Antenna question...

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

StarDancer

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 21, 2010
Posts
170
Location
Pahrump, NV
I have a winegard sensor IV antenna.  It only picks up a couple of stations.  They aren't stations I want to watch, most are Spanish! 

My RV tech told me to get a "booster box" and said that would help pick up a bunch.  Right now sitting in Las Vegas getting rig ready to roll full-time.  I understand that many RV parks have cable but for now, would really like to be able to get something so I can see some local channels.  Hey, I'm a football fan.  I'm feeling the withdrawal pains... :'(

He said that Target, Walmart, Best Buy have these gadgets.  Any suggestions, feedback, whatever?

I'll be moving to a local park probably Friday or Saturday at the latest for the "shakedown."  (I'm nervous!) 

Thanks,
Cathy

PS  He called it a "booster box" but I think he meant "amplifier."  Does that make sense?
 
The SENSAR comes in, now days, 4 flavors, 2 of them can be upgraded easily

Sensar 1, far as I know no longer made, VHF only, no  amplifier

Sensar 2, VHF/uhf (note case) amplifier, must receive 12 volts from power supply inside motor home

Sensar 3: VHF/UHF, Sensar 2 with the addition of the WINGMAN accessory,

Sensar 4: VHF!/UHF! (note exclamation points) Wingman 3 with addition of Sensar Pro interior wall plat/amplifier/signal meter/station scanner.

You can upgrade yours (Assuming it's not a 1) all the way to 4 by addition of wingman and Sensar Pro power supply/switch/amplifier.

Page 2:

Point toward somethign with black in it's name (Black rock mountain?) or some such, I think it is on the south side and if you take a good pair of field glasses (Bionoculars) or a small telescope you can see all the "Quills" sticking up on top of the thing.. That's where all the transmitters live.

If you need more directional help.... Just off the strip there is a church.. The most visited Cathoilc parish in the country.. Forget it's name.. past it is Channel 8 drive, and that's where you find.. Channel 8 studios.
 
You should be getting more than a couple Spanish stations. ABC, CBS, NBC, CW, FOX are all broadcast near Las Vegas.
Check this site for stations in the LV area and their locations. Use your location as guide and point to the locations on the map...see John from Detroit's post for quick reference for pointing. Do a rescan on your tv or digital converter to map the stations in view.
As far as a booster/amplifier is concerned, if you have a Sensor 4 Winegard batwing antenna, you should already have an amplifier either built into to the antenna or at one of your antenna connections. Adding another will not gain you much (there must be a signal present to amplify it).
There should be a small switch and associated power light showing it is turned on. Have you checked or seen this?
.
 
StarDancer said:
I have a winegard sensor IV antenna.  It only picks up a couple of stations.  They aren't stations I want to watch, most are Spanish!
Do you have a digital capable TV?  It almost sounds like you are picking up what few analog stations are left in the area.
 
Molaker said:
Do you have a digital capable TV?  It almost sounds like you are picking up what few analog stations are left in the area.
I agree with Molaker.  A 2001 RV would not have a digital TV.  I'm betting that you still have an old analog TV and need to purchase a Digital to analog converter to insert between the antenna and the TV.
 
The TVs are digital.  Both TVs in the RV were in my home.  There goes another question:  Shouldn't the antenna work the TV in the bedroom area too?  Guess not...

My RV tech tells me that I should buy a "digital TV control box," which sounds crazy since both of mine are digital.  But he says he uses one of these in his home with an antenna (same as what I have) and a converter box...and his TV is a digital.  Very confusing.

I'm wondering if there is something I am doing wrong with the setup.  The antenna is working or I wouldn't get ANY stations at all.  Just not getting anything worth having.  (football--ha)
 
Cathy
Have you  scanned  for your available channels ?  Digital TV's do not just get whatever is out there. You must use your remote to SCAN channels into your tuner.  Once they are in your tuner, you do not have to scan again unless you move out of that area. Hope this helps.
Dave

 
My TVs are digital, however the tuners are not.  I had to install a converter.  If you  received your TV signal in the home via cable or satellite, you may have the same situation.
 
Ah-ha...So my RV tech is correct?  I need to purchase a converter, just like he said?  The tuners?...just a little confusing.  I need to research my TV manual.  Really pushed for time here though.  Have to clean out my house completely before the 29th.  Stress city here.  ::)

Any suggestions on where to get one...quick?  Seems like most I'd have to order and I want to leave Vegas on October 1, two weeks from today. 

