TV System Kaput

[DLC678]

This post pertains to our 2011 Sandpiper. About one month ago, our TV SYSTEM stopped working. I haven't been thru it step by step, but I did take the TV (32" LCD) out of the camper; it seems to work fine. Picks up about 5 channels with no antenna and hundreds when hooked to the dish in the house.
Any guidance on what to try first? Do the Cable/Antenna switches fail? Is there anything about the antenna to fail?(I have checked the connectors) Or is it most likely just a loose connection somewhere?
Any help ideas is appreciated! I'm trying to save myself a little work since the temperatures have hit 100.

Thanks very much, David

[cbenslay]

I could be way out in left field here, but... I have a signal booster in my camper and if the power is off I don't get a picture at all. Just a thought.

[Herk7769]

Roof Antenna Problem:

1) What kind do you have? (Winegard Sensar "Bat Wing" most common)
2) All new digital TV is "directional" (Are you pointed at the TV tower's location?) The bat wings are like the wings of a plane and the white amp housing is the cockpit. Point the cockpit at the TV towers. Use a program like www.antennaweb.org if you have Internet (there are others) or a smartphone app like "TV TOWERS" for iPhone (Best out there) as it has a compass built into the arrow that points to the towers. You just turn your body till the little arrow is correctly pointed and make sure the white housing is facing the same way you are.

3) Coax connections AT the antenna amp solid? (The white plastic box at the top with the wings sticking out)

WALLPLATE Power supply and switcher Problem:

Incorrectly called "the amp" it is actually a power supply FOR the amp located on the roof. It is also a powered switcher for the roof antenna or outside cable.

LED "ON" :

1) Power to the power supply - check
2) Power up to the roof amp to work the roof antenna
3) Roof antenna selected

LED "OFF"

1) power to roof antenna off
2) Roof Antenna DISCONNECTED and outside Cable Connected to the camper's COAX system

(See attached manual)

There is a SINGLE TV cable connection on the back of that switch that goes to a splitter. (there is also a different one on the face plate as well)

That splitter feeds your entire camper. A loose connection back there will affect all TV's in the camper but not the faceplate one.

Too far away from TV stations:

Once you are pointed AT the tower, it may be too far away to get a digital signal. Most (not all) Digital and high def TV signals are in the UHF band. You will need an antenna "focus" attachment to the older non-directional Sensar antennas. Called a "Wingman" for clever and obvious reasons, it works GREAT.

[DLC678]

TV System Kaput - WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. On the chance it may help someone else, the problem turned out to be a bad connection at the splitter in the roof AND a very loose connection behind the radio. (no suppose to be a connection there, but apparently the cable was to short and they had to add a short section)
ALSO just for other information - While at a campground in the NC mountains, I added the Wingman to our antenna. Reception went from 13 HD stations to 21 immediately.
Thanks, David

[firedude01]

i was having alot of issues and one day decided to investigate further so i started taking things apart to see where wires went was tugging one to see which went were and it came out of the wall so i took the wall off and found a splitter that was broken i replaced it and things are back to normal which in our area arent the greatest any way but at least it works some.