Cable, Air, switch

[frosty1_4me]

Hi,

Since I'm looking for answers and you guys are so helpful maybe you can me out once more.

In the cupboard above the TV there is a booster switch of some kind. There is a fuse in it, and there is a switch that goes can be toggled from cable, to air or to off. There is a power light on it which never has come on and I didn't know what it was for and wrongly assumed it would work if I was hooked up to something else.

What are these things for? And if the power light doesn't come on I'm guessing it's cooked. (the fuse is fine)

Thanks.

[RoyB]

I'm getting too old for all of the newer trailer setups...

Thanks for the manual that I will add to my digest folder...

Roy Ken

[j-d]

JENSEN setup. Never seen one, Doug's Da Man! Seems your AM/FM Radio should be working, off the Jensen Plate, whether Antenna Power is functioning or not. I downloaded the Manual. Thanks for linking it!

[frosty1_4me]

Well I finally found the manual for this setup online.

My trailer is a 2010 tracer 3000 bhd. I have checked the fuse and it's not burnt out. So that leaves me with the other suggestions of checking the ground, and power going into the switch.

I've attached a url to the manual of what it looks like and it explains what it's supposed to do. Mine has never worked, so I have some trouble shooting to do.

Switch manual (my unit has fig. 9 setup)

I'll start with the ground and power, then move on to the coaxel cable to be sure it's hooked up properly (which I don't think should affect the power to the switch) and finally I'll replace the switch.

Of course the cable on the back are soldered to it and the are really short for some reason so I can't pull it out that much.

Thanks for all the info, I'll keep you posted as to the result.

[dougrainer]

This is what she has. Doug

Note, the mini ATC fuse is NOT installed.

[j-d]

Oh...

RoyB's pic shows a Winegard "Wing Man" attached to the head of his batwing antenna head. That part is a huge help on older versions of the antenna.

IF you have one of the older ones, you Want, NEED actually, to add one of those. Newer versions have that capability built in. What happened when OTA TV went Digital was the common "old" VHF channels 2-13 were actually assigned to new frequencies UHF 14 and up. Channel 7 isn't actually VHF-7 anymore. Just looks that way because computers and software make it look so.

Anyhow, Wingman greatly enhances the earlier Batwing's ability to get those UHF channels.

Be sure there's space on the roof to let the antenna fold into Travel Position before you order a Wingman.

PLEASE post a detailed report on what you find, what you do, and we'll try to help further.

[MFL]

Roy, not sure what OTA antenna the OP has, but my poor functioning Omni OTA antenna is also the radio antenna. I have no switches or power button to the mushroom antenna on the roof. It does work pretty well for FM radio, and not too bad for OTA tv, when close to towers.

I use a King Jack on a mast, fastened to my ladder, when regular reception is poor.

Jerry

[j-d]

RoyB just created a new High Water Mark in explaining and posting info about that Winegard "plate..." What it Is, Does, and how it's Wired.

Has your TV setup always been like this, or has the situation changed recently?
Any recent work done on it?
You say "fuse on it" --- Where?
Please note that the "ON" mode is ONLY for OTA (Off the Air aka Antenna) reception. It makes "Park" or "Cable" picture SNOWY.

Our coach's TV cabling was seriously cobbed by previous owners so the two of them could watch different programs using separate satellite receivers. Holes through the outside walls (and not sealed!) plus extra cable along inside walls and the connections on the back of that "Plate" rearranged.

I had just unscrambled a TV cabling mess created on a Winnebago VIEW by a "professional" using Winnie's on line wiring diagrams and help from a very sharp coach owner. Figured I could surely clean ours up after all that. Dug out the diagram RoyB served out so beautifully above, and went after it. Done in an hour.

Be sure the "plate" has power, light up on OTA (ON) mode.
Go up and disconnect coax cable at antenna head. Should have 12VDC up there. If No, replace Plate. If Yes, the electronics in the antenna head could be shot.

Your antenna cabling can be tested for continuity. Disconnect both ends. Short one end, jacket to core. Then read the other end, jacket to core. Should be Short, Zero Ohms.

