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TerryM View Drop Down
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Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Location: Saint Augustine
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Posts: 1950 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Sort-of Antenna Review
    Posted: 25 Nov 2012 at 2:58pm
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
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dsmiths View Drop Down
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Joined: 10 Oct 2011
Location: Southern Ind
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Posts: 866 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Nov 2012 at 4:05pm
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
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Joined: 26 Aug 2012
Location: Cedar Key, FL
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Posts: 457 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Nov 2012 at 5:02pm
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
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Joined: 21 Mar 2012
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Posts: 237 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Nov 2012 at 7:11pm
Yeah...my reception sucks too.
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Joined: 24 Nov 2009
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Posts: 1222 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Nov 2012 at 10:57pm
  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.
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TerryM View Drop Down
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Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Location: Saint Augustine
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Posts: 1950 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Nov 2012 at 7:01am
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
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techntrek View Drop Down
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Joined: 29 Jul 2009
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Posts: 9062 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Nov 2012 at 11:19am
Sounds like a good excuse for a camping trip.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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TerryM View Drop Down
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Joined: 16 Nov 2009
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Posts: 1950 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Nov 2012 at 12:20pm
Originally posted by techntrek

Sounds like a good excuse for a camping trip.


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
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P&M View Drop Down
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Joined: 13 Aug 2012
Location: Spokane, WA
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Posts: 454 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Nov 2012 at 10:09am
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!
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TIDALWAVE View Drop Down
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Joined: 21 Nov 2009
Location: MINNESOTA
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Posts: 315 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Nov 2012 at 7:18pm
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
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