No tv on antenna

john5 · 11-10-2012, 06:38 PM

Hi-I recently purchased a 2003 Itasca Suncruiser 35u Cannot get the tv to work on roof top antenna, It worked at campground on cable. The little red light on power amplifier does not come on, I tested the coax at antenna and it has 12 volts, Replaced the antenna head but no help, It has a converter box do not know how you tell if it is working or not, green light comes on when turned on. tv says week signal and on channel search it never locks onto any channel. The coax from roof top to antenna top is pretty dried out and stiff, wondering if it could test 12 volts and still be bad, any help would be greatly appreciated, Thanks John

njs42 · 11-10-2012, 06:47 PM

Some things to check while you are waiting for someone who knows more than I.

Is the selector box set to roof antenna? Have you done a search for air channels on your TV through the TV menu?

John Hilley · 11-10-2012, 07:11 PM

It is probably the digital converter box. It may be connected to the AV jacks on the TV. You have to scan channels with the digital converter box.

skigramp · 11-10-2012, 07:14 PM

It was suggested that the converter box be connected through "Aux Input" ... by some folks on this forum when this was a hot topic ...

That is how I wired mine ... so have you tried putting the selector switch on [Aux input]

LHyzer · 11-10-2012, 07:29 PM

Contact Winnebago and they will explain what you have to do to recieve channels over the air. You will need a converter box other than the one that came with your unit.

beanjr · 11-10-2012, 07:36 PM

You may or may not know....TV must be on channel 3 or 4, usually 4...channel selection is thru the digital converter using the remote for it not the tv remote...Biggest concern is that the power-on light on your power amp is not lit...May have to remove access panel and make sure that it is plugged in at rear of cabinet...also make sure the correct buttons are selected on the amp and verify that the tv is set up for correct input using the tv remote.

Scooter · 11-10-2012, 07:45 PM

Our old 2004 27C had a small button to push inside the cabinet above the passenger's seat. It either powered up or boosted the batwing antenna reception. Think it had a light that went on.

Walter5555 · 11-10-2012, 08:20 PM

I was having some of the same problums and I got fed up so I contacted DIRECT TV. they not only put a box in my house but one in my M.H. and now it realy does not mater where were at we can always get good TV. They will put a dish up on your roof at you house but you will need to buy one for your R.V.
Just a thought.

grtharris · 11-10-2012, 09:35 PM

Ditto Beanjr. The first step would be to fine the digital converter box with the TV should be able to see a logo on the tv when the digital converter is turned on. Channel 3, 4 or aux input on the TV and one of the push buttons on the video selection box ( I assume you have one).

grtharris · 11-10-2012, 09:45 PM

Here is a link to some good hook up pictures from Winegard.
http://www.winegard.com/kbase/upload...ng_diagram.pdf

Hikerdogs · 11-11-2012, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beanjr

You may or may not know....TV must be on channel 3 or 4, usually 4...channel selection is thru the digital converter using the remote for it not the tv remote...Biggest concern is that the power-on light on your power amp is not lit...May have to remove access panel and make sure that it is plugged in at rear of cabinet...also make sure the correct buttons are selected on the amp and verify that the tv is set up for correct input using the tv remote.

I concur with making sure the internal antenna signal booster is working properly. When ours isn't on it really doeasn't matter what antenna or digital converter we use.

In our owners manual there's a section about the antenna and booster. One of the cautions is to be sure to shut off the booster when the television isn't in use. Leaving the booster on may cause premature failure. Also be sure the booster is secure in the faceplate. Ours had a tendency to slide back in the bracket to the point that you couldn't push the button in far enough to get it to latch in the on position. I had to remove it from the panel. snap the switch back in the bracket, then add a couple spots of super glue to keep it in place.

A couple other things to consider. Whenever you move you're probably going to have to use the search function on the converter box to find the channels available in the new area.

Our digital box is setup to work on channel 3 on the television. Our satellite works on channel 4. If they're both on the same channel the satellite will over power the over the air channels everytime.

Over the air digital signals are much weaker than the old analog signals. The range for digital is about 60% of what the analog was. We added a Winegard Wingman signal booster a couple years ago. It almost doubles the distance you can get digital stations, and improves picture quality.

