Yesterday we came into Menifee , Ca, got settled and I raised my Weinguard antenna with Wingman, turned on my booster, set tv for scan and got nothing. Tried numerous antenna positions- nothing. It was working while we were in Az, outside of Yuma and we did spend 1 night in a Passport America campground with cable- all was fine. I was not able to get any reception during my stay at Pio Pico, but I thought it was because we were in the canyon. Here I have had good tv in the past so.............?
Today I went on the roof and changed the cable out with a good cable to see if the antenna cable had gone bad- same results.
I have no idea what to check now, so I am asking my forum friends for ideas. Digital tv has worked well for us and we have 2 less than 1 year old digital tv's.
Thanks for your help
Do you have the TV set up using air instead of cable?
We've had that problem with DISH, as well. Every time, a simple call or e-mail has gotten us back in business.
Yes I do craneman- thanks for asking..........sometimes I do overlook the obvious..................... ^.^d
Mike- great you got it taken care of with Dish, but I just use the OTA free digital signals, so who should I call?
The tv has a setup for air and does your coach have the push buttons to use ant?
I have the push buttons- have been using them for 8 years. Could there be a problem in the switch box?? If so, how would I be able to test that? I am not a great electrician or tech, but can do some basic things if I have an idea where to look. Right now I am lost......lol
depending on accessibility to the back of the tv and switch box you can take the ant. from the box and hook it directly to the tv. if it still doesn't work the problem lies with the television.
Good idea, however this is a problem on both tv's. I have my original Weinguard batwing with the Wingman on top- do these antennas ever go bad? I know there have been improvements made so I am wondering if replacing the 15 year old antenna with a modern one might be a good idea??
Hi Ted - given that the cable you swapped was good and you ran it directly from the antenna to the back of the amplifier wall plate bypassing that push button switch box, then the issues is either in the amplifier wall plate ($20) or antenna head ($45).
My original was not a Winegard but the head died. Since it was discontinued I replaced the whole antenna. I'm sure there is a way to test if there is power on the coax out from your amplifier wall plate. Maybe someone can chime in and help narrow down what is needed.
Ted,
The Winegard antenna requires 12 VDC to the antenna head on the roof. Disconnect the coax from the antenna and check between center and outer/ground.
Brett- I have 12 volts power to the antenna
Mark- I just tested the cable on the roof from the antenna to the plate on the roof where it comes into the coach. I had replaced that cable one time years ago and thought it might be bad now.
Mark- how did you tell the head died? That is what I am thinking at this point, but hate to buy a new antenna or head if there is another issue.
Thanks for the help
If you didn't try to put the ant. into the television you still haven't eliminated the switch box. It can fail and it would not send a signal to either tv. It is a long shot but the fact you're not getting anything on the televisions is unusual as you can get some digital channels with nothing hooked up.
Ted and Karen,
Being as 2 TV's do not work it is probably someplace other than the TV's. If you are reasonably close to a broadcast tower, just sticking a 3 or 4' length of wire in the center of the cable connector on the TV should pick up a station. Digital is much better for doing that than the old analog. If you get a signal, then move the piece of wire to the next device to see if it works there as a means to find what isn't working. The push button switch box in my coach stopped working and isn't made any more so I had to bypass it. I use a spliter after the antenna amplifier to feed both TV's.
Guess I will be taking things apart today......lol
It could be the switch box and since we don't use it for anything else, using a splitter would be a good solution.
Will let you know what happens.
Thanks for the ideas guys
^.^d
If you could find a male to male coax connector and just direct wire the antenna to one of the tv's it would tell you if the switch was bad.
Len
Quite honestly, I'd celebrate no t.v., no cell, no wi-fi. We traveled for years without the "connections". Could we survive without them, now ? HELL NO!
Len- I did just that. Took the cable from antenna and connected to tv1- still nothing. So I'm now thinking it is not the switch box, but could be the booster- although I do have power to the antenna. Does the coax from the antenna go through the booster and then to the switch box? If so, I need to find a way to test that.....
Mike- we had 3 weeks no tv, I did break down and get the campground wifi since my Verizon mifi wouldn't work at Pio Pico.
Phone and internet are more important than tv, but I want it.............s
Did you consider maybe just maybe there wasn't a signal to receive?
Yes Stump I did, however there are others near me with their antennas cranked up. Also I have been here before and got tv just fine.
Well I have by passed the switch box- nothing.
Have power to the antenna
Booster is operating as I can see the red light on it when I turn it on
Coax cable on roof seems good as the new acts the same.
I guess it's time for a new antenna head. I was looking at the Wineguard Razor antenna- anyone used it? Good or bad experience?
