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Old 10-30-2015, 05:45 PM   #1
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Help! How do I watch TV?

Newbie question because we don't tend to watch TV when we're out camping. We have a 2010 25RKS. We have watched the occasional dvd but never broadcast tv. We don't have cable, trying to use the roof antenna. There is a wall plate next to the tv with two coax connectors. One says AUX/BAT, the other says TV and had the little push button switch with the green LED. There is a cable going from the TV connector back thru a hole in a compartment behind the Jensen stereo, and another cable comes out of this compartment and goes to the antenna/cable input on the RCA TV. I can see these two cables connect to some kind of a box in that compartment but I can't tell what it is thru the hole.

I've tried everything I can think of on the tv menus, tried turning the power button on and off on the wall plate, all I get is "no signal" on the tv.

Like I said, we don't watch it much, but it's a rainy weekend and I'd like to watch the World Series if I can. Any help?
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Old 10-30-2015, 05:51 PM   #2
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Is the antenna up?

Make sure the "little push button" is on. That is signal amplifier/booster.

Make sure the TV is set for Antenna, not cable.

Execute a channel scan.

After all this, if there are over the air broadcast channels where you are you should be able to see them.
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Old 10-30-2015, 07:26 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by clubhouse View Post
Is the antenna up?

Make sure the "little push button" is on. That is signal amplifier/booster.

Make sure the TV is set for Antenna, not cable.

Execute a channel scan.

After all this, if there are over the air broadcast channels where you are you should be able to see them.

Antenna. Check.

Amplifier on. Check.

TV set for antenna. Check.

Channel scan. Nada.

Sounds like we're doing everything right. Maybe we just don't get reception here. We're here all weekend. Will be happy to try any other suggestions.
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Old 10-30-2015, 07:30 PM   #4
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How far are you from a TV Market? I have been finding that 70 miles +/- is about all that you can get with the new digital signals.
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Old 10-30-2015, 07:53 PM   #5
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If your within a TV market range and you run scan on the TV and get nothing, try rotating your antenna 90 degrees and rescan and see if you get anything. It seems like you should at least get PBS for they are almost everywhere.
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Old 10-30-2015, 08:09 PM   #6
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I start by pointing the antenna toward the nearest town and follow Clubhouse routine
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Old 10-30-2015, 08:10 PM   #7
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Probably the wall plate says Aux/Sat which connects to the exterior cable TV inlet connection. The TV connection on that plate does not come from the antenna on your roof. What happens is if you want to watch cable, you connect the Aux/Sat connection with a short jumper to the TV connection and turn the green light off and you should be able to watch cable TV (if the exterior connection is connected to cable TV).

For over the air off the antenna TV, we need to get the cable from the antenna "in" on the TV connected to your antenna. Where is that cable connected now?
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Old 10-30-2015, 09:39 PM   #8
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I am about 10 miles from a small coastal town, not sure how far from a transmitter. I have no idea if others are successful watching OTA from here.

RVhiker I think you are right it is Aux/Sat. I would have to climb on the dinette to get a better look but that makes better sense. Currently there is a cable that goes from the Tv connector on the wall plate to the mysterious box behind the stereo, then another cable goes from that box to the tv antenna input. So where is the connection to the roof antenna? And what is the mystery box? Just some kind of splitter?
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Old 10-31-2015, 06:48 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by waynem View Post
I am about 10 miles from a small coastal town, not sure how far from a transmitter. I have no idea if others are successful watching OTA from here.
If you would give us the name of that small coastal town, we could check antenna strength sites to find out if you should likely have TV signals available. Or you could look up the signal availability yourself at this FCC site (click).

Quote:
Originally Posted by waynem View Post
RVhiker I think you are right it is Aux/Sat. I would have to climb on the dinette to get a better look but that makes better sense. Currently there is a cable that goes from the Tv connector on the wall plate to the mysterious box behind the stereo, then another cable goes from that box to the tv antenna input. So where is the connection to the roof antenna?
You turned on the green light by pushing a button. Was the green light on a wall plate that looks like this:Click to see inage
If so, the antenna cable coming from the TV should attach to the RF connector in the middle of that switch plate. Now it could pass through some splitters or something, but somehow the signal from that wall plate (if that is what ou have) has to get through a cable to the antenna in connection on the TV.

