TV antenna repairs

[lbf78SvgnInt31]

The crank up TV antenna on my AS doesn't. I got it up (and down) by assisting from outside while my wife cranked per the printed instructions from the inside. The antenna also interfers with the operation of the crank open vent in the living room. The antenna lead (300 ohm flat cable) looks pretty ratty. If it needs replacing, is replacement practical? It appears to me that replacement would involve removal of interior skin. Can anyone give me some tips on resolving these problems. Has anyone found a suitable replacement for the antenna? The trailer is a '78 Sovereign International.

[thenewkid64]

Here is a thread where I have given step by step instructions on how to do this:


http://www.airforums.com/forum...heet#post14813

Scroll down to the section on hwo to pull the center sheet.

There is no easy way to replace the downlead without pulling the center sheet.

The Winegard batwing is the most readily available replacement and parts can be gotten everywhere. The issue of it sitting on the vent is still going to be there because the antenna is close to the same length.

[Chas]

Wow,

You got your fingers into a lot of stuff on your Sovereign, eh? Do you still have the original Skyliner? Probably worth fixing or if worse off it can be replaced with the same. There should be a cradle to keep it off of your vent. A new one will come with it. FYI, you will have even worse interference problems with a Winegard. I replaced the Skyliner on mine with a new Skyliner and had to pull the center interior skin to replace the flat cable with new coax as well. Got a bit of coaxing from NewKid and it went OK. Not too bad of a job, I did cheat by removing the inner a/c shroud and splitting the skin on either side of the a/c, much better than trying to pull the entire thing. Hard enough on a 27', hate to try pulling it in one piece on a 31'!!

Chas

[overlander76]

Couldn't you just loosen the wire on the both ends, tape the new wire on and pull the old wire out, pulling the new wire in at the same time?

[thenewkid64]

The antenna wire is bundled in with all the other wires. Sometimes Airstream duct taped the bundle. It also could damage some other wires in the bundle when you pull thru. I did not rewire back to the rear antenna oulet, but if you do you will have to pull the centeer sheet.

[Chas]

Ditto on the Brett's comments.

Sounds like a good trick to pull the new in with the old but due to sharp turns and grommets where the wire passes thru the roof ribs it would be impossible to do it. I am still trying to figure out how to replace the flat cable that runs to the rear bedroom from the wall splitter. I guess I could just use the existing flat cable for that though.

Chas

[Astrodokk]

I was playing around with my tv antenna motor on my '81 MH. It wouldn't go up so I helped it by pushing up with a broomstick. I guess it got on track and deployed fully and actually started to rotate until I stopped it so that the flat wire wouldn't coil around it.
When I tried to bring it down, it came down almost all the way, but snagged on it's track and only clicked, til I pushed down with the broom stick, then it settled.
I don't think it's worth replacing, since I won't be going anywhere to use the airwave tv signal. Also, since it has the flat wire antenna, converting it to coax would be a chore as well.
I was told that I can use one of those adapters that you plug to the coax on back of the tv, and plug in the flat wire part to your MH flat wire plug, and it should work. I wonder, as I haven't tried that yet.

[davespann]

I have replaced the nylon worm gear set on my Skyliner twice. They are about $8 and most RV Sales have the kit. I lube mine every so often with LPS 1 on all the moving pivot points on the antenna. I silicone the cable VERY often as I don't want to replace it anytime soon. I use the 300 ohm cable to TV round adapter. I have had to replace all the flat pieces on the antenna tubes. I used Kyvek(very tuff plastic) paneling and cut the "bars" to correct size and used aluminum nails with ends crimped instead of rivets. I couldn't find rivets long enough so hence the use of nails. The worm gear has a roll pin that is the drive from the inner handle turning. Usually the top tooth of the gear breaks and ant. won't come up.

I added a 1/2 black pvc insulation tiewrapped to the cross suppt. brace and this will let the center large vent panel open just alittle with the ant. down.

Dave Spann