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04-30-2014, 01:03 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 3
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Issues with TV reception in Surveyor 226
Hi,
First post here, so go easy on me….
My wife and I bought our first camper last August, a new Surveyor SC226. We have really been enjoying it and wish we would have done it years ago. One issue we do have though is the quality of the TV reception. Even in our driveway(suburb of major metro area) we can only get a few channels and have lots of tiling, pixellating, screen freezes, etc. In the more remote areas where we generally camp, we often can't get any reception at all. We often camp with friends at the same place, and they do not have these issues and get much better reception.
The thing that stands out to me is that the antenna on our unit is permanently fixed to the roof and does not move at all. Our friends campers all have antennas that can be cranked up and then adjusted for direction to get the best reception. From my limited knowledge of over-the-air tv signals, I know that the are very directionally sensitive, so it seems logical to me that ours wouldn't work very well.
We brought the camper back to the dealer last fall to have it winterized and get a few minor warranty repairs done. I had them look at the antenna issue and they said that it was working normally, which was kind of what I was expecting to hear.
Is anyone else having this problem with this model, and does anyone know of any way to improve it? Is it just a bad design? I'd be open to aftermarket suggestions also, if they don't require too major of installation work.
Aside from that, we really love the camper!
Thanks,
Erik
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04-30-2014, 01:24 PM
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#2
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AKA Bluebird
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Charlottesville, VA
Posts: 1,060
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__________________
Happy Camping! ///// Richard D.
2006 4x4 Ford 250 SD / 2007 Flagstaff 827 FLS
One very patient wife and one furry child who travels with us. Forty-two years of trailering and camping, and I still have a blast.
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04-30-2014, 01:29 PM
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#3
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dimurrrw
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Hi,
Thanks, but I get a "page can't be found" error on the Camping World webpage when I click the link. Maybe if you can give me the product name I can search for it there?
Thanks,
Erik
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04-30-2014, 01:39 PM
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#4
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AKA Bluebird
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Charlottesville, VA
Posts: 1,060
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Try campingworld.com then search for Jack Digital HDTV Antenna System - White. On that page you will find a link to the manual under Technical Specs. Click. Read "Operation"
__________________
Happy Camping! ///// Richard D.
2006 4x4 Ford 250 SD / 2007 Flagstaff 827 FLS
One very patient wife and one furry child who travels with us. Forty-two years of trailering and camping, and I still have a blast.
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04-30-2014, 02:27 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,748
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My guess its a directional issue. Not being able to rotate your model of antenna, to align the digital signal, might be the reason. I say that because our reception pixelates, or freezes until you dial the signal strength better by rotation. I'm surprised your dealer told you it was fine. Imagine that!
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04-30-2014, 02:37 PM
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#6
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Webfoot
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Oregon
Posts: 53
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Our antenna is the same type and there is a "power booster" that you can turn on that is located on the cable jack in the cabinet under the TV. You kind of have to get down on the floor and look up at the cable jack to see a tiny button that when you press will turn on a green LED light. If you haven't pressed that button it may help with the signal.
__________________
2012 Chevy Suburban 1500
2012 Surveyor SP-260
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04-30-2014, 04:22 PM
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#7
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 3
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Thanks for the tips, folks. The Jack antenna looks like it would most likely solve my problem, but frankly the idea of drilling holes in the curved roof scares the crap out of me. Maybe it's something that Camping World or the dealer can install for me to avoid possible warranty issues.
I did not know about the "power booster"! I just looked in my camper in the driveway and it looks like it was already turned on though, so no luck there…
Thanks,
Erik
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04-30-2014, 05:17 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Corvallis, Oregon
Posts: 415
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hidee ho
We have the same issues, same antenna, in our Surveyor 220. It gets lousy reception as well but tolerable with the booster switch on (ours turns red when on). I am saving up to have our local shop put in a better antenna, but it's not a big deal right now as we rarely boondock so most of the campgrounds we stay at have cable. By the way, don't use the boost switch when on cable.
Good luck!
__________________
2013 Forest River Surveyor SP220 Sport 25'
2012 Ram 1500 4X4, 5.7L Hemi quad cab
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04-30-2014, 05:37 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Western Iowa
Posts: 703
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I have the exact same issue with my antenna. I replaced the connector behind the face plate in the bedroom and now I can get reception at home and a little better at some camp sites. It's still much to be desired. We just don't watch TV too much and bring a bunch of movies for "wind down" time at night. When I inspected the connector in the bedroom, I could spin the coax inside the connector. I know it wasn't a quality connector. When I pull the connector out behind the one in the living area, it wasn't long enough for me to replace so I just stuffed it back up there.
__________________
2018 Ford F250
2019 Arctic Wolf F295QSL8
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04-30-2014, 05:45 PM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Southeast Utah
Posts: 1,157
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Toby
I have the exact same issue with my antenna. I replaced the connector behind the face plate in the bedroom and now I can get reception at home and a little better at some camp sites. It's still much to be desired. We just don't watch TV too much and bring a bunch of movies for "wind down" time at night. When I inspected the connector in the bedroom, I could spin the coax inside the connector. I know it wasn't a quality connector. When I pull the connector out behind the one in the living area, it wasn't long enough for me to replace so I just stuffed it back up there.
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This!!
I found all of the connectors in my Prime Time unit were all hex crimp (very old style) and I replaced them with compression connectors and it works much better now.
While I do not have your antenna it would still prove to be a good step to look into the connectors used in your camper.
__________________
Shane & Antoinette
2012 Ford F-450 SuperDuty
2013 Crusader 355BHQ
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04-30-2014, 06:12 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,472
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Don't understand why they went to that P.O.S. antenna. Digital is either on or off, it seems. I would save up and have CW install a Jack antenna for their $39. special installation price. We bring our satellite antenna so I don't even bother with that worthless thing FR installed.
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05-01-2014, 11:23 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Cincinnati Ohio
Posts: 464
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Make sure your connections are good and your booster is on. When I am at my house in the burbs) I can get all sorts of channels. Even 50 miles away from the towers I still get a few when I am camping.
I am pretty sure I have the same antennal in my SP-220
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06-08-2014, 08:36 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 710
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I scrapped the Surveyor supplied omni directional antenna for the Jack and haven't looked back. $39 for Camping World to install makes it a no brainer.
__________________
Heartland Big Country 3150RL
2013 Ford SD F250 4x4 SC; 6.2
Reese 18K Elite w/slider - Rockford, Michigan
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