Community Forums

16kellogg · 05-09-2011, 07:21 PM

I have a aerolite cub 19 and am trying to get the tv to work in it. just bought brand new LED(which is digital already). I have tried every combination of them but cannot get any signal from the antenna whatsoever. I may have read somewhere that there is a problem with the signal booster, but i could be wrong. Anyone know of any problems there have been with this issue? Or how i might go about getting tv going? Thanks!

Bigbluedog55 · 05-10-2011, 08:35 PM

Hi,
What year is your Cub? Older roof antennas where not made to pick up HD tv signals. I am not sure the year the change was made to digital only tv signals.
If the Cub is fairly new, make sure that you first check the cable connection at the antenna (on the roof I suspect) and then at the signal booster. Make sure the connections are well mated and tight. Are you actually near a tv station? Hate to ask, but trying this in the wilds of Idaho, may not be the best place because there is never any TV reception.
You say that you bought a new TV. Did the old one work?

Let me know if you have already solved your problem, or what else you may have already tried.

Good luck,
Bob
2001 Country Coach Affinity

H. Miller · 05-11-2011, 05:53 AM

There is no such thing as an HD tv antenna! Your old antenna/"booster" should work just fine. Be aware that digital tv stations transmit with far less power (by regulation) than did old tv stations with obviously less distance.
Last week we purchased an outdoor tv antenna for our new metal barn and MH garage. It hyped that it was for HD signals. It was EXACTLY like the one I helped my father install in 1950! It was pointed at the station transmitters (in sight on a hill some 15 miles distance) Still couldn't pick up one channel as it's "tower" is in a different location and maybe 20 miles away.

winegard · 05-11-2011, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by H. Miller

There is no such thing as an HD tv antenna! Your old antenna/"booster" should work just fine.

This is correct. The antenna does not know or care if the signal coming in is in high definition or not.

If you have a Winegard Sensar or other Winegard antenna I would recommend calling our technical support line at 800-788-4417. They will walk you through checking for correct voltage and other issues that could be occuring.

16kellogg · 05-11-2011, 08:55 AM

Thanks for the replies. it is a 2000 model aerolite cub. I got on top of it yesterday and unhooked the winegard and set a pair of rabbit ears up there and can get like 6 channels. Also if I turnoff the signal booster and connect bunny ears to the side cable port I can receive like 20 channels. It's a little quirky to me. I called my local rv shop and they had no idea why it would do this... BTW, when I first hooked it up I got 3 channels on the winegard, now nothing whatsoever.. thanks guys!!

16kellogg · 05-11-2011, 08:58 AM

"winegard", I checked the voltage at the top coax and 12v is good. I even opened the antenna casing and checked voltage inside and it was all good. If I check voltage on the wings themselves should I see anything? Thanks!!

wa8yxm · 05-11-2011, 09:35 AM

I assume you have the Winegard Sensar (Batwing style) antenna.

If so then you have either a box of many buttons, or more likely a wall plate, this wall plate has ONE button, a light, a 12 volt outlet and at least ONE antenna type fitting (F-Connector) if it has two we will consider only the one on the bottom.

(NOTE there are at least 3 more on the back but for now ignore them)

Question: Does the light come on when you push the button? YES: good, NO check for a blown fuse somewhere, no 12 volt to the power supply means no work.

If the light comes on go topside.. Have a partner inside (And teh light off) take a multi-meter with you.

Unhook the cable from the antenna head, CAREFULLY connect the meter, Positive probe to the center wire, NEgative to the outside of the nut/shell of the connector.. Have parther turn on the switch, Battery power present? GOOD, No battery power Bad cable somewhere, most likely the one in your hand, (There is a "Break" (Connector) near your toes by the way so you won't have to replace the whole thing)

I have found one time where the cable in the wall failed.. Usually it's the cable in the sun that fails.

Good power to the roof, but still no work.. Welll then we have three answers.

1: No signal area.. 2: Bad antenna: 3: Bad coax, wall plate to TV.

I returned to my rig for a patch cable to hook up the other camper's #2 TV once we got #1 working,, it did not work. This was a factory made cable which looked to be in perfect condition, very high quality.. Tested it with the multi meter and guess what.. Bad cable.

