1999 5th wheel TV antenna

[mobilescout99]

We're unable to get any channels on HDTV's, so we purchased a Winegard Wingman UHF booster for our 1999 Mobile Scout 5th wheel. Don't spend a lot of time watching TV while camping, but local news would be good @ times. We are 25/26/miles from our local TV towers, but even w/booster still unable to pu any channels, do we need to replace original antenna? Is it too old to pu new signals even with booster?
Thanks!
Ron Blackshear

[Winegard Tech Help]

Ron,

It sounds like you're using flatscreen TVs but you need to make sure the TV has a built-in tuner to decode signals, if it does not you will need a digital to analog converter box.

Make sure you're also aiming the antenna in the direction of the towers and running a channel scan on the TV to pick up signals.

If you still aren't getting anything, you will want to verify the antenna is being powered up by the wallplate power switch. To do so, disconnect the coax cable from your antenna with the power switch on and use a voltage meter to take a DC reading on the cable, you should see +12VDC.

If you don't have power or have insufficient power, you may want to try a different cable to the antenna head or your wallplate switch may not being passing power.

If you need anything else, let me know or contact technical service at 800-788-4417.

[mobilescout99]

Thanks, we'll try these suggestions. Didn't want to jump off & do a bunch of trouble shooting if the starting problem was the original antenna is obsolete.
We have gotten local signals on these sets in the past @ local state parks, but reception was poor. 1 TV was manufactured in 2009 & the other in 2010, so we assume since it was after the switch they both have the correct tuners.
Ron Blackshear

[Bill Adams]

I can tell you that your 1999 antenna is NOT obsolete. For the last 100 years or so the TV signals have been broadcast on UHF and VHF frequencies. They still are today. The only change is that while most channels were broadcast on the VHF frequencies, today most channels (about 80%) are broadcast on the UHF frequencies. The Wingman is a necessary add-on if you have not done so already. Verifying that you have a good strong 12V+ feed where the coax enters the antenna is also critical to your TV reception.