Trying to understand the Cable TV and Antenna cabling?

[scottkeen]

I have a 2011 Montana Mountaineer 347THT

I don't understand how the cable TV and roof-mount antenna are wired and how I'm supposed to connect them to the TVs.

In the Living Room, behind the TV are (3) coax connectors on (2) wall plates. (1) coax connector is on the top wall plate by itself and has a black cable. The other (2) coax connectors are on the bottom wall plate below and both have orange cables.

In the Bedroom, in the W/D closet there is a wall plate labeled "Winegard" with a 12VDC power outlet, a pushbutton that says "On" "Off" with an LED that lights up when the pushbutton is pressed to On, and a coax connector. Behind the wallplate are (3) coax cables -- orange, black, gray. Above the bed is a hand-crank to raise and lower the antenna and a dial to spin it around.

In the Garage, there is a wall plate with (1) coax connector with a black cable.

In the Camping Side Pass-Thru Storage, there is a wall plate with (1) coax connector for outside TV viewing with a black cable. I'm not trying to use this.

In the Wet Bay of the Hookup Side Pass-Thru Storage, there's a cable TV coax connector with an orange cable labeled "Cable/Satellite". I believe this is how you connect to the campground cable TV source on the pedestal.

I don't understand how this is all wired and how to get cable TV or antenna TV to the Living Room TV and Bedroom TV.

Can someone please explain this, and how to properly connect the TVs in the Living Room and Bedroom?

[jsb5717]

Hopefully this will help even though the placement of the various plates and connections is different in yours the general function should be similar. Yes, the Cable/Satellite connection in the Wet Bay is the input for external Cable of either sort. I would guess that the black cables are for Cable input and the Orange are for Satellite. Again...just a guess.

I created this diagram to help someone else with the same trailer as mine.

Edit: Here's a synopsis

- The Cable input from the Wet Bay and the Roof Antenna both route to the Winegard power supply. On = Over-The-Air transmission sent to all TV's. Off = Cable transmission sent to all TV's.
- A single cable routes from the Power Supply to a splitter
- The signal from the splitter is sent to the various locations throughout the trailer

[scottkeen]

Thank you. Some of that is very helpful.

I just learned that the Winegard wall plate with the LED and on/off switch is to toggle between OTA antenna (LED on) and cable TV (LED off).

I'm still not understanding what the 3 coax connectors are for behind my TV in the living room.

[scottkeen]

Here's the wall plates with the color of the coax cables.

[jsb5717]

Originally Posted by scottkeen

Here's the wall plates with the color of the coax cables.

Here's a semi-educated guess. The orange ones are a little mystery but External Satellite feed is a possibility. They also might not come from the splitter. Not sure where the input might be or if I'm just off on that.

Here is also a tool that might help you trace the cables.

[jsb5717]

Also, for me it was helpful to remove the basement wall to see where the splitter is and where the various cables are heading. That can also explain a lot.

[scottkeen]

I *think* figured it out. Here's the diagram.

The splitter was stuffed up in the ceiling behind the Winegard wall plate, inside the W/D closet in the bedroom.

What makes no sense to me is the patch cable in the Living Room between the (2) orange cables. It seems it would just be easier and cleaner to use a coupler. Perhaps it's for troubleshooting or bypassing the Winegard switch and splitter so you can have a direct cable TV connection.

[scottkeen]

Originally Posted by jsb5717

Here's a semi-educated guess. The orange ones are a little mystery but External Satellite feed is a possibility. They also might not come from the splitter. Not sure where the input might be or if I'm just off on that.

Here is also a tool that might help you trace the cables.

Thank you! Our diagrams are pretty close.

I agree, the (2) orange cables in the Living Room is a mystery.

I found that if I did not run the short patch cable between them, then none of the TVs got a signal.

I also found if I connect the Living Room TV directly to the bottom orange cable, then I got cable TV in the Living Room but none of the other TVs got a signal.

So I'm pretty sure the bottom orange cable runs directly to the CableTV/Satellite connector in the wet bay.

The splitter had all black cables on it.

[scottkeen]

I don't know if this is right, but this works.

If I don't have the patch cable, then none of the TVs get a signal.

No idea why Keystone would do it this way. I'm assuming this patch cable is correct.

Perhaps the previous owner of this RV did this for some reason...

[jsb5717]

I've seen patch cables in other rigs as well. Ours didn't have/need one. What matters is that you are able to use it! Good job!

[scottkeen]

Originally Posted by jsb5717

I've seen patch cables in other rigs as well. Ours didn't have/need one. What matters is that you are able to use it! Good job!

Ah, so I'm not the only one with the mysterious patch cable!

