Great adventures w/antenna - Montana Owners Club

stiles watson · 11-27-2004, 12:31 PM

I can walk on water if you will just tell me where the rocks are. Most of the time though I am up to my neck in ignorance.

I cranked the antenna up and connected the television to what I thought was the antenna connection--no picture. There was another connection hanging there but it had the wrong connection for the antenna cable from the TV. I go out and buy a double end male connection to join them--no picture. Grrrr!! Nothing I connected worked--football is on. Grrrrr!!! Took one of these little round key rings, attached two fingers of aluminuim foil to make rabbit ears and clipped the ring on to the tip coming out of the connection and PICTURE!!! Got to see second half.

I was messin' around with something outside when I see a Montana pulling into the camground. Same floor plan as mine! Yatahey!!! Of course, I must go say, "Hi." I just casually mentioned I was experiencing trouble with the antenna.

The lady of the house responded, "Did you push the antenna booster button?"

"What's that?" "Better yet, Where is it?"

"It's in the bedroom in the panel under your little bedroom TV."

"IN THE BEDROOM? WHAT THE BLAZES IS IT DOING IN THE BEDROOM!! I don't HAVE a bedroom TV. I sleep in there."

Well, anyway I got a good picture. Sure wish I could find all those danged rocks.

Glenn and Lorraine · 11-27-2004, 12:51 PM

Know the feeling. When we first got our rig we had the same problem but I found a quick answer right here on the ole puter. It was and still is called the MOC. This was back in Sept or Oct of 03 and just a few days later I also found what the 3 hoses were about that hang beneath the rig.
Not all of the booster buttons are in the bedroom. Ours is in the cabinet beneath the livingroom TV.
But after 14 months of ownership I'm still not sure what the 2 cables are for that protrude through the wall of that same cabinet. I think one is for the bedroom TV which we don't have and the other could be for the satellite which I have but never hooked up.

Montana_738 · 11-27-2004, 02:54 PM

"Help" What is this booster button? I have a 2001-2955 and can't get the satellite cable to work when I pull into a camp ground that furnishes satellite.
I have hooked the cable from the campground to my connection near the fresh water fill at the back of the rig. I don't get satellite TV. I finally got disgusted and ran the cable through the side window and I get my satellite TV, but then I have to stuff the screen with a paper towel to keep the bugs out.
I tried traceing the line but unless you know where it runs it would be really hard to trace it to the living room tv. When I am connected through the window I get satellite in the bedroom also, so I know everything is OK up to there.
Maybe there is a secret switch I am missing?
I had intended to reroute the cable next spring before we take off on any trips, but maybe someone can solve my problem without getting into this mess.
Reading this about this switch is driving me crazy, we have our rig in storage about 10 miles from our home. I want to jump in the car and try to find this switch. But then I think, even if I find some sort of switch I wouldn't be able to tell if it worked or not. I took the batteries out for the winter, also there wouldn't ba anyplace to hook to a sattellite.
Boy you talk about a revolten developement.

I would still appreciate any information someone could send me .

Thanks and Happy RVing,

Bill & Rita

OntMont · 11-27-2004, 03:30 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by accuprep

"Help" What is this booster button? I have a 2001-2955 and can't get the satellite cable to work when I pull into a camp ground that furnishes satellite.
I have hooked the cable from the campground to my connection near the fresh water fill at the back of the rig. I don't get satellite TV. I finally got disgusted and ran the cable through the side window and I get my satellite TV, but then I have to stuff the screen with a paper towel to keep the bugs out.
I tried traceing the line but unless you know where it runs it would be really hard to trace it to the living room tv. When I am connected through the window I get satellite in the bedroom also, so I know everything is OK up to there.
Maybe there is a secret switch I am missing?
I had intended to reroute the cable next spring before we take off on any trips, but maybe someone can solve my problem without getting into this mess.
Reading this about this switch is driving me crazy, we have our rig in storage about 10 miles from our home. I want to jump in the car and try to find this switch. But then I think, even if I find some sort of switch I wouldn't be able to tell if it worked or not. I took the batteries out for the winter, also there wouldn't ba anyplace to hook to a sattellite.
Boy you talk about a revolten developement.

The cable and satellite connections are two entiely different things. You can't use one for the other. Your 2001, probably does not have sat. (my 2002 did not). It may not be hard to add a satellite connection, it does not require anything special other than a suitable connector and wire. In my 3255 we were able to come in through the side of the entertainment unit and connect directly to the dish receiver.

