Keytv help

[Jon9508]

So I have a 2024 keystone bullet. With the air 360+. I can't seem to pick up any air tv channels. I have pulled the main keytv box and checked the connection. They are tight. Also checked the power. I have 13 amps going to the box. I have no blue light on the box. But when I unscrew and pull ant coax the blue light comes on. So I really have no other idea what to do / check. It's still under warranty but trying to avoid taking it in since they have a back log.

Any help out there? Or ideas.

[chuckster57]

Welcome to the forum

If the KeyTv module blue light isn’t on until you disconnect the antenna, then the coax from the roof to the module is shorting out.

[Jon9508]

Hmmm. I did climb on the roof to see if I could look under the 360 dome. Looks like its going to be a pita to get the dome off.

[chuckster57]

You’ll have to remove the Dicor sealant and then remove the screws on the perimeter.

[ChuckS]

You can easily VERIFY that coax lead from the KeyTV up to the 360 antenna is shorted out by..
.. remove ANT coax at keytv module
.. use multimeter set to ohms scale X1
.. measure across the center coper wire coming out of that F connector to the threaded body.. if it reads 0.0 ohms then its shorted out
.. You will read some continuity across that F connector because the other end is connected to the Pre Amp to that antenna on the roof.. but it should not read dead short

[Jon9508]

I will try that tonight. I did check Continuity. And of coarse there was Continuity. I figured it was shorted out. But, that makes since that there would be a little Continuity there from it being hooked up to the antenna. When I do the ohm test and it ends up being shorted out. I would assume I will have to get under the dome and start checking stuff there.

[ChuckS]

Originally Posted by Jon9508

I will try that tonight. I did check Continuity. And of coarse there was Continuity. I figured it was shorted out. But, that makes since that there would be a little Continuity there from it being hooked up to the antenna. When I do the ohm test and it ends up being shorted out. I would assume I will have to get under the dome and start checking stuff there.

What you should read is just the internal resistance of the "Active Preamp" circuit on that OTA antenna...

That requires 12 vdc to power the preamp circuit up to allow the antenna to pull in signals..

I have no idea what the overall resistance of the circuit would read but it should certainly not read a dead short

[Jon9508]

Did an ohm reading. Came out to 1.6. Ohm. That's really all I can do until I can get the cover pulled. Won't be tonight as we have heavy rain coming in. Maybe in a day or too. I just hate scraping lap sealant off.

[flybouy]

Check the easy thing first. Remove the F connector and check for any strand of wire from the stranded outer conductor that touching the center conductor, it only takes one to short it out.

[Jon9508]

I will check that again. I did inspect the antenna connection cable connector. I didn't see any stray shield wires. I don't think i can pull off the connect as they are crimped. I will have to cut and replace.

[JRTJH]

Be careful "cutting to replace" the coax connectors. Sometimes, in their "infinite wisdom", the workers cut cables that are actually "almost too short". Cutting the connector can, in some situations, mean a "too short cable" and a "rewire all the way to the roof or add a jumper cable"....

[HeadHam]

Originally Posted by Jon9508

So I have a 2024 keystone bullet. With the air 360+. I can't seem to pick up any air tv channels. I have pulled the main keytv box and checked the connection. They are tight. Also checked the power. I have 13 amps going to the box. I have no blue light on the box. But when I unscrew and pull ant coax the blue light comes on. So I really have no other idea what to do / check. It's still under warranty but trying to avoid taking it in since they have a back log.

Any help out there? Or ideas.

I had the same issue with my Cougar. If the light goes on when the coax is disconnected, it's either a short in the coax or the 360+. Since it's under warranty I'd let the dealer take care of it. That way they can seal the unit on the roof after they are done and take responsibility for any leaks that might occur.

[Jon9508]

Yes, I am thinking it's the 360 unit under the dome. I am going to call the the dealership on Monday. Hope the wait isn't to far out. As we have a few trips planned.

[HeadHam]

Well I wish you luck! We were leaving for a month long trip to Washington state and the dealer wasn't able to help. I ended up buying an inexpensive indoor amplified antenna that worked just fine for the trip. One day while the trailer was sitting out under a blazing sun, the heat was enough to "fix" the 360. I'm hoping it stays working as the warranty is just about over.

[Jon9508]

Update.
I got it fixed yesterday. I ended up pulling the dome and testing that end of the coax. The coax ended up being bad. Not sure if the wire was crushed in the middle since I didn't pull it, but both ends were pulled off looking for loose wires and couldn't find any. But the wire was still was reading to be shorted. I ended up using the blue sat wire that was ran up to the roof for a sat antenna. The key tv pulled the air channels once that wire was hooked up. Thanks everyone for the suggestions as this saved me a trip to the dealer.

[NH_Bulldog]

Originally Posted by Jon9508

Update.
I got it fixed yesterday. I ended up pulling the dome and testing that end of the coax. The coax ended up being bad. Not sure if the wire was crushed in the middle since I didn't pull it, but both ends were pulled off looking for loose wires and couldn't find any. But the wire was still was reading to be shorted. I ended up using the blue sat wire that was ran up to the roof for a sat antenna. The key tv pulled the air channels once that wire was hooked up. Thanks everyone for the suggestions as this saved me a trip to the dealer.

Glad you got it fixed and that it was relatively painless!

Just to clarify again, the KeyTV multi-source signal controller is simply a distribution box. It has nothing to do with receiving any OTA stations. That is your television’s job. In your case, your television was not getting a signal from the antenna due to a bad wire. You swapped the wire and now it works. The KeyTV box doesn’t pull in any channels, not before, not now, not ever.

[Jon9508]

Correct. But the keytv box provides power to the antenna. Without the coax being a 100% it was shorting out on the keytv box. Not allowing the antenna to power on. With out the power to the antenna, the tv would never find the Ota stations

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by Jon9508

Update.
I got it fixed yesterday. I ended up pulling the dome and testing that end of the coax. The coax ended up being bad. Not sure if the wire was crushed in the middle since I didn't pull it, but both ends were pulled off looking for loose wires and couldn't find any. But the wire was still was reading to be shorted. I ended up using the blue sat wire that was ran up to the roof for a sat antenna. The key tv pulled the air channels once that wire was hooked up. Thanks everyone for the suggestions as this saved me a trip to the dealer.

It wouldn't surprise me if the cable has a staple, or screw through it shorting it out. This happens occasionally with both 12vdc wire and 120vac romex as well. Replacing a compromised wire can become an arduous task. Good to see that you found it and was able to circumvent it.

[NH_Bulldog]

Originally Posted by Jon9508

Correct. But the keytv box provides power to the antenna. Without the coax being a 100% it was shorting out on the keytv box. Not allowing the antenna to power on. With out the power to the antenna, the tv would never find the Ota stations

The KeyTV box does NOT provide power to the Air360 antenna. Power comes from a separate gateway power cord, not through the coax cable. While the coax may have been shorted which prevented the signal from the antenna ever reaching the KeyTV module, it is not a KeyTV issue.

[ChuckS]

KeyTV multisource controller provides 12 vdc right out of the box up to the antenna via the center and shield wires of the coax cable..