Winegard TV Antenna May 17, 2016, 03:21:06 pm I have a Winegard crank-up antenna manufactured after Mar 2004. The coax cable connects to the antenna head with a standard coax connection with no protective boot or anything. At the base of the roof unit is a rubber boot into which the coax descends.My question: does anyone know if there is another coax connector protected by that rubber boot? I'm hoping that there is, for it would make replacing the exposed length of coax cable a whole lot easier. The rubber boot, in true LD fashion, is well sealed, and I hate to pull off all the sealant only to find no connector there, just the cable going down into the roof.Thanks.
Re: Winegard TV Antenna Reply #1 – May 18, 2016, 12:28:14 pm Ted on our 06 I replaced the antenna with a Jack model which required removing the entire unit. I don't recall a coax connection other than the one going into the old antenna head.Jim
Re: Winegard TV Antenna Reply #2 – May 18, 2016, 05:23:13 pm Thanks, Jim, although that wasn't what I wanted to hear. I may give my question a try on rv.net. Or...I just go ahead and free the boot, and then re-seal afterward whatever I find.
Re: Winegard TV Antenna Reply #3 – May 18, 2016, 09:07:31 pm Well, I got my answer from the good folks at Winegard. It is a single cable from the antenna head to the back of the wall plate power supply - no connector beneath the rubber hood.Hmmm, I wonder what the chances of success are for pulling a new cable from the roof to the wall plate? Would the coax connector at the end fit through the openings with an adapter fastening the new cable to it? Guess there's only way to find out.
Re: Winegard TV Antenna Reply #4 – May 19, 2016, 10:20:40 am Quote from: Ted H. - May 18, 2016, 09:07:31 pmHmmm, I wonder what the chances of success are for pulling a new cable from the roof to the wall plate? Would the coax connector at the end fit through the openings with an adapter fastening the new cable to it? Guess there's only way to find out.Ted If it is installed in LD's usual way, it is screwed, clamped and glued into position and will never move again.It might be easier to run a new cable. Larry
Re: Winegard TV Antenna Reply #5 – May 19, 2016, 01:57:17 pm Thanks, Larry. That's a good point about well the cable must be installed. I'm first going to cut the cable a few inches above the roof line and test there for voltage. If there is 12V there, I'll simply add a new length of cable from there to the antenna head.
Re: Winegard TV Antenna Reply #6 – May 19, 2016, 05:34:35 pm New cable was no problem on my 2006RB. The cable went through the roof through a fixture identical to the one used for the sewer vent. Remove the nut in the center (under some sealant), remove the the cap, then remove the sealant with a flat nosed pliers. No problem. Yours may be different.Harry 2006RB
Re: Winegard TV Antenna Reply #7 – May 20, 2016, 06:45:42 am Ah, I've been through the process of putting new cables through the LD-provided cable vent. It took hours to dig out that sealant. After sealing it up again, I don't think I want to go through that again. I'm going to try replacing just the above-roof portion of the cable first.
