TV signal mystery

[Lance Glogowsky]

My bedroom TV signal isn't always the best. When I lay a certain way on the bed, it changes. Closer to the TV, the signal improves. Further away, the signal gets worse. If I standup at the foot of the bed, the signal sometimes goes away. Any thoughts.

Thanks

Lance

[gbkims]

No help here.
But it does remind me of using rabbit ear antennas when I was a kid and how you could improve the reception by moving & touching the antenna.

[sande005]

Two guesses:
1. You're not using cable, but are using the built in antenna.
2. You're in an area that gets pretty strong reception.

Sounds like you have a very loose (or completely disconnected) cable to the jack, inside the wall. The exposed part of the wiring is acting as an antenna, and like the rabbit ears mentioned above, where you are influences the signal received.
Normally the cables have shielding and tight connections to prevent outside signals from sneaking in, except at the antenna.
It may be at the jack, inside the wall. It may be at another connection inside the trailer somewhere with the problem. Search this site for "coax", "antenna", "poor TV", etc. and you'll find posts from others that have spent a lot of time hunting down the problem.
Or, if under warranty, something to have your dealer look at.

[Lance Glogowsky]

I noticed the cable going into the ceiling is a little loose even after tightening the cable up. I'll have to change it and see what happens.

Thanks

[traveldawg]

You probably want to access every connector you can find and tighten them. You'll have to remove the wall plates to tighten the connections on the inside and it probably wouldn't hurt t take a look behind the basement walls for splitters. There are wall plates all over: bedroom, living room, basement (many).

[Lance Glogowsky]

I removed the splitter on the bedroom ceiling and found a few lose cables. This is the one that includes the red light and button to switch from the antenna to cable. While doing so I must have by mistake made contact with one of the 12 volt wires on the back of the plate to one of the cables because I blew the fuse for it, which included the bedroom lights. I didn't have time to fix the fuse. I'll work on it tomorrow night and give an update.

[gordofuchs]

You probably want to access every connector you can find and tighten them. You'll have to remove the wall plates to tighten the connections on the inside and it probably wouldn't hurt t take a look behind the basement walls for splitters. There are wall plates all over: bedroom, living room, basement (many).

^^^^^^^^^
Several of my connections behind the basement walls were loose, and at the amp plate.

[gbkims]

I removed the splitter on the bedroom ceiling and found a few lose cables. This is the one that includes the red light and button to switch from the antenna to cable. While doing so I must have by mistake made contact with one of the 12 volt wires on the back of the plate to one of the cables because I blew the fuse for it, which included the bedroom lights. I didn't have time to fix the fuse. I'll work on it tomorrow night and give an update.

I was surprised my antenna booster amp still lit up after I released some smoke out of it by shorting one of the cable connectors to the +12V.
Actually still have to see if it still sends power to the amplifier in the antenna.

[Lance Glogowsky]

there seems to be something lose or shorting out on the splitter. i jiggle the connections and it the signal improves in and out. i'm still trying to figure it out. I had elbow surgery the other day so i only have one arm to use right now.

[traveldawg]

Check this....

1. remove the connections (one at a time) from the splitter and look inside the connector for pieces of shield wire touching the center conductor; if you see some, replace the end on the cable.
2. with the cable disconnected from the splitter, pull on the connector; it shouldn't come off (or move at all).
3. Replace the splitter if the problems persists.
4. Replace all the ends on the cables going into the splitter if problem persists.

good luck. let us know how things work out. sorry to hear about surgery - I hope it heals well.