Rayzar z1 Amplified HD Antenna

[Herk7769]

Is it just me, or the install, that thinks this antenna sucks?

My Sensar III with Wingman on my old camper pulled 20 stations from my driveway. This thing gets 4 pixelated.

And before you say it:

Yes, I know where my power supply switch is.
Yes, the LED is green when I am trying to search for OTA signals.
Yes, the elements are pointed at the Roxborough Transmission Towers.
Yes, I know how to search for OTA TV stations.

What the heck else can it be?
This camper is less than a year old!

I hate to start pulling plates and tracing wires while its under warranty.

[bubbles]

When I had to change my batwing I went with the Rayzar Z1 like yours. I installed the one that adapts to the batwing crank up mast. I can't say it is better than the batwing (it was excellent) but it is not any worse.

[Herk7769]

I think the issue I have is no mast (or the wires are bad).
I will have it checked at Goshen if they have a Rep there.

[bubbles]

Every factory install I've seen does not utilize a mast. The Rayzar does not have a kit that comes with a mast. The Rayzar does have an antenna that is available with mounting provisions for mounting on an existing batwing mast (just like the King jack does) for those that don't want to make any changes.

[BobHanke]

Got some ideas you might consider.
1. Check every connection you can find that could be loose, off or the center conductor bent/shorted inside the fitting.
2. Trace all the wires for kinks as that can move the center conductor closer to the shield which is bad.
3. If you have the choice, are you searching for digital signals?
4. Do you have a physical switch to change from air antenna to cable or satellite? Small box above the entertainment unit in included picture.
5. If your rig was wired for satellite, is there a plate with two coax connectors which should be jumpered when not using satellite equipment? Picture included.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by BobHanke

Got some ideas you might consider.
1. Check every connection you can find that could be loose, off or the center conductor bent/shorted inside the fitting.

Looks like no way to avoid this

2. Trace all the wires for kinks as that can move the center conductor closer to the shield which is bad.

Ditto to above

3. If you have the choice, are you searching for digital signals?

It searches for both has found 2 high UHF digital stations only.

4. Do you have a physical switch to change from air antenna to cable or satellite? Small box above the entertainment unit in included picture.

Yepper. Switch is set to OTA

5. If your rig was wired for satellite, is there a plate with two coax connectors which should be jumpered when not using satellite equipment? Picture included.

I have a separate wall plate for satellite and I do not have a jumper in my rig

Thanks for your reply. I am still thinking I need to pull the wall plate and try to figure out where the feed attaches to the antenna itself.

[Villagerjjm]

I have the same issues with my antenna. I think it is a defective antenna and I am working on getting a factory replacement.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Villagerjjm

I have the same issues with my antenna. I think it is a defective antenna and I am working on getting a factory replacement.

Let me know if the replacement fixes your problem and if they send you the install manual. I would like to know how to gain access from underneath.

[whirledpeaz]

It would be real easy to pull the adjusting knob off the ceiling inside and make sure the coax connection inside is good.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by whirledpeaz

It would be real easy to pull the adjusting knob off the ceiling inside and make sure the coax connection inside is good.

I would feel better about doing this with some photos of how it goes together.

[dward51]

Originally Posted by Herk7769

I would feel better about doing this with some photos of how it goes together.

The installation manual is not very photo helpful. Here is a PDF link

http://www.winegard.com/help/images/f/ff/2452367.pdf

Apparently those on the crank up shafts are just the antenna head on an old crank up shaft retrofit. There are some additional photos of where the coax enters the antenna head in the install manual for the crank up retrofit.

http://www.winegard.com/help/images/0/0a/2452371.pdf

Other than those manuals, I would search for installation videos on YouTube and watch a couple for some ideas. It's usually pretty easy to tell the good videos (with useful info) from the "wanna-be" folks who just post for the sake of posting something.

Also like others suggested, check the connections. You want to use a small wrench to make sure those coax connections are tight (tighter than possibly with "hand tight"). There should be a connection on the back of every plate, on the "amplifier" with the LED light, etc... But from what I saw the one to connect to the Z1 may be underneath the base which is sealed to the roof. Not sure if there is enough slack to disconnect the head from the base and check where it goes into the head. But there should also be a short thin coax from the actual head on top of the base that runs down inside the base and connects to the coax from inside the trailer (all inside the base).

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by dward51

The installation manual is not very photo helpful. Here is a PDF link

http://www.winegard.com/help/images/f/ff/2452367.pdf

Apparently those on the crank up shafts are just the antenna head on an old crank up shaft retrofit. There are some additional photos of where the coax enters the antenna head in the install manual for the crank up retrofit.

http://www.winegard.com/help/images/0/0a/2452371.pdf

Other than those manuals, I would search for installation videos on YouTube and watch a couple for some ideas. It's usually pretty easy to tell the good videos (with useful info) from the "wanna-be" folks who just post for the sake of posting something.

Also like others suggested, check the connections. You want to use a small wrench to make sure those coax connections are tight (tighter than possibly with "hand tight"). There should be a connection on the back of every plate, on the "amplifier" with the LED light, etc... But from what I saw the one to connect to the Z1 may be underneath the base which is sealed to the roof. Not sure if there is enough slack to disconnect the head from the base and check where it goes into the head. But there should also be a short thin coax from the actual head on top of the base that runs down inside the base and connects to the coax from inside the trailer (all inside the base).

Thank you! That really helped!
I will start tracing wires when I get back from the Brass Ring Rally.
Lou

[B and B]

Herk,
I was just in SW Ontario in Essex. Pointed my King at Detroit and received 67 channels some 30 miles away. I would say the antenna is either bad or a connector is intermittent.

Where we are camping now I get nothing, before had a Fuzzy CH 8 analog with a King on the Mast. Even on a good day nothing acrosss lake huron. I use Satellite.

[Herk7769]

Yea; something is definitely messed up.