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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / March 2007Wing TV antenna: effective?
In both our old Toyota Dolphin and our new 06 Sunseeker, the TV antenna is almost useless. We have camped only a few miles from major downtowns many times and can maybe pick up a station or two but then we usually have poor reception. Both TVs, front and back, get the same poor signal. The antenna does seem to be connected at some level since raising and rotating it cause variations in reception. I believe a pair of cheap rabbit ears would work at least as well if not better. Is this all I can expect? > In both our old Toyota Dolphin and our new 06 Sunseeker, the TV antenna is > almost useless. We have camped only a few miles from major downtowns many [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > variations in reception. I believe a pair of cheap rabbit ears would work > at least as well if not better. Is this all I can expect? Look at the wall plate of both antenna connections. One may have a small switch on it. Turn it on, this is the signal amplifier.  SignatureFrank Tabor It is so very hard to be an on-your-own-take-care-of-yourself-because-there-is-no-one-else-to-do-it-for-you grown-up. >> In both our old Toyota Dolphin and our new 06 Sunseeker, the TV antenna >> is [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Look at the wall plate of both antenna connections. One may have a small > switch on it. Turn it on, this is the signal amplifier. The amplifier does effect the reception, but not enough to be useful. > The amplifier does effect the reception, but not enough to be > useful. Then a wire is loose, a connection bad, a terminal cracked loose in the amplifier, or some other problem. Those antenna, when installed correctly will bring in stations up to 50 - 75 miles away. Tom J Thanks, Tom, that is good to know. Dan >> The amplifier does effect the reception, but not enough to be useful. > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Tom J Tom J wrote: >> The amplifier does effect the reception, but not enough to be >> useful. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Tom J The feedthrough on my roof to the antenna was corroded enough to prevent the 12 V from getting to the antenna itself. Check to see if the 12 V is on the cable going to the feedthrough, then check to see if it is available on the roof top side. John Andrews, Knoxville, Tennessee > The feedthrough on my roof to the antenna was corroded enough to > prevent the 12 V from getting to the antenna itself. Check to > see if the 12 V is on the cable going to the feedthrough, then > check to see if it is available on the roof top side. > > John Andrews, Knoxville, Tennessee If you have 12 volts going to your antenna, or thru the cable, you have a BIG problem. There is no voltage going to the antenna unless you have a power type rotator on it. Hank If we are discussing a Winegard Batwing type antenna there IS in fact 12 volts going up the coax to the antenna where the amplifier is located. The one test to see if you are getting 12 volts is to remove the coax at the antenna and test for voltage at the end of the coax. No voltage, the power supply is shot ( where the switch deal & the little red light are inside the coach) and if there is voltage then the amp in the antenna is probably shot. Had to replace my antenna a couple of months ago. SignatureGoat For Reply - Post to Group On Feb 16, 9:31?pm, John Andrews <andrew...@chartertn.net> wrote: > The feedthrough on my roof to the antenna was corroded enough to > prevent the 12 V from getting to the antenna itself. Check to > see if the 12 V is on the cable going to the feedthrough, then > check to see if it is available on the roof top side. > > John Andrews, Knoxville, Tennessee If you have 12 volts going to your antenna, or thru the cable, you have a BIG problem. There is no voltage going to the antenna unless you have a power type rotator on it. Hank > If you have 12 volts going to your antenna, or thru the cable, you > have a BIG problem. There is no voltage going to the antenna unless > you have a power type rotator on it. Never had an amplified antenna huh? Tom J >> The feedthrough on my roof to the antenna was corroded enough to >> prevent the 12 V from getting to the antenna itself. Check to [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Hank Hank, The amplifier in a Wiengard batwing antenna is in the antenna up there with the wings! It needs 12 volts to do its job. The box inside the RV with the switch and the 12 V socket and the antenna jack does not do the amplification, it just switches the roof antenna in and out of the circuit for the cable feed. It is also a current limiter for the amp power. Trust me on this, I had to