Re: Winegard TV Antenna Reply #8 – May 20, 2016, 07:36:30 pm Aha, the TV antenna failure has been cured! The break was about an inch outside the lower opening in the mast through which the cable passes. I cut the cable there, put a connector on it and made up a new cable to go from there to the antenna head. I put on of those sealed plastic covers over the connection. Presto - we now have TV once again.Thank you all for your suggestions. 3 Likes
Re: Winegard TV Antenna Reply #9 – July 11, 2016, 02:06:31 pm To Ted H. (WxToad) and others; I'm continuing this thread, rather than start a new one. I bought a King industries 'Jack' antenna to upgrade my TV. Assembly and installation was easy. But.... after 16+ years in the sun I decided to replace the coaxial cable portion on the roof. I had a boot at each end that essentially crumbled when moved. At the bottom end I dug out most of the caulking that LD filled the pass through hole with. I found a connector that I've unscrewed. The cable pulled out of the connector. I haven't got the connector out yet, but I decided to look at the underneath side. I've removed the crank handle, spring, rotating plate and plate attached to the ceiling. I can see and move the cable as it goes forward from near the crankshaft. Before I go any further; does anyone know if the fitting is fastened down at the pass through top plate, or is it a loose 90 degree fitting, or a straight coupler? I foresee recessing the crank handle into the ceiling (It would be more out of the way) and to disguise the hole I'll need to make to fix this. I might try putting a King signal strength meter ( Sl1000 ) in there also. My TV doesn't seem to have a signal meter function built in. Hoping someone can save me some work digging around, RonB
Re: Winegard TV Antenna Reply #10 – July 11, 2016, 08:32:00 pm Quote from: RonB - July 11, 2016, 02:06:31 pm I might try putting a King signal strength meter ( Sl1000 ) in there also. My TV doesn't seem to have a signal meter function built in.Don't recommend this. Any external meter such as this, used pass-thru, will deteriorate weak signals further. Just plug it into the antenna jack, and when you have the signal peaked, unplug and replug in the TV. Even good connectors will result in such signal loss and reflections, so the fewer the better.Steve
Re: Winegard TV Antenna Reply #11 – July 11, 2016, 10:32:10 pm The antenna's built-in amplifier will have raised the signal's amplitude enough so that tapping off some energy before the wall plate will not be a problem. However, the big problem of interrupting that coax cable is that the wall plate puts 12VDC on the center conductor of that coax to power the amplifier. That's what the little light on the wall plate is all about. As you push in the button, the switch reconnects the TV type-F outlet from the coach's CATV connection cable to the roof antenna, simultaneously turns on the power to the amplifier and turns on the little light to remind you that you are using DC batter power. Thus be sure that anything you put in that coax will pass the DC through to the antenna's amplifier. I have seen some two-way splitters that specifically have such a DC connection.As far as hooking up a meter elsewhere, you can unscrew the antenna line from the wall plate and temporally connect a level meter there as suggested. Another idea is to permanently connect the meter to the extra signal outlet that is on the BACK of the wall plate unit. If you get access to the back of that unit, there is a normally unused type-F connector on the back of that unit that is a the other arm of a two way splitter that feeds the type-F connector on the front of the wall-plate. (If there are two TV sets in the coach, like in at least some of the 30' LD's that outlet may be in use.) For more info, look up the RV wall-plate on Winegard's web site. Linley
Re: Winegard TV Antenna Reply #12 – July 23, 2016, 03:41:33 am Hi Steve and Linley; The King Industries SL 1000, (SL for Sure Lock I suppose) is intended to be installed in line. I'm still wrestling with the new RG-6U line from the antenna. There is a Female type F connector visible in the cable hole in the base casting. The hole is too small for the crimped on RG-6U connector. It's been too hot here to be on the roof except at dusk. Still working on other items. RonB
Re: Winegard TV Antenna Reply #13 – July 23, 2016, 12:02:31 pm Quote from: RonB - July 23, 2016, 03:41:33 amHi Steve and Linley; The King Industries SL 1000, (SL for Sure Lock I suppose) is intended to be installed in line. This I know, Ron - I have one. However, it is only an approximate tool, good for minimizing the number of 'autotunes' you need to perform on the tv. You don't need the TV connected for it to function, and fine tuning for the station you want is best done without it, else in fringe areas the signal loss it incurs used pass-thru, which is at least 3dB (half the signal strength), could wipe out several stations. If you intend to stay in high signal areas, it might not be a problem. In Los Angeles I get over 150 stations with the antenna. If that dropped to 120 or so, I'd never notice.Steve
