TV Signal Booster

[howson]

The OEM installed antenna on my (early) '19 315RLTS is a King Jack Directional antenna. I could not make sense of what was in the manual for the antenna regarding the booster versus what I was seeing in the trailer. Now I know why--the booster is not the one made by King, it's an aftermarket booster made by a company called AntennaTek.

https://www.antennatek.com/product-p...-fm-connectors

[JCR GD]

What is often misunderstood is that it is a switch as well as a "booster."

[howson]

What is often misunderstood is that it is a switch as well as a "booster."

Definitely boosts the signal--see video below. When you write "switch" do you mean "splitter"?

[boyscout]

Definitely boosts the signal--see video below. When you write "switch" do you mean "splitter"?

Sorry to butt in but no, a splitter typically splits or shares an incoming signal indiscriminately across two or more outgoing ports. A switch (in this booster case) selects one of a number of inputs and sends it to one output. It also only boosts one (or two?) of the inputs and just passes others directly through to the output.

https://www.amazon.com/GE-Amplifiers...s%2C163&sr=8-3

The reason I butted in was to ask JCR GD if he knows of a way to do the opposite of a splitter; combine two inputs onto a single output. Here's why:

In addition to its TV antenna the Winegard 360 has a separate FM antenna - the cheap wire-wound hoop antenna - mounted on its interior wall. That has its own F-type / RG6 connector in addition to the TV antenna connector, so the antenna needs two runs of cable to take full advantage of it. I'm not up for feeding another run of cable from the bedroom back to the radio, so wondered if there was a way to combine both the FM and TV signals onto the existing factory cable run to the entertainment center.

We do get some radio stations with just the TV antenna cable connected, but suspect we could do better.

[howson]

A switch (in this booster case) selects one of a number of inputs and sends it to one output. It also only boosts one (or two?) of the inputs and just passes others directly through to the output..

Hmmm...that I'm going to have to test. The way I see the device it is taking one input (antenna OTH) and when "On" it is boosting it to three outputs, TV1, TV2 and the TV3/FM antenna. I know for a fact that it boosts TV1 and the FM antenna. Why would it not also boost TV2? That makes no sense to me. But reading the installation instructions does imply exactly what you're saying, Mark. This is from AntennaTek's PDF:

Step 3: To connect the second power supply [I added bold to the text] available as an optional accessory, run two # 14 AWG wires from a 7.5A limited 12 Volt DC power source and connect them to the rear of the power supply. Insulate the DC connections with wire nuts and insulating tape. Attach a coax cable from the second TV to the connector marked 2nd TV in the rear of the power supply."

If the second power supply is indeed required for TV2's output, that means that the signal going to the bedroom TV is not boosted. Easy enough to verify one way or the other. I'll test and report back. No idea where that 2nd power supply is connected, though.

[JCR GD]

The device is a switch/booster. It switches between the incoming "cable" connection and the "antenna." When the button is pushed it routes the antenna signal to all TVs and "boosts" or amplifies. When the button is un-pushed it routes the signal from the cable feed to all TVs. (IOW - switches between two inputs and sends one or other to all outputs)

To try and answer Boyscouts question... If you repurpose one of the cable runs it can be done fairly easily. Just connect the extra cable connection from the antenna directly to the repurposed cable bypassing the booster/switch and the other end of the repurposed cable to the radio. There are ways to combine and then split signals but require extra equipment at each end and the booster/switch will probably mess that up anyway.

I hope all that made sense.

[howson]

The device is a switch/booster. It switches between the incoming "cable" connection and the "antenna." When the button is pushed it routes the antenna signal to all TVs and "boosts" or amplifies. When the button is un-pushed it routes the signal from the cable feed to all TVs. (IOW - switches between two inputs and sends one or other to all outputs)

To try and answer Boyscouts question... If you repurpose one of the cable runs it can be done fairly easily. Just connect the extra cable connection from the antenna directly to the repurposed cable bypassing the booster/switch and the other end of the repurposed cable to the radio. There are ways to combine and then split signals but require extra equipment at each end and the booster/switch will probably mess that up anyway.

I hope all that made sense.

I think the problem is there is a single coax that runs from the old King Jack antenna installation to the booster as the OEM King Jack had both the TV and FM signals on one cable. There's no other cable to re-purpose. The Winegard Air 360 has two coax (many thanks, boyscout , for calling that out!). I've ordered a Winegard Air 360+ as it has a single OTH cable like the King Jack I'm replacing. I also ordered the optional Gateway, as I'm fairly certain I can route 12V from the bedroom overhead LED light switch (always hot) to it. I won't use the 4G part of the Gateway, but the WiFi booster will replace another setup that I have (and despise setting up and then putting away every travel day). But that's a topic for another thread. When I get the two devices I'll document the install and post the results in a new thread.

Here's the diagrams of the two Winegards:

Winegard Air 360


Winegard Air 360+

[JCR GD]

So what you SHOULD have in your trailer at the hook-up center is a cable connection marked "cable in" (or similar.) This cable goes directly to the booster/switch. It then goes out through the outputs of the booster/switch to the various TVs. These cables may or may not have splitters in the lines to get them to all locations (mostly hidden behind wall plates.) All these cables are for your cable TV and antenna runs.

You SHOULD ALSO HAVE several other cable connections in your hook-up center either labeled for each TV location or "SAT" or ??. (These are direct runs to each TV location from the hook-up center with no splitters or switches.)

