Forum Discussion

mdprowash's avatar
mdprowash
Explorer
Sep 04, 2019

Do all campers have a switch to amplify antenna?

I recently purchased a modified camper. Hutch was removed and swivel tv was installed. I went out to try and get over the air channels... no dice. I'm thinking previous owner did away with the switch.

BTW... how does one post pics on this site? I don't see any way to attach...

18 Replies

  • You might disassemble the entire trailer and not find a switch, some just don't have them.

    Winegard was pretty much the standard for many years, lately cheap is becoming the standard.
  • Brand new Montana High Country fifth wheel ... searched all over for the booster on-off switch ... everywhere! Couldn't find it. Called my dealership, they didn't know, said it probably doesn't have one. I'm thinking ... well... with all the new electronics this beast has, maybe it's just a component that's "on" all the time, and perhaps the "old style" booster with the on-off button doesn't exist any more. I then dismissed it from my mind and accepted the fact, it doesn't exist.

    No kidding .... 6 months later I was cleaning out one of the cabinets near the television, and inside the cabinet behind the frame of the door, completely out of sight, was the booster with the on-off switch, green light, and 12 volt cigarette lighter style plug. It also had a second coax wire, and a short wire jumping the 2 together. WHAT?

    Moral of the story.... keep digging. It's there somewhere!
  • RoyB's avatar
    RoyB
    Explorer II
    Most all of the RV TRAILER will have what is called a TV WALL PLATE that looks like this...


    Google image

    Most everyone will refer to this as the booster amplifier for their BATWING Antenna. This is really just a switch unit that send DC VOLTAGE up to the RV ANTENNA that has a BOOSTER AMPLIFIER built-in to their roof mounted antenna.

    When the light is 'ON' on this panel then the CABLE TV INPUTS to the trailer is muted...


    Google image

    This is available from AMAZON...

    Like others have said you may have to look around where this TV WALL PLATE is installed...

    Roy Ken
  • My FW came with an omni antenna, and it has no switch. It works great when not too far from towers, but will have nothing, if towers are distant. My dealer insisted there has to be a switch somewhere, but a call to manufacturer confirmed no switch.

    What make/model antenna do you have? Do you have your tv set properly for over air viewing?

    Jerry
  • Some don’t come with an antenna at all. Usually that do have a booster but some times it tucked away in a cabinet. It’s rare to find a unit without a booster.
  • I’ve had 4 over the 35 year of camping and they all had them.
  • mdprowash wrote:
    I recently purchased a modified camper. Hutch was removed and swivel tv was installed. I went out to try and get over the air channels... no dice. I'm thinking previous owner did away with the switch.

    BTW... how does one post pics on this site? I don't see any way to attach...

    It is pretty standard nowdays. But my first TT had no attenna of any type.

    So I would not say they all have it.