Omnidirectional antenna

[Frontier]

Are there any connections to check at the roof? I've checked the connections behind the tv (and behind the booster switch plate, verified they are correctly connected and tight, but really poor reception. I can upgrade to a new antenna, but want to make sure I'm not missing anything.
I get a few stations inside a major city, but not all. At home I get nothing, despite getting about 6 or 8 over-the-air in the house.

[fisher99]

Maybe silly question, but have you pushed the button to turn on the OTA signal amplifier?

[Bob_C]

Has to have a coax up at the antenna......so there's a coupler........and if your unit is set up for a bedroom tv, there'll be a splitter....more connections......have seen bad crimps on cable ends.....last winter the camper next to me, which had that style of antenna couldn't get anything, and with my batwing, was pulling in 20..

[egwilly]

I didn't know about that button on our first trailer....wondered why there was snow and only 2 stations! DOH!

Some folks are finding damaged cable inside the trailer due to bad installation. Yes, there is a connection up on the roof under the antenna. Hope you don't have to open that up and disturb the sealing.

The omni ORV uses is a weak link in my opinion. I used to get more stations with the Winegard crank up on my last trailer. Went to satellite and ended the crappy reception issue.

[Frontier]

Booster is on. I'd have to check again, but at least some of the coax connectors are the non-crimp type.

Behind the panel I find numerous coax, 2 unused, 1 must go to bedroom tv connector, not sure on the other.
5 total, ant in, cable in, sattelite in, bedroom, mystery and number 5! I've tried all of them anyway. I'm sticking with the original, as it did get a few stations at one time.
I'll probably upgrade to the directional batwing. I don't foresee using the tv much, but when I want to catch the news it would be nice to have a working unit (that I paid for)

[Old Scout]

….my experience with the old omni-directional antenna [disc] went south with the advent of digital, OTA, TV signals....in general, digital signals are more directional and line of sight vs the old analog….accordingly, the new digital antennas need to be pointed toward the tower/station source and things like hills or ridge lines will also block the signal....

[Bob_C]

If you decide to change, before you disconnect the coax, and if there's any slack in the cable, raise it up as much as you can and see if it works any better...

[Superslif]

One of my spring camping weekends to a place I normally get 60+ channels with my old bat-wing antenna I can now only get about 40 channels. And only 3 of the 4 major city channels. The old bat-wing I could move it about 30-40 degrees to get that 4th major city channel. Now you get what you get....With the built in DVD played we now tend to watch a movie instead, Or, according to my son "We will be watching his movie tonight"

[Randy the sly old fox]

Yes the transition from analog to digital changed the pattern of the transmission and reduced what they call the contour or transmission pattern - they shrank. Also DTV either works or doesn't there is no in-between - no fuzzy picture. The same frequencies are being used as the old VHF and UHF channels - so the same antennas can work. I have not found where my new omnidirectional antenna is any worse than my old Bat Wing at finding and bringing in stations. I get all my locals and have had few problems in our favorite campgrounds. Recently in Bend I got 16 stations and the person a few sites over got only the PBS station.

[Frontier]

My antenna looks like a batwing, but is fixed, no extension or rotation. From previous experience installing a handful of yagi antennas on the house, I'm probably expecting too much of this omni ORV antenna. I hate to have to remove a new antenna for another new antenna...