I'mdonewiththis forum Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted November 1, 2016 Are sure that you aren't getting cable TV? It sure sounds like you are to me. Good travelin !...............KirkFull-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalkie Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'mdonewiththis forum Posted November 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalkie Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted 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? Good travelin !...............KirkFull-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'mdonewiththis forum Posted November 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 If you figure it out, do let us all know what is going on. Good travelin !...............KirkFull-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'mdonewiththis forum Posted November 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted 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...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drifter1981 Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc2 Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted 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 2010 Newmar Dutch Aire 4304-Spartan Chassis-Cummins ISL 425hp-2013 Chevrolet Equinox AWD Towed-SKP# 120487-FMCA #402879- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalkie Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'mdonewiththis forum Posted November 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted 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..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted November 4, 2016 Report Share Posted 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. Good travelin !...............KirkFull-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'mdonewiththis forum Posted November 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom_M Posted November 5, 2016 Report Share Posted 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. Tom—————————————————2005 Born Free 24' Rear Bath Towing 1978 VW Bug convertible Minneapolis, MN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helipilot Posted November 11, 2016 Report Share Posted 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. Roger and Barbara On the pale blue planet, retired and happy. 2011 DRV MS 36RSSB3 2015 GMC Crew Cab Duramax DRW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark and Dale Bruss Posted November 11, 2016 Report Share Posted 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. Please click for Emails instead of PM Mark & DaleJoey - 2016 Bounder 33C Tige - 2006 40' Travel SupremeSparky III - 2021 Mustang Mach-e, off the the Road since 2019 Useful HDT Truck, Trailer, and Full-timing Info atwww.dmbruss.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch_12078 Posted November 11, 2016 Report Share Posted 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)" Dutch 2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A F-53 Chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS 2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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