A simple air TV set-up?

The Wineguard site will tell you how to fix your crank up mechanism. The bat wing is perfectly fine for digital tv. Steer clear of miracle antennas. Age matters little. Most are equipped with a booster. This can fail. Hook up TV and turn booster on/off. If it's much better with booster on, it's probably ok.

Wow...well theres your problem.
Well not really,
Assuming components functioned, need to be interconnected? Odd. Obviously I think someone has fudged stuff for some reason. I seriously doubt this factory, wouldnt have mixed mfg parts, but it looks like all A-Tek.

But If the antennas coax doesn't go to plate then head not being amplified nor is signal being sent to plate (assuming your tv hooked to plate)-basically no antenna. Odd. Could be there still is something broke and it was disconnected by previous owner.

Yes the Winegard and Antenna Tek are VERY similar. IF the head fits your arms yes the inside wall plate will power (if it works), it just sends power to head. What I dont know even though they look identical if they indeed are physically interchangeable. Problem is if head doesnt fit, then what. If the wall plate isnt sending power? $25(it could be powering indicator light but not to coax). Also you still need gears, $15.
Getting close to complete Winegard RVW-395 kit-(new head w/wingman, arms, mount, inside amplifier plate, coax) everything but roll of byutl tape and some caulk for
$108 free ship Amazon-
$89+ship @AdventureRv.net
just sayin.

As to wiring the plate there are plates with different functions, dont know if labeled. Some run differnt number of TVs, inputs (over the aire or cable). 3 posts, 1 to ant, center for cable input, one to second tv.

The comment about coax ending at roof inside cabinet- from the anttnea or the tv side? Might have had a short jumper coax to plate.

Im also unclear-when hooked up before, TV was direct to anttena or plate?
No signal if direct wired would make the head board suspect-however it could also be signal non-amplified just too weak or pointed in right direction on intial setup. Though easy to spend your money and recommend replacing it all, I think I would backtrack and see what really isnt working as it wasnt hooked up.

1st Have you tested the output of plate to antenna, attach a short piece of coax to ant post of plate, test center lead for power. If you have power then it would drive a new head.
Coax cable is always suspect. test (disconnected no power)continuity between center and ground, shouldnt be any, test continuity between ends of coax center leads, then ground. (or replace)
If plate and coax good I would set the head back up retest (tv to plate, plate to ant). If nothing try reorient 90° retest.

Thanks, AnEv942 for the clarification on some of this stuff. I'm slowly grasping some of it. Now, I think I'm going to get the Sensar IV replacement head with the Wingman already on it,$50 on Amazon. Now, will the old wall plate work, being its an Antenna-Tek ? I took it out of the wall, there is no cable run to it, nothing, just the three posts.
Why did they do that? Its powered up. I'll have to fish coax to the wall plate from the antenna, and then to one or two tv's, right?
The coax to the tv that is in the camper ends right inside the roof in the overhead storage compartment. Why did they not run cable to the plate when they manufactured the camper? Also, the mast looks exactly like the one in your picture. Would they have used a Winegard mast with Antenna-Tek products back then when the thing was manufactured(1997). Will the old wall plate power the new Winegard replacement? I guess that is the big question?
will the new Winegard head fitting match the my old Antenna-Tek mast? If they aren't identical they sure look close.

Thanks, eveready

Dont know where your at on this eveready1289..3 days ago but

There is a tv hook-up on the counter by the sink, with a little black switch on it. What is the little switch for? A red led comes on when switched, no red led the other.

When switched on sends 12v thru center wire of the coax cable/ant wire to the board inside the head. Yes, the board inside the head is a signal amplifier for over the air signal. Led just an on indicator. If the board inside head bad, signal wont pass thru from ant. whether or not its receiving power-. (However if its not getting power signal and board good will still pass signal just weaker.)

Unless near a strong station, ours at least, needs to be on to get reception. You can test output with a meter, when on, should be 12v at center wire of coax on roof before it enters head. If no power, test at inside plate Or with another pieces of coax) to verify not ant coax. (Also test theres no continuity between coax center and outer shield-short no reception)

Also there is a small hole on the same plate below it, about 1 inch in dia. or so. What is that.

