AM antenna

[chaajoad]

The radio/CD deck of our Bounder works well - on FM. Nothing on AM, not even hiss. Not a big problem for me, but listening to baseball or football games this Fall would be great.

There's what appears to be an antenna base on roof of the driver's side. It looks as if something was snapped off. Here's the question.

I got up on a ladder, messed with it a bit. There's nothing that seems ready to unscrew or come off. And as I thought about it, would a rig this tall really have an antenna standing up? Seems like it wouldn't be a great idea?

Thoughts and/or suggestions? 

 

[Jim Dick]

The radio/CD deck of our Bounder works well - on FM. Nothing on AM, not even hiss. Not a big problem for me, but listening to baseball or football games this Fall would be great.

There's what appears to be an antenna base on roof of the driver's side. It looks as if something was snapped off. Here's the question.

I got up on a ladder, messed with it a bit. There's nothing that seems ready to unscrew or come off. And as I thought about it, would a rig this tall really have an antenna standing up? Seems like it wouldn't be a great idea?

Thoughts and/or suggestions? 

Many times there is a radio antenna which is attached to the mount by a spring. If it hits something it just bounces back and forth. From what you describe I can't tell you if it's the radio antenna or not.

 

[Karl]

Is it an in-dash radio/cd or part of a sound system? Makes a difference. The in-dash radios use a common antenna, and if you can receive fm stations, you should get some kind of noise almost anywhere on the am band. If it's the other kind, it will usually have an external antenna for fm (could be nothing more than a "T" made from tv twin-lead), and probably a built-in ferrite rod antenna for am. If you're not getting anything on am, try this:  Turn the radio on, set to am, turn the volume up a bit, and bring an operating electric razor or electric drill (corded or cordless) near the radio. Doesn't matter where the radio is tuned to. If you don't hear buzzing/crackling, the radio isn't working. If it's a radio that uses a switch to go from fm to am (not an IR remote control), you might try taking it apart and spray some contact cleaner in it and operate it several times. 

 

[blueblood]

The radio/CD deck of our Bounder works well - on FM. Nothing on AM, not even hiss. Not a big problem for me, but listening to baseball or football games this Fall would be great.

There's what appears to be an antenna base on roof of the driver's side. It looks as if something was snapped off. Here's the question.

I got up on a ladder, messed with it a bit. There's nothing that seems ready to unscrew or come off. And as I thought about it, would a rig this tall really have an antenna standing up? Seems like it wouldn't be a great idea?

Thoughts and/or suggestions?? ?

Generally FW used an antenna like on most cars and then tilted it back at about a 45 degree angle to keep height above roof somewhat shorter.

 

[Smoky]

Newmar has switched from metal spring loaded antennas to rubber ducky types that are flexible enough to bend.  Most of the MHs going down the road have them at a 45 degree angle, likely not set that way by the owner, but moved that way by occasional overhead objects.  The important thing is that they last. 

We had ours changed from metal to rubber under warranty last month.  Our metal ones kept breaking off.

I think Karl is correct... the in dash radios use a common antenna.  When we would lose one of ours both the FM and the AM would both go out at the same time.

 

[John From Detroit]

In dash radios do indeed use a common AM/FM antanna, and that little thing they put on the roof of a motor home is closer to what us Hams call a "Dummy load" than an antenna (Not really that good

IN days of old there was an antenna adjustment on car radios to adapt it to a wide variety of antennas.  These radios were very good and worked quite well  I often listened to stations that were far away.

Today, however, they have, far as I know, done away with that adjustment and just pre-set it for "most common" which of course works not nearly as well

But in your case, if there is not even white noise (Hiss) I'd suspect bad radio

 

[chaajoad]

As usual, useful info. Maybe I'll snap a pic of the broken thingie on the roof and try to paste it here. And I'll try the radio/razor thing with a few other tips. One by one, I plan on fixing all these little nagging things. The BIG thing is the tail lights.

I plan on buying new bulbs today (Tues) and I'll see what's up with that. It annoys me that the "owner's manual" from Fleetwood doesn't list specs - like bulbs, dimensions, fluid capacities, etc.

Onward and upward after a bracing 5 hours sleep! 

 

[John From Detroit]

I think the reason the owner's manual does not list bulb specs is because each configuration and in some cases different vin numbers require different bulbs.  Lamps used on the unit with the vin ending in 1234 may well be different from lamps used in the otherwise identical 4567 and still different from unit 5678  (all numbers are off the wall, though sequential, not random)

This makes it hard to write a manual of bulbs.  Suggestion, as you remove bulbs for replacement, keep a notebook handy and log them, this way when next they go bad, you will know what bulb goes where.

Then there are little annoyances.  Had to call Workhorse yesterday (I told her it would likely be the easiest call she took all day) never got beyond the person who answered the phone (and, I might add, my question)  You see, I had the oil changed and the technician at the Workhorse Authorized Service center forgot a step  (Answering person and I together) Resetting the oil life computer.

Turns out to be a fifteen second or less job to reset it,  She told me how, I added it to the manual

 

[chaajoad]

John - you brought up something I don't get and would bug me if I ever bought a brand new motorhome; and that's all the different components are serviced by different places. To my newbie car-orinted brain, whoever sells you something should service it. I guess it's something to get used to.

 

[John From Detroit]

Well Chaajoad.  In my case the dealer does most everything except oil changes and they have an aggrement with a company across the street on that.  I went to an authorized Workhorse dealer for other reasons.

I will give you an easy way to reset your thinking  Instead of thinking MOTORcar (Where everythiugn is serviced by the dealer) think motor HOUSE  In your house you have a television, a microwave, you have furnurture, you have a toilet, you have a refrigerator, all take different service types.  In some cases all the appliances may be serviced with a common phone call, but all by different people.

Your motor home is, well, a home and thus different sub systems were made by different people and are serviced by different people

However in most states BY LAW, the seller (Dealer) has to make good on warranty work,  You should find out what "You may have other rights which vary from state to state" means in your state

 

[chaajoad]

Consider my thinking reset. You are correct- thanks!

 

[Shayne]

chaajoad  Just wondering------ Did you ever get the anntenna straightened out?

 

[John From Detroit]

Consider my thinking reset. You are correct- thanks!

You are welcome

Some issues are easier to fix than others.  This one is a forest/tree thing.

Though as I say, when it comes to warranty work.. It truly is the seller's obligation (Dealer if you bought new) and if you get one of those extended warranties, then it's the warranter's responsibilty.. Not necessarly to fix it, but to find the proper repair person.

Thus you get "one pone call" repairs but you may have to go somewhere else if driving

 

[chaajoad]

No, still no AM. But I'm putting a DVD/home theater in both front and back ASAP and that should give me AM/FM/DVD/CD. I'm getting inexpensive units - my thinking is they are very small places and we want to get noise complaints so we'll see how it works. I need to consider entertainment issues - could be a long rainy afternoon w no TV, music or movies.