No channels on air

[gnowlin]

I am missing something on getting channels in air search
At Northlake ,Tx. Just north of DFW / Ft Worth Area
Cannot get a single channel on air search
Tommy Bahama ‘19 with the “new” Omni directional antenna
Cannot get a single channel????
Been thru all steps on air search. I thought this was supposed to be 5 times better than the batwing
Any advise?
Tks

[Dennis C]

Did you activate the signal booster (assuming your rig has one)?

[Hans627]

You need to turn on the antenna. The green light will be on.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Full drill:

Antenna needs to be power on

Antenna cable needs to be screwed into the back of the TV

TV needs to be switched to the same input as the antenna cable

TV needs to be on "over the air" and not "cable" before the scan starts.

(there are a few other odd bits, but they normally aren't the problem ....)

Bob

[nitzo]

Green light....yup. I had the hardest time understanding this when we first had this in a camper. Light on means - cable, nope it means.....

Anyway, green light on: antenna

[gnowlin]

Thanks Dennis
i guess i dont have a signal booster ( assuming this an after market item for owner install)

i did find the green light ( finally)
tks again!!!
Gregg

[gnowlin]

Thank you !! I did finally find it
had no idea it was there
appreciate your reply
Gregg

[gnowlin]

Thanks!
yes on the full drill
found the green light----finally and turned on < had no idea it was there
assuming the cables are installed on back by factory, TV is close to wall and I cannot move it. I do get cable
i do the air to air scan
No power today will try out soon
thanks so much!
Gregg

[gnowlin]

Thank you!!!
had no idea this was the issue, its just hiding back here
I assume that when cable is needed the green light needs to be off for NO antenna
thanks for your reply!!!
Gregg

[uncle_bob]

Hi

What the "booster" thing is doing is feeding power up to the amplifier in the roof mount antenna. Without that power the antenna really doesn't go much good ..... The whole setup comes that way from the factory. It's also how it would have to be done if a "mushroom" antenna was retrofitted to a trailer.

Fun !!!

Bob

[Glenritas]

FYI …
The cable to the TV from the wall , what’s going on behind the wall ?

There’s a splitter back there that is electrically switched when you turn on / off the antenna amplifier .
The splitter has 2 inputs one from the outside cable connection the other from the antenna . The output goes to the wall where your TV is connected .

Now you know the rest of the story .

[GetawA-S]

Gregg,
If your setup is like a 2020 FC, the mushroom is by King, and the “power injector “ is by Winegard.
The mushroom is not optimized for long distance TV signals, and not for AM or FM radio at any distance, if it also serves as the antenna for your radio. This is from the factory King tech.
I was able to pull in a couple of weak TV channels in my underserved Florida town. Western NC - fuhgeddaboutit!

[gnowlin]

Thanks
I had the King Jack and the Winegard booster in my 2012, but i could see the plate on the wall and knew i had to make a decision of cable or air. in this case ( on the 2019 ) i could not see the plate behind the TV and my brain was not engaged enough to think to think i needed to choose . just had this a couple of months and 2 trips.
its always fun!!!!!

[Dennis C]

Originally Posted by gnowlin

Thanks Dennis
i guess i dont have a signal booster ( assuming this an after market item for owner install)

i did find the green light ( finally)
tks again!!!
Gregg

That’s exactly what I meant when I mentioned the signal booster. It’s a factory item. Glad you found it!

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by gnowlin

Thank you!!!
had no idea this was the issue, its just hiding back here
I assume that when cable is needed the green light needs to be off for NO antenna
thanks for your reply!!!
Gregg

The Gizmo we all call the antenna booster actually does two things.
1. It does amplify the RF signal.
2. More importantly, it switches the coax that feeds your TV between 'roof antenna' and 'cable inlet'.
When the green light is out, your TV is looking at the cable TV port on the side of your trailer, and so you have NO antenna.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

At least where we seem to go a lot, the campgrounds are down in a valley of some sort. They also are a ways away from urban areas and TV transmitters. That combination is death in terms of getting a good signal. Now toss in the limited range of the digital TV signals and it's a mess. We might get something at a few points during the day, then half way into a show .... it all goes away.

Not of much use for us.

Bob