Sort-of Antenna Review
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3112
Printed Date: 18 May 2024 at 12:23pm
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Topic: Sort-of Antenna Review
Posted By: TerryM
Subject: Sort-of Antenna Review
Date Posted: 25 Nov 2012 at 2:58pm
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My TV doesn't work anymore but when it did I had a problem. I could never get more than 1 channel at the most. Usually none. One day I got up on the roof to do some cleaning and I bumped the antenna. It turned! I checked it out and the dish would spin around. I got some tools and the 2 bolts that clamp the antenna onto a pipe were loose. I grabbed the dish and pulled up and it came right off. The cable coming up through the pipe to the antenna was all twisted. It twisted so much it was disconnected from the antenna! I had to redo the connector at the end of the cable. But the TV didn't work so I don't know if there was anymore damage to the cable or not. The problem was that the pipe wasn't big enough for the antenna to clamp good and tight to it. I solved that by using a Dremmel (sp?) to cut half of the clamping part of the antenna off. Then I shaved part of it so it would tighten down on the pipe. That part did work. I have a TV unit that is brand new and is exactly the same as the one in the Pod. We got it to keep in reserve as a backup. Good thing we did that too! Terry ------------- RP-175 W/Lift Kit 2011 Ford F-150 4X4 Saint Augustine, FL: The first permanent European settlement in the USA: 1565 |
Replies:
Posted By: dsmiths
Date Posted: 25 Nov 2012 at 4:05pm
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TerryM, I am not super impressed with the Pods T.V. performance, but I kind of did a comparison. I have a metal building that is 24X30, I have an external T.V. antenna on the north corner that faces toward local antenna's in the Louisville Ky metor area, I am in Lanesville Ind right across the river from Louisville. I Park and winter the pod on the south side of the building which should attenuate the signal slightly, I am guessing 6 ot 9 db, but the pod gets 20 plus channels and the T.V. in the building gets about 9, so I am guessing the amplifier is doing a fair job. does yours have the pre amp before the T.V. ? ------------- Dane and Donna Smith 2011 RP-172 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer 4X4 lift kit prodigy wireless brake controller |
Posted By: coopercdrkey
Date Posted: 25 Nov 2012 at 5:02pm
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We get strong signals close in to a metro area, not much in the boonies. I give FR credit for their effort to elevate the R-Pod above the run of the mill. And I realize that they can't slam a whole bunch of bucks into a "high-end entry-level" travel trailer. (Is that an oxymoron?) Still, Audiovox is not held in much regard, and the Winegard antenna is pretty low end. Thanks, though, for a point-of-departure system that we can enjoy for a while! ------------- Bob and Joyce Jennifer and Baxter, the Campin' Cocker Spaniels RP 177 "Key Pod" Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT / Z71 |
Posted By: Racer|X|
Date Posted: 25 Nov 2012 at 7:11pm
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Yeah...my reception sucks too. ------------- |
Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 25 Nov 2012 at 10:57pm
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Terry happy to know you have had a use for the back up TV. What we did for antenna back up was install a exterior cable connector and connect a rabbit ear antenna and place it on the roof. It helps but if you are far from a TV station there is not much you can do. I do not watch much TV but my wife does, I could live without it. The weather on TV is nice to watch but a weather radio would be enough for me. ------------- 2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018- 2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab |
Posted By: TerryM
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2012 at 7:01am
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I have the amplifier. Where I store the Pod there is no electric so I can't check out the replacement TV. But I am thinking of going camping this coming weekend so I can try it then. Terry ------------- RP-175 W/Lift Kit 2011 Ford F-150 4X4 Saint Augustine, FL: The first permanent European settlement in the USA: 1565 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2012 at 11:19am
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Sounds like a good excuse for a camping trip. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: TerryM
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2012 at 12:20pm
Got that right! Terry ------------- RP-175 W/Lift Kit 2011 Ford F-150 4X4 Saint Augustine, FL: The first permanent European settlement in the USA: 1565 |
Posted By: P&M
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2012 at 10:09am
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I don't know if I think the antenna sucks, or if it is the overall dearth of over-the-air channels that are available anymore around here. 1 campground 5 miles away from Charlotte and I could only get 2 stations with 1 of them being fuzzy, and then this past weekend we were 20 miles away and I couldn't get anything. I could pick up radio stations just fine but no TV signals. Then again I'm not out camping just to sit around and watch tv, but I would like to check on the news in the morning since I am missing the paper. ------------- P & M ... and Comet too! 2012 171 -- The Monkey Pod 2018 Ram 2500 |
Posted By: TIDALWAVE
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2012 at 7:18pm
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I have a 'portable' digital TV with its own rod antenna and power supply.
