Digital TV Antenna

[bobgelb@gmail.com]

I have a five year old Catalina 310 with Triax UFO Marine Antenna. When hooking up the tv to the cable, I get "no signal"....since the boat is 5 yrs old,
either the antenna went bad, or I need a new antenna...maybe the old Triax
UFO antenna (109680) is analog, and the new ones (same # 109680) is now
digital ? Any ideas...I do know the antenna was for analog, but now the tv stations broadcast in digital signal. Do you think I just need to get a new
antenna? Any ideas would be welcome ....
Bob

 

[philwsailz]

You probably do not need a new antenna. There are no moving parts in an antenna to fail, and the way the antenna works did not change with teh analog to digital conversion. The encoding of the signal changed, but it will hit the old antenna quite nicely. You might need a new TV, one that will receive digital and HD signals, and you might need to look at the actual cable between the TV and the antenna to make sure it is functioning properly.

If you do decide the old UFO is due for replacement, do not waste your money on a so-called "digital antenna" as they are the same old thing, just in a different carton with a higher price tag. Any good omni-directional UHF antenna will work, and the amplified ones tend to work a little better.

 

[gpd955]

Try getting a digital converter box at any department store/ Best Buy or electronics store/Radio Shack. They run about $30 and they are relatively small. Our marina gave one to everyone and it works with my UFO antenna and the cable hookup dockside.

An example of one is here
http://www.walmart.com/ip/AccessHD-Digital-Analog-Converter-Box-1080D/14869369

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

It might be trivial but there is a difference between the old analog antenna and a newer digital one although not what was described. Digital signals are on a different frequency range compared with the older analog signals and therefore there is a slight difference in the antennas to compensate for the freq shift.

Having said that, the difference is apparent only in the case of very marginal signals. As you are not receiving ANY signal, you don't need a new antenna. Follow the suggestions others have already made and you should be fine.

 

[paulj]

bobgelb

I added new digital TV last year to my original TV setup on my 2002 Catalina.

Your e-mail address is not a good thing to show in your posts.


paulj :troll:

 

[rpwillia]

Antenna should not matter - mine don't

I use the original antenna and have a tv with digital tuner hooked up to it. It works just fine. Most antennas should be able to capture a range of frequencies and most of the digital channels are at the higher frequencies (as I understand it) and the antenna should be able to handle it.

Mine is powered by the switch on my radio. I can see a little red led on mine when it is turned on, but since it is original I am not sure of the brand (it looks like a frisbee).

 

[philwsailz]

If you have a UFO-style omnidirectional TV antenna on your boat, you already have a "digital-ready" antenna...

Almost all digital TV signals are transmitted in the UHF band range. While the program signal is now digital, all my research at the moment tells me the digital audio and video signals are modulated onto "analog" frequencies. By inference from the word FREQUENCY in UHF, (Ultra High Frequency) we can necessarily see that the carrier is a sinusoidal radio wave. While for terrestrial TV there are now "ones and zeros" flying through the air, they do so by being carried on analog signals on mostly UHF frequencies.


Very little TV is broadcast now on the old NTSC VHF frequency spectrum; the old channel 2 thru 13 channels. I believe the exception to the 2009 changeover was the small local station with primarily local interest programming. These VHF frequencies required the vey large arrayed antennas we see in so many rural areas where cable has never been offered.

The large rooftop TV antenna is actually two antennas. All those big differing length rods on either side of the antenna are the VHF array. The much smaller batch of short rods, usually in a v-shape on the front of the antenna is the UHF array Those large antennas are now largely not being used, with only the small UHF arrays that are built in to these large antennas still functional for terrestrial broadcast. You only need the small part now, and that is what most of us have for TV antennas on top of the stick on our boats, usually omnidirectional UHF antennas.

Don't fall in for the digital antenna sales pitch.... Chances are you already have one.

 

[bobgelb@gmail.com]

Phil..i have a similar set up, have no signal....think mast antenna is either gone bad, or faulting wiring from mast....I need to do more checking

 

[Long Story]

UFO Mobile marine antenna manual - I have the 2001 Catalina 310, and I wanted to see if anyone still had the manual for this age antenna? I need to sort out what the boxes do. It looks like they ran he antenna wire from the mast, through the bilge, back to a box (splitter amplifier?) inside the switch panel, then turned around again and ran it back through the boat to the front cabin. The coax in the bilge is black, and the connection was made with wire nuts, so I need to change it out and pull new wire. A manual would be helpful if you can post, or email to me, will provide details.

Thanks - Russ

 

[gpd955]

Russ,

I am on the boat right now and I believe I have one. It's not here but I think I brought it home since I don't use the antenna. I will check later this afternoon and scan it for you if I can find it.

 

[paulj]

UFO Mobile marine antenna manual - I have the 2001 Catalina 310, and I wanted to see if anyone still had the manual for this age antenna? I need to sort out what the boxes do. It looks like they ran he antenna wire from the mast, through the bilge, back to a box (splitter amplifier?) inside the switch panel, then turned around again and ran it back through the boat to the front cabin. The coax in the bilge is black, and the connection was made with wire nuts, so I need to change it out and pull new wire. A manual would be helpful if you can post, or email to me, will provide details.

Thanks - Russ

Long Story

http://www.dantronics.com/manuals/UFO%20Marine%20%20User%20Manual%20[screen].pdf


I think your problem was solar flare related:Liar:....try again and good luck.


paulj :troll:

 

[gpd955]

Russ,

I emailed it to you. It is a little different than the one Paul posted. Hopefull between the two you find what you need. I also uploaded it to the Downloads section on the site. It said it uploaded successfully but it may not be posted yet.

Jack

 

[Imbbeamer]

Where is the download section on the site

 

[gpd955]

Go to the top of the website (not the mobile app, you have to be on a computer). Just under the title is a bunch of blue tabs. Go to the "Resources" tab and either scroll over or click it and you should get a few different options to choose from, one being "Downloads"

There are tons of things that members have uploaded and if you have any manuals or info you think would be useful, you can upload also. SBO is a one-stop shop for all your sailing needs!

 

[Imbbeamer]

Thanks Jack good to know

 

[Long Story]

Thanks to all - I got mine rewired, all set up and 43 ch the fist time search. This is the 2001 model and it worked just fine. (but no red lights on the splitter box or bottom of unit)

Russ