IF you are NOT using the "SAT" runs you could use (repurpose) the "SAT" connection on the wall plate that has the booster/switch on it and connect it to the "to Radio" portion of the antenna. Then go to hook-up center and jump/connect that "SAT" to the "SAT" for location of the Radio Receiver. Then plug the Radio into that connection on the wall plate nearest the radio. You should then have a direct link between the antenna output and the radio. In essence repurposed the "SAT" runs to directly feed the radio.

[howson]

IF you are NOT using the "SAT" runs you could use (repurpose) the "SAT" connection on the wall plate that has the booster/switch on it and connect it to the "to Radio" portion of the antenna.

That's outstanding out-of-the-box thinking! I thought I had a way for Mark to connect it all (using the limited amount of info I'm privi to) but unfortunately I don't think it will work.

Background:

1) It *looks* like the Solitude line uses the King Jack's booster, not the AntennaTek like what is in my Reflection. At least I don't see anything on the '18 Solitude parts list like the "power injector" on the Reflection: https://www.granddesignrv.com/owner-...s/detail/30430 (Even the Reflection part doesn't reflect what is actually in my trailer.) FYI, the antenna and booster parts are listed under Exterior > Attachments on the parts list site for both the Solitude and Reflection.

2) The output of TV2 on his Solitude's booster goes to a splitter. The splitter has three outputs, one each to the radio, bedroom, and pass-thru connection.

3) The main problem is the antenna appears to be on the roof over the entryway. The one potentially free SAT wire (grey) is at the TV in the bedroom. He'd have to figure out how to get that wire from the bedroom down to the living room. I'd guestimate it's ~10-15'.

If he *could* get that grey wire to the Winegard, Mark would connect it (grey SAT wire in the bedroom) to the Winegard Air 360 radio antenna coax. He'd then have to jumper the other end of the grey wire (it's AUX SAT at the Convenience Center) to the SAT (orange wire) at the Convenience Center. That SAT orange wire runs to the SAT connection on the booster. Then he'd need to find the three-way splitter from the output of TV2 (on the booster) and disconnect the radio antenna output from that splitter. He could then connect the Main Radio's wire to the Satellite connection on the booster. There'd then be one continuous run from the Winegard Antenna coax > Grey SAT wire > Orange SAT (@Convenience Center) > SAT (@ booster) > Radio input

Way too much trouble for an FM antenna IMHO.

Bottom line: for those considering upgrading from the King Jack they might consider paying the extra $40 or so to get the Winegard Air 360+. As previously mentioned, it has one coax wire that hooks up the same as the King Jack antenna (one coax).

Sorry you had to be the "guinea pig" for the rest of us, boyscout , but your hard-earned lesson is going to help a lot of other people so I hope that takes some of the sting out of this post.

Thanks for the post JCR GD ! Your idea was intriguing and could have worked if the SAT wire was closer to the antenna.

[webmeister]

If I might jump in on this string I have a question related to the Antennatek Signal Booster.
When I send a signal (VHS Player) into the AntennaTek cable input connection (not roof antenna) the signal to the Living Room TV is lousy (power light on AntennaTek is off). I have verified that all cables are good.
My Question: Can I assume with the booster in the off position, input from "cable" to the tv's should bypass the booster and provide a good signal. I am thinking the booster is bad and interfering somehow.

Thank you for any assistance.
Bradley

[JCR GD]

...My Question: Can I assume with the booster in the off position, input from "cable" to the tv's should bypass the booster and provide a good signal. I am thinking the booster is bad and interfering somehow.

Thank you for any assistance.
Bradley

Your assumption is correct. The button is a switch between cable feed and antenna w/booster.

[gbkims]

It appears that the wall plate does switch between the antenna and cable input jacks, as well as send +12V up to the antenna preamp.
Since it has a built in 3 way splitter, I'd think the input signal going thru the 3 way splitter would have the same db loss as any 3 way coax splitter, -3.5db on one port, -7db on the other 2 ports.
So if the switch contacts were iffy, there could be some additional signal loss from cable to output jacks.

AntennaTek 065856 Wall Plate Power Supply, 3 TV/FM connectors. https://www.antennatek.com/product-p...-fm-connectors
* Powers antenna for HDTV and FM reception.
* Built-in 140mA self-resettable fuse.
* Push-button selects between Cable and Antenna.

2021 Reflection 29RS > Electrical > 420193 ANTENNA TV FM BOOSTER WALL PLATE BLACK W/SAT F CONN. 4 POST

Some rigs have the Wall Plate Power Supply, 2 TV/FM connectors. https://www.antennatek.com/product-p...-fm-connectors
2021 Solitude 377MS > Electrical > 420466 ANTENNA TV WALL PLATE FOR AIR 360 SAT IN
Winegard has a similar Wall Plate, RV-7542. Model RV-7542 is a TV antenna power supply with cable input jack and built-in two set splitter. Also equipped for input of satellite signal from external jack.

AntennaTek 065856, arrows pointing to splitter ferrite transformers.


Splitters, 2 way and 3 way


Some diagrams some owners have made after trying to trace out their coax wiring, each one is wired differently:
Klenger OEM RF Coax.pdf
3350RL (2019) Coax Wiring.pdf
317RST TV & Cable Coax Diagram.pdf

Refs:
https://support.channelmaster.com/hc...2HD-CM-3213HD-
http://www.extreme-broadband.com/pdf...ionsManual.pdf
https://www.antronix.com/products/re...id=1&filters=6

[webmeister]

Thank you all, I just ordered a new booster - i will let you know how it goes...
Bradley