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wayne1234's avatar
wayne1234
Explorer
Jun 10, 2018

antenna will not pickup ditigal channels

This hasn't happened before. On my way back from Florida this year for some reason I could not pickup any over the air channels. The power light is green and I have changed the antenna thinking that may be the problem.
Still nothing. I am not a tech person but can do some things. Can anyone tell me a simple way to check that the antenna is working, the cable from the antenna is ok and how I would check the power source. Both tv locations are not working.
Thanks,
Wayne

17 Replies

  • You made this trip before
    Everything worked
    It worked while in FL

    Did you leave the antenna up, and hit something?
    Break the antenna
    Break the coax cable
    Use park cable and forget to switch back to antenna and do a channel scan
  • Boomerweps wrote:
    Digital TV uses UHF only ...


    Nonsense. While many transmitters were moved to the UHF band during the analogue to digital changeover a few years ago not all did and now with repacking some of these transmitters will be returning to VHF. Here in S Ontario flagship station CFTO for the CTV network has always transmitted on VHF CH9 ... and still does. ;)
  • Most likely a switch got flipped or something got unplugged.
    Did you connect anything different or maybe plug in a charger after Myrtle Beach that your amp ended up being unplugged?
  • Thanks to everyone for your replies. To answer a few of the responses.
    While in Florida I had digital tv. When I left my first stop was Savannah Ga. I had digital tv. My next stop was Myrtle Beach, no digital tv. The next stop was Gettysburg Pa. no digital tv. My question is what happened after I left Savannah and could not get digital tv. Is there an easy way to check and the one person who suggested a cable break, I will check that ASAP.
    Thank you to all,
    Wayne
    PS how do I check the power system?
  • Try it near a large city with several TV stations.
    Digital TV uses UHF only so the signal is much more limited in range and more sensitive to loss from physical blockage and travels shorter distances due to earth's curvature. I.e., mostly near line of sight.
    If you are near a large city with someTV stations,you could buy and try a small window antenna or the so-called "magic stick" antennas. If it works for the TV, connect it to the cable coming out from your antenna to see if the internal cable is good. If that works then bad antenna. A lot of the newer antennas have built in amplifiers which must have power and turn on. Mine uses the 12VDC so it works when not connected to shore power.
  • * your coax has a break in it or has otherwise become disconnected from the tv

    * your power booster is off or not working

    * you have not selected ANTENNA on either your video selector switch and/or in your TV's SOURCE or INPUT

    * you're out of range of TV signals and/or not pointing the antenna in the right direction.