What other antenna head should I look at? Jack is the other one I have heard of.
Thanks for the help guys
Easy way to check for number of stations, signal strength and direction: http://www.antennaweb.org/Address.aspx
Thanks Brett
I will try finding those signals after I put everything back together so I have the boost connected and switch box etc.
If not- time for a new antenna I guess. 15 years and 130000 miles- can't get anything to last these days............lol
If you do go the Jack replacement head route you do get a power supply with the package. All you would need is coax.
Total cost runs about $42-$50
Ted,
For $6.58 at Walmart you can get a set of rabbit ears to use as a test antenna.
I replaced the wing with a Jack antenna a couple of years ago and except for having to put an extra pad on the mount to keep it off the roof have had no problems.
Safe travels
elliott
Ted,
I had a similar problem with signal loss. Problem found was a corroded connection on the underside of the roof plate (sorry, could not locate photos). There was enough cable to cut off a few inches of cable and install a new end. Also replaced the connector on the plate. Reinstalled and sealed with Dicor. Might be worth a check if you haven't already done so.
I have ordered the Jack- and bought new RG-6 coax, so it should be a simple ( yeah right) change over when I get it installed.
Thanks for all the ideas and help.
Merry Christmas and safe travels to all as you travel to Grandma & Grandpa's house for the holidays.
Wait a minute, we are the Grandparents now...........oh well, be safe in your travels.
Update on this- I installed the Jack replacement heat- nothing. Then I by-passed the booster that came in the coach and added the new one for Jack that came in my box- again nothing. I tried checking wires, tightening the stock booster cables, etc- the only thing I succeeded in doing was blowing some fuses. Finally decided to run a good coax from the Jack directly to the tv hookup using the new booster. Now I was getting something, so my problem is either the internal coax or the roof plate. I pretty much discovered that is was the roof plate corrosion, so I took a wire brush and can of CorrosionX up with me. I took the coax off the plate and brushed and cleaned with CorrosionX, then hooked it back up. Guess what- yes, it worked. Now I have working OTA tv with a new Jack head and new coax on the roof.
What I learned is that if there is corrosion on an electrical connection that is exposed to the elements, it is a good idea to clean it and use CorrosionX on it. Kinda like our battery connections- keep them clean and tight.
Thanks for all of my forum friends for the ideas and encouragement to solve this simple, yet very annoying problem.
Hope you all have a safe and happy holiday season.
By the way, the string in the day/night shade in the living room broke. Karen likes our MCD's in the bedroom so much that I told her ( years ago) that we will do the living room when the shades fail. Guess what, it is just a few weeks away from Quartzite and I know MCD can be installed there..............right Roland?? Karen is going to get her new MCD's.
An easy solution if the through-roof connection is bad: Roof-Thru-Plate-pplmotorhomes.com (http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/electronics/cabling-accessories-and-supplies/roof-thru-plate.htm)
If you use one of those definitely use the appropriate amount of the proper sealant after you connect the coax to the barrel connector. It is definitely not a waterproof connection.
Ted and Karen,
FYI. Back on 23 Mar I did a post about a Jack antenna reinstall. I don't know how to link. Search "tv antenna noise." You may want to take a quick look at the bolts/bushings I used to replace the pins and lock clips. The pins and lock clip setup severely wore the holes in the square tube arms of the antenna mast due to movement while traveling down the road. I had to cut the mast and drill new holes. When I did, I also shortened the mast to help eliminate rattle while moving. The mod I did should avoid the wear and also make the antenna much quieter while moving.
Rich
Bring up the desired post in your browser, highlight and copy the information in the URL bar. Go to the new post where you want to place the link, click "paste".
OTA TV antenna mast modification (split from What did you do to your coach... (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=24413.0)
Brett and David- thanks for the information about the through roof plate. I am getting signal but in this high wind at my location, the signal is very jumpy.
Rich- Thanks- I will review that as I am having issues with the arms movement ( might be the holes) in this wind here at Palm Desert.
Your idea might be a good solution, to modify the arms. I just want to stop the movement while the arms are up so the Jack does not wiggle and momentarily lose the signal. Not today- too much wind and sand blowing to be on top.
Thanks for heads up of where to find that Michelle.
You all are great!!
See you at Quartzite if you are going
^.^d
Rich- I read you post and see that you replaced the pins in the bottom of the arms also. I do have movement there- did that tighten it up so you get no movement while in the winds? We travel west and east and the movement is a problem- I like you solution.
Thanks
^.^d
Ted and Karen--I did both of the ends of the arms at the same time so can't say if just doing the bottom would be any different. It is now much much quieter while driving down the road and much more stable while raised. Sorry, won't be at Quartzite.
