Exterior Coax Connection Not Working

[Msu50000]

Football season! Camping over Labor Day weekend and with the weather not going to cooperate thought we'd get some use from our outdoor TV set up.

First, with TV set up inside and connected to TT we were able to pull in more than 40 channels. There's a small panel near the TV inside that has a Satellite output and an OTA antenna output. There is a button on the small panel that the dealership told me is a booster for the OTA antenna. TV is connected to antenna with the booster turned on when we pull in 40+ OTA channels.

So I took the same TV and put it outside and connected to the exterior antenna jack, left booster on inside. No channels were coming through. Ran auto scan 3 times with booster on and off. And just to clarify, this is not the "cable in" jack on the other exterior side of the trailer that i would use to connect to a CG or park. Any ideas on what could be wrong?

[RSD559]

Here is the photo:

Antenna Booster

The grey cable in the back going left, is the output. The front grey cable, going to the right, is the input.

[RSD559]

I checked mine by putting a coax cable on the exterior cable input connector, and jamming tin foil into the end, so the wire and the outside nut are shorted. Then I went around to the different outputs and cables and checked for continuity with my multi-meter. I had it set to beep when continuity is made. I also noted what color the cables were.
My cable coax came in all grey to the booster. The antenna coax is white. Out of the booster it is still grey until it hits the splitter, where the two outputs are orange. The booster is the key. I chased my connection from outside, to the booster. The output from the booster split off and one went to the main TV and the other outside. Clear as mud. I mentioned the problem to the service writer at the dealership. He wasn't real thrilled about chasing wires under the skin of the trailer. I talked to the mechanic as well. He fixed the problem, but didn't document it. I'm guessing either they had the input and output mixed up, or the booster was bad. But it works now, and I have the system documented.
FYI - If you pull the booster out of the wall or ceiling, with the soldered on coax connector pointing at you and the button pointing at you, the antenna coax (white) is connected on the left side. The input where the park cable connection comes into the booster (grey) is on the right side. Behind it, is the output coax cable (grey) that goes to the splitter (orange).
Yours may differ from mine, but nothing was really hidden. I just had to do some investigating. I have a picture of the booster and cables, I'll figure out how to post it and do so.

[Msu50000]

Checked behind the butt9n inside and all 3 coax connections are made and tight. Also checked outside connection, it's also tight. I'll give the dealership a call and see what they can do before I find the time to chase it down myself.

[greende]

Msu50000 wrote:
Thanks all, I'll dig into it today.

If this is the first time you've used this outlet, it may not have been hooked up at the factory. My 5er has a splitter in the line because the bedroom Television is just above my outdoor hookup. I put a signal tracer on the line and got nothing at the outdoor coax. Turned out to be a bad splitter. It was under warranty so I let CW fix it.

[RSD559]

I have the same problem. There is a general system diagram for the different types of RVs on the manufacturer's website. I e-mailed them about where the inputs hook up to the outputs, and they indicated that in the Ultra-lights, there is no splitter, and that all connections join at the booster. I have to put the slide out to check that, and haven't gotten the trailer into the back yard yet.

[Msu50000]

Thanks all, I'll dig into it today.

[D_E_Bishop]

Behind the panel with the little pushbutton its a series(3) of coax f connectors. One coax is the antenna in, o e is the TV signal out to the set, at this point you know it is working. The third shouln go to outside connector.

First make sure and check behind the connctor plate and make sure there is a coax connected to the F connecter. The odds are the other end is somewhere by the power switch for the antenna.

You did not mention having a BOMB(box of many buttons) or a commonliy used device to have a series of inputs, TV, DVD player etc., so you need to look for a coax back behind the panel and hook it to the on/off switch's third f connector.

Google, Winegard and work your way to the wiring diagrams for the power switch and coax connections in your rig. Probably all you need is a screwdrivr and flashlight to hook up the outside connector. If you need more help, do
An advanve search for SCVJeff, he really is the local expert on Winegard, or PM me and I'll direct you to resourses you need.

[SoundGuy]

Msu50000 wrote:
There is a button on the small panel that the dealership told me is a booster for the OTA antenna.

Your wall plate has no boost function at all, when the button is pushed in and the indicator light comes on it's merely sending 12 vdc to the antenna head where there is a signal preamp.

Any ideas on what could be wrong?

Obviously the cable running from that exterior connector back to the wall plate is not connected to the "Set 2" connector on the circuit board.

[bobndot]

Any ideas on what could be wrong?

Sometimes its easier to simply run a separate coax when needed at the outside location. Screw the coax into a source that works and watch the game.

If you are looking for something to do ......
Double check the original location where the tv worked before you moved it.
Make sure the other location that previously worked is still working because the roof coax can become loose due to over the road travel or the up/down movement of the antenna.

The coax cable located in the outside compartment should then be checked if that's the location where it is not working.

coax often becomes unscrewed behind the coax connection for the tv due to being compressed inside the relatively thin rv wall in combination with the movement of the rv bouncing down the highway.

Unscrew the 2 screws holding the plate cover and check to see if the cable is screwed on tightly.
If you buy a tester you can see if the signal kicks on when you jiggle the coax at various locations.
You can buy inexpensive coax testers at places like H.Depot for $15.
Check the coax cable to see if it has a connection. If not trace it to determine where the break is. They use splitters inside walls etc .

[Msu50000]

Sounds like I will have to get it into the dealer. Once the season is over.

[Msu50000]

Yes, see first post. There is a jack labeled specifically for park hook ups. The jack in referring to is where an outside TV mount is factory installed.

[garyemunson]

Are you sure you are looking at a jack that is supposed to be an outside antenna output and not the input for RV park cable? I don't recall seeing outside antenna outputs on RVs unless it was inside a external entertainment center compartment (and a permanent TV was mounted) .

[newman_fulltime]

look for another connecrion where rhe tv connected inside some make you use a loop to connect the outside one

[Mandalay_Parr]

Is there a switch inside that might select inside or outside TV?
Once you scan the inside you don't need to scan again.