# Standard Tv Wave Strength Fluctuation?



## Saltshaker (Mar 23, 2007)

I have a standard Batwing TV antenna with the UHF Sensor attached and I have a question that concerns extreme drifting of wave strengths at any given time. I have the standard button (green light) amplifier used in conjunction with the non-HD TV with the little black box converter. By using the black box to attain the best signal strength, I can fine tune the whole setup. Most of the time when having the antenna tuned, as good as it gets, I have had as much as 65% wave strength. However, at any given time the percentage drops to near zero, then rises again to say 50% of what I had without touching anything. Question: Do I have something wrong with the antenna or amplifier? or is it normal for the wave lengths to fluctuate this way? My thanks, in advance, to anyone who replies..


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## bill_pfaff (Mar 11, 2005)

I don't have an answer but I have the same question. I know there are antenna add ons that claim they do a better job of receiving digital TV signals but are they nothing more than a sham or has someone gotten one with good results?


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## ED_RN (Jun 25, 2006)

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## ED_RN (Jun 25, 2006)

I'm not an expert either but I think it is the digital signal. With the old system you would still get a picture if there was some interference. With digital you either have a strong enough signal to produce a picture or you don't, no in between. I have two TV's at home on antenna, long story but dump the second satellite box. The one that is digital ready gets most channels most of the time but there are several of the standard channels like 2, 4 and 11 that are hit and miss. The one with the little black box attached gets most channels even less frquently. Interestingly I have those attached to a roof antenna that is probaly 25 feet above ground. I have tried sevrral different roof antennas with the same result. Also tried an inline signal booster. The signal with the standard RV antenna with the TT parked in the drive way is much more consistent.


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## Justman (Jul 22, 2006)

Howdy!

Issue is with the digital broadcast. Like was noted previously, digital TV uses data in the form of 1's and 0's to create a visual image on the screen of your TV. If something interrupts the broadcast or degrades the signal, the TV doesn't have enough information to create the image and you get zip, nada, zilch.

As for antennas, your regular antenna will work fine. You get absolutely no improvement in a digital signal when you buy a supposed "digital" antenna. The key to understand this is to comprehend how a digital signal is propogated---or broadcast. Digital signals are propogated the exact same way a traditional analog TV signal was propogated prior to the "digital" hype. Both use an analog carrier wave that is modulated (or transformed) in a certain way to carry information.

Don't buy into the digital antenna hype. Keep your old antenna and save yourself some $$$.


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## Saltshaker (Mar 23, 2007)

Thanks to all who replied to my question, the information supplied me with some things I never would have thought of and is greatly appreciated. Since we camp mostly near a large body of water I have a feeling that the water movement has a lot to do with the TV wave strength at any given time. Also, the local TV stations in and around the area might be lowering their output strength during the "least in demand" time of the day/night. I don't, normally, watch much TV when camping, but I do try to keep up with the morning news stations and the current infromation given. Thanks again everyone.... Happy camping!


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## egregg57 (Feb 13, 2006)

Saltshaker said:


> Thanks to all who replied to my question, the information supplied me with some things I never would have thought of and is greatly appreciated. Since we camp mostly near a large body of water I have a feeling that the water movement has a lot to do with the TV wave strength at any given time. Also, the local TV stations in and around the area might be lowering their output strength during the "least in demand" time of the day/night. I don't, normally, watch much TV when camping, but I do try to keep up with the morning news stations and the current infromation given. Thanks again everyone.... Happy camping!


 I had experienced the same issue you are describing. Signal strength does vary from a number of factors effecting propagation. I incorporated a 10db booster, available from Radio Shack to boost the stations I was receiving in my 2005 31RQS. This camper was "Pre-Digital" and did not have the digital signal attachment to the "Bat-Wing" antenna.

In questioning several people that had the unit attached, they informed me that they saw no significant change to then channels they received or the signal strength. In many cases owners called them a waste of money.

The 10db booster significantly amplified the available signal and made the good ones great the okay ones better to good and allowed me to receive channels that I could not get prior to having the booster. Although signal variation and drop out may not be able to be completely eliminated, those channels that had at least a steady fair signal were maintained and worked fine.

I added this same amplifier to our new 325FRE. Prior to adding it, I wanted to try reception to see if it was any better in a new model. I found that it was the same scenario in my driveway. I could receive about 6 channels. Some of which would drop in and out. After installing the booster I averaged 19 channels.

19 channels may not be typical for your area, and still there may be effects such as mountains, obstacles, trees that affect your signal. But I am a firm believer that the booster is a good by and well worth the elimination of the aggravation of drifting signal strength.

When I installed mine, I plugged it in, turned the amplifier all the way up, and planted it inside the cabinet where my TV is housed. I need not touch it again. Since then, and a bit off the subject, I have installed wireless headphones, and a Sirius/XM Satellite Radio antenna and docking station for my SkyFy radio. Although we like to enjoy the outdoors, rain doesn't stop us from going campering, we just may spend more time inside. The Wireless Headphones allows me or my wife (or both of us because of 2 sets of headphones) to watch TV or listen to the radio while the other reads a book or takes a nap in peace and quiet.

Hopefully that'll help you! It did me!

Eric


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## Lmbevard (Mar 18, 2006)

Like everyone said, it's more the digital signal. I have had 3 TV in the camper. All 3 gets different channels at the same time. My "black Box" worked better than my slightly older Insignia HDTV at pulling in stations and my newer Samsung gets different channels than either one for some reason. So it all depends on how good the tuner is in the TV. As far as adding the small addition to the Batwing, it's designed to boost the lower channels, 2-13, it will help some on these channels but most of the HD is in the high channels anyway so it may or may not be worth it. As far as the signals fading in and out, that's the nature of the beast. It's about like playing a really scuffed up CD, sometimes the reader can figure out what's suppose to be playing and at other times it doesn't have enough information to form a song or picture. The data may be there, but it's can't be recognized as a proper signal, so it fades out. Nature of the beast I'm afraid. Like it was said before, with an analog signal, the picture was sent using AM processing because it could be allowed to fuzz out yet the human mind could still figure out what was happening but the sound was in FM so it stayed purer. Now they both just stop so you have no idea what is happening between fade outs.

Don't think anything is wrong with your antanna or setup, just the nature of the beast.


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## bill_pfaff (Mar 11, 2005)

Eric,

Do you know the part number for the booster you have also, did you put the booster in line with the booster in the TT or did you bypass the booster in the TT?

Thanks
Bill


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## egregg57 (Feb 13, 2006)

bill_pfaff said:


> Eric,
> 
> Do you know the part number for the booster you have also, did you put the booster in line with the booster in the TT or did you bypass the booster in the TT?
> 
> Thanks


 I will get it for you. I put the amplifier box at the TV. So it is after the push button cable/antenna booster. You may find it before I find it before I get to it by looking at my modification thread for our 325FRE.

Eric


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## egregg57 (Feb 13, 2006)

Sorry about that last bad post! Its 1am! I should be sleeping!


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## egregg57 (Feb 13, 2006)

Model 15-259, $39.99, in store only. There ya go.


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## bill_pfaff (Mar 11, 2005)

egregg57 said:


> Model 15-259, $39.99, in store only. There ya go.


Thanks Eric, appreciate your efforts

Bill


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