Michele--Thanks for the directions on posting links. I'll give it a try. I did not try that because on my Safari ULR bar, all that usually shows is "foreforums.com" for any page I view. Looks like when I click on it the rest of the URL shows up. Wahoo!
Rich
Update: I realized that when I moved the original coax cables around the signal went in and out- mostly out. I replaced the cable from the Jack power booster to my switch box and the cable from the switch box to the front tv. Using RG-6 coax , it made a world of difference.
Seeing this, I realize that I should replace the cable going to the through the roof connector and the long run to the back bedroom.
This is where it gets interesting, at least for me.
1. How do I take down the ceiling in the cabinet to get to the through the roof plate? It looks like I need to take out the 2 cabinets- any other ideas?
2. I have no idea where the coax is run from the front to the back- is there a way to pull a cable through or is this a take apart the coach project?? Anyone ever done this? I know I could have it done at MOT, but how many coach bucks??
Thanks for your help.
Happy New Year all.......... ^.^d
The "front to back" coax is easy. The upper outer beam on either side is hollow and you can easily feed the wire or a fish from one end of the coach to the other. The small plastic "vents" in the outer wall of the overhead cabinets access that area.
I hate to question the "other Brett" but when I tried to run a new camera cable through the roof beam, my fish kept jamming against obstacles. I ended up running it through the basement cable tray. FT wanted 2 coach bucks to install a new camera, most of the cost running the new wire. Hmmm.
Brett,
Sure, it depends on what else has already been run through that beam/channel.
Much of that depends on what A/V equipment was OE or added by previous owners.
If problem with one side, verify that the other side is also "previously-occupied".
Ted, I tried the chanel down the overhead first also and had no luck either. Would of been nice that way but after 2 hours of trying to get a fish tape down there I ended up going under the coach via the cable runs. This was for the backup camera, but tv would be the same. Good luck and Happy New Year!
Update: I realized that when I moved the original coax cables around the signal went in and out- mostly out. I replaced the cable from the Jack power booster to my switch box and the cable from the switch box to the front tv. Using RG-6 coax , it made a world of difference.
Seeing this, I realize that I should replace the cable going to the through the roof connector and the long run to the back bedroom.
This is where it gets interesting, at least for me.(. Ted. )
Ted
Having spent years with Comcast. Hundreds of installs. Ya ,I know "cable guy" but saved,invested and moved on. Now, back to the problem. Where to start.
The RG6 cable connections CAN be very problematic, heat and moisture can can cause very small changes in connectivity which can cause huge problems in reception. Center copper too short, bad reception. Center copper too long, bad reception (VERY common). People think longer is better, not at all the case. If center copper is to long it will touch inside the barrel conecter and shouldn't. These tolerances can and are affected buy heat and cold. Usually doesn't matter if connection was done correctly, heat and cold won't effect it at all, but if connection tolerances are close when cable ends are built then it's a headache waiting for the right conditions to happen. I have seen RG6 cable connections in VERY expensive homes that were horrible and these people would be expecting multiple TVs and multiple high speed routers and modems to work and they might for a little while but then temp or humidity changes and HOURS are spent tracking down the problem with a new connection.
Bottom line... Cable itself if allreadt RG6 is most likely just fine. This stuff is built to be hanging outside in bitter cold and scalding hot conditions, neither of which we should have inside our protected coaches. It really doesn't rot, corrode or anything like that. It's only the end connections to worry about. You need the proper tools to do it right. It really does matter how you cut and crimp the cable ends. Knowing what I know, if I didn't already have the tools, I would find a cable guy to make the ends for me or take it to cable co and have them do the ends. The cable lines in the stores that are pre made make most people in the business cringe. Not that great. And may not matter until you ask for HD tv or good high speed internet from the cable.
You probably don't need to replace the run from front of coach to back. I wouldn't unless there had been a fire or some other damage to your coach. You'll be pulling good cable out and putting the same cable back in. Virtually nothing has changed in the quality of RG6 cable in 20 years. Cable end connections however, have. Several upgrades , that's the difference as we ask for more from cable stuff. Sorry for the long post, but there is even more to it than I covered. PM me for more info.
Ps. The cable ends in our 95 isn't done correctly, but it works so far. ( you know, the car mechanics car needs work kind of thing and we haven't watched much tv yet. Had coach 6mo).
Bob,
Thank you for your (long) post. I would be interested if you have any web site references or tips on how to make "professional" connectors.
Thanks, Richard
Jan.
I'll post some pics of what to look for, what to avoid and what the proper connections look like as soon as I can. Busy holidays for us right now. Not sure of a website to find that info, although I'm sure one exist..