Antenna Amplifier

I'mdonewiththis forum · November 1, 2016

I have a question.... For the longest time I have just left the amplifier on for the crank up antenna. A few days ago I got to this campground in Independence, Mo and it had cable. I hooked up the cable and turned the amplifier off. The tv scanned and found one channel. It turns out the cable was discontinued so I cranked up the antenna and turned the amplifier back on. The tv found zero channels! After a bit of fooling around I tried a scan without the amplifier and got 29 channels!?!? Why all the sudden do I need to turn off the amplifier to get OTA channels? This does not compute in my little brain. I used to keep the amp on to get over the air channels and now I don't?

Kirk W · November 1, 2016

Are sure that you aren't getting cable TV? It sure sounds like you are to me.

Chalkie · November 1, 2016

I agree with Kirk, but perhaps not for the same reason. Last time we were in the K.C. area we got far more than 29 channels thanks to digital and sub-channels (04-1, 04-2, 04-3, etc.).

The way to determine which would be to see what channels you are getting. There are cable channels that you will never get OTA.

I'mdonewiththis forum · November 1, 2016

I am certain that I am not getting any cable channels. The reason am certain is because I unhooked the cable from my trailer and put the cable away. I am getting everything over the air. I am getting 4-1, 4-2, 4-3, etc. I may be getting more than 29 channels, I don't remember the exact count, but the operation of the amplifier is reversed from what it was.

Chalkie · November 1, 2016

I am certain that I am not getting any cable channels. The reason am certain is because I unhooked the cable from my trailer and put the cable away.

Well, that certainly is that!

I guess I have no idea then. That certainly doesn't make sense. I know on ours I can't really rely on seeing the LED on the booster as it isn't very bright and so rely on feel to determine if the button is in or out. Not really any help to you though.

Kirk W · November 1, 2016

Like Gary, I am stumped. We use a Winegard amplified antenna in our present RV and have had them in every RV we have owned in many years and I have never had the experience you now have. I just tried our RV antenna and I get no over air channels at all with the amplifier turned off. What antenna are you using?

I'mdonewiththis forum · November 1, 2016

I am just using the bat wing that was on the trailer when i bought it. This is the first time I have run into this and I have owned this one for ten years......... I did replace the amplifier about eight years ago, but have not done anything else with it.

Kirk W · November 2, 2016

If you figure it out, do let us all know what is going on.

I'mdonewiththis forum · November 2, 2016

IF I do, I would be happy to let you know. We are going to be moving in a couple of days so I will find out (maybe) if it is just a weird thing or if it is going to work like normal again........ With my luck.....who knows......

Drifter1981 · November 2, 2016

I solved a similar problem on TV off the air signals. We are very close to metal building and guys in the park told me about an antenna which is about 12 inches square and has a build in amp. to connect to 120 volts all for $30 made by RCA. I was surprised to find that it works fine for most over the air channels. After I connected the new antenna to the control box on the Cable posts I can play about 40 channels after rescan of the TV. Their is a diffference betweem the digital and analog signals

This small antenna says it is good for 55 miles range, but we are more like 70 miles away from the towers. It works pretty well just hanging from the window inside the RV. My trailer is all aluminum so it needs to be placed facing the tower without any metal blocking the signal. I connected the antenna to a broom handle as it says not to connect to a metal shaft. Hose clamps holds to fine to the ladder on the back of RV. My trailer has an outside box for cable or satellite so I used the cable hook up post and turned off the amp box built inside. My box has about 10 different switches to change the signal direction.

I bought the antenna from Wallyworld.

jc2 · November 2, 2016

If you decide to replace the antenna head, this is what we purchased for our batwing replacement. Brings in many digital channels than the batwing.

https://www.amazon.com/KING-OA8000-Replacement-Over-Antenna/dp/B003FO2O1G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478092778&sr=8-1&keywords=jack+antenna+replacement+head

Chalkie · November 2, 2016

We are very close to metal building and guys in the park told me about an antenna which is about 12 inches square and has a build in amp. to connect to 120 volts all for $30 made by RCA. I was surprised to find that it works fine for most over the air channels.

That actually sounds pretty interesting. Can you share the exact make/model? Thanks!

I'mdonewiththis forum · November 4, 2016

Well, I am at another campground and this time the amplifier is working like it should!?!?!? Got me stumped. On an OTA channel if I turn the amp off the station goes away just like it is supposed to.....

Kirk W · November 4, 2016

Voodoo perhaps

Sometimes we just never figure it out. In customer service career, there was more than one time that I went on a service call, worked on a machine for a time and the problem suddenly went away, never to return and I had no idea what might have solved the problem. Eventually I reached a point when I just accepted it.

I'mdonewiththis forum · November 4, 2016

I know what you mean. I did service work for about 15 years too.......... I have no explanation, but all I can say is it is working now.

Tom_M · November 5, 2016

If you were very close to the TV transmitter site at the previous location, it is possible that with the amplifier on you were overloading the TV tuner. Sometimes too much signal can be as bad as not enough.

Helipilot · November 11, 2016

Along this same subject, what is the opinion of the King Jack antenna vs the new amplified Wineguard bat wing head available at CW? DW loves to watch tv since she retired. We have Directv satellite but doesn't work in tree covered sites.

Mark and Dale Bruss · November 11, 2016

I have a King Jack on my Bounder and it works well. About as good as the Winegard Sensar with Wingman on the trailer.

Dutch_12078 · November 11, 2016

I usually avoid posting links to another forum, but this link goes to a thread started by "SCVJeff", a licensed broadcast engineer, with real world comparisons of the Winegard Sensar ("batwing") antenna with and without the Wingman add-on, and the king Controls Jack antenna using a spectrum analyzer.

"Batwing vs. BatMan vs. Jack: The Results.. finally (LONG)"