Cable Help Needed

[Eddie2002]

I've a problem with the cable/antenna feed on my 2017 Coachmen Catalina. The trailer has two TV hookups, one in the main room, one in the bedroom. The problem I'm having is when both TV sets are on with the campground signal coming into the trailer the TV set in the main room has a poor picture with a lot of static.

When the bedroom TV set is turned off the TV in the main room has a slightly better picture but still is bad.

I've checked the connections and found that some were loose but still have the problem. All the connections are hooked up to the circuit board behind the control plate properly.

It also happens when I use the antenna switch on the control plate and watch local stations through the antenna.

I'm starting to think the board on the control plate is bad and the unit needs replacing. Any thoughts on how to test the board with a meter or should I just replace it and hope for the best.

Thanks

[bubbles]

One thing you could do that's easy is, get one of these and pull the park cable and rear tv cables off the wall unit and bypass it with one of these to see if the picture is good. I'm not familiar with what wall unit you have and if it also could be done with the front TV. You can't do it with the overhead ant though (that wall unit supplies 12Vdc to the overhead antenna). Just a thought.

[rsdata]

bubbles has the right idea... get a 25 or 50 foot of antenna wire, splice to the campground cable using the male to male end shown above and bypass the outside trailer sockets, connect direct to each tv, one at a time... this will tell you that the problem is in the internal hookup, either wires or board... snow just means you have lost signal strength, unhooking one TV gives more signal to the only other TV... Walmart should have what you need.

[Eddie2002]

Sorry about the delay in following up with the problem, been unpacking the trailer since it looks like traveling is restricted for a while.
Right now the camper is parked in the yard without any way to feed the cable input line so I'm working off the antenna. I'm almost positive the switch on the control plate has malfunctioned because I'm getting a clear picture at both TV sets when the switch is either off or on. The control plate is getting the 12 volts needed to operate the antenna amp and the amp appears to be working.
I can't find any support material covering the antenna and control plate in the package that came with the camper and am wondering how to go about finding a part number for a replacement control plate.
I'll give the dealer a call this week but so far my experience with them has been poor.
The antenna is the fixed type, any idea what it's model number is ?

[bubbles]

If you don't have any documentation on the booster plate, how do you know if it is connected properly. Your antenna would not be the problem but yes the plate could be. Can you post a picture of your plate? There are several kinds out there (most are made by Winegard).

[bubbles]

One other thing. You might pull the 12Vdc power plug from the wall plate (select off first) to see if you are still getting a good antenna picture. You just might be close to transmission source.

[Eddie2002]

I have been chasing this problem since I purchased the camper and have checked the connections on the booster plate. I'm positive the connections are correct, already went through different combinations and the way it's hooked up is correct.
The 12 volt power source going to the wall plate is hard wired in, not a plug so I would need to pull the fuse at the power box which wouldn't show much.
I'm able to get a lot of different stations so being close to just one signal source isn't the problem either.

[rsdata]

did you look at the trailer input connectors on the outside of the trailer?
often it is reported that connections made during assembly are not made, or made poorly which gives a poor or no picture at the TV, which I believe is your complaint. Bringing in an outside known GOOD signal, even from just an outside antenna ( outside of the trailer) that gives a good picture directly connected to the TV is a start, then move that connection until you find the faulty connector... ALSO give a good tug on the connector when holding the wire and you may find a poorly installed connector MASKING the point of the problem.

this should be easy to troubleshoot... to me, from the original post you are lacking a good signal from the source... think of your wiring as a water pipe... low flow in the pipe that then splits to two pipes gives both pipes less water... when one is off then the other gets more water... poor pipe connections lets the water leak out at the connection... delivering less water

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by Eddie2002

I would need to pull the fuse at the power box which wouldn't show much.
I'm able to get a lot of different stations so being close to just one signal source isn't the problem either.

Pulling the 12Vdc was a way to check and see if the panel was the fault for powering the antenna when OFF. I get local channels at home through just my SAT coax cable routing within the house (don't have an antenna).
Additionally; if you could get the previous mentioned splice you would be able to bypass the panel to verify its bad or eliminate it as faulty. Does your plate look like one of these and if so is the main TV connected to the plate face connector?

[Eddie2002]

The face plate in the trailer looks like the second, larger one, thanks for the picture.

The satellite connection doesn't have any wires attached to it on the back of the plate which I guess is normal since the trailer didn't come with the satellite package.

I've only one plug going into the trailer which is a factory install and I have pulled it and tightened the connection behind it.

I agree, it should be an easy trouble shoot, what I need to do is get a good input signal coming into the cable connection on the side of the trailer and then bypass the face plate and go straight to each TV set using a splitter.

Starting to think the board or switch has been failing over the last few months and has finally given up the ghost.

Now that the control switch which designates Cable or Antenna as input has apparently crapped out I'm just going to replace the unit instead of going down to component level trouble shooting on the board.

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by Eddie2002

The face plate in the trailer looks like the second, larger one, thanks for the picture.

The satellite connection doesn't have any wires attached to it on the back of the plate which I guess is normal since the trailer didn't come with the satellite package.

I've only one plug going into the trailer which is a factory install and I have pulled it and tightened the connection behind it.

I agree, it should be an easy trouble shoot, what I need to do is get a good input signal coming into the cable connection on the side of the trailer and then bypass the face plate and go straight to each TV set using a splitter.

Starting to think the board or switch has been failing over the last few months and has finally given up the ghost.

Now that the control switch which designates Cable or Antenna as input has apparently crapped out I'm just going to replace the unit instead of going down to component level trouble shooting on the board.

I understand. You do know that the SAT feedthrough could be used as a splice to bypass the panel. I'm sure you're going to get it fixed. Good hunting.

[Eddie2002]

I was thinking about using the Sat feed through as a splitter but the antenna lead also provides 12 volts dc to the amp built into the antenna on the roof. By disconnecting the antenna wire the amp isn't powered up and there is no signal from the antenna when I tried it.

I'm stuck with using the antenna as a source right now until I can rig up a signal coming in from the outside cable jack. Kinda difficult trying to trouble shoot a component that's questionable by using that same component. It's a bit of a catch 22.

[bubbles]

That appears to verify that the panel is bad because you had good antenna for the TV's with the panel switch off. Think about it.