TV Rn TV(cheap), Wingard batwing( cheap)eception

[Bob Landry]

OK, I'm at the end of my rope with this lousy TV reception in my Outback. Jensen TV(cheap), Winegard batwing(cheap), and Wingard wall amplifier(cheap).
The signal fades in and out displaying a regular "No Signal" banner on the screen.
Has anyone had any success using an auxiliary amplifier for their TV reception? I'm not going to replace the TV, Batwing, or wall amp, so those responses are appreciated in advance. I'm looking for a TV signal amplifier either 12V or 115V, since we always camp with hookups.

Maybe a bad coax connection. I've got coax and connectors so I'll make up a makeshift antenna tomorrow and see it it makes any difference.

[EricLynnAllison]

When I first got my Raptor, I had great reception when it was cool out and during the heat of the day, it would get worse and worse and return again in the cool of the evening. I did what you are going to do and finally found my problem was the cable in the antenna. Replaced it and everything was fine.

[Desert185]

I added a Winegard Wingman to my batwing and it improved the reception considerably.

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...-wingman/44021

[Bob Landry]

Originally Posted by EricLynnAllison

When I first got my Raptor, I had great reception when it was cool out and during the heat of the day, it would get worse and worse and return again in the cool of the evening. I did what you are going to do and finally found my problem was the cable in the antenna. Replaced it and everything was fine.

In the antenna or going to the antenna?

I talked to a buddy who does electronic installations on boats and after describing my problem, he thought it was a bad connector. It's also possible to just have a bad section of cable given the poor quality of components that go into these trailers. I've got a roll of satellite quality coax, RG6 I think, that I never used but I'm just trying to get out of dropping the ceiling to run new coax.

[JRTJH]

Bob,

There is a coax connector on the bottom of the antenna head. If you connect a "known good" coax cable there, run it into the RV through a door or window and attach it to the back of the antenna booster, you can eliminate all of the "trailer connections" and check to see if it is the booster or the wiring. If you get a good signal to the TV with your "known good" cable, then you know the problem is in the trailer wiring, if you still have "bad reception" it's either the antenna or the booster.

[buzzcop63]

Our Travel Trailer came with the Winegard Sensar IV HD Antenna, which you crank up and then can turn to tune in stations. We added the Wingman to increase signal strength. Next I installed the Winegard Sensarpro TV Signal Meter, which replaced the standard power supply and acts as a signal strength indicator, adjustable amplifier and wall plate power supply, it added specific search modes, eliminating guesswork. Also found a foam rubber clock, like the one you might use to train your kids how to tell time. I cut out the center with the hands and placed it over the ceiling crank so that once stations are found you can mark down their location then when you wish to change the direction of the antenna for a specific station or group of stations you know exactly where to turn the crank to align the antenna. Also the following web sights will allow you to put in the zip code of the location you are going to camp at and it will show the RF number and stations that can be viewed by your antenna and the strength of their signal and location to give you a better chance of locking on. And last I found that once the Sensarpro TV Signal Meter locates the most stations I let the TV search and lock in those stations, the TV seems to pull in more then I get by just selecting the channel. Be aware that not all stations are the common ones you are used to, many have an RF number like 45 and will represent channel 12 or Fox on the signal meter.
http://antennaweb.org/Address.aspx
https://www.tvfool.com/modeling/

[EricLynnAllison]

The coax in my antenna was the problem. I only found out by doing what the other poster said by bypassing sections one by one.

[PARAPTOR]

Originally Posted by EricLynnAllison

The coax in my antenna was the problem. I only found out by doing what the other poster said by bypassing sections one by one.

Do you mean the coax section to my antenna was the problem or are you actually saying the coax in the antenna head was bad?

[EricLynnAllison]

Originally Posted by PARAPTOR

Do you mean the coax section to my antenna was the problem or are you actually saying the coax in the antenna head was bad?

For me, it was the coax cable attached to the head unit that goes into the camper just below the antenna crank.

[EricLynnAllison]

Just a quick recap of what I did to diagnose my problem,
1 Ran a cable from TV to booster. Didn't help
2 Ran a cable from booster outside window to antenna head. Worked.
3 Ran a cable from underneath crank outside window to antenna head. Worked.
4 Removed cable from antenna and Replaced cable from underneath crank through ceiling to antenna head.

[Pull Toy]

Isn't the "New Improved Digital T.V." Wonderful?

And to think they sold the old reliable analogue bandwidth to the Cell Carriers!

[FLCapt]

I have seen the connector in the antenna itself go bad. Rather than replace the whole antenna, just take it apart and replace the connector, which is available for a few bucks just about anywhere.