TV antenna Coax

[Shellback]

:  I have a 2006 Damon Daybreak and although the rig is under warranty, I did some trouble shooting on the antenna.  Seems like the coax in the roof is bad. I openend the cover on the roof and went to the feedthru to by pass the short 3' piece from the antenna to the coupler.  Anyway when I by passed the cable in the roof and went direct from the antenna to the amp. input -------- it worked.  Can't pull a new cable with the old cause the old is either tied or stapled. 

I am bringing it to the dealer next week but I'm sure I'll get it back without it being fixed. 

How do you run a coax in the roof?  There is Styrofoam, Luann, fiberglass, and I'm sure frame supports up there.  Damon is absolutely NO help!

 

[Tom]

Have you tried putting new connectors on each end of the in-roof cable? If you don't have a crimper, the screw-on connectors will work well enough to tell you if the old ones were bad. If that doesn't fix it, you know for sure it's somewhere along the length of the cable, probably where someone put a screw through it or got it with a staple.

 

[Shellback]

Yes I have, both screw on and crimp on --- both ends.  It is in the roof where there is probably a screw or staple in the coax.


Thanks,
Ron

 

[Tom]

It is in the roof where there is probably a screw or staple in the coax.

Sorry to hear that Ron. Since you're still under warranty, I'd push on them until they fix it/run a new wire.

 

[John From Detroit]

Well, since it is under warranty, Let them run it.

Damon builds your roof in layers, one of those layers is the coax cable and any wireing, so you are right, it's basically not possible to pull cable via their path (There are a few exceptions to this rule) you end up drilling holes,, Something I really don't like doing in roofs

 

[Shayne]

Ron  Our  MH is older(98) but we had the same thing.  We were trying to have the Dish hooked up and found a wire bad.  The tech ran a wire very easily.  With that fix still no Dish reception, said it's the Wiengard anntenna.  So I forgot it and can get by without satillite.  I'll make sure the next one works tho.  He merely pulled the TV and wiggled a wire in and then replaced the TV  Good Luck and insist on their repair and don't leave until it's right.

 

[Shellback]

  Thanks for all your feedback.  One would think the RV manufactures would run cable trays in the roof.  It would make cable replacement and additions a lot easier.  And for the cost of $5 worth of aluminum they could add another $10,000 to their price.

Thanks again,
Ron

I'll let you know if and how they replace the cable next week.

 

[John From Detroit]

One of the things Damon did wrong on my rig was to use RG-59 for the sattalite cable, Now they did install said cable, but High Quality RG-6 is specified, not RG-59 (Damon says "It don't make that much difference" The ARRL Handbook (Which I have on hand) says "Yes there is" and trust me, I trust the ARRL, even if I don't plan on renewing my membership when my life membership expieres)

So we had to run a 2nd cable.

As it happens I'd run a chunk of cable (RG-6 cause that's what I had on hand) for the TV-2 Remote antenna on my Sat Receiver/DVR, it runs along the trim over the big slide out from the driver's seat to the front half-bath (Runs through cabnets past the driver's seat to the Sat-tv receiver's cabnet)  This trim does not move and is totaly above the slide.  We ran a 2nd RG-6 line down through the roof, into a cabnet in the bathroom, and then through the wall next to the above described cable and zip-tied it to the original.  Works great and if I was worried about appeareance there is trim I could put over it.

NOTE: runs under 25 feet high quality RG-59 would likely be close enough to RG-6 it would not matter much, Runs of much more than that I'd want RG-6.  Loss figures at 1Ghz on request

 

[Shellback]

Thanks John, I hope they have a way of replacing the cable at the dealership.? I tried to get a book or drawing from Damon but they tried to send me to Ford. It would be nice to have a drawing of the structure, and maybe even a repair manual for the coach.? ?Ford by the way has been very helpful with other chassis? issues.

Ron

 

[OldSoldier]

IF you end up pulling the cable yourself this is what I recommend.? Get a barrel connector at Radio Shack and buy or build? your replacement cable.? connect the 2 pieces of coax together with the barrel connector and wrap the connection with black electrical tape.? (not to heavily)? Lubricate the tape with cooking oil or WD40 (lightly) so it will slide through obstructions.

Gently pull the cable through the path and (with luck) vualllla..... you're done.? Remove the tape and reconnect both ends.

I have run 100's of cables this way and 9 times out of 10 it works.

Good luck.?
[edit][/edit]

 

[Shellback]

Regarding the barrel connector, I would do that but I tried pulling on the old cable and it is either embedded in something or tie strapped, it won't budge.  So what I'll have to do is run a new one and like I said I looked up on the roof after opening the the hatch where the antenna connection is.  This is embedded in a sandwich of Styrofoam and Luann.

 

[Shellback]

Well I finally have both TVs working on cable and antenna.? At the shop they discovered that the coax cables were mis-connected.? So when I got home I tried the antenna and it worked on the front TV, tried the back TV and got snow.? Hooked up cable and the front worked, the back more snow.? So I did my own troubleshooting and labeling of cables and now both TVs work on cable and antenna.?

Good thing it wasn't the coax in the roof!

Thanks for all your help!

Ron

 

[Tom]

Thanks for the feedback Ron. Glad it wasn't anything serious.

 

[Clay L]

John in Detroit
As the ARRL hand book says there is more loss in RG 59, however as you say it's not enough to make much difference in most cases.

I know this because I used a 150 foot length of RG59 from? dish to a relatives 5r for a temporary installation. The Sat receiver sig output to the TV read 83.
The next day I replaced the RG59 with RG6 - the signal level went up to 87.
Enough to matter in marginal installations for sure.
But the loss in a short length in a MH shouldn't matter much.

That being said I use RG6 for my external dish when I have to use it.