Been struggling with the new rig, has a Jensen "digital" antenna and have been getting one or no channels at campgrounds where I got many channels with my crank up antenna on the old rig.
At Pohick last week, 20 miles from the Washington Monument, where I used to get several channels, now getting one, and noticed a fuse on the amplifier. Pulled said fuse and suddenly got 22 channels...
Anyone seen this before where disabling the amplifier improved reception? By a lot? Is the amplifier so defective that it actually blocked reception? Or could there be more to this story?
Thanks for any help, I'm a Civil engineer, not an Electrical...
If you can find the model number you might be able to search that website for the manual.
Generally pulling a fuse on a antenna preamp gives you better reception is a good indication there is something wrong with said preamp.
However, the fuse may be powering a remote antenna/cable switch or relay. That is to allow you to switch between the cable input jack (on the outside of the trailer) and the antenna on the top of the trailer.
You simply need to locate the cable/antenna switch which in many cases is paired with a antenna jack with a switch, LED power light and 12V cig lighter socket.
On the jack to use antenna you need to flip the switch to antenna and the LED should light up.
Sometimes there may be a small switch panel which allows for multiple video sources. The antenna switch you are seeking would be located there.
On edit, also wanted to add that in your case the switch might be set for cable and pulling the fuse is allowing the remote relay to revert back to antenna. This would explain why it improves with the fuse out.
enblethen writes "Those are the ones I sawThey appear to be only AM/FM and not TV."
Correct, however IF the OP finds the model number of their antenna, they MIGHT be able to search the Jensen site for the manuals. Or the OP might be able to view each manual to see if it applies, I am just too lazy to do that for them.
If your antenna is a Jenson Omni-Directional ANHD20, the link below should take you to a site to download the owners manual.
I also have a new rig with one of these and I have been very disgusted with it. It is slick looking, just doesn't work. The dealer has been of no help and I am resigned to replace it with a Winegard which I know works.
The amplifier light goes on and off for no reason and it makes no difference in the reception whether it is on or off either.
My old rig with a batwing Winegard would receive over 35 channels in the greater Houston area. My new rig with the Jenson will only receive 2 or sometimes 3. Same park same space.
If you have any luck, let us know what the fix was.
It's a ANHD20, has a switch to choose cable / off / air, with a led light. I then tried it with the fuse in, switch turned to off, got better reception than "on", but was still better when totally disabled. I've got the manual, does not seem to help.
Have you verified that the cables are in the correct location?
Have you checked to insure that the 12 volts DC is connected with the right polarity?
Check for DC power at the antenna coaxial cable connnector.
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