Thank you jsb5717 for your help and time, with your diagram and info that the Winegard switch is a toggle between the OTA Antenna and the CableTV/Satellite. My RV friends told me incorrectly it was a signal amplifier for the antenna and I should keep it on. Sure glad you gave me the right info!

Your help was the missing piece to the puzzle that got me on the right track so I can map out what I believe is the correct wiring diagram.

I have cable TV on all the TVs with the Winegard set to Off. When I set the Winegard to On, it should give me the signal from the OTA antenna on the roof but I'm getting no channels. I'm going up on the roof sometime in the future to check the coax cable connection. For now, the cable TV is good enough.

Have a blessed day,

Scott

[jsb5717]

Are you in an area that should have OTA signal? The range is about 50 miles or so...line of sight. Maybe a little higher with the crank-up style antenna. I've been in many places where I received no signal yet I can get 60 or so in my driveway.

[scottkeen]

Originally Posted by jsb5717

Are you in an area that should have OTA signal? The range is about 50 miles or so...line of sight. Maybe a little higher with the crank-up style antenna. I've been in many places where I received no signal yet I can get 60 or so in my driveway.

Maybe I'm too far out of range. I'm in rural hill country in Texas. I'm backed into a site covered by shade surrounded by large pecan trees (shade is good in Texas!)

I used AntennasDirect website to put in my exact address. I also tried AntennaWeb.

Looks like most of the broadcast antennas for me are 50-70 miles away.

I tried to scan for channels on my Living Room and Bedroom TVs with both my rooftop antenna running through the Winegard switch (switched On), and an amplified Mohu Leaf 50 antenna connected directly to the Living Room TV only. Neither antenna was able to get any TV channels.

Since I could not get channels with the amplified Mohu Leaf 50 connected directly to the Living Room TV, I'm less suspicious of a wiring problem with the antenna on the roof.

[jsb5717]

I'm guessing you're fine. If you move around then you can try different locations. Closer to larger cities should yield some good results. The crank up antenna's are also directional so you have to mess around a bit to get it aimed for best reception.

One thing I did on my rig was to open and expose every coax connection I could find and tighten every one. They were all loose. I kept getting intermittent fuzzy pictures. Problem solved after tightening.

[Foldbak]

That wiring makes Keytv look pretty nice right now

[C&P RV]

Originally Posted by scottkeen

Maybe I'm too far out of range. I'm in rural hill country in Texas. I'm backed into a site covered by shade surrounded by large pecan trees (shade is good in Texas!)
.

Chances of getting anything OTA from that location are very slim. There is a ridge between you and San Antonio and TV is pretty much line of sight. You might get KMYS (CW) which is actually in Kerrville if you aim your antenna in that direction.

Good luck!

[Bill Forester]

https://www.montanaowners.com/forums...5&d=1504820443

we have a 2011 347THT since new. the cable outlets from the factory never actually worked even when new.

search the MOC group for "Sat and Cable hook-up"

There is a thread with a schematic for the tv outlets. I tried to paste it ablve.

The 12 volt power outlet booster in the cabinet only works with the crank up over the air antenna on the roof. Turn it off when using the park cable connected to the convenience center.

If you are using Dish TV with their convertor boxes we have better success running a cable to the main tv via the slide out up to the cabinet below the tv. same in the bedroom. we run a cable through the storage compartment up to the convertor box sitting on the cabinet under the window.

we change all the original tv's to be smart tv's. We bought a tv for the garage area with a dvd player and have used that instead of tv.

good luck

[Colorado Kampers]

Clark is correct. Assuming you might be at Johnson Creek RV Park in Ingram/Kerrville, we've never found any Over The Air signals there. Back in 2018 I noted no OTA.
https://smallhomebigyard.wordpress.c...lle-ingram-tx/
.

[Doug Kindred]

Originally Posted by scottkeen

I don't know if this is right, but this works.

If I don't have the patch cable, then none of the TVs get a signal.

No idea why Keystone would do it this way. I'm assuming this patch cable is correct.

Perhaps the previous owner of this RV did this for some reason...

Had the same problem with our 05 Mountaineer. I believe the jumper is used to connect a VCR. That's what ours did. I had to figure out which jack was the input and then the out jack. Hate commercials so we dvr everything. Plus, you can watch a one hour show in 40 minutes. Also, start watching a football game about a hour and half in and not miss a play.

Doug and Barbara Kindred, Eugene, Oregon.

Sad to say, we sold the rig to our cousin because I can't climb stairs anymore. Look to buy a smaller travel trailer next year if this ##@%*** inflation goes away.

[phillyg]

The diagrams don't help if the person wiring your particular unit was out sick the day KS taught wiring at training camp.