How to check that your TV antenna is properly connected

In our Fuzion 429, we have always had problems with our TVs not finding channels. Early in our ownership of the RV, a dealership had replaced our original antenna with a Winegard 360. Of course, we assumed they checked it out properly. When I had told them we were not getting channels, they told me the antenna was working just fine.

Frustrated with this, and not wanting to spend even more time at a dealership, we had been periodically using an inexpensive window-style flat HD TV antenna you might by at a store. That worked just fine but was a bit ugly. Many campgrounds have cable and, realistically, we don't watch that much TV.

Finally, we decided to take a look at the KeyTV junction box to see if it was properly connected, do some diagnosing, etc. Turns out, the coax coming from the antenna was NOT EVEN CONNECTED.

Here's the Winegard 360 on our roof.

Here's the KeyTV access panel which, on our 429, is inside the door where the water connections come in.

This is when we noticed that there was nothing connected to the "ANT" port. Wow.

Dangling just inside the hole where the KeyTV panel came off was this cable. Hmmm, I wonder what that's for?

Yes, it was the coax coming from the roof-mounted antenna. Let's screw that on. Sure enough, all TVs now find all channels. More evidence that it pays to do a little inspection and diagnosis on your own even if a dealership tells you "it's fine".

Here's the quick video we made.