RCA AC-DC Mini-State antenna system

[Luckyducky]

I have a 1981 37c. Several years ago the po installed a hard top and did not reinstall an antenna, atleast I have not found one. I have install two flat scenes and are using rabbit ears but only get 5 or so channels. So I purchased a Shakespeare Sea Watch model 3020 and plan to install it on the flybridge hard top. When I started chasing down the existing coax, I discovered the RCA supply box. Does anyone have one of these? Why is there 12 and 120 volt power. There appears to be cable in and cable out, phone wires hooked up but no phone line out. And a wire plug with 5 prongs. Is this box obsolete? I'm confused, would bothe the antenna coax and the coax from dock service both go through this box? If so, how would of you switched from dock cable to antenna? Should I just remove all of this and install the switch box booster that comes withe Shakespeare? Can anyone explain the original installation?

 

[av8torrich]

I too have never personally seen this system before. What I can tell you is it appears as though the wires which are terminated on the terminal board are rotor cables, and the red/black wires are DC supply to something like a low noise pre-amplifier.

If it were me, I would simply remove it, as it will prove to be of no use to you at this point.

 

[whoover]

This is very close to the Shakespear system that I have on my boat. The phone type wires are indeed for the rotor that was inside the old antenna. That was powered by either the 120 volt or 12 volt when under way with no AC power, there is also a signlal amplifier in the box. To switch from dock side cable to over the air signal you still need a selector switch. I would remove it all as I do not think you will get any of the digital channels through this set up, I dont get any but use satelite most of the time.

Hope this helps
Walt Hoover