SENSAR RV VHF/UHF Television Antenna - #1 Antenna in the RV Industry!

John Hilley · 11-11-2012, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beanjr

You may or may not know....TV must be on channel 3 or 4, usually 4...channel selection is thru the digital converter using the remote for it not the tv remote...Biggest concern is that the power-on light on your power amp is not lit...May have to remove access panel and make sure that it is plugged in at rear of cabinet...also make sure the correct buttons are selected on the amp and verify that the tv is set up for correct input using the tv remote.

john5 mentioned that he had 12 volts at the end of the cable and had replaced the Sensar head. If so he should have a signal at the "Antenna In" connection on the back of Video Selector switch. Check that the converter "Antenna In" is connected to the "Antenna Out" on the Video Selector switch. If you don't get a menu or logo on channel 3 or 4 when the converter is on and the menu button on remote has been pushed, try the "Source" or "Input" on the TV and go thru the AV selections. Verify that the converter remote works by using it to turn on/off the converter. Make sure you are pointing at the converter.

Scooter · 11-11-2012, 12:34 PM

Let me confuse you further by asking........do you have a RF Modulator interposed between your TV and another source? It does something good to your TV, what exactly, I can't tell you.

John Hilley · 11-11-2012, 12:49 PM

An RF Modulator converts an AV signal to an RF signal, usually on Channel 3 or 4. The Digital Converters have the RF Modulator built in. They are usually used with a DVD player or game box.

john5 · 11-11-2012, 04:12 PM

Thanks everyone for your input, yep i am totally confused, will call winegard tomorrow to see if a converter box not working would cause the weak signal on my tv screen. it was in motorhome when i bought it, from what i have learned if it was hooked up directly from roof antenna it would fry the converter box, although it will turn on and off with remote, Thanks again everyone.

wa8yxm · 11-11-2012, 07:19 PM

If the little red light on the power amplifier power supply (The amplifier is somewhere else) does not come on then there is a 12 volt issue, likely a blown fuse but broken wires, bad grounds and loose connections are all on the "Can happen" list.

So is a bad switch.. IF it turns out to be the switch itself.... Go with the Sensar Pro box to replace the one you got now.. You will like it much better, I know I do.

Wayne M · 11-12-2012, 09:45 AM

John,

Take the converter box out of the equation, with the antenna hooked to the booster, go to the TV menu and rescan for channels. If you are near a big metropolitan area you should get a few VHF signals that are not digital. it will tell you if the antenna, booster, and TV are working.

With today's televisions considerably less expensive, it may be time to upgrade to a digital ready TV. Hey, it's only money.

wa8yxm · 11-12-2012, 11:19 AM

HE has no red light on the switch plate, this suggests the problem is no power to the switch plate, without power to the switch plate the switch won't switch and the amplifier in the antenna head won't work either.. Thus he has not selected the antenna,

He needs to chase the 12 volt issue before he does ANYTHING else.

True story: Last winter, about this time, A neighbor RVer had a problem with cable TV, She hooked everything up right but no joy.. In trouble shooting we found all the wires (EXCEPT the 12 volt ones) had been removed from the switch plate.. The only thing that worked was..... the little red light.

Gary - K7GLD · 11-12-2012, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

HE has no red light on the switch plate, this suggests the problem is no power to the switch plate, without power to the switch plate the switch won't switch and the amplifier in the antenna head won't work either.. Thus he has not selected the antenna,

He needs to chase the 12 volt issue before he does ANYTHING else.

True story: Last winter, about this time, A neighbor RVer had a problem with cable TV, She hooked everything up right but no joy.. In trouble shooting we found all the wires (EXCEPT the 12 volt ones) had been removed from the switch plate.. The only thing that worked was..... the little red light.

You musta missed the part where he said there IS 12 volts at the antenna...

Quote:

I tested the coax at antenna and it has 12 volts, Replaced the antenna head but no help,

Schoolsout2 · 11-12-2012, 04:24 PM

Just went through all this myself. Mine had a bad booster at the wine guard selection box. I had 12 volts at the antenna.

Put digital converter between selection box and TV. Scan for stations. Tv should be on channel that the converter is set to.

To test coax run one through the window from the antenna to eliminate that.

I could only get one or two stations no matter what. After I replaced the amplifier I got 25