Quote:
Originally Posted by waynem View Post
And what is the mystery box? Just some kind of splitter?
That is my guess, but it is just a guess.
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Old 10-31-2015, 07:21 AM   #10
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Go to website AntennaPoint.com - Antenna Locator. It doesn't like GPS coordinates but if you can enter the closest address, usually the campground address, it will show you on a map where the TV transmitters are around you and how far away.
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Old 10-31-2015, 07:21 AM   #11
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Antennaweb.org is another great place to look for channel.
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Old 10-31-2015, 12:32 PM   #12
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The wall plate looks similar:

Click image for larger version

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The cable from there goes to the splitter then another cable goes from the splitter to the tv.

We are at Cape Lookout state park near Tillamook OR. From looking at some of those websites (cell service is pretty marginal here) it looks like there aren't any transmitters nearby. I think that is our problem. I will troubleshoot this more when we get home.

Thanks for your help everyone!
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Old 10-31-2015, 01:07 PM   #13
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Not mentioned anywhere you also must have a DIGITAL TV SET. It could be your RV TV is an older analog TV. You have to select ANTENNA and then scan for digital tv stations when you have the BATWING antenna pointed towards the local town that is transmitting BROADCAST TV.

The NATL BROADCAST local transmitters don't broadcast analog TV anymore...

You can also do like everyone else and look around the camp ground and see where everyone is pointing with their antennas.

Might even invite one of them over and offer some coffee...

If you have never used your TV before are you sure you even have one on the roof haha...

This is what my BATWING Antenna looks like


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Old 10-31-2015, 02:36 PM   #14
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Help! How do I watch TV?

Thanks Roy Ken. Yes there is an antenna, although I think this is the first time I have had it cranked up haha. And the tv is a newer one - it was scanning for both analog and digital channels.

But now we are enjoying a good storm, power is out, rain is falling sideways, getting back to more basic camping (in our 25-foot enclosed, heated, dry "tent"). I have a hot cup of coffee and a good book. And I don't have to go outside to use the restroom. Life is good.
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Old 10-31-2015, 03:16 PM   #15
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TV

If you are in a RV park ask some one else what they are getting for reception. That should tell you if you have a problem.
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Old 10-31-2015, 05:14 PM   #16
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does the batwing help? I have seen them but not sure how well they work.
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Old 10-31-2015, 05:39 PM   #17
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WAYNEM - That sounds neato to me haha... I love those times as good as the no event nights...

I try to plan all of these things before going camping on what works and what I need to do to make them work,.. These are known as PLAN Bs....

We have camped out in the back yard several time just testing out something new we just recently purchased...

No better place to try to out new things.

We have found the BAT WING that has the DIPOLES are the best all around antenna for picking up the BROADCAST TV channels... We camp the most here on the east side of the US and will get a 20 channels or so everytime we use it.

When camping up n the high country we may get as many as 90-100 channels but most of it is duplicated from the various towns we are pointing to. When this happens we then just pick the best one that works...

Also all of the new digital TV now is full blown HIGH DEF TV... Better than the SD tv we used to get from the SAT TV...

I like to find a good 24/7 radar channel and keep checking it. It is always good to know where the wind storms are coming from when you are camping in a POPUP camper...

I love having the small challenges when camping... What fun would it be if you just showed up somewhere eat supper, watch TV, and go to bed haha... You can do that at a motel anytime...

You will get it all figured out sooner or later...

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Old 10-31-2015, 07:26 PM   #18
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I prefer a campfire and looking at the stars. We usually bring the laptop computer so my daughter can watch a DVD during quiet time, and if need be I can watch an episode of Band of Brothers before bed.
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Old 11-01-2015, 07:57 PM   #19
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We have been in CGs especially in hilly country where we could pick up zero channels. Other times we had a few good channels that would go completely out after dark.
It's ok. We don't have to watch tv to enjoy camping.
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Old 11-01-2015, 08:10 PM   #20
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I thought TV was tow vehicle, anyway...hahaha.
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