RoyB's right about the Radio, too. It seems you have a Trailer, so there should be a separate antenna. Hard to see in his pic, but the indoor end simply pushes into place in its connections. You may have to work your way to the back of the radio to check this. Be sure any extenders/adapters that have been used, are also plugged tight.

[RoyB]

You didn't mention the year of your RV unit... I am not familiar with an antenna panel that has a toggle selector switch...

My 2008 setup has one of these WINEGARD ANTENNA WALL PANELs...


Both Cable and OTA antennas are hooked up and to switch from one to the other you press the small push button switch. When the LED light is ON then the OTA antenna is selected and the CABLE TV connection is muted. The LED light ON also tells you that 12VDC is being sent up to your OTA ANTENNA PRE-AMPLIFIER (BOOST AMPLIFIER) that is located in the base of the OTA antenna This panel does not have a toggle switch like yours have...

This is how my setup is layed out...


this is how the back of my ANTENNA WALL PANEL is wired...


The SET 2 in this pictorial is the BEDROOM TV hookup...

I know this doesn't show your setup but maybe this will help you troubleshoot what you have knowing what the process might look like...

"It's frustrating not to get simple radio" This OTA Antenna panel has nothing to do with your AM/FM RADIO reception. You should have a separate spring loaded WHIP TYPE antenna on your roof for the AM/FM radio setup you have...

My OTA TV Antenna looks like this when cranked up...




My AM/FM Radio antenna looks like this one...

Roy Ken

[dougrainer]

frosty1_4me wrote:
Well good to know. I guess that means mine needs to be replaced since the light never comes on. I don't see a manual switch on this one besides the toggle switch.

This might explain why I have such horrible reception. If I'm not parked in my driveway, the reception is so bad on this thing I can't get a signal. Yet my truck gets reception no problem and the same with other trailers that we are camping with. It's frustrating not to get simple radio.

I don't suppose you know the technical name of these?

Thanks!

IF you have a "toggle" switch, that indicates you do NOT have a Winegard antenna system(the most common system). You probably have a Jensen type Antenna with its specific booster. This system has a 3 position toggle switch. OFF---Antenna-Cable. The light will come on both Cable and Antenna. The fuse may be good, but the SUPPLY to the booster may be dead(no 12 volts). That needs checked with a voltmeter. Since you SEE this fuse, that indicates it is NOT a Winegard booster system, as the Jensen has the mini ATC fuse on the outside plate where you see it. Doug

[Dutch_12078]

frosty1_4me wrote:
Well good to know. I guess that means mine needs to be replaced since the light never comes on. I don't see a manual switch on this one besides the toggle switch.

This might explain why I have such horrible reception. If I'm not parked in my driveway, the reception is so bad on this thing I can't get a signal. Yet my truck gets reception no problem and the same with other trailers that we are camping with. It's frustrating not to get simple radio.

I don't suppose you know the technical name of these?

Thanks!

The technical name is a "power injector". You mentioned a fuse, have you checked that it's good?

[frosty1_4me]

Well good to know. I guess that means mine needs to be replaced since the light never comes on. I don't see a manual switch on this one besides the toggle switch.

This might explain why I have such horrible reception. If I'm not parked in my driveway, the reception is so bad on this thing I can't get a signal. Yet my truck gets reception no problem and the same with other trailers that we are camping with. It's frustrating not to get simple radio.

I don't suppose you know the technical name of these?

Thanks!

[SoundGuy]

This wall plate, as so often erroneously described here on the forums, is not a "booster" and contains no electronics whatsoever to "boost" the signal coming from the antenna. It's merely a power injector, supplying 12 vdc to the antenna head which does contain a signal amplifier and when switched to the cable mode turns off 12 vdc to the antenna head. :R The purpose of the light is to indicate 12 vdc power is being sent to the antenna head on when in the antenna mode.

[allen8106]

Some of those boosters have to be manually turned on. There may be a small push button. Mine is a manual and the light is green when turned on.

[derh20]

in our unit, we put the which to air or cable and off when we are not watching TV. In the air or cable position, a red light is on. in the off position, the light is off. hope this helps