Although I do not shop at Walmart (yeah, I'm one of the few), they have one there but won't be here till September 30. 
 
wannabfree said:
Cathy
Have you  scanned  for your available channels ?  Digital TV's do not just get whatever is out there. You must use your remote to SCAN channels into your tuner.  Once they are in your tuner, you do not have to scan again unless you move out of that area. Hope this helps.
Dave
Yes, I have auto scanned the TV more than once.  ?? ...to scan channels into my tuner...  The tuner IN my TV?  Is that what you mean?  Like a channel setup? 

I just got the two TVs into the rig (Friday), so disappointed that they aren't working the way they should be.  :'(  I keep thinking I'm doing something wrong...what am I missing? 
 
John From Detroit said:
If you need more directional help.... Just off the strip there is a church.. The most visited Cathoilc parish in the country.. Forget it's name.. past it is Channel 8 drive, and that's where you find.. Channel 8 studios.
Are you talking about Guardian Angel?  And are you telling me to pray?  ;D
 
wannabfree said:
Cathy
Have you  scanned  for your available channels ?  Digital TV's do not just get whatever is out there. You must use your remote to SCAN channels into your tuner.  Once they are in your tuner, you do not have to scan again unless you move out of that area. Hope this helps.
Dave
And I forgot to mention that when I scan, I get readings like 21-1, 15-2, what the heck does that mean?  I've also attempted a manual scan.
 
StarDancer said:
And I forgot to mention that when I scan, I get readings like 21-1, 15-2, what the heck does that mean?  I've also attempted a manual scan.

Those channel numbers mean you have a digital tuner, you don't need an external converter.
 
Ned, thanks for the info.  You guys are always so full of...information.  Ha...

So, I just wonder what the heck else could be wrong.  ???  The way it's pointed maybe.  I think it should be CADTV, right?  Not CATV (cable), not TV of course. 
 
StarDancer said:
Ned, thanks for the info.  You guys are always so full of...information.  Ha...

So, I just wonder what the heck else could be wrong.  ???  The way it's pointed maybe.  I think it should be CADTV, right?  Not CATV (cable), not TV of course.
Actually, I think it should be just "TV".  CADTV is basically digital cable.  Plain ol' TV would be for the antenna - off air.  By choosing CATV, I think you limit the channels found to those in the CATV frequency range - no UHF which is where most digital TV signals are located.
 
Cathy, I have heard you say you did everything except crank the antenna up and aim it to the TV stations.
1. you verified power to antenna/amp is on by the light being on
2. you have scanned both TVs (and yes both TVs should run off the one antenna; there is a splitter located in the wall somewhere.
3. you have verified the TVs are indeed digital by virtue of noticing that channels scanned show as 21-1, etc.
4. you have selected "antenna" or "ant" when performing scan (not cable)
5. you do not have, I assume, an antenna switch box of some sort that has to have "antenna" selected.
If your antenna is properly aimed, and you have power on and you scanned for channels - the results you are getting point to a problem...bad antenna/amplifier or bad connections through to the antenna.
Since you have digital TVs with scannable tuners, your RV tech is in error in your needing a digital TV control box.
 
Check the "setup" of both TVs and be sure they are set for off the air channels and not cable.  Cable uses different frequencies that the off the air TV stations use.  Also is there a switching unt in the RV separate from the switch with the light.  It will say something like Aux, VCR, Antenna, TV1 and TV2.  Be sure that it, if there, is set on "antenna".
 
Jim Godward said:
Check the "setup" of both TVs and be sure they are set for off the air channels and not cable.  Cable uses different frequencies that the off the air TV stations use.  Also is there a switching unt in the RV separate from the switch with the light.  It will say something like Aux, VCR, Antenna, TV1 and TV2.  Be sure that it, if there, is set on "antenna".
Yes, it has an oldie in there...picture is attached.  I've tried pushing the ant button.  (I had to erase a lot of the black part because the file was too big to upload.) 

I just don't have a lot of time to troubleshoot this thing.  I might just call a guy who does video and/or audio setups.  Maybe he can figure it out.  It depends on how much I get packed, sell, give away, throw away, and donate over the next couple of days! 
 

Attachments

  • Video Control2.JPG
    Video Control2.JPG
    230.4 KB · Views: 27
StarDancer said:
Yes, it has an oldie in there...picture is attached.  I've tried pushing the ant button.  (I had to erase a lot of the black part because the file was too big to upload.) 

I just don't have a lot of time to troubleshoot this thing.  I might just call a guy who does video and/or audio setups.  Maybe he can figure it out.  It depends on how much I get packed, sell, give away, throw away, and donate over the next couple of days!
Darn, I guess that upload didn't work too well... 

There are buttons ANT, AUX, VCR for TV1, VCR, and TV2

Maybe the problem is that box isn't working right.  I did buy this rig used, after all.  The former owner had a satellite set up apparently from what I can tell.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
131,753
Posts
1,384,359
Members
137,524
Latest member
freetoroam
Back
Top Bottom