TV channels very strange

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djw2112

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Dec 30, 2018
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East Texas
Hi, My dad has a 2011 fiver and i have a 2007 fiver. We are parked 30 feet from each other. He can get 13 channels on his antenna and i can get only 5. He gets both local channels and i only get 1 of them.

I am just curious what the deal is... Is it that new models of fivers have better antennas, or is there something wrong with my antenna?
 
So many variables here.

I used to be in the RF signal business, and I had an FCC Radiotelephone license. I’m fairly familiar with RF signals issues.

When working with analog RF signals, which is what we are talking about here, the location of the antennas can make a huge difference. You could move your fiver 20 feet and get better reception.

Other questions…
  • Are your antennas the same make and model?
  • If not, what are the gain specs on each antenna?
  • Are the antennas pointed the same direction?
  • Make and model of the TVs in use? Same?
 
As others have noticed a short distance can make a big differnce. I've seen that with different sites in the same campground (Same RV Same antenna Same TV same same same other than location)

Also he may have made an "Upgrade" to his antenna.. IE: Sensar Pro wall plate. Wingman or Sensar IV head (Assumes winegard antenna)

Also you may have a bad connection or coax.
 
Could be something inherent to the system too, like the presence or lack of a preamp. Or, if there's an extra signal splitter or two to feed a 2nd or 3rd set. The antenna itself would be where I'd start, if they're the same kind and oriented/elevated the same and they should be performing roughly equivalent. After that one thing to try is to use the same TV in each place. If the same TV registers different channels then the issue is in the campers and the problem can be further isolated from there.

Don't discount the possibility it's not set up right to begin with. Read about my OTA TV revamp:

Television Antenna

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
 
My first thought was something in the RV that is attenuating the signal, e.g. a splitter or a corroded coax connection. I doubt if its the antenna amplifier - you generally get no signal at all if the amp switch isn't on.

I had a weak signal problem with a previous RV and it turned out there was a 6-way splitter even though there were only two tvs. I replaced with a 2-way and got a solid improvement but the rear bedroom tv was still weaker than the front. I added an inline amp to the rear tv to solve that.
 
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Not sure about televisions but in amateur radio there is definitely differences in the quality of the receiver in different radios.
 
"Not sure about televisions"


TVs are much worse. I am not sure about the newer TV's, but older analog ones often had a RX sensitivity of above a few 100 microvolts for 20 DB of quieting on the FM receiver. The AM video was even less sensitive, IIRC.

-Don- Everglades, FL
 
DonTom said:
"Not sure about televisions"


TVs are much worse. I am not sure about the newer TV's, but older analog ones often had a RX sensitivity of above a few 100 microvolts for 20 DB of quieting on the FM receiver. The AM video was even less sensitive, IIRC.
Click to expand...
Exactly. Just what I was thinking. 😜🤪🤩
 
I'd still think it's most likely to be either location (including the difference in any multipath signals) or something different about the antenna (or both), such as having the Wingman, orientation, height, obstacles between xmitter and rcvr, etc. For UHF, even the difference in looking through different trees can make a difference.
 
Samsung TV's I've owned have signal strength meters buried somewhere in the menus. I've used them on several occasions to orient directional antennas, or to move around indoor antennas to find an optimal spot.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
 
Unlike the older analog TVs where the picture gradually degrades as the signal becomes weaker, digital TV either works or it doesn't. There isn't much difference in signal strength between one that delivers a perfect picture and when the TV can't even access the signal. That's why things like moving a few feet or having small differences in antennas or signal routing in the RV can make a huge difference in marginal signal areas.
 
Thanks everyone for the great ips, ill check things out. Question, could it be that since he is parked under a RV cover (you know the steel ones with the long legs) that the signal could be amplified by the cover itself. Or could be blocking my signal even.
 
I've found the "Antenna Point" app to be of great help when you are in an area that is new to you. Available for Apple and Android.
 
Antennas are pretty much the same as they have been for over 50 years. Television signals are still broadcast with the same carrier frequencies.

Position, loose connections, proper impedance matching are the major contributors to good vs. poor reception.

If you have weak signal/distorted picture, etc. the first thing I'd do is remove all the connections, starting at the antenna's internal connectors, remove any that can be removed (unscrewed), spray them down with CRC contact cleaner and lubricant and then tighten each one - go all the way from the antenna internals to the back of the TV - including any splitters, etc. along the way.

The internal RF cable on my 2008 batwing had broken after being rotated back and forth for 13 years. I opened up the plastic housing found the break - removed the unit and repaired it. After re-installing it worked just great.
 
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