Went back and got another cable I had (I carry lots of cable) and that worked fine.

Triker56 · 05-11-2011, 11:24 AM

If they are no picture change from the booster on or off.
And you have 12V at the cable and head of the Winegard.
Then head is more likely bad and needs replaced.

sniggles · 05-11-2011, 11:41 AM

This may sound stupid I am figuring that you had a different tv before if so you should be able to just set your tv to air. .
And if that is not the case. check for blown fuse. turn on the antenna switch. On roof make sure cables are connected. If you have a splitter box make sure the right buttons are pushed in. good luck

16kellogg · 05-12-2011, 09:23 AM

Thanks for the replies guys, I am currently giving up on the antenna situation because I fear it is location related... we are going out this weekend and I will try troubleshooting it when we arrive. Thanks again, ill tell ya how it goes when I get back!

wa8yxm · 05-12-2011, 04:43 PM

Ah the rabbit ears worked in one location but the RV is in another.. Yes, Location Location Location.

Try this.. "Quarter" the antenna.. that is raise it and turn the knob all the way to it's stop.. Scan for TV, now turn it about 1/4 the way to the other stop (about 40-42 degrees) and scan again, turn it another quarter, (The original "Storage" position so the arrows line up) and about another quarter and rescan, then finally all the way to the other stop.

Notice which setting gave the best (if any) results.. When you find it, return to it, Re-scan, now pick one station (IF your TV allows this) and check it's signal strength,, "peak" by slightly turning the antenna one or the other way.

NOTE: I've recently seen some very nice HDTV's that did NOT include a signal meter in their software.. My converters (2 different makes) both have them,

16kellogg · 05-12-2011, 05:11 PM

Let me reword my original question because i feel it wasnt right the first time. I have not moved my camper since getting it, and have been trying to pull channels in one spot. The non powered bunny ears inside the camper get many, many more channels than the powered batwing on top. It seems to me that the batwing "should" be able to recieve more channels, in the same location, as the powered Winegard batwing. I have also set the bunny ear antenna on top of the batwing and pulled 15+ channels with it connected to the stock cable going to the batwing. My original question should have been, "Is this antenna junk?" and "Why does a $5 set of bunny ears in the same position pull several more channels?" I have a signal meter and have only seen signal on it 2 times and both were too low to recieve a picture.
EDIT* I just went out and tried the Winegard again and was able to get one channel!!

TXiceman · 05-12-2011, 06:03 PM

Sounds like a problem with the antenna or wiring. Can you run a cable from TV up to the antenna and see what you get? The booster will not be in the circuit but it should equal the rabbit ears.

Can you see any difference between the booster on or off?

This will take some trail and error trouble shooting to see what works and what does not work.

Ken

wa8yxm · 05-13-2011, 09:00 AM

IF the rabbit ears work and the Winegard does not in the same place then one of the following conditions exist:

1: Bad antenna or internal pre-amp
2: Bad power supply (you tested and it works)
3: Bad cable connecting the two (you did half a test whcih is usually enough)
4: Bad splitter in the switch/power supply (you do not have the hardware to test)
5: Bad cable power supply/switch/splitter to televison.

NOTE: As I mentioned I recently did a trouble shoot for another camper. Got him up and running. here is what we found

The very LAST thign i'd suspect is the cable from teh power supply to the roof... And that was faulty.

Once we got it working I went to hook up his TV-2 (Bedroom) since the Zenith Converter is much better for antenna pointing than the his main TV (Which has no signal meter) I have an Insignia converter, same device, different paint job.

He did not have the patch cable so I headed back to my rig and grabbed a spare.. When it did not work,, I tested it, tossed it in the dumper and grabged another spare.

Just because a cable is "like new" (or for that matter brand new) does not mean it's good..

True story: Motorola, one of the best names in 2-way radios.. The local shop decided the cost of ordering new patch cables from Motorola was less than assembling them "in house" so they ordered eight cables from Motorola (The original batwing company,, but that is not the same batwing as Winegard (look at the "M" in motorola and you will understand why they have been called "Batwing inc" for a long time)

Out of eight cables they had SIXTEEN shorted connectors. One on each end of each cable.