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06-06-2009, 08:58 AM
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#1
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Sioux Falls
Posts: 729
M.O.C. #3206
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TV Antenna
Is anyone having trouble with their digital TV's? Whenever we move around the RV or just sit and maybe move our heads, our TV's cut in/out or lose their signal. We are waiting until the move to digital is complete June 12, to see if they are still trying to get the signal right. Until then we are watching a ton of DVD's and catching what we can of the news. Any adjustment to the antenna doesn't help, and we have the booster on. It seems to be worse in rain and wind, which we have alot of in central Iowa. Thanks for the input. D & J
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06-06-2009, 09:08 AM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Bakersfield
Posts: 5,316
M.O.C. #15
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Don and Judy,
I was just talking to a fellow here at the Spring Rally that says he had no trouble getting the HD signals on the regular batwing antenna. As a matter of fact he has been surprised at just how many stations and how well he can see them! Sounds like you may be having a problem somewhere in the hookup loop. Could be just not securely seated somewhere along the line. Or it might be a bad cable. We found we had a lot of problems with the barrel connectors. They would get so that they would pass on the signal on an intermittent basis. And we've had our share of bad cable too.
Good luck and let us know what you find.
Dennis and Mary Kay
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06-06-2009, 10:06 AM
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#3
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Montana Fan
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Ottawa Lake
Posts: 307
M.O.C. #321
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I have tried my converter box also and did not get the results that I was expecting, Its like hooking up my satillite dish under a tree and having a branch interuping the signal. I'm not sure if its where I was parked under a bunch of trees or my antenna that has been a problem since day one sometimes I get alot of channels and somethime not, I think I got one of the bad wineguard antenna heads that were outthere about the time my Montana was made, Thats why I take the satalite dish when go camping.
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06-06-2009, 11:55 AM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Canon City
Posts: 1,340
M.O.C. #7919
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What I found is the Digital channels seem to be more sensitive to the direction the batwing is pointing. Lets say you get ch 13 in one direction and then ch 11 may need adjusting to get the best from it. Of coarse this would change city to city because of transmitter locations. I don't know if this is because the change over is still taking place and they don't have all the digitals all up to full power yet. I have added the Wingman to the batwing and I think it helps a lot.
The Wingman is like this:
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...-wingman/44021
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06-06-2009, 01:54 PM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Benson
Posts: 3,121
M.O.C. #1658
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At this point I am very unhappy with the switch to digital. As Jolu pointed out it is very directional, not near as forgiving as analog. With analog if you are anywhere close you will get something and then can fine tune it, not with digital. If you are in a fringe area where your analog picture is less than perfect chances are you will not get digital. There are many places we stay during the winter that have less than good reception but we do get something but once the switch is made I fear we will get nothing. We do have the Wingman and while it has helped it is not magic.
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06-06-2009, 06:49 PM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Sun City Center
Posts: 626
M.O.C. #8563
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We were at camping world the other day and picked up a new antenna from winegard that should help the problem. When DH installs it I will let you know how it works. We were at Ft DeSoto Park last month with lots of trees and could only get 10 channels and not even the most powerful station in the area. Hopefully this will solve that problem.
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06-07-2009, 06:06 AM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Sioux Falls
Posts: 729
M.O.C. #3206
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We have had the digital TV and one on the converter box for a year, parked at the same place as we started, and have not experienced the problem until recently. We have been here since the middle of April (Des Moines, IA) and it jsut started in the last few weeks. We don't have any trees at our site, so it is baffeling. Some of the stations aren't all digital yet, so we are hoping that it will be solved when the change is made. If not, guess we may to get a new antenna or something to make it work. We were happy until recently, get alot of channels. We don't know where we would carry a dish, so don't have one, and get cable many places on the road, still watch most of our favorites, but if it all goes to reality TV we may have to make adjustments.. Need a good western series again!! Judy
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06-07-2009, 07:29 PM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Liberty Lake
Posts: 2,310
M.O.C. #6088
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Hi Don,
I see that you have a 2000 Montana w/250K miles. It is possible that the coax cable at the antenna or somewhere in between the antenna & TV is wearing out, cut, crimped or damaged some how or a loose connector that it is causing the problems you described. It could even be the antenna amplifier is wearing out. Let see if you can isolate your problem.
Try a 25' piece of new coax cable and connect one end to the output of the antenna amplifier and the other end to your TV.
If this is no better, reconnect existing cable to antenna amplifier and the TV.
Now take the new coax cable and connect one end to the batwing antenna on the roof and the other end to the antenna amplifier input.(where ever it is located)
If your problem is fixed, then you know which cable length is bad. If not you can also try a new antenna amplifier.
Good Luck Don.
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06-08-2009, 09:02 AM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Sioux Falls
Posts: 729
M.O.C. #3206
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The testing advised sounds like the way to go and I will follow your suggestions as soon as I am released by my doc ( had back surgery on May 18 and am still in therapy and work release ) I have a 25' and a 50' coax that we use for cable hookups- Will advise all when results are in- Thanks to all who offered advise- It is very much appreciated- Don
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06-08-2009, 02:17 PM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Texas City
Posts: 5,736
M.O.C. #7673
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Let's remember that digital is presently being broadcast at a reduced power and on temporary frequencies. On June 12th (Midnight) is the complete switch to digital. You will need to re-scan your channels to pick up the new frequencies. Of course, we re-scan every time we move to a new CG.
Also, look at your "menu" selection of your television and you should see a "signal strength" meter. Turn your antenna for maximum signal. In my case, sometimes, maximum signal is one bar and it fluctuates to no bar. When that happens the picture goes pixelated (is that a word). Sometimes it locks up and the audio continues. When that happens I push the channel up and back down and it re-syncs.
Ah! Technology! Don't you love it?
Edited: (6/9/2009) I, and the wife, are just as frustrated as anyone regarding the digital signal going in and out, in and out, in and out. I think when I turned on the laptop this evening I lost a channel. It's strange that I can't get "local" channels, but I get all those off-the-wall channels in the 61dot1 + frequencies. It just doesn't figure, but hey, I'll survive. Not without a lot of muttering though!
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06-10-2009, 02:49 PM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Paola
Posts: 5,739
M.O.C. #4961
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You will see things working better this summer. Currently the digital antennas are mounted part way up the tower and are running at reduced power. Friday everything switches over to digital and after that they will remove the old antenna that is mounted on top of the tower and replace them with the new digital antenna. After that they will increase the transmit power and you will see a big difference in your TV.
__________________
Dennis & Linda Ward
Paola, Kansas
Montana 3735MK Legacy Edition
1200 watts of Solar
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06-14-2009, 05:05 AM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Sioux Falls
Posts: 729
M.O.C. #3206
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We are good to go after the switchover was completed- We receive all the local channels here in central Iowa with excellent reception- Will still look at all cable ends and cables after I am released by doc- Thanks to all who replied- This is absolutely the best forum on the web- Don
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