TV antenna

BobSchaar wrote:
When I first bought my 2015 Solaire 220X I was able to receive several channels on my TV. Now-a-days I am lucky to be able to pull in 1 or 2 channels. The antenna is stationary (not crank-up). I know reception depends on distance to tv signal antennas, tress overhead, etc., but I normally camp in the same spaces from year to year. The booster at the receptacle is always turned on. Do these antennas fail? Is there some other aftermarket booster that I can install? I don't watch a lot of TV while camping but in the fall I like to watch college football from the campground when I can. p.s....A satellite dish is out of the question right now. Thanks in advance :)

Yes, the antenna can fail but a 4 year old unit "should not". You can disconnect the coax where it enters the antenna and verify that you good 12V power in the coax itself. If you do and other connections all look good (check each connection between antenna, power supply ((it's not a booster)) and the TV) then the antenna could be bad.
Many things are changing so ensuring you do a new channel scan on the TV is also necessary at each new location.

Check the coax connections for problems. Check for voltage problems at the antenna. Run a temp coax from the antenna to the booster and the booster to the TV. Also research and gather information on your model including trouble shooting.

Compare current reception to a neighbor especially one with the same antenna. Do you rescan channels when you move CGs?

BobSchaar wrote:
When I first bought my 2015 Solaire 220X I was able to receive several channels on my TV. Now-a-days I am lucky to be able to pull in 1 or 2 channels. The antenna is stationary (not crank-up). I know reception depends on distance to tv signal antennas, tress overhead, etc., but I normally camp in the same spaces from year to year. The booster at the receptacle is always turned on. Do these antennas fail? Is there some other aftermarket booster that I can install? I don't watch a lot of TV while camping but in the fall I like to watch college football from the campground when I can. p.s....A satellite dish is out of the question right now. Thanks in advance :)

the antenna can fail in terms of the amplifier and electronics in the antenna otherwise it's just a piece of metal. on a crank-up it is also possible that the coax cable or coax connectors are bad (usually due to UV rays or water intrusion). assuming no leaks and because your antenna is stationary that would not seem likely in your case. and assuming no change in your tv (new tv?) transmitter location, frequency, output power, obstructions between you and the transmitter, tree growth, etc that leaves your amplifier. if you have a neighbor in the CG with a similar antenna i'd ask how their reception is.

Did you rescan? Channels are changing AGAIN

There are several things that affect TV reception... THe fixed antennas are (My opinion) Junk. they have limited range (Will explain if I don't forget) I often find I have different "performance" parked within inches of the same part. For example WHen I last parked at the Thousand Trails campground I got one channel well out of Detroit.. The time before one channel well out of Sarnia. SAME SITE THE EXACT SAME SITE.

Right now what we hams call "Band conditions" basically suck.

I used to have a link to a page that showed real time band conditions. But alas it 404s now (page not found) and I am unable to find another site like it.

But as conditions change (we are at a LOW right now) what you can see changes

Some things that might improve your reception
1 A better antenna (Winegard Sensar IV)
2: Sensar pro Works with most POWERED rooftop antennad (Amplified)

Why is a directional antenna better.. To demo you need a pencil and a map, a push pin and the chain from a necklace (or a big string loop).

Push pin goes into the Map at a spot that represents your antenna (Need not be accurate since this is a "Demo")

Now arrange the necklace around it in a perfect circle centered on the pin.

THis is your "FIXED (Omni Directional) antenna.

Now Pull it out into an oval shape about 2 to 1 ration on the length v/s hight.

THis represents the WInegard Sensar II and III (Batwings) Without the Wingman NOTE this is not 100 percent (You need to move the chain off center a bit)

Now pull it into an egg shape with the pin around 1/4 the way from the "Big" end to the small end (along the major axis again) Notice how much farther out along the main axis the "Tip" (small end) if the chain is now?

THat's why Directional antennas are better.

Another thing if the Rig is parked long term.. HEIGHT is might.. if you can find a way to put a bigger antenna up higher.. The higher the better.

One person in the campground I'm in now has a yagi on top of a 10 foot mast

I'd go with my 20 foot flagpole or higher but.. I'm using the Sensar III _+ WIngman + Sensar Pro and .. more tv than I can watch.

Warning Politics... Recording the debates this week (end politics).

Great explanation of gain antennas. Mind if I steal it?

PNW_Steve wrote:
Great explanation of gain antennas. Mind if I steal it?

Go right ahead.

I should add (in support of some other replies) I mop my roof 2x a year and one trip suddenly I lost all OTA.

TUrns out the roof connector (yes there is a connector either sticking up through the roof or mounting plate or under a cover just in the roof near the base of the antenna) was toast. I replaced both cable ends and the barrel connector (Double female) and .. Instant reception.