I brought it with on my last trip with my Pod. The Pod's 'amplified' antenna/TV could only receive one channel. My portable set sitting out on a picnic table picked up five stations. However, when I brought the portable into the Pod...the aluminum roof killed all of the reception. I have decided that if I ever accidentally knock off my Pod roof antenna..a metal coat hanger will probable be as good an antenna. ------------- TIDALWAVE |
Posted By: dsmiths
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2012 at 7:30pm
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P&M, make sure the preamp is turned on, there is a small green led light that shows its on, if not you will get poor to no reception. On our 172 its in the cabinet above the stove. ------------- Dane and Donna Smith 2011 RP-172 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer 4X4 lift kit prodigy wireless brake controller |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2012 at 7:32pm
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The skin on the roof is fiberglass and shouldn't cut down the signal much. I think the frame is aluminum and that could. I am not into the TV much, but when I have had the amp on (and most of our first year I didn't know it was turned off) I got fairly good reception. If I had the choice I would have opted out of the TV/Antenna and saved the money. We looked at three 177s when we got ours (at two dealers). Two were alike with all the options. One was stripped completely (no TV, no microwave/convection oven, no air conditioning). WE may have taken the stripped on if it had air, but we sweated out to many nights on the plains in the summer to do that. To each their own I guess. ------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: Paige
Date Posted: 28 Nov 2012 at 7:46am
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There is a preamp? Where is it in the 177? ------------- Paige and Pete 2010 177 - RPug 2012 Rav (six cylinder) New York & Florida residents 
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Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 28 Nov 2012 at 9:11am
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It is in the box that the TV is mounted to. Open the door and you will see it with the antenna cables coming to and from it. It has an led that is also a push on/push off switch. ------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: Paige
Date Posted: 28 Nov 2012 at 4:31pm
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Found it! Could explain why the tv didn't pull in any channels,,,not that we really cared to watch. Thank you! ------------- Paige and Pete 2010 177 - RPug 2012 Rav (six cylinder) New York & Florida residents
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Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 28 Nov 2012 at 6:37pm
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Also check to be sure that the coax cable connectors are tight. On mine one was so loose that it fell off when I touched it. Not good for reception. It still is what it is. We didn't get ours for TV watching. ------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: P&M
Date Posted: 29 Nov 2012 at 3:14pm
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A pre-amp button? And it isn't on the unit itself, but somewhere near the plug? Don't recall seeing one but will write this down in my log book so that I can look for it the next time I swing by the storage lot. That would definitely explain why I wasn't getting any channels ... thanks! ------------- P & M ... and Comet too! 2012 171 -- The Monkey Pod 2018 Ram 2500 |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 29 Nov 2012 at 4:18pm
The amp switch is in the cabinet above the cooktop in the 172, I tkink it is the same in the 171. ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: bhamster
Date Posted: 30 Nov 2012 at 1:03pm
| Yeah, it's the same in the 171. It's also worth mentioning that the amplifier has 12V power, which makes it super-easy to put in one of these instead http://www.amazon.com/Winegard-RV-7042-White-Plate-Supply/dp/B000GGL4CG - http://www.amazon.com/Winegard-RV-7042-White-Plate-Supply/dp/B000GGL4CG and get an extra 12v outlet. |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 30 Nov 2012 at 11:09pm
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Another note on it using 12 volts, if you are bookdocking make sure you turn it off when not in use.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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