bad reception on the same Voyager camera/monitor, even with the 10' relocate kit. The idea is to make for the shortest distance between the camera antenna and monitor antenna. I added a 35' antenna extension cable, attached to the wireless camera antenna port, then the 10' antenna-relocation kit attached giving 45' total extension to allow the antenna to be relocated to the driver side of the front cap. I attached the L bracket using 3M double sided foam tape. I then used 2" Gaffer tape to secure the wire from the antenna on the front cap up and over along the cap seam to the middle of the roof and B line straight back to the antenna jack. I used wire tie sticky bases on the roof vents to hold the 35' thicker extension wire.

I get a solid 3 bars signal, and sometime the 4th bar appears. I discovered the 12v power the camera receives is ONLY from the on board batteries, not at all from the TV, as the red power knob in the propane compartment got turned off when my disc brakes were installed, and the camera had no signal, but still had brake lights. I've got 3 12v batteries now up front, mainly for the inverter to power the residential fridge over long 12 hr hauls. It is a full-time powered camera, even on shore power. It came to my mind that another member on this thread discovered that the residential fridge can go into defrost mode while traveling and that uses substantial amount of juice that can bring the batteries down, and the instruction manual says it's important that the camera gets all of 12v of power to operate normally. I know my inverter gives an error code at 11.6 or 11.8v and shuts off power to the fridge. So if that happens, take note of what happens to the camera.

WVOSANT-EXT35 from RV Cams.com. $55.33 delivered.
WVOSAPANTEXT sells for $29, but ASA sent free to me in 1st month of delivery.

One small note when connecting the 35' cable to the 10', two female connectors were present and I had to fabricate a 22 gauge 'male' wire bridge (3/8" long, no jacket) to complete the connection.

Sorry I have no photos as the install was done near dark. I can't wait to see how it performs on our next trip out west to WY, after we get the rig back from Jayco service.

[Rustysocket]

Tagged for future part numbers. Need to do this antenna extension myself.