No antenna reception in bedroom, fine in living room

[Timmer]

I posted this in the wrong topic area. I can't figure out how to move or delete it. Sorry

Hello there,

We purchased our Reflection 312BHTS last fall and got it out around 5 times, all to different locations. We are having a problem in that we can pick up channels on the TV in our living room, but none in the front bedroom. This happened at all of the campgrounds we visited. However, when we are at home in the city, I can pick up channels in the front bedroom. This would obviously suggest the TV reception is working fine on the TV itself. I think it also suggests that the cable to the bedroom jack is likely connected ok and the wiring itself through the camper is providing some level of antenna functionality when signals are strong. I'm guessing, however, that the other end of the cable isn't connected to the roof antenna. Anyone agree, disagree, or have any further thoughts? Where do the cables come together to connect to the roof antenna and how do I get at them?

Thanks!

[zadiemay]

The front TV will need an external antenna, or you will have to use the coaxial cable hooked up to Cable or satellite connections in the basement.
the installed antenna for the living room tv only goes there.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XQLW1H7...osi&th=1&psc=1

[WhittleBurner]

I posted this in the wrong topic area. I can't figure out how to move or delete it. Sorry

Hello there,

We purchased our Reflection 312BHTS last fall and got it out around 5 times, all to different locations. We are having a problem in that we can pick up channels on the TV in our living room, but none in the front bedroom. This happened at all of the campgrounds we visited. However, when we are at home in the city, I can pick up channels in the front bedroom. This would obviously suggest the TV reception is working fine on the TV itself. I think it also suggests that the cable to the bedroom jack is likely connected ok and the wiring itself through the camper is providing some level of antenna functionality when signals are strong. I'm guessing, however, that the other end of the cable isn't connected to the roof antenna. Anyone agree, disagree, or have any further thoughts? Where do the cables come together to connect to the roof antenna and how do I get at them?

Thanks!

Not a problem, we'll move it for you. Check the connection at the control box (take it apart) that has the on off switch. and thhe junction near the TV if there is one

[boyscout]

We purchased our Reflection 312BHTS last fall and got it out around 5 times, all to different locations. We are having a problem in that we can pick up channels on the TV in our living room, but none in the front bedroom. This happened at all of the campgrounds we visited. However, when we are at home in the city, I can pick up channels in the front bedroom. This would obviously suggest the TV reception is working fine on the TV itself. I think it also suggests that the cable to the bedroom jack is likely connected ok and the wiring itself through the camper is providing some level of antenna functionality when signals are strong. I'm guessing, however, that the other end of the cable isn't connected to the roof antenna. Anyone agree, disagree, or have any further thoughts? Where do the cables come together to connect to the roof antenna and how do I get at them? Thanks!

You should not require a separate antenna for the bedroom TV despite advice above.

As @WhittleBurner has inferred the bedroom TV should get signal from the same booster switch that feeds the living room TV.

Loose connections are a VERY common problem in these trailers. Check not only that the nut is tightly attached to the connector on each end of the cable at the booster and at the bedroom TV - it should be finger-tight plus 1/4 turn with a wrench - but also check that the connector is firmly crimped / attached to the cable. We had no radio reception until I found that the cable at the radio could be easily pulled from its connector and re-inserted... it had not been properly crimped onto the cable.

I'll apologize in advance if this is offensive, but are you doing a full scan of available channels on both TVs each time you move? It's important after each move to orient the TV antenna (if it is adjustable) towards the sources of most signals in the area and then use the TV menus to scan for available channels on the antenna. You have to do this on both TVs once at each new location when you're setting up camp.

If the bedroom TV continues to receive fewer or poorer channels, check the cable itself to ensure continuity and low resistance. If it's bad replacing it wouldn't be easy; that might be a case for a second antenna. If the cable tests good in every way, consider that the booster switch may be the culprit. I haven't seen many reports of failures but they're not expensive or hard to replace.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

[zadiemay]

You should not require a separate antenna for the bedroom TV despite advice above.

As @WhittleBurner has inferred the bedroom TV should get signal from the same booster switch that feeds the living room TV....

If the bedroom TV continues to receive fewer or poorer channels, check the cable itself to ensure continuity and low resistance. If it's bad replacing it wouldn't be easy; that might be a case for a second antenna. If the cable tests good in every way, consider that the booster switch may be the culprit. I haven't seen many reports of failures but they're not expensive or hard to replace.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Good to know, after chasing down so many loose wires continually just for the LR tv, it was much easier to just get an antenna for the bedroom...

[SGT ROC]

I'd be interested in the answers myself. We had intermittent BR tv the last couple of times we camped - and one time NONE.

