TV/Antenna issue

[minniecamper]

I just finished a shake down trip with my Micro Minnie 2021 2108TB. For the most part, all went well. Boy, no one gives you owner/user manuals anymore. Had to search for everything. But one thing I could not find was the type of TV antenna I have.

I followed instructions on how to setup/scan for channels and all went well. Got about 25 channels. Then one day, only had 2 channels. Went through the channel scan again but only got 4 channels. I have no clue what is going on. I made sure the green light button was pushed in for the antenna.

Anyone else have this problem or a possible solution.

Thanks for the help.

[creativepart]

Sounds like you’re doing everything right. The TV antenna on your roof isn’t super sensitive and is an omni directional basic antenna. Unless something changes channels don’t usually come and go. But of course moving from location to location will always cause this.

We hardly ever use our antenna (we have a different kind than yours) but when we get 20 channels only about 3 of them are useful. Many are too weak to be watched or in Spanish.

[Eagle5]

Regarding the Owner's Manuals, I did find this one for the 2020 Towables. I believe you were supposed to get this with your trailer delivery. Sounds like an oversight. Perhaps you could still pick one up from your dealer?
Eagle5

[dkoldman]

Why is it or how is it that so many of the Spanish channels come in crystal clear with regular OTA antenna almost 4k like and in some places you can't get all of the local ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox channels

I can be in Dallas but cannot get the ABC station (maybe 10% of the time if I get lucky) but I can get everything else (70 channels)

I ordered but not received a portable antenna just to give me some options

[Wayne M]

If you have WiFi, try Fire TV Stick 4K

[n9wdq]

Did you turn on the antenna booster?

[minniecamper]

Yes, I checked that first

[Bones2003]

Originally Posted by minniecamper

I followed instructions on how to setup/scan for channels and all went well. Got about 25 channels. Then one day, only had 2 channels. Went through the channel scan again but only got 4 channels. I have no clue what is going on. I made sure the green light button was pushed in for the antenna.

Anyone else have this problem or a possible solution.

Minniecamper, your experience is similar to mine with those over the air antennas. Our last RV had the directional "bat wing" style antenna and our current one has the omnidirectional antenna. When in an area of very strong signals, both worked great but many places we camped had marginal signals. Some things I noticed with the weaker signals is that channels would come and go under these conditions:
- as we walked around the RV.
- if a vehicle drove past the RV in line with the signal.
- if the sun was up or set.
- hilly terrain.
- trees (especially when wet from rain).
- if the microwave was on or not.
- if the 12 volt vent fans were on or not.

Since most places we like to stay also have marginal wi-fi and crappy cable TV capability, we finally gave in and just bought a satellite system after our last trip but haven't used it yet. Probably, the satellite system will come with it's own set of problems!

[minniecamper]

Thanks. But nothing changed. It was fine for the first 3 days, then nothing.

[Morich]

Location is the first big thing but if you are anywhere near metro or the towers, you should get reasonable service. The content may suck but that is a factor of deregulation and not something we can recover once it was put in place.

But if you are in the same spot where you got lots and now few, some checking on the connections would be where I might start. The coax and how it is routed is a big guess but there are some places where you can be certain about and look that the coax is screwed together firmly as things do jiggle around.

Behind the TV is one and the connection at the wall plate has one at the front as well as one on the back in many cases.

This link takes you to the basic plan for motorhomes and trailers are much the same parts, so it depends on what features like how many TV, etc you have and then loacations are different in each RV, so we have to search.

https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...ire_110138.pdf

Choose the drawing which best fits what you have in your RV and then check the connections?

But if you are a guy that uses a meter, checking the coax for continuity and shorts can also be easier. Too many give coax a special thought when it is actually just a set of two wires arranged differently that most two wire cords. There is the center wire and the second wire is the mesh outside, so testing that there is a set of two good wires and they are not shorted to each other can help spot any actual wire failures but they tend to be rare compared to the odds of loose connections!

One way to test that a connection is not missing is to test with a meter by looking at the two wires, seeing them not connected/shorted together and then have somebody touch the outer and inner together at some remote end, so that you see the short come and go as they touch or remove the short at the far end. If you see them putting a short on and taking it off, no need to look at connections on that portion!

NOTE: A phone app that shows what TV transmitter sites and direction can be a big help on spotting what and how many to expect.

[minniecamper]

Thanks for the input. I have checked most of what I can. I am taking to dealer Wednesday for a few warranty issues found while on first outing. I will have them check it out.

Had directional antennae on previous trailer and never had a problem.

[arthur145]

Originally Posted by minniecamper

I just finished a shake down trip with my Micro Minnie 2021 2108TB. For the most part, all went well. Boy, no one gives you owner/user manuals anymore. Had to search for everything. But one thing I could not find was the type of TV antenna I have.

I followed instructions on how to setup/scan for channels and all went well. Got about 25 channels. Then one day, only had 2 channels. Went through the channel scan again but only got 4 channels. I have no clue what is going on. I made sure the green light button was pushed in for the antenna.

Anyone else have this problem or a possible solution.

Thanks for the help.

We had same experience with our 2021 22M. Winnebago just used the cheapest antenna they could find. I had to upgrade to a better one.

[Sparky19053]

Authur145; I love to hear what antenna you used for a replacement. I'm not found of the default antenna on our 2021 Navion 24V. I kind have the same strange issues but do find TV reception to be much better at night.