Winegard TV signal booster not working

[DouglasC]

The subject says it all. All of a sudden I can't get any reception on my TV. Currently I'm located about 35 miles from Cincinnati, OH and when the booster light is on, I had the TV program the channels. It found nothing - - and the same thing happened with a 2nd TV that I have in the bedroom.

I checked to see if there were any loose wires but everything seems to be tight. Do these Winegard boosters tend to fail after awhile (this one is over 9 yrs old)? Anyone have any ideas? Thanks!

[dclark1946]

wa8yxm wrote:
Sorry you did that, The Jack is not as powerful as a Sensar IV... But glad you are happy with it.

Especially for VHF channels.

Dick

[wa8yxm]

Sorry you did that, The Jack is not as powerful as a Sensar IV... But glad you are happy with it.

[DouglasC]

UPDATE: I bought a King Jack replacement head/antenna at Camping World and installed it in 5 minutes - - taking the old Winegard batwing antenna off and installing the King Jack. Everything is now working great!

Thanks again to everyone who responded to my plea for help!

[wa8yxm]

DouglasC wrote:
I assumed that when I pressed the "Off/On" button and the light came on that I had 12VDC. Is that not correct?

Well... Yes, and no.

The light coming on means you have 12 volt at the switch which is a multi function device.. But it is NOT the booster. as someone else said the booster is in the antenna head up above the roof.

You need to make sure you have 12 volts at the antenna end of the coax (BE CAREFUL DO NOT SHORT IT OR you may have fun finding the fuse.

Also you need to make sure the antenna is facing the correct direction.

If you need help with that.. IF you have a "Wingman" it points toward the transmitters.. if not, Imagine looking straight ahead, Arms extended out to your side... The antenna is like you.. It "Faces straight ahead" with the arms extended to the side.

(NOTE Without the wingman it can fact either towards, or away from, the stations Just not off to the side)

[willi4nd]

Are you just passing through Cincy? N S E or W ? 35 miles south of Cincy is Delightful Days RV, off the Walton exit, they have Winegard antennas in stock....assuming yours is bad.

[enblethen]

You should be able to buy just the head.
Some have switched head out to the Jack model.Jack replacement head

[DouglasC]

Thanks to everyone for the quick responses. I checked for 12VDC at the antenna head per the Winegard instructions and as was suggested by "enblethen". There is 12VDC at the end of the cable going into the head on the roof - - so it appears that the head is defective and the antenna needs to be replaced!

[1775]

Maybe just too obvious -

1- Do you have an A/B switch to switch from Cable connection to the RV to the Antenna connection that goes into the TV? Is the switch set for Antenna.

2 - Is the TV menu source set to Antenna? (mine has two settings cable or antenna)

3 - If you are in a campground, ask another RV in the campground if they are getting antenna reception. I have been in a few places where there was no reception of broadcast signals at all.

Maybe all of this is A-OK but it is better than tearing your wiring apart and finding that a switch was not set correctly later.

[Johno02]

Sure sounds like you have no signal. Check for power at the Antenna end of the coax. No power there, thats your problem. See the pictures posted by the others. Good examples there.

[Old-Biscuit]

DouglasC wrote:
I assumed that when I pressed the "Off/On" button and the light came on that I had 12VDC. Is that not correct?

Just means you have 12V DC there.....at the light

Doesn't mean you have 12V DC at antenna where amplifier is located OR that amplifier is functioning.

You need to 'test' coax cable at antenna connection....if you have 12V DC there the amplifier probably isn't working




LINK to Manual where test is explained Pg. 6

[DouglasC]

There are 3 coaxial cables coming into the back of the unit plus a wire which I assume is the hot wire for the power to the unit. I can find no fuse! There is very little room to work and the cables will not pull out from the wall more than 2" to 3". I did check for 12VDC and there is power coming into the unit. I have no idea why there are 3 coaxial cables (seems like there should only be 2 (one in from the antenna and one out to the rear TV) - - and I don't know which cable goes to the antenna.

[DouglasC]

I assumed that when I pressed the "Off/On" button and the light came on that I had 12VDC. Is that not correct?

[enblethen]

The booster is actually in the head. The unit on the wall or ceiling is the power supply that induces 12 volts DC onto the coaxial cable.
First check the fuse on the back of the unit. Pull it out of the wall or ceiling. check to make sure 12 volts is getting to the unit, check to insure 12 volts is on both sides of the fuse.
Probe into the coaxial cable center pin to insure 12 volts is going toward the antenna.
Reconnect everything if 12 volts is going toward the head. If 12 volts is going toward the head, go onto the roof disconnect the coaxial cable from head. Check to see if 12 volts is present on the cable. 12 volts present would mean head has failed and needs to be replaced. No voltage means cable has an issue and needs to be looked into.

[donn0128]

They can. Have you checked it for 12VDC?