Re: Winegard TV Antenna Reply #14 – July 23, 2016, 05:24:02 pm Hi Steve. Thanks for the feedback on the SL1000. I've ordered one to use not in line, but as you say to reduce auto-tunes. My 19" has unfriendly software, and is slow also. I can't tell if the "Jack" head is working, too many really strong, close-by stations in San Diego. I'm in the shadow of Black Mountain too. I only get 9.6 volts at the end of my roof cable. Tomorrow I plan to connect a good RF cable to the upper end, so I can check the DC resistance down to the Winegard wall plate. I did use an exacto knife on the end of the new connector, but a cut in the copper plating shouldn't increase resistance that much. The underlying steel still is a conductor. I may have other gremlins in the wiring. In 16 years I must have at least 10 hours total on the 4 TV's I've had. (9" Symphonic, 17" Envision, 19" Sharp, 24" Samsung, HD,LED backlight) RonB
Re: Winegard TV Antenna Reply #15 – July 23, 2016, 07:03:48 pm Quote from: RonB - July 23, 2016, 05:24:02 pm I only get 9.6 volts at the end of my roof cable. Tomorrow I plan to connect a good RF cable to the upper end, so I can check the DC resistance down to the Winegard wall plate.Ron, if you are measuring the cable end while disconnected from the antenna head, using a typical 10 MOhm input impedance DVM, then 9.6 V would not mean a cable issue. You would get either full battery voltage or zero if the cable was bad. Pull out the TV connection panel and check it down there. If full voltage, then the cable may be routed thru something else...OTOH, if you are somehow measuring the voltage WHILE connected, then it could be a cable or connection issue.Steve
Re: Winegard TV Antenna Reply #16 – July 26, 2016, 08:13:21 pm Quote from: Linley - July 11, 2016, 10:32:10 pmThe antenna's built-in amplifier will have raised the signal's amplitude enough so that tapping off some energy before the wall plate will not be a problem. However, the big problem of interrupting that coax cable is that the wall plate puts 12VDC on the center conductor of that coax to power the amplifier. That's what the little light on the wall plate is all about. As you push in the button, the switch reconnects the TV type-F outlet from the coach's CATV connection cable to the roof antenna, simultaneously turns on the power to the amplifier and turns on the little light to remind you that you are using DC batter power. Thus be sure that anything you put in that coax will pass the DC through to the antenna's amplifier. I have seen some two-way splitters that specifically have such a DC connection.As far as hooking up a meter elsewhere, you can unscrew the antenna line from the wall plate and temporally connect a level meter there as suggested. Another idea is to permanently connect the meter to the extra signal outlet that is on the BACK of the wall plate unit. If you get access to the back of that unit, there is a normally unused type-F connector on the back of that unit that is a the other arm of a two way splitter that feeds the type-F connector on the front of the wall-plate. (If there are two TV sets in the coach, like in at least some of the 30' LD's that outlet may be in use.) For more info, look up the RV wall-plate on Winegard's web site. LinleyWelcome to the new platform, Linley. I don't recall having seen your name for a long time. Hope all is going well.Chris
Re: Winegard TV Antenna Reply #17 – July 27, 2016, 11:16:29 am Quote from: Linley - July 11, 2016, 10:32:10 pmAnother idea is to permanently connect the meter to the extra signal outlet that is on the BACK of the wall plate unit. If you get access to the back of that unit, there is a normally unused type-F connector on the back of that unit that is a the other arm of a two way splitter that feeds the type-F connector on the front of the wall-plate. (If there are two TV sets in the coach, like in at least some of the 30' LD's that outlet may be in use.) For more info, look up the RV wall-plate on Winegard's web site. That's a good idea I hadn't thought of.... In our FL that jack is hooked to a line that terminates at another wall plate at the end of an overhead cabinet - at the HEAD of the cabover bunk! Not only can't I decipher the thinking in that, I can't imagine how they could have routed it! somewhere through the ceiling rafters or floor joists, perhaps, then up through the walls....Needless to say, we have no use for that run.Steve
Topic: Winegard TV Antenna (Read 643 times)
previous topic - next topic
Topic: Winegard TV Antenna (Read 643 times)
previous topic - next topic