replace the feedthrough on my RV so the antenna would work. That job is not one I want to do again. There was some mean stickum on that thing that was meant to prevent people, dust, dirt, water, oil, etc from penetrating into the inside through that hole. By the way, it was an older Winnebago Minnie Winnie with an aluminum roof. John Andrews, Knoxville, Tennessee > >> The feedthrough on my roof to the antenna was corroded enough to > >> prevent the 12 V from getting to the antenna itself. Check to [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > > - Show quoted text - Apparently I am wrong. I apologize. It just seems like it would be more prone to shorting out and causing fires if it shorts out. I will admit I don't know much about antenna's, but it seems like there should be a better way. I don't have the wing type, mine is round and I always thought the switchplate inside was nothing more than a amplifier, like the ones you can buy at Walmart or Radio shack for your home antenna except 12v. Hank <~~~not too old to learn >Apparently I am wrong. I apologize. It just seems like it would be >more prone to shorting out and causing fires if it shorts out. Hank, that is what fuses are for. Dean > >Apparently I am wrong. I apologize. It just seems like it would be > >more prone to shorting out and causing fires if it shorts out. > > Hank, that is what fuses are for. > > Dean I guess I need to get a lesson in 12volt electricity huh? :-) Is the fuse located in the antenna or inside the coach? Also, accidents happen and some people put in a bigger fuse if the old one blows, therefore creating a possible fire hazard. I guess I may be a little too safety concious. Hank <~~~~thinks safety first >"Hustlin' Hank" <ninebal310@aol.com> wrote: >> >Apparently I am wrong. I apologize. It just seems like it would be >> >more prone to shorting out and causing fires if it shorts out. [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > >Hank <~~~~thinks safety first Remember, there are lots of places where 12 VDC goes through the skin of an RV. All those marker lights, for example. SignatureDD >I guess I need to get a lesson in 12volt electricity huh? :-) > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > >Hank <~~~~thinks safety first Hank I had a similar problem and noted the following things. I did have the 12 volts at the wires leading to the antenna. Easy to check. Took down old Antenna, it was filled with water. Assumed it was dead as the water poured out. Ordered new one, nothing worked. Bought new on/off switch for amplifierand installed it, still did not work. Checked all wiring and even the swith box with no luck and even had new fittings on each cable installed. Turned out the new antenna was dead and I found that only after I tried the old antenna again and it worked. Go figure! Still using old antenna. I never did see any fuse though! If you find one let us know where! Lee (in Florida) >> I guess I need to get a lesson in 12volt electricity huh? :-) >> [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > Lee (in Florida) Y'all missed my point that the switch box is a current limiter. That keeps too much current from flowing into that amp. It does not need much. Because the current is limited, there is no fuse. It doesn't need one. Marker lights, on the other hand... John Andrews, Knoxville, Tennessee > Still using old antenna. Depending upon how old is "old" you might want to try another new one. Upgrading to a new head made a significant difference in the picture quality in my '96 MH--new technology in the amp itself I suppose. SignatureJud Dallas TX USA > Depending upon how old is "old" you might want to try another new one. > Upgrading to a new head made a significant difference in the picture > quality in my '96 MH--new technology in the amp itself I suppose. I did just that and got one that was dead on arrival from CW and I wasted a lot of time trying to diagnose it. But when I got smart which was quite a long time after I had ordered it and it was out of warranty I contacted Winegard and they said if I sent it in they would check it and found it to be dead! They turned around and sent a new one even though it was out of warranty. You can't ask for more from any company. So I ended up spending $18 to send it but it was well worth it. They said I should have called them right away and they would have been glad to help. > >"Hustlin' Hank" <ninebal...@aol.com> wrote: > >> >Apparently I am wrong. I apologize. It just seems like it would be [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > - Show quoted text - I understand, but those don't have wires exposed that can easily be ripped apart by tree branches like the antenna do they? One person responded that the wires are not fused and don't need a fuse. Hank <~~~soooooo conFUSEed >> >"Hustlin' Hank" <ninebal...