How to watch RF channels

[Blakewilson]

My antenna will receive a lot of RF channels and only a few other channels. How can I watch the RF channels. I have the wineguard antenna if that helps. Thanks

 

[danemayer]

I'm assuming where you say "RF channels", that you mean the older analog channels like 2, 4, 6, 11, versus digital channels like 5.1, 5.2, 39.1. Your antenna should be capable of both types, but that doesn't mean your antenna is actually picking up any analog signals. Depends how your antenna is pointed and what stations are nearby.

When you do a channel scan on any modern TV, if there are analog and digital signals, you should be able to see both types without doing anything special.

 

[Blakewilson]

I'm assuming where you say "RF channels", that you mean the older analog channels like 2, 4, 6, 11, versus digital channels like 5.1, 5.2, 39.1. Your antenna should be capable of both types, but that doesn't mean your antenna is actually picking up any analog signals. Depends how your antenna is pointed and what stations are nearby.

When you do a channel scan on any modern TV, if there are analog and digital signals, you should be able to see both types without doing anything special.

when I’m scanning it says RF channels found 62 and under that it says Found 2. Only channels I can watch is the ones under Found. We are new to this and are confused.

 

[danemayer]

My TVs report the number of channels the TVs looked for, and underneath, the number actually found. Sounds like you have good enough reception of 2 stations.

If your antenna rotates, you might not be pointed optimally. Also, make sure your signal booster is ON. If OFF, you usually won't get anything. But if you're close to towers, you might get a few with the booster OFF. Also, loose COAX connections between antenna and TV can reduce the number of stations picked up.

 

[Flick]

when I’m scanning it says RF channels found 62 and under that it says Found 2. Only channels I can watch is the ones under Found. We are new to this and are confused.

Also, keep in mind that if you are in the country far away from a major market area ( let’s say 25 miles or more), you won’t pick up much. Stations in major cities produce pretty good digital signals and a lot of them. In those distant areas, digital also breaks up a lot coming in and out.

 

[TravelTiger]

We use this app for aiming our tv antenna, it’s very helpful!

http://genhelp.com/apps/tvtowers.html


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[wdk450]

Suggestions for stronger signals:

1) Replace the factory Winegard rooftop antenna head with the King OA8300 Jack replacement head: https://www.amazon.com/KING-OA8300-...ocphy=9031271&hvtargid=pla-435223620680&psc=1

2) Replace the indoor TV antenna amplifier plate with one designed for digital TV: https://www.amazon.com/Winegard-RFL...ocphy=9031271&hvtargid=pla-473571277114&psc=1

BTW, YOU DID TURN ON YOUR RV'S ANTENNA AMPLIFIER PLATE BEFORE TRYING TO RECEIVE TV SIGNALS, DIDN'T YOU??????

3) Use this website to identify TV stations you should be receiving: https://www.antennasdirect.com/transmitter-locator.html

4) Look into satellite TV. I use Dish network, they have been great for me. I use an inexpensive home dish antenna on a tripod. I am a fulltimer, but understand you can call Dish if you go back home and have your service suspended without bills until you go out rving again.

5) Some people have encountered coax wiring problems on Heartland RV's. You may have to bypass the installed coax with your own external wiring from the antenna to the amplifier to the tv to prove this. If that proves to be the problem you can try to fix it your self or get a RV servicer to do it. Do you have a new rig with a warranty in effect???

 

[ParkIt]

Suggestions for stronger signals:
BTW, YOU DID TURN ON YOUR RV'S ANTENNA AMPLIFIER PLATE BEFORE TRYING TO RECEIVE TV SIGNALS, DIDN'T YOU??????
5) Some people have encountered coax wiring problems on Heartland RV's. You may have to bypass the installed coax with your own external wiring from the antenna to the amplifier to the tv to prove this. If that proves to be the problem you can try to fix it your self or get a RV servicer to do it. Do you have a new rig with a warranty in effect???

When I still couldn't get anything with the amplifier on, I checked coax which wasn't making it from the bedroom where the antenna is located above the UDC into the living area hook ups for TV/cable which was after delivery. Had to re-route the antenna line fishing it through the AC/Fan only ducts. Since then I've pulled all that because I set up a window FTA connection which works well enough.
For some odd reason Heartland would only pay for half of what a dealer full reinstall even though it was still in warranty.

 

[danemayer]

When I still couldn't get anything with the amplifier on, I checked coax which wasn't making it from the bedroom where the antenna is located above the UDC into the living area hook ups for TV/cable which was after delivery. Had to re-route the antenna line fishing it through the AC/Fan only ducts. Since then I've pulled all that because I set up a window FTA connection which works well enough.
For some odd reason Heartland would only pay for half of what a dealer full reinstall even though it was still in warranty.

Dealer labor rate to you is quite different from what manufacturers pay dealers for warranty work. Also, manufacturers often specify a fixed amount of labor where when you go to the dealer, they just charge by the hour for however long they take - and probably round up.

 

[ParkIt]

Dealer labor rate to you is quite different from what manufacturers pay dealers for warranty work. Also, manufacturers often specify a fixed amount of labor where when you go to the dealer, they just charge by the hour for however long they take - and probably round up.

That makes sense now, at the time Heartland wasn't too clear about it. There were other things they replaced/paid for in full when it was less than a year old: the front cap being out of alignment, the ceiling fan stopped working, and the motor to the rear stabilizers froze up from wire crimp. All were factory issues so I lucked out on those.

 

[Gary521]

when I’m scanning it says RF channels found 62 and under that it says Found 2. Only channels I can watch is the ones under Found. We are new to this and are confused.

Even though your TV says RF ( or maybe you are misreading this ) these are digital channels. Very few analog channels are being broadcast over the air. If you can only watch the "other" channels you probably have as setting someplace on your TV that will switch between digital and analog channels. I had an older tv that did this.

 

[wdk450]

Even though your TV says RF ( or maybe you are misreading this ) these are digital channels. Very few analog channels are being broadcast over the air. If you can only watch the "other" channels you probably have as setting someplace on your TV that will switch between digital and analog channels. I had an older tv that did this.

RF in this usage is inaccurate. ALL TV signals radiate through the "ether" by means of Radio Frequency electromagnetic waves. These electromagnetic waves are modulated (have signals intelligence) added to them to make either Analog TV or Digital TV signals. The older analog signals were mainly on the VHF bands of frequencies (54-88 Mhz for channels 2-6, 174-216 Mhz for channels 7-13). The new digital stations are All on the UHF band of frequencies (470-698 Mhz UHF channels 14-64). Former VHF channels like Sacramento's KCRA 3 use an identifier of 3.1, but is actually broadcast on UHF channel 35. That is why a regular UHF antenna is all you need to pick up the new digital channels. The antennas cannot tell the difference between analog modulated and digital modulated UHF signals.