Cable on the other hand is more complicated. I have never had cable and don't know much about it, except that it won't work with a satellite.

The booster button is a little button (usually black) mounted on a wall plate. There is usually a 12V cigarette lighter socket, and a green LED on the same panel. This amplifies your TV antenna signal, but I don't think it has anything to do with either the satellite or cable signals. In our 2002 it was mounted inside the computer desk, in our 2005 it is in a bedroom closet.(AKA TV cabinet).

azstar · 11-27-2004, 04:36 PM

Accuprep,
On our rig, if the booster button is on, we like you can't get the park hook-up to work. Now I know if my cable isn't working, I forgot to turn the booster off. You need to find that booster button. It's got to be close to one of the TV's.

sreigle · 11-27-2004, 04:53 PM

The boost button sends 12 volts to the tv antenna via the cabling. That sure messes up the signal when on cable. So, yes, the boost has to be off to get cable reception. Also, we found when using the antenna and we're not that far from the station towers we sometimes have to turn the boost button off to get good reception. I guess the boost makes the signal too strong. That's the case where we are now.

Accuprep, I agree with OntMont's statements. I'd like to add that the cabling for satellite is different than that for tv and cable. If you have cabling for satellite there should be a connector on the outside that's labeled "satellite" or "satellite prep". It's an extra cost option. We have it on our 2003 but don't have a dish or receiver, so have not had the chance to see that it works.

Steve Ryan · 11-27-2004, 05:00 PM

Hi Bill and Rita, We also have a 2001 2955RL In ours the "booster button" is located on the back wall of the desk area. The only time we use it is when we're using the roof top antenna.The 12 volt plug comes in handy to keep my cell phone charged too.

Our F/W does have a satellite hookup,on the slideout side,just below the outside shower and above the hookup for the black holding tank wash out. It goes directly to the area below the desk cabinet,thats where our DVD/VCR and satellite receiver are kept. It looks like it's something that is easy to add on.

Good luck.

Gypsy · 11-28-2004, 03:13 AM

OntMont,
This reminds me of something I've been meaning to ask you. Do you have both a Satellite connection and a Cable connection on the outside of your 5W? Mine only has the Satellite connection, which works fine for my Dish Satellite. When I've been in campgrounds supplying cable TV, as I am now, I'm not able to connect to it because there's no separate connection as there was on my '02 3295RK.

Thanks in advance. Also, has anyone else had the same problem?

Montana_738 · 11-28-2004, 05:08 AM

Thanks everyone for your input. I believe you solved my problem. When I said satellite I meant cable tv from the parks. We do not have a satellite hook up now. Patodonn sent a email also which explained where to find this button.
I'm sure the button is there I just have look a little better. I plan on going over to where we have our unit storaed in the next couple of days. We usually stop every two or three weeks to make sure the mice are not taking over. I will look for that button at that time.

Thanks again everyone for the help.

Bill

NJ Hillbilly · 11-28-2004, 06:07 AM

Gypsy, do You have a phone jack hookup in the rear on the street side? My cable hookup is under the cover with the phone jack.

John

Gypsy · 11-28-2004, 06:23 AM

Yes, John, I have a phone jack in that location, but it's just that, with a round rubber push-on cover, no other connections. It sounds like Keystone shorted me a connection.

And, BTW, the phone jack doesn't work. The one time I had a phone connection I had to bring the cable in through a window. I need to take off the cover and see whether the wiring is connected inside the wall. It's on my To Do List for the next time I have an opportunity to use it and test it out.

Montana_2495 · 11-28-2004, 07:01 AM

Hi all,
I've been reading this thread with interest. We just picked up our FW last Friday. We are new to RVing, Montanas, and MOC. We will be fulltimers as soon as stick house sells. My question is:

Do I have to have 2 seperate connections - one for Direct TV and one for Direcway Internet connection? There is only one connection on outside of RV and it says Satelite Ready. Is this for TV or Internet? I have both installers coming on Monday the 6th. Should I let one of them install a new connection? I'm not sure I really want to start drilling holes in my new RV...But...I'm not sure I can LIVE with out TV and internet!!!.... C.L. and I might have to actually talk to each other...I'm really concerned. lol. any help will be appreciated. Thanks

sreigle · 11-28-2004, 07:29 AM

Gypsy, in another discussion someone commented they think the new units have a single hookup with satellite cabling. That cabling apparently also works for cable tv but cable tv cabling does not work for satellite, if that makes any sense. I've not seen this for myself but thought I'd pass that along. The question at the time was whether you have to disconnect one to use the other since there's just one connection. If we had satellite and were in a site with cable I'd like to have both hooked up so I could switch to cable from inside the coach to get local news, etc.

