Better TV antenna

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wbilotta

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Aug 1, 2011
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I have a 2001 Damon Intruder 369, just bought it a couple of months ago and still figuring everything out.  The original TV upfront has been replaced with a new LCD style screen and I installed a DVD player.  I hooked up the exterior antenna and had the TV search for OTA stations but found none.  I had the antenna up and tried rotating it, no luck.

So then I ran a piece of RG6 straight from the antenna to the TV and I found 6 stations.  Talking w/ my neighbor a few doors down and he said they get at least 20 stations.  Rotating the antenna few degrees either way and I would lose the station I was on.  So I'm wondering if the antenna is just too old to pick up the new digital formats ?  I'd like to get this resolved so I can hookup the TV in the rear bedroom with a digital to analog converter.

Suggestions ?
 
To use the antenna the amplifier needs to be turned ON to provide 12 VDC to the antenna.
The "ON" switch should be part of or near the antenna selector panel. You also must select ANTENNA for the TV you want using the antenna.
It sounds like you may not have the antenna powered or selected. Options go down hill from here (i.e. broke)
 
Along with what bobsharon said, you can add something called a "Wingman" to the existing antenna and it will improve the signal catching ability to the old batwing antenna.

http://winegard.com/wingman/

Most of the problem has to do with the change to UHF band  of many formally VHF band signals when digitized.
 
Note that when you run the coax directly from the TV to the antenna the antenna amplifier is not getting the 12 vdc it needs to operate so the incoming signals are not being amplified.
The wall plate with the switch and LED is where the 12 vdc comes from and goes to the amplifier in the antenna head.
After you find the wall plate and turn the switch on then check to see if you have 12 vdc at the point it connects to the antenna.


 
Does your coach have a video switch that changes what signal source the tv uses, e.g. antenna, DVD, VCR, etc.?  If so, it's possible the power source for the antenna amp is in the video switch. Otherwise it is part of a wall switch that says antenna/cable, with "antenna being the amplified portion and "cable" being unamplified.

You might also have a broken coax between the amp and the antenna itself. They sometimes get corroded at the connector on the antenna end.
 
To use the antenna the amplifier needs to be turned ON to provide 12 VDC to the antenna
Click to expand...

Be aware that not all Winegard batwing antennas have an amplifier - ours does not.
 
Should have looked around a bit more.  I did find the amplifier inside the overhead passenger compartment.  Once I turned it on I picked up a lot more.  Thanks for all of the help. 

Now I need to get a digital to analog converter for the bedroom TV.  Any brand recommendations ?
 
wbilotta said:
Now I need to get a digital to analog converter for the bedroom TV.  Any brand recommendations ?
Click to expand...
I hear Radio Shack sells them; I have also heard that look for one that has "pass through" capability. This allows another RF source such as from a VCR with Analog RF out to pass through the converter when off.
 
Winegard makes one (Camping World et-al) Radio Shack still sells one.  You might check www.dtvpal.com if they still have them I kind of like that one (I have one)

Zenith, also re-branded as Insignia (Best buy) is really LG, and I have never had an LG product that did not have at least one issue.. Thankfully the Insignia converter in my bedroom the issue is one I cn live with (You need to change channels at lest once every few days or it locks up)
 
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