@aol.com> wrote: >> >> >Apparently I am wrong. I apologize. It just seems like it would be [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > Hank <~~~soooooo conFUSEed There are no wires. Only the coaxial cable. And if you get branches into the folded down antenna, you got worse problems than a broken wire. It's a non issue. Go worry about the type of toilet paper you are using, or whether to run the propane reefer while driving down the road. I told you that the power comes from the power panel and it's fused there. You should have a row of 12v fuses and and a row of circuit breakers in there. That's where the fuse is. SignatureFrank Tabor Save energy: be apathetic. > I understand, but those don't have wires exposed that can easily be > ripped apart by tree branches like the antenna do they? One person > responded that the wires are not fused and don't need a fuse. Just someone else that doesn't know what they are talking about. It's fused at the main service panel through 1 of those 12 volt automotive fuses. If you don't believe it, turn on the amp so the red light is on and start pulling those 12 volt fuses & soon the light will go out and you can mark which one it's wired to. Tom J > > I understand, but those don't have wires exposed that can easily be > > ripped apart by tree branches like the antenna do they? One person [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Tom J Probably just meant it doesn't need/have a DEDICATED fuse--it's most likely on the same circuit/fuse as the closest 12vt light. SignatureJud Dallas TX USA >> >Apparently I am wrong. I apologize. It just seems like it would be >> >more prone to shorting out and causing fires if it shorts out. [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Hank <~~~~thinks safety first It should be pulling power from a fuse in the power panel. Probably a 10 or 15 amp, depending on what else is on the same circuit. Since the 12v is on the center conductor of coax, shorting that wire out is probably the least of any worries. SignatureFrank Tabor Assassins do it from behind. I will admit I don't know much about antenna's, but it seems like there should be a better way. I don't have the wing type, mine is round and I always thought the switchplate inside was nothing more than a amplifier, like the ones you can buy at Walmart or Radio shack for your home antenna except 12v. Hank <~~~not too old to learn These types of antennas have the preamp located in the antenna itself. The 12 volts powers the preamp. RCE >The amplifier does effect the reception, but not enough to be useful. Mine takes signals from mostly snow and unwatchable to totally clear and clean. You have a problem with yours. Dean > In both our old Toyota Dolphin and our new 06 Sunseeker, the TV antenna is > almost useless. We have camped only a few miles from major downtowns many [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > it cause variations in reception. I believe a pair of cheap rabbit ears > would work at least as well if not better. Is this all I can expect? If you wrap some aluminum foil around the antenna you will have an early warning system for tornadoes. My word I read it right here in the RV newsgroup. Rudy I had the antenna serviced yesterday and the reception is far better than before. There was a loose cable connection. Having said that, I think cable TV has spoiled me. The UHF reception is still very poor. Is this common? Dan > In both our old Toyota Dolphin and our new 06 Sunseeker, the TV antenna is > almost useless. We have camped only a few miles from major downtowns many [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > it cause variations in reception. I believe a pair of cheap rabbit ears > would work at least as well if not better. Is this all I can expect? >I had the antenna serviced yesterday and the reception is far better than >before. There was a loose cable connection. Having said that, I think [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Dan Depends on where the station is located relative to your location, the power of the transmitter, the height of the tower, the gain of the antenna, whether the antenna is directional or not and if so your location relative to the 'beamed' direction of the signal. You will need to check the reception of others with similar antennas near you. If their reception is much better than yours, you may still have a problem. Ron >> In both our old Toyota Dolphin and our new 06 Sunseeker, the TV antenna >> is almost useless. We have camped only a few miles from major downtowns [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >> rabbit ears would work at least as well if not better. Is this all I can >> expect? |
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