TV Setting for Antenna

[JJ Spectre]

I'm not used to all these amenities when camping and therefore have newbie questions. I tried my antenna this weekend for the first time because my little guy needed some downtime due to a nosebleed. Having never used it before, I set the set to the "TV" input, changed the channel to "3" and then raised the antenna and slowly rotated it looking for signal. No dice.

There was some tree cover in the RV park where we were, but I saw some other TTs with the antennae up so I'm guessing that they were pulling signal.

Any idea of what I'm missing here?

Thanks in advance.

[DocBrown]

Its digital. You need to have your TV search for available signals first. There should be a menu accessed via the remote to do the search.

[RedHorse1]

My TT has a button that will turn on/off "something" relative to the antenna (may be an amplifier - not sure). There is a green LED indicating "on" and it must be on for antenna and off for Cable/DVD. On our TT it's somewhat hidden on the bottom of an overhead cabinet that houses the Jensen radio/DVD player just above the TV.
"Doc" has a good point, you may just need to search for available channels.

Final comment: make sure you lower the antenna before leaving the CG Don't ask why I comment on this.

[JJ Spectre]

I saw the amplifier for the antenna and it is mentioned in the owner's manual. Unfortunately there is no manual for the TV, so the comment about searching for available channels/signals is good news. Although I wonder if this means searching at each of the cardinal points and then fine tuning from there?

For RH, I only laugh at your last comment because I can so see myself doing something similar. The last campground we left has a checklist on a sign leaving their driveway that said 1. Antenna down? 2. Sewer cap on? 3. Wife in car?

[DocBrown]

JJ, its all a learning process! We've all done something dumb here and there!

You should be able to find your manual online. Most manufacturers make them available in PDF format.

[Boubou]

When watching TV on antenna, I found I had much better reception if I went into the TV menu and changed it to Air instead of Cable as well as turning the green amp button.

[Recondite]

JJ, point the antenna toward the nearest LARGE town, not some little Podunk nearby, make sure the booster is turned on as mentioned previously, then do the auto channel search from the setup menu on the TV. The big drawback to digital is your now locked into that antenna position. You can turn a little one way or the other to get a stronger signal but only on those already found. Turn it too much and you'll have to search all over again. That said, depending on where your at you can usually get anywhere from 5 - 20 channels from the one direction. Hope this helps. Oh, leave your keys hanging from the antenna crank and you won't forget to put it down.

[tlhdoc]

Check which way other campers have their antennas pointing and start there. You can also get a signal meter to measure the TV signal strength you are getting in the direction your antenna is pointing. You can keep turning your antenna until you get the strongest signal.

[clutch]

If other campers have the antenna up I point it in the same direction as theirs. Green light on, and do the search.

[RoyBraddy]

I see most everyone has left out the OPTION SETTING on the TV menu. You have to select ANTENNA verses CABLE when using the OTA Crank Up antenna.

I do another small trick that helps me sometimes... I will select ANTENNA from the TV menu and then goto to the CHANNEL SEARCH feature.

I look at other campers and point my antenna in the same general direction. The new OTA TV signals are now high VHF and UHF frequencies so you really have to be pointing right at the transmitter station or you will not pick anything up.

After the BATWING antenna is pointed towards the local town then I start my CHANNEL search. Mine scans the ANALOG signals first and finding none then it starts searching for the DIGITAL CHANNELS. If it doesnt start counting DIGITAL SIGNALS found within the first 15% of the count I will stop the search and move my antenna slightly one way or the other then start up the scan again. Like others have said we also get 6-36 digital channels most anywhere we camp here on the East side of the US. Might be harder to do on the west since the towns are spread out more... We pick up full high def HDTV signals full screen-great quality National Broadcast HDTV station for CBS-ABC-NBC-FOX-PBS (All free to the PUBLIC). The big advantage for us is these channels also transmit a 24/7 weather radar for the local area you are in and as you probably are aware you need to keep a close watch to the skiies when camping in a POPUP camper. I also have my NOAH WX ALERT radio with me at all times as well. Its not a fun night sleeping in a POPUP trailer with winds getting higher the 40 MPH or so. You need to get to a safe house like the enclosed bath rooms at the site to be safe.

They also sell a DIGITAL TV SIGNAL FINDER called the SHURELOCK. If you hook this inline with the TV CABLE then you can move the BATWING OTA antenna around to zero in on the DIGITAL HDTV signal before you start your HDTV set scanning for digital signals.

The new world of digital TV is the reception is 100% perfect or nothing at all. Not like the old days where you just stick up a antenna and pick up noise or something and then move the antenna to peak up on the analog TV signal. Today it all has to be scanned into the digital HDTV built-in processor to allow you to see the stations - just like you do at Home.



just takes some practice

Just my thoughts
Roy Ken

[ktbarrentine]

Just found this item online... Now we are getting hi tech!!! May have to give this a try.
http://www.amazon.com/Winegard-RFL-3...l+signal+meter

[parriskl]

Originally Posted by ktbarrentine

Just found this item online... Now we are getting hi tech!!! May have to give this a try.
http://www.amazon.com/Winegard-RFL-3...l+signal+meter

After only getting 4 channels, in and out, at our new seasonal site I did some research.
The boosters most manufacturers install are not HD compliant and barely Digital signal compliant.
I replaced my booster with the one sold by Winegard pictured in the link and did the Winegard Wingman add-on. WOW!!!!
Super easy, only a philips screwdriver needed and total cost $100... we now get 12 solid channels and 5 in and out.

Father of happy camper kids
Kevin