On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

Topic: On the roof of my U295 (1996) ... (Read 815 times) previous topic - next topic

On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

November 06, 2013, 01:59:20 pm

... is a "whatyoumaycallit". I'm wondering what it is. I'll try to describe it in more specific terms. It is a housing on a stalk. The housing is maybe 6" long by 3 and stands about 5" above the top of the coach. It has a wire running out of it across the roof to a hole where it passes inside the shell of the coach. This housing is between the spotlight and the satellite TV dome. Am I making any sense to anyone? And you tell me what this is? A sensor of some kind ? (I don't have an electric awning so it is not a wind sensor.) Could it be an antenna of some type? I can find nothing in the stack of material I have on the coach that suggests to me what it is. Thanks for your help!

Re: On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

Reply #1 – November 06, 2013, 02:20:29 pm

Sounds like it could be a cell phone antenna, wifi ant.

Re: On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

Reply #2 – November 06, 2013, 02:51:25 pm

Magnetic compass?

Re: On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

Reply #3 – November 06, 2013, 03:19:58 pm

Chuck, I don't think it is either of those. I have a cell antenna and I know where it terminates (I don't have a phone that works with it but if I did would have to change the plug anyway). But thanks for the suggestion!

George, if it is a magnetic compass item, wouldn't there be a readout somewhere in the coach? There isn't one. But again, thanks for the idea!

Re: On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

Reply #4 – November 06, 2013, 03:50:13 pm

Our U270 Audit computer didn't have the magnetic compass display on it, but I believe yours does. It should be a selection on your in dash CRT monitor used for backup as well as tank levels.
Don

Re: On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

Reply #5 – November 06, 2013, 04:22:49 pm

In our 2003 the tank readout video has both temp and direction. The latter comes from a compass on the roof.

Re: On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

Reply #6 – November 06, 2013, 04:32:27 pm

Maybe it is a Jack TV antenna if you don't have a crank up wing type.

Re: On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

Reply #7 – November 06, 2013, 05:05:32 pm

A pic would answer a thousand questions. My compass housing is a flat saucer shaped affair. This "stalk" has me curious.

Re: On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

Reply #8 – November 07, 2013, 10:50:42 am

I'll get a picture to put up later today.

It's NOT a Jack antenna. I have one on the antenna poles so I definitely know what it looks like

IF it is related to a magnetic compass that reads out in the Audit system, I'm not finding a switch to select it. On the dashboard, I have a switch for "Select" which toggles between backup camera and Audit system tank readout, a "Monitor" switch which turns on the monitor for the cam/Audit systems, a Generator "Start/Stop" switch, and a Generator "Auto" switch. Picture will follow in a little while.

Thanks for the thinking on this!

Re: On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

Reply #9 – November 07, 2013, 11:23:29 am

Your select switch would have had one more position for compass and temp.

I was reaching into thin air for that Jack answer.

Re: On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

Reply #10 – November 07, 2013, 12:36:44 pm

Here is a picture of the "unknown" item I've been attempting to describe. Maybe this will help someone identify it!

Re: On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

Reply #11 – November 07, 2013, 12:58:19 pm

Do you have any idea where the other end of the cable is?? What kind of connector is on it??

Re: On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

Reply #12 – November 07, 2013, 01:22:46 pm

Pat, it appears to be a coax cable terminated in a BNC connector. The cable on top of the coach is a white coax and I have one under the front dash that is similar. It is accessible in the front dash area and currently is simply coiled up and not connected to anything. The cable is long enough to reach across the whole dash area.

Re: On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

Reply #13 – November 07, 2013, 01:30:44 pm

That looks like a GPS antenna.

Keith

Re: On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

Reply #14 – November 07, 2013, 02:19:34 pm

Keith, would some kind of GPS use a BNC cable connector? That actually makes some sense.

Re: On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

Reply #15 – November 07, 2013, 02:33:55 pm

Yes, Garmin and Magellan both have used them, at least on marine units that I have had.

Keith

Re: On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

Reply #16 – November 07, 2013, 02:58:25 pm

Thanks, Keith! Looks like I have an antenna I don't need. Maybe I can figure out how to replace it with a ham antenna for my 2-mtr handheld.

Re: On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

Reply #17 – November 07, 2013, 05:30:56 pm

Maybe a satellite phone antenna?? That housing has a seam around it. Maybe screws on the underside...

Re: On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

Reply #18 – November 07, 2013, 09:29:19 pm

I will have to check that out. Obviously, it is threaded on the mount it is on right now. Maybe I can unscrew it. Actually, a satellite phone antenna makes some sense for a coach of this age, I suppose.

Re: On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

Reply #19 – November 07, 2013, 10:50:31 pm

We have a satellite phone antenna on top of our coach. It is a small dome. It's maybe five inches across at the base and about six inches high. It looks nothing like the picture of the object in question.

The satellite phone came with the coach. It still sits in the garage along with the derelict DirecTV unit that came with the coach.

Re: On the roof of my U295 (1996) ...

Reply #20 – November 07, 2013, 11:24:17 pm

Thanks, JD. I'll admit that I've never see a satellite phone antenna. LOL So that is probably not what this little thing is. Back to the GPS antenna idea. If it is similar to marine GPS antennas it would fit with the fact that Foretravel used a marine Spotlight on the top of the coach. Marine hardware is quite durable in the face of the elements.

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