Amplified Antenna Problem

Has anyone experienced any problem with the AntennaTek amplified antenna? I was camping this weekend and suddenly my picture went all snowy. The red light on the amplifier was still on and the picture quality never changed when I turned it off and on. I'm thinking the circuit board behind the cover must have gone kaput.

I would appreicate any info!!!!!! ???

Rocky

[Bill]

Rocky -

The amplifier is actually up in the antenna on the roof. The outlet plate with the little red light is simply a power supply, which sends 12-volt power up the antenna cable to the amplifier.

The problem could be in three places - the power supply behind the outlet plate, the amplifier in the antenna, or the cable between them. The power supply is pretty simple and pretty rugged, so I wouldn't expect the problem to be there. However, you might pull the plate off the wall, and make sure the screw-on connections behind the plate are tight.

The cable from the outlet plate to the antenna is actually a pretty good candidate for failure, since it gets flexed when you crank the antenna up and down, as well as buffeted by the wind and rain as you travel. You might check the upper end to make sure it is screwed on tightly. If that doesn't help, you might unscrew the upper end, and use your voltmeter to check for the presence of 12 volts when the red light is on.

If these don't work, then the problem is probably in the amplifier, which is non-fixable. The AntennaTek web site says that replacement parts are easily available.

You'll get a little help (though not much) from
http://antennatek.com/pdf/Repair_instructions.pdf

Good luck

Bill

You should check the coax connections, especially in the area below the refer. (accessed through the removable grille and from outside the trailer). There have been several that were not properly installed. The thin copper wire that runs through the center of the cable was not trimmed long enough to make contact with the opening on the female end. Being that your problem is "intermitant" it might have been able to temporarily make contact and then as a result of vibrations of use, it may have withdrawn from reaching the connection. While there, check all your connections, (plus those on the amplifier in the trailer and those that are attached to the antennae).

Hal

Thanks Bill and Hal!

I'll start checking this afternoon when I get in from work!

I'll let you now what I find!

Thanks
Rocky ;D

Bill knows what he is talking about and Hal's remarks are right on. Just two weeks ago another TM owner express her supprise to find that the ground wire in the coax had been poorly cut and installed at all connections points on her TM. She reasoned that the factory had a new guy assigned to do that and he got it wrong. Good place to start looking.

RV Today TV show today had a repair dude on that stated that the wineguard powered unit failed often but it was an easy replace, and showed how to do it.

Lots of luck.

That may explain the poor wiring job on mine. This is another item I should check.

I don't know what is going on with TM, but I sure wish someone would verify that everything works before they write "OK to Ship". I would rather see "Inspected by #1".

[dlajoie]

A TM owner from Denver recently related in a similar thread that 8 out of 10 2003 TMs delivered to a local dealer had bad coax connections. Sure enough, when I checked the connector behind the refrig on my new 2003 2720SL this weekend, I found the ends of the wires just cut square and inserted into the connector with no wire protruding and no foil touching the connector. It is my understanding that the gentleman who did this work "has either gone fishing or has been fired". It only took a couple of minutes to fix but since the factory knows about this now, I'll bet you it is on the final inspection checklist.

[quote author=dlajoie link=board=22;threadid=1833;start=msg12971#msg1297 1 date=1081805292]
A TM owner from Denver recently related in a similar thread that 8 out of 10 2003 TMs delivered to a local dealer had bad coax connections. Sure enough, when I checked the connector behind the refrig on my new 2003 2720SL this weekend, I found the ends of the wires just cut square and inserted into the connector with no wire protruding and no foil touching the connector. It is my understanding that the gentleman who did this work "has either gone fishing or has been fired". It only took a couple of minutes to fix but since the factory knows about this now, I'll bet you it is on the final inspection checklist.
[/quote]

When you say behind the refrigerator, is this the same as the photo I show or is it something else? Can you point me to it.

This may be the same guy who did (or didn't do) my circuit breaker for the microwave. I am not very impressed with the pride of workmanship displayed on my TM. It is not just this item, but many big and small items. Certain small items still leave lasting impressions such as saw dust, metal shavings, residual tan stuff all over the TM (adhesive? I remove with my fingernails), extra screws lying around, cut wire coating, squeeky doors, etc. It reinforces the image of sloppiness and total lack of attention to details. This is generally something that management must take responsibility for. If they can't ensure that people will do their jobs correctly, then they need a final inspector and I would love to see "inspected by #1" rather than "ok to ship."

[dlajoie]

Yes, the very same connection. I just went out to check to make sure that my repair fixed the problem and it worked fine. The other problems with my 2003 2720SL included the front couch frame slamming into the bumbers in the front wall hard enough to dislodge them. I think this was due to the factory forgetting to install the supports that allow the back of the couch to lie down to make a bed. I surmise the dealer had to fabricate these missing parts and may not have replicated the exact size required to prevent the damage. My roof air conditioner leaks slightly. The official explanation which can be seen in threads elsewhere on this site is that the wrong seal was provided by the manufacturer. TM will cover the installation of a new seal under warrantee. I also had a few broken off screws on the outside of the trailer. I replaced them myself. There was some rust on some metal parts but I attributed that to the fact that my dealer was on Cape Cod. However, I have to say that the interior was very satisfactory in workmanship with no construction residue left behind. The drain to the fresh water tank had a small piece of construction plastic residue lodged in it; thus allowing water to leak out slowly. I had to remove the valve and completely take it apart to discover this problem. Overall, my understanding is that TM quality is better than the average among TT manufacturers; and of course, the engineering innovation (lift system, light weight, etc.) is what sets them apart.

[quote author=dlajoie link=board=22;threadid=1833;start=msg12982#msg1298 2 date=1081812521]
Overall, my understanding is that TM quality is better than the average among TT manufacturers; and of course, the engineering innovation (lift system, light weight, etc.) is what sets them apart.
[/quote]

The TM is my first RV so I don't have a perspective. I have visited the Airstream website and they also admit they make mistakes if you can imagine that for something that costs 2 to 3 times as much as a TM. Of course I couldn't tow one with my vehicle. Other manufactures seem to back their product with a very generous warranty.

Yes, the engineering, both the materials and the lift system are what attracted me to TM. I work in the quality field so I am a bit of a quality freak. Poor quality is always more costly for both the manufacturer and the consumer. I only wish to see TM get better and better because they do have a neat product. If they eliminate these simple correctable errors, their profits will improve and they will have more repeat buyers. The average buyer will most likely have to travel 200 miles to get service which makes it even more important to get quality right the first time. Only time and quality of service will tell if I will consider buying another one.