[Timmer]

Thanks all!

The front TV will need an external antenna, or you will have to use the coaxial cable hooked up to Cable or satellite connections in the basement.
the installed antenna for the living room tv only goes there.

My camper is still squeezed tight into my shed for the winter so I can't run out and check it. The camper has a roof antenna, and the front bedroom came preinstalled with at least one jack for antenna, if not 2 jacks with the other being for satellite. My recollection is that it's 2 and I tried them both. Are you referring to needing to do something additional in the basement to enable this front connection?

I'll apologize in advance if this is offensive, but are you doing a full scan of available channels on both TVs each time you move? It's important after each move to orient the TV antenna (if it is adjustable) towards the sources of most signals in the area and then use the TV menus to scan for available channels on the antenna. You have to do this on both TVs once at each new location when you're setting up camp.

No insult. Indeed we are adjusting and scanning each time we arrive at a new site. We start with the living room, find channels, then move to the bedroom, where we find nothing.

You should not require a separate antenna for the bedroom TV despite advice above.
check the cable itself to ensure continuity and low resistance.

Oh boy, my lack of electrical skills would shock you! Ok, maybe not in this instance since it's low voltage. I will embarrass myself, however. How do I check for resistance? I do own a multi meter, but hardly a clue on how to use it.

[boyscout]

How do I check for resistance? I do own a multi meter, but hardly a clue on how to use it.

Sometimes the fingers get ahead of the brain here... checking resistance isn't typically critical. There are circumstances in which high resistance can indicate damage - often water damage - in a cable that's not broken. Resistance will lower the voltage getting to your bedroom TV which will reduce the number and quality of signals. It would be pretty unusual in this situation.

Easiest if someone helps you with this. Detach both ends of the cable. Ensure that both connectors are firmly attached to the cable, very important.

With your multimeter set to measure ohms / resistance / continuity, touch one probe to the center conductor and the other to the connector body. The meter should not react; no beep, no resistance indication. If if does react then the center conductor and the outer shield of the cable are shorted together; either a connector is improperly installed or the cable is damaged and should be replaced.

Next, connect the center conductor and the connector to each other at one end. It's easiest to have someone just hold a short bit of bare wire across the connector end so that it touches both the center conductor and the connector. Touch your multimeter probes to the conductor and connector at the other end of the cable. It should react this time, beeping and/or changing its display to show (hopefully) a very low resistance value. This indicates that the shield and the conductor are both capable of carrying an electrical signal from end to end.

If it passes both these tests the cable is probably OK.

If you're a tool junkie as I am you can use this problem as an excuse to buy another tool that makes testing the cable running around your trailer easier, in part because it eases the chore of tracing the cables, figuring out which cable at one end is the same cable at the other end. Here are a couple of such tools:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-To...-101/302793719

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Southwire-C...ester/50278121

Good luck.

[SGT ROC]

Sometimes the fingers get ahead of the brain here... checking resistance isn't typically critical. There are circumstances in which high resistance can indicate damage - often water damage - in a cable that's not broken. Resistance will lower the voltage getting to your bedroom TV which will reduce the number and quality of signals. It would be pretty unusual in this situation.

Easiest if someone helps you with this. Detach both ends of the cable. Ensure that both connectors are firmly attached to the cable, very important.

With your multimeter set to measure ohms / resistance / continuity, touch one probe to the center conductor and the other to the connector body. The meter should not react; no beep, no resistance indication. If if does react then the center conductor and the outer shield of the cable are shorted together; either a connector is improperly installed or the cable is damaged and should be replaced.

Next, connect the center conductor and the connector to each other at one end. It's easiest to have someone just hold a short bit of bare wire across the connector end so that it touches both the center conductor and the connector. Touch your multimeter probes to the conductor and connector at the other end of the cable. It should react this time, beeping and/or changing its display to show (hopefully) a very low resistance value. This indicates that the shield and the conductor are both capable of carrying an electrical signal from end to end.

If it passes both these tests the cable is probably OK.

If you're a tool junkie as I am you can use this problem as an excuse to buy another tool that makes testing the cable running around your trailer easier, in part because it eases the chore of tracing the cables, figuring out which cable at one end is the same cable at the other end. Here are a couple of such tools:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-To...-101/302793719

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Southwire-C...ester/50278121

Good luck.

This is why the site costs more than $12.00 a year. Always something you should have, must have, need to have, just want cause it's cool..... I'm well over hundreds in less than a year. DW is threatening to ban me from the site!

[traveldawg]

I merged the duplicate threads and deleted the posts cross-referencing the duplicates.

Larry