FTC Disclosure: I get commissions for purchases made through some of the links in this article for more information, visit our Advertising Disclosure Page.

You can subscribe to the Everything About RVing YouTube Channel for some great videos about RVing

We Only Get 1 Channel On Our RV's New TV

by Louise
(Lombardy,Ontario,Canada)

Omnidirectional Antenna

Omnidirectional Antenna

We have a 1989 Mallard motor home with a round antenna on the top. You do not have to rise it up. When watching TV there is a switch in the compartment next to the TV that you have to push to the back to get any TV signal/picture there is a small red light that comes on when this is turned on. When TV not in use we have been told to make sure this button is also turned off.??? Why??

Now the TV has died so a new small flat screen was gotten we hooked up the antenna 1 channel we now get. I bought a box to change from analog to digital but my husband says it cant be hooked up cause you can't run the wire from the old setup to the new???

Name on the round antenna is Rural Any feedback you can give will be GREATLY Appreciated!!!!

ANSWER: Hi Louise, you have several questions let me start with your questions on your Antenna.


Based on your description the type of RV Antenna you have on your RV is called a Omnidirectional Antenna like the one pictured at the top of this page. The good news is that you do not have to raise or lower or aim this antenna to get TV Stations as it pulls in TV signals from all directions.

The bad news is because it does not raise or lower and because you can't aim it in the direction of TV stations it does a poor to fair job of bringing in
distant Digital TV Stations. With the old analog TV signals you could get a TV picture from far away places with some snow etc. With Digital TV Signals you either get them or you don't, there is no in-between. The preferred type of antenna to have the best chance of receiving Digital TV signals are RV antennas such as Winegard Sensar IV DTV/HD TV Antenna.

Your current antenna either has a built in or external signal amplifier that is what the switch that you are talking about operates. When the light is on it means that the signal amplifier is working.

Now to your TV. Since you say you bought a new TV; it should already have a built in Digital TV Tuner so there should be no need for you to install a Analog to Digital TV Converter Box . If this TV is not a newer model and only has an analog tuner you can learn how to install a converter box by reading the answer I gave to this question; How Do I Install A Digital TV Converter Box In My RV?

For more information on how you can try to improve your TV reception may want to read the answer I gave to this question; I Have Bad Digital TV Reception In My New RV.

I hope this information helps.

Do you have any suggestions or comments on this topic? You can add them to this page by clicking on the "Click Here To Post Comments" link located near the bottom of this page.

Happy RVing

RVing Al

Comments for We Only Get 1 Channel On Our RV's New TV

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Digital tv signal
by: Dennis

Almost all digital signals are uhf not the former vhf and uhf. A good uhf only antenna that you can aim by hand or rotor should solve your problem. I pirchased ome for my house from eadio shack for 35.00. I am pulling channels for 45 miles away. About 4 foot long and about 2 pounds.you just have to keep it horrizontal and aim it towards the tower you desire.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Analog/digital reception
by: EBK

Th4e problem may be that the antenna is a 1989 analog antenna and he is trying to use it to receive signals for a digital TV.

Also, before installing a converter box, he needs to determine if the new TV will work with analog signals or is strictly digital. If it is digital only, he needs to install an antenna that will receive digital signals.

In short, both the antenna and the TV must be compatible.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		round Wingard Ant.
by: Anonymous

Hi, I have a round antenna with an amplifier. it
works great with my new TV. 55 miles from Columbus,OH

I get 4 channels on air. In Harlingen,TX I got
27 channels on air. I had to do a channel search
each time I changed areas. It worked better than
people's sensor IV. I tried the Jack when I was
55 miles east of Columbus,OH and it wasn't as good.

jim

Click here to add your own comments

Return to Ask an RV Question.

LEARN HOW TO RUN 2 RV A/Cs ON A 30 AMP CONNECTION