Simple 12v power outlet for 12v TV (or other low amp 12v use). If your using inverter or other 12v outlet fine, its not required to be used for reception.

That isn't a tv amplifier switch is it?
yup, you were correct
Can I get the antenna gear out by myself and run new cable, or would the cable probably be alright? (test)

The worm gear is broke.

Thats a problem, sure looks similar to a Winegard part but wouldnt guess if interchangeable.

I went up and took the top off. Its a SignalCommander, whether that is the make of model? So I know its not the tv that was in the camper, now I know that much.gghj

Though I might switch to more readily available Winegard
Sensor 3

(FYI not for price but typ.complete kit)
If you have room Id go the Sensor IV-bit more but the added 'wingman' does improve reception over standard III, though can be added later.

However if you can narrow down parts needed they can still be had direct from Antenna Tek http://www.antennatek.com/acces.php
But if you need head board (even Winegard for some reason doesn't offer separate) you'll need complete head and parts cost adding up. They sell new ant kits reasonably
Antenna Tek.com

Good luck

What is a good online antenna and parts site, for A-tec?
Does anyone have any recommendations. I will try and get a pic of the mast and base of the antenna on here. I need the worm gear the most. I may try a home brew antenna, just for kicks. I have all that stuff laying around the garage.

The Signal Commander antenna you have (had) on your RV is quite old and you really need to replace it if you have not done so already. I seem to remember that it used the same mount setup as a Winegard but I can't be sure.
If you take a picture of the mounting arms and the bottom of the antenna I could likely tell.
In any case, this is most likely the reason you are getting no reception. You need to replace this with the Sensar III or IV (IV absolutely, but it requires an additional 10" of clearance). When you replace the head you will also need to replace the power supply inside so you get the best performance.

I have a picture of the inside of the antenna. Is the small circuit board an amplifier? It looks fine but I guess that doesn't mean anything. If it is bad would that be the source of there being no signal at the tv? Also there is pic of the worm gear.

RoyB wrote:
Of course the best antenna I ever used was one of the LOWES $90 long yagi's but it destroyed itself from me having to fold it up when in transport. Did last a year however. It stuck out a good four feet or so over both ends of my POPUP trailer hehe.. Sometime I couldn't turn it for hitting a tree...

This is a photo shot of my present BATWING antenna setup with my OFF-ROAD POPUP trailer - Does very well camping off the power grid...


Here at the house I have been experimenting with one of these DB8 antenna from SOLID SIGNAL.com. It was recently on sale for $49 and I picked up one. This is one of those Eight BOW TIE two flat panel antenna that picks up our HDTV OTA Broadcast signal from Washington DC some 50-60 miles North of us. This should work out great when camping off the power grid and I will have it up in the air about 12-feet with my PVC antenna mount. I added a RCA TVPREAMP1R that will operate from the RG6 TV feed line supping 9VDC from an inline power feed down in the trailer.

My HDTV in my trailer is a 22-inch VIZIO from WALMART...

Looks like this google image...




Will let you guys know how it works out off the power grid soon... Initial test here on the ground comparing with a BATWING usig the same PVC pole looks very promising... I am picking up 36 or so full screen high Def BROADCAST SYSTEM TV signals from the Washington DC area.


Roy Ken

Thanks Roy...I have a TT on a lot 70 miles in 3 directions from 3 large cities...the batwing may not be much help soon since we are putting a pavilion over our camper

We bought this and it works amazingly well! We were surprised!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BN5Z2WM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have some more info. I have tried two tv's now. One almost new, and the one that was in the camper, which is fairly new. After doing a channel search they both find no channels. There is a tv hook-up on the counter by the sink, with a little black switch on it.
What is the little switch for? A red led comes on when swithed, no red led the other. Also there is a small hole on the same plate below it, about 1 inck in dia. or so. What is that. That isn't a tv amplifier switch is it? Can I get the antenna gear out by myself and run new cable, or would the cable probably be alright? The worm gear is broke.
I went up and took the top off. Its a SignalCommander, whether that is the make of model? So I know its not the tv that was in the camper, now I know that much.