Gypsy · 11-28-2004, 07:41 AM

Thanks, Steve. I found that thread, but it still seems that you'd need a separate exterior connection for the cable TV input and the satellite input. I do have two connections in the back of the entertainment center cabinet above the main TV. One is labeled "Satellite Prep" but it's not the one that turned out to actually bring in the satellite signal.

And there's only one exterior connection. I think it's time to call Keystone... I have a long list of questions for them on other topics as well.

Glenn and Lorraine · 11-28-2004, 10:43 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by SparxHitchinPost

Hi all,
I've been reading this thread with interest. We just picked up our FW last Friday. We are new to RVing, Montanas, and MOC. We will be fulltimers as soon as stick house sells. My question is:

Do I have to have 2 seperate connections - one for Direct TV and one for Direcway Internet connection? There is only one connection on outside of RV and it says Satelite Ready. Is this for TV or Internet? I have both installers coming on Monday the 6th. Should I let one of them install a new connection? I'm not sure I really want to start drilling holes in my new RV...But...I'm not sure I can LIVE with out TV and internet!!!.... C.L. and I might have to actually talk to each other...I'm really concerned. lol. any help will be appreciated. Thanks

Nada, If I understand Direct TV and Direcway hook ups correctly you should only have one line coming into the trailer and that would be through the "Satellite Prep" connection. Once in the trailer they add a splitter giving you a line to the TV and one to the computer.

Montana_2495 · 11-28-2004, 12:38 PM

Thank you G & L.

Random Line · 11-28-2004, 03:08 PM

Glenn,

Don't count on 3 hoses hanging down under the unit. We met a couple from Traverse City, Mich who only had one hose and cap under ther so that is all that they drain to winterize. They winterize accordingly and to date havn't had any problems. They were in a 2002 Mont. 3255RL.

Oh yes they showed us why the light next to the front basement comp didn't work on ours. We didn't know there was a switch under it.
Learn something everyday.

Random Line · 11-28-2004, 03:28 PM

Gypsy

Our rig only has the sat. connection on the outside. I had to buy an AB coax cable switch and mounted it in the ent. center cabinet to make it easy to switch from antennae to the satellite connected to the outside connection. To keep from rewiring every thing when we want satellite in the bedroom as well as at the ent center at the same time or with main tv on antennae, I had to add another AB switch in the bedroom TV cabinet. Also to complete the process it takes a couple of signal spliters or mabe also one combiner to slip the DVD signal into the mix. Also the booster has to be turned off when we are connected to campground cable signal using that single outside connection.

After thinking about explaining the connection arrangement rather than just saying that it is possible. I suddenly understand why the assembly line guys at the Montana Plant have not put out that wiring diagram yet.

One more thing there is a 2 part device that you can buy (about $50) that lets you use your satellite receiver remote control for changing channels when you are watching satellite in the bedroom. Saves a lot effort during a sleepless period on a chilly night.

Good Luck.

Parrothead · 11-28-2004, 04:21 PM

Sparks,
You do have to have 2 different connections for Direct TV and DirecWay. We have both and a 3400. The Direct TV does hook up to the top outlet in our unit with the outside cable hooked up to Satellite Prep. Works great. We have a second unit in the bedroom which is hooked up by bringing the cable through the window with a flat connector (cable) sold at CW. However for DirecWay there are 2 cables that come in and hook onto the special modem. We cracked the window a little in back of the desk and brought ours in that way. I keep trying to get hubby to cover the crack with some tape to keep out the cold and the critters.

He probably will one night when he is at the computer and feels the cold breeze.

stiles watson · 11-28-2004, 04:55 PM

FYI
My 2003 3670, on the street side, near the rear of the rig, has two of the flip-up weather proof outlet doors side by side. One is the hook up point for phone service and the other is for cable TV service hook up. Toward the center of the rig, street side, is another connection point for a satellite connection covered with a round rubberized cover.

Inside the unit is the mounting plate with the antenna connection. There is another connector coming through a grommet from the back wall. I suspect it is either the satellite connection or the cable connection, but I don't know which since I have never used the cable or the satellite options.

There, I have exhausted all I know about this issue. Thanks for reminding me that there is a 12 volt connector so I can use it to charge my 12 volt compressor while hooked to power.

You may also like: