With the removal of analog TV and the switch to digital, what extra equipment is required to get a TV signal? We have a HD-ready TV and new antennae. We checked with some RV dealers in our city but they do not seem to know the answer.
We also went to Future Shop, Best Buy and even Radio Shack and they do not have any answers either. We have the most problems when staying at Radium Hot Springs in British Columbia; the reception was not great before and now impossible. Do you have to go with a satellite dish? I also understand that it’s challenging if there are too many trees etc.
Ben and Alice Marché,
Red Deer, AB
Hi Ben and Alice,
In general, digital TV provides a clear, sharp picture or none at all. An amplified UHF antenna works best. It must be pointed at the tower as accurately as possible. You need to do a channel scan each time you start the TV in a new area. Sometimes it’s necessary to do it several times until you get your antenna pointed in the proper direction. King Controls makes an indicator that shows when you are getting the strongest signal as you turn your antenna. This cuts down on the number of times that you need to do a channel scan. Digital TV doesn’t do well in some mountainous areas. We use a satellite dish on our motorhome, it provides great pictures, but can be blocked by anything that gets in the way of clear sight of a southwest sky – such as trees.
Here are a couple of useful websites:
www.dtv.gov
www.kingcontrols.com/